Jon Moxley wins award

 It was revealed this week that Jon Moxley, the former Dean Ambrose, won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Wrestler of the Year award, an accomplishment named after both Ric Flair and Lou Thez, a nod to the past, which is fitting since Dave Meltzer, the primary editor for the newsletter for over thirty years, is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable sources for the history of the sport.

As is the case with anything in the age of social media, fans are divided on this announcement, as All Elite Wrestling, the promotion co-founded by many of Meltzer's friends in the business, took home a major portion of the awards. On the flip side, to discount AEW's accomplishments during the pandemic, which was an incredibly difficult year for everyone, would be misguided as well. As much as some might claim the awards that the Khan-owned organization racked up are a textbook example of nepotism, would the concept of nepotism be anything new in the wrestling business? How else did Ed Leslie keep a job for years? Nothing against Brutus, but he had more gimmicks in his career than stars that Meltzer gave for a Tokyo Dome main event. Yes, that statement was said in jest, but it's also accurate.

Regardless of the riff raft of social media, was Jon Moxley actually the wrestler of the year in 2020?

Similar to almost everything in 2020, the lens of the pandemic must be used to examine the issue because it definitely impacted many of the ways that Moxley and any of the other contenders for the awards performed in unprecedented circumstances. Granted, the entire criteria for what makes someone worthy of the award is subjective, but let's try to narrow it down to the more probable choices.

Jon Moxley won the championship just weeks before the pandemic melted the entire world and dropped it in December so he was the AEW world champion for the vast majority of the year. As much as 2020 was Moxley's year as a main eventer in AEW, the same could be said for Drew McIntyre in WWE because while he didn't start the year as champion, the build from as early as the Royal Rumble was designed to push him as one of the top guys in the organization. Some have cited Kota Ibushi, who had an incredible run the past few years in New Japan before he finally captured the IWGP belt at the Tokyo Dome. The title victory was technically a few days after 2020 ended, but the bulk of the NJPW calendar was used to build toward the championship bout. I'm sure someone could attempt to make a case for Baron Corbin as wrestler of the year, but let's use the top guys mentioned.

In truth, as amazing as Kota Ibushi is in the ring, I don't think he enters the discussion for wrestler of the year, simply because New Japan halted shows for 4-5 months during the pandemic so as far as 2020 specifically, there's a much smaller sample sizes of work from Ibushi than the other two performers mentioned. Don't get me wrong, I think New Japan absolutely made the right call when they halted shows because the health of the wrestlers, as well as the fans, should be the top priority. However, this is one of the ways that the pandemic skews the perspective on the top of wrestler of the year. For the same reason, I don't think Ring Of Honor world champion, Rush can be taken into consideration for 2020 because ROH took similar precautions and didn't run events for several months so there's simply not enough work from him as compared to the other possible winners.

So, the logistics of the pandemic narrowed down a few choices from other organizations. As far as other picks from within WWE or AEW, there are a few possibilities, but it requires a more in-depth look at the topic. When you think of top stars in AEW and WWE, outside of whoever the champions are at the time, Kenny Omega and Roman Reigns will enter the discussion since the former IWGP champion was such a touted signing after the formation of All Elite, and the fact that the majority of the WWE product has been built around Reigns for the past several years. Ironically, I would consider these two just a notch below Drew and Moxley in their respective organizations for more or less the same reason.

When Kenny Omega turned heel to win the AEW title in December, it has led to some of the most interesting dynamics in the business in the past several years. The alliance with Don Callis, who was extremely underrated for the majority of his career, paved the way for the AEW/Impact crossover, which has indirectly been a way for All Elite and New Japan to start discusses for a working agreement as well. Keep in mind, Omega was involved in the tag match that brought Kenta to Dynamite as a spin off of the IWGP US title match with Moxley this past weekend on the New Japan Strong show. That said, as impressive as Omega as been as heel champion, the bulk of 2020 was spent with Omega as an upper mid-card competitor on the show, with many wondering when/if he would make his way to the main event picture. From what we've seen so far, 2021 might be the year of Kenny Omega, but the heel turn that allowed for that platform started at the end of 2020 so most of the year didn't have the hype that he has generated in 2021.

The Roman Reigns heel turn in the latter part of 2020 has yielded the best work of his career, and Paul Heyman continues to prove that he's still the best talker in the business. All things considered, regardless of his sometimes rocky status with WWE that has taken him off of television at various times over the years, Heyman's work since Brock Lesnar returned to the WWE in 2012, puts the former leader of ECW in the ranks for one of the best talkers in the history of the business. Reigns as a heel is allowing him to evolve as a performer and he will probably eventually get over as a major baby face in the future because of this run as a heel. That said, similar to Kota Ibushi and Rush not being in the direct conversation for wrestler of the year, Roman took several months away from the WWE as a health precaution, which was completely the right decision, but again, it limits the sample of his work in 2020.

So, is Jon Moxley the wrestler of the year for 2020?

Yes, he was, but there's more to it than just the secret Wrestling Observer poll because let's be honest, while it's entirely possible, it was a legitimate voted that gave Moxley the award, if the voting in professional wrestling was a work, would it be a surprise? What stipulation won at Taboo Tuesday in 2004?

After the WWE minimized his star power for the Roman Reigns super push with nonsensical booking or Shield reunions to attempt to get the crowd behind Reigns, Moxley had sometime to prove in AEW. Moxley delivers bell-to-bell and his promos create compelling television. The main event match with Brodie Lee was a quality match that solidified Brodie as a star for AEW before his tragic passing a few months ago. I thought the booking of the Eddie Kingston pay-per-view match was somewhat rushed and it might've been better to let Kingston further establish himself before a title shot, but the match was solid, and the promos in the build up for it were tremendous. Outside of AEW, Moxley shifted the narrative of a world champion in professional wrestling because he took a booking for Game Changer Wrestling's Blood Sport event this past October for a match against Chris Dickinson. The AEW champion showed up to compete at an independent show. Plus, Moxley had an intriguing angle with Kenta for the IWGP US title in New Japan. I understand why a promotion would be protective of how the world champion is used outside of the organization, but all things considered, Moxley made himself a very unique commodity in the industry. Tony Khan allowed Moxley to work other shows, and while Moxley is certainly making great money from each venture, it indirectly benefits AEW as well. All Elite Wrestling is promoted as an alternative to WWE, and you certainly won't see a WWE champion appear for a different company.

Speaking of Tony Khan, he appeared on an edition of Wrestling Observer Radio to discuss the awards. On one hand, an interview the owner of one of the national promotions is a good opportunity for Meltzer. On the other hand, it perpetuates the notion that he's bias toward All Elite, and Meltzer knows it. I've never quite understood the polarizing reaction to Dave Meltzer, considering that he's undoubtedly a great resource for the history of the business, and the majority of his work is based on his opinion so it's not necessarily about anyone being "right" about a particular topic. That being said, too often critics of the Observer don't realize that while he reports news, Dave Meltzer isn't a traditional reporter. Considering that he sold tickets to fans to attend his Q&A sessions at AEW-affiliated conventions, he literally has a vested interest in the success of the company, and there's nothing wrong with that. Obviously, Meltzer plays to his base and his makes a living from it, which is exactly what cable news networks have done to draw ratings the past few years.

The career of Dash Bennett

"The ring had moved to a family member’s house at the top of a hill in the woods. I would train in the afternoon and then go to work in the evening with the tan lines of elbow pads on my arms."

That statement is something that you will only hear uttered about the genre of professional wrestling, the zany and off-the-wall entertainment venture that remains a staple of the American sports circuit several decades after Gorgeous George brought it into living rooms in the 1950s through the once-new technology of television.

However, all the glitz and glamour that George brought to the ring as he strutted along with pins in his hair and inhaled "Imported Florida Air" before the opening bell, is only a slight peak at the overall scope of sports entertainment. In an age of streaming services that can beam professional wrestling from the other side of the globe live though the fans' screen, sometimes it's easy to forget that the minor leagues before the big time are a path littered with dirt-stained canvases, meager pay, and sometime sparse audiences.

What motivates someone to willingly put themselves through these shenanigans of local level professional wrestling?

Dash Bennett, a native of Pittsburgh, PA and originally from a small town in West Virginia, walked in a crowded auditorium nearly four years ago as "Pomp and Circumstance" blared in the background. No, he wasn't channeling "Macho Man" Randy Savage, who hooked him on the sport when he saw the Slim Jim pitchman rant and rave about an upcoming cage match in 1995. Instead, Bennett "walked the aisle" to receive his Master's Degree in Business Administration from Penn State University, where he previously completed a Bachelor's program in business a few years earlier. That higher education landed him work that took him on business trips as far away England and The Philippines. He cites traveling in business class overseas as one of the major perks of his decision to hit the books during his studies.

In an ironic dichotomy, he spent the 15 years prior to his university exploits cramped in cars with as many passengers as possible, ate whatever late-night gas station food he could find, and chipped away at his path as an independent professional wrestler.

"I traveled a lot very early on in my career. The secret to that is having no life. When you're in your early 20s and work a 9-to-5 job with no girlfriend or any other responsibilities, you can dedicate yourself to wrestling. You can drive to the building where the ring is set up and train three days a week. You can spend an entire weekend traveling to different states. You can spend your free time watching wrestling with your friends. Literally, nothing else mattered in my life for those early years," Bennett explained.

Just barely out of high school around the time of the new millennium, Dash was obsessed with professional wrestling throughout his youth. He joined the amateur team simply because it was called "wrestling" and instead of perfecting the double leg maneuver, he taught his teammates how to perform the stunner at a time when Steve Austin set TV ratings records. During that time on the amateur mat in high school, he met a fellow pro wrestling fanatic, and they decided to find themselves an actual wrestling ring instead of the padded walls of the amateur practice room.

"During my sophomore year, I met another guy on the team that shared the same love for wrestling as me, Derek Tuttle. I caught up with Derek one day during my senior year after not talking for a while and he told me that he had been training to become a wrestler," Dash commented.

 Tuttle, who had a stint as a pro wrestler himself as Daron Smythe in the early-2000s, found a wrestling promoter that had the previously mentioned ring in the woods and allowed aspiring hopefully the ring time to learn the craft. By 2001, Dash and Derek were in the ring, sometimes as a tag team, and the pair began to learn their craft. One of the venues that hosted these learning exhibitions was the Moundsville Roller Derby, a hole-in-the-wall building with ceilings so low, the steel posts had to be cut down to fit the ring in the place. After he bumped around the roller rink, he took the few bucks he got for it and went to the snack bar for a soda and a pretzel. Despite the cramped conditions and meager payoffs, Dash saw this early bouts as a critical step in his overall development as a performer. Soon, he branched out across the tri-state area and landed a gig that opened the door to the next chapter in his career.

"I spent most of my Pittsburgh run as a heel because that’s where I found my stride. My time spent working in West Virginia helped me learn how to get over as an old school baby face. I never had the chance to show my full baby face potential in Pittsburgh, but enjoyed my time working as a heel there as well," he explained.

The Pittsburgh platform for him was the now-defunct Pro Wrestling Express organization, previously one of the longest-running organizations in the region that was known for its local television show that sandwiched it between episodes of Shotgun Saturday Night and ECW Hardcore TV in the late-90s. By the time Dash landed in a PWX ring in the early-200s, the majority of its heyday was over, but its history kept it relevant for years afterwards. Dingy building and leaky roofs over the years at various PWX venues became a part of the organization's identity, as a mixture of old school wrestling and gritty brawling allowed for the area's future stars to get their start in the industry. For Dash, the format and the schedule of events nearly every two weeks allowed for him to flourish as a performer and produce the best work of his career as a villainous grappler.

"As far as being a heel, there are many layers to it.There is being cocky, arrogant, chicken, tough guy, crazy, and I pretty much ran the gambit of it all. When I really became successful at playing a heel, however, was just being myself without a filter. I've always been a nice guy to a fault, and would usually find myself getting taken advantage of. You can only go through so much of that in relationships and in life before it makes you cynical. When you step through the curtain and into the ring, you start doing things that you wouldn't normally do in real life because you know there are no consequences," Bennett remarked.

In 2011, with more than a ten years of experience under his belt, Dash Bennett claimed the PWX heavyweight title. He was the main event "bad guy" of organizations where he started in the preliminary matches a decade earlier During his reign as champion, he had the dubious Stacy Hunter as his manager at ringside and the duo riled up the crowd every time they stepped through the curtain.. He cites this period as one of the major highlights of his career.

"I can obviously point to certain matches or title wins as career highlights. That means that you've earned the respect of the booker and are being rewarded with a trophy for your hard work. I'm more proud of some of the moments that I've been able to create. Certain performances in matches, or certain reactions that I've been able to get from crowds. I'm proud of a time that I sold hundreds of dollars of merchandise on one show," Bennett said.

"Dash was the top guy in PWX for a while.  Everything he did was hitting.  Good matches, good reactions, and he was elevating those around him.  I'd argue that he was not only the top guy in the company during that time but that second was a distant second," added BC Steele, regarded by many as the best manager in Pittsburgh wrestling.

"Dash was one of the guys I had the most fun with and grew with at ringside. He and I didn't even need to talk, we just knew what to do," said Stacy, a 25-year veteran in her own right.

In many ways, Dash felt like his run as one of the top names on the card to bring fans into the building was when he met his goal in professional wrestling. He met his future wife in 2013 and he was content to settle into civilian life outside of the circus of the local circuit. Instead he opted for the college studies mentioned prior and grew in the business administration career that yields him much success now. 

"By the late-2000s, I knew I wasn't going to be wrestling on national TV or making a living, and I was starting to make good money outside of wrestling, so I slowed down and stopped traveling as much," he explained.

Today, the father of two young kids, Dash remains a dedicated follower of the wrestling industry and lends his advice to the next generation in a a mentor role, both on and off camera for Fight Underground, the Pittsburgh scene's newest project organized by Quinn Magnum, one of the most respected figured in the arena. Bennett enjoys the opportunity to contribute to the sport without the bumps and bruises that go along with it, but even his passion for sports entertainment is secondary to the joy his family brings him.

"Now in Fight Underground, I have an opportunity to stay in the business and work behind the scenes with a local promotion without having to hurt my body. It's a unique dynamic while I'm an on-air manager and coach, but have become a real-life mentor to these people as well. I find myself giving advice, reviewing matches and promos, helping others make connections. It's pretty rewarding as well, the reward of being a parent to someone who loves you unconditionally the way a young child does is more satisfying than anything I've ever done in wrestling," Bennett said.

So, Dash Bennett never "made it big" in professional wrestling. He was a weekend warrior that pursued his passion and saw it through, as he entertained fans all around his part of the tri-state area. He never inked an international contract that put him on pay-per-view, but his work outside of the realm of sports entertainment took him around the world. He traded a pile driver for a pen and a pair of boots for a briefcase. Did he work full-time in professional wrestling? No, but he's undoubtedly a success as a family man, which he considers his greatest achievement.

The Big Show signed for AEW

"The more things change, the more they stay the same" -Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

 Social media was an absolute buzz today, as All Elite Wrestling announced that they signed Paul Wight, the former Big Show in the WWE, to a multi-year deal for the promotion. As of now, the 25-year pro is set to be a commentator for AEW's upcoming additional Youtube show, Elevation, but I'd guess there will be more of a role for him in the Khan-owned league in the next few months.

In some ways, this news is very ironic, as reflects a previous era of the industry. There was only a brief period in the history of the industry that WWE was on the ropes when the combination of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash  was added with the concept of a Hulk Hogan heel turn. However, it should be noted that even before Nitro's 83-week run of ratings victories, it was Hulk and later Randy Savage that made the leap in 1994. Macho Man was one of Vince McMahon's biggest stars of the 80s, but the sports entertainment kingpin shipped the Slim Jim pitchman to the sidelines because he thought Savage was too old for the "New Generation" that was put in place to repair the organization's image after the steroid scandal of a few years earlier.

Macho Man left, taking the snack endorsement deal with him, and had a completely fresh run under the Turner banner. WCW put Vince on the ropes before it imploded, as those within the Ted Turner conglomerate assumed there would always be enough cash on the payroll to cover the bloated contracts. McMahon bought WCW and its assets, including the incredibly profitable tape library for pennies on the dollar. Extreme Championship Wrestling, a group that revolutionized the presentation of the genre in the United States, officially folded just a month after the Turner sale. Dixie Carter tried to run TNA, enough said.

The point being, the pro wrestling industry has evolved, but the basic dynamics remain in place because it provides a foundation to the industry. If a product is going to make an impact on the landscape of the business, it needs the talent, the distribution, and the correct presentation to be effective.

I penned an article last week about the St. Valentine's Day Massacre pay-per-view and explained that beyond getting The Giant on the roster at time, the debut of The Big Show was a shift in the narrative of the era. Two years earlier, the future of the WWF was in jeopardy and as some of McMahon's biggest stars signed with Ted Turner, it looked as though WCW was the place to be in the industry. By 1999, Big Show's jump and the Chris Jericho debut later that year sent the message that the young stars of the business saw their future in the WWF.

The importance of the success of AEW for the industry as a whole can't be understated because without options for the performers and the fans, the business is stagnant, which was more or less the narrative of the industry for several years prior to the launch of All Elite. Established names like Jon Moxley and FTR opted to sign with AEW, while names like Chris Jericho, Sting, and now Big Show would rather ink a Tony Khan deal than be used occasionally for cameos in the WWE. Talent that just needed to be given an opportunity to shine like Eddie Kingston and Lance Archer chose AEW because they saw it as the more productive option.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

This isn't meant as a jab against the WWE, especially because they will continue to generate record-setting revenue from their TV and network deals for the next several years so you can't argue with the success, but it's very possible the publicly-traded company is focused more on its place on the stock market than it's position in the sports entertainment business. We've heard it several times, one of the main criticisms of the WWE product in recent years is the generic approach to the shows. At the very least, another legitimate option provides fuel for the industry.

Don't get me wrong, AEW isn't going to surpass WWE, and that shouldn't be the goal anyway. As I've written before, success for All Elite isn't beating Raw in the ratings, it's being a profitable business venture. The TNT extension that was signed last year made AEW a profitable project so they are already successful. The sports entertainment industry has already been exponentially better because of the existence of more options and it ultimately provides better products for the fans.

I have to be honest, I was very surprised when I saw that The Big Show signed with AEW. I assumed he would remain under the WWE umbrella because he worked for the company for more than two decades and probably had a decision contract to make cameos or be used to put someone over, which is how he was used for a short match against Drew McIntyre on Raw last year. That said, the fact that Paul Wight inked a deal with AEW sends the message that he sees some type of future in the organization. If he just wanted the money, he could've stayed under contract to WWE so the move is certainly a positive statement for All Elite. While I don't think an additional Youtube show will do much in the grand scheme of things, Wight as a commentator is a good way to use him. Reportedly, Wight will wrestle some matches in AEW, but at 49, it makes sense for him to be used primarily in a non-wrestling role and then maximize his star power with a few key bouts.

Considering Shaq's current involvement in AEW and the fact that the rumored Shaq/Big Show match didn't happen in the WWE, I'd say it was a safe bet that the bout eventually takes place in All Elite. There are always another key bouts with a few members of the roster that can be used to put more of a spotlight on them. Besides in the ring, there's a major benefit to AEW from a PR prospective as well because his involvement can be used to create very valuable brand awareness, which is a very important aspect to continue to build the company.

The WWE is now the major corporation in the wrestling business and while management is smart enough to maintain it, it's very interesting that AEW is the company that is pushing the envelope to make waves, similar to what Vince McMahon did in 1997. Modern day McMahon wants to copyright everything, which is a smart business move, but there was a time when he helped Paul Heyman market ECW's first pay-per-view. There's somewhat of a comparison about how All Elite has promotes some of the Impact and New Japan matches. The Big Show, Jericho, Sting, Cody, FTR, and a few others opted not to sign another deal with WWE to ink a contract with All Elite instead so it will be very interesting to see the direction of the industry in the next few months.

WWE Reruns

After a series has its successful run on television, depending on its popularity, it can be picked up in syndication for reruns among secondary networks for as long as the channel is on the air. Obviously, the difference with the rerun is, it doesn't have the same demand as original run programming because there's literally already a "been there, done that" scenario. For example, when a viewer finds several episodes of Seinfeld scheduled on a smaller channel, they can watch a few in a row if they have the time to enjoy the content again. As we've seen with the trends of the pandemic, many people have binge watched their favorite shows again because without many other entertainment options, there's a chance to sit on the couch and re-watch Tony Soprano's struggles as the mafia kingpin of New Jersey or Omar roaming the streets of Baltimore for a box or honey nut and a pack of Newports on The Wire.

The problem with the rerun is, by nature, it's a passive entertainment option. I didn't watch Game of Thrones, but I was very familiar with the social media "no spoilers!" request the day after each new episode aired. Original content is such a priority in the television business because there's a demand to see how the narrative unfolds. When the direction of the story is already known or repeated, it's more of a leisure activity because it lacks the initial selling point.

A trend of the WWE in recent years, but even more so during the pandemic era is management seems to rely on the retread of previous angles instead of an attempt to create something new with a different overall direction. I penned an article back in November, a time when most hoped the pandemic would be near a conclusion as the next Wrestlemania approached, that it was possible that The Miz would cash-in to win the WWE title, which is how he claimed his initial WWE belt a decade ago. 

As I mentioned in that column, from a company prospective, The Miz is exactly what they look for in many ways for the model WWE "employee" so to speak. He's steadily average in most categories and he's a safe bet for the publicly-traded corporation. Mike Mizanin has average matches, he doesn't get injured, he represents the company well from a PR stand point, you don't hear about him getting a DUI or anything else that would reflect poorly on the company, and he doesn't violate the wellness policy. 

This isn't meant as a jab toward Mizanin the real-life performer because you can tell he puts in the effort, but shouldn't all the traits just listed be the base line, not the ceiling for a top star in the WWE?

Granted, the genre of professional wrestling has its foundation of baby face vs. heels, and the general narrative that goes along with it, but too many angles on WWE TV in recent months are basically a copy/paste of the same thing that was booked before with more or less the same characters. It should also be mentioned that similar to other aspects of sports entertainment, if an angle is used repeatedly, it yields diminishing returns. Now, it should be mentioned that I don't think Miz makes it to WM 37 as WWE champion, especially because the rumored tag match with Bad Bunny still seems to be on the table after their interaction at the pay-per-view, but the concept of Drew McIntyre dropping the title now so that he can win it back in a month or so to attempt to create a "Wrestlemania moment" for him is misguided.

If anything, the start and then stop push for Drew made him look like a flimsy champion more than anything else. The pointless three-week switch to Randy Orton a few months ago did nothing, but interrupt him momentum as champion. Dropping the title to The Miz to set up the chase for the gold at WM is a narrative that can't be properly built in a month and it just doesn't have the same impact when he already won the title on that stage last year. The way they've booked Drew as champion, as early as the night he won the title when he said he "didn't want to fight" The Big Show hasn't done him any favors. Assuming McIntyre wins it back at WM 37, that will give him three WWE title wins in the span of a year, but does that really make him a bigger star than when he originally beat Brock Lesnar for the belt? Speaking of Brock, wouldn't it have been more beneficial for Drew to remain champion the entire time and then go into WM 37 to defend the title with the status of a year as champion on the line as opposed to multiple title wins throughout the year? Brock was booked as a dominate champion and it made him one of the bigger stars on the roster, has McIntyre really been made to look strong in the role as champion?

If McIntyre would've went into WM 37 as champion with a year as champion, the extended title reign is the selling point because there would be something on the line along with the actual belt. I discussed it when Orton won the title from Drew, the fact that McIntyre won it back in three weeks more or less had no progress on the show because each character was in the same place that they started before the switch within a relatively short time span. The office has made some key decisions over the past few years that more or less make the product a revolving door because you rarely see the pieces shuffled around for anything beyond just cannon fodder to continue to churn out content for the WWE machine.

It's disappointing to say this, but it's doubtful that Drew will be booked for anything at WM this year that will make him a bigger star or improve his status from where he was after he beat Lesnar last year so what was the point of the random title switches? Another major example is Kofi Kingston from two years ago, he had an incredible run in the Elimination Chamber and "Kofimania" spontaneously got over with the audience so he won the title at Wrestlemania in 2019, but did he get a chance to truly become a main event star? Brock Lesnar was booked to beat him in about ten seconds a few months later for the debut on Fox, and Kofi  has more or less been a tag team wrestler since that time, which is exactly where he was before "Kofimania" got over with the audience.

Management has Miz cash-in because of the heat he gets from the audience and they repeated that process from ten years ago here because of the perception of The Miz among diehard fans. However, there are different types of heels and Miz isn't in the category of a villain that the audience views as a main event guy. For a comparison, CM Punk had heat with the audience and he could go bell-to-bell to deliver the quality main event matches. On the flip side, The Miz is the snarky heel that fans want to see Bill Goldberg spear for a three-minute match on pay-per-view and there's nothing wrong with that. Miz has his role and he plays it very well. He's a great utility guy for all the reasons mentioned previously, but he's not a top guy that can be used to build hype for the biggest event on the calendar.

Speaking of the biggest event of the year, it exemplifies the rerun mentality of the product. It looks as though The Fiend and Randy Orton will have a match at the show, and as cringe worthy as the entire angle has been, they already had a match at WM a few years that used the lame projections on the canvas during the match. I understand that Edge vs. Roman Reigns will be an anticipated bout, but even the Edge returns at The Royal Rumble is a carbon copy of last year. Plus, at 47 with a history of serious injuries, is Edge going to build for the future? Finally, as mentioned before, the set up with Miz as champion appears to be another way for Drew to win the title at WM, but that's the same scenario as last year.

Wrestlemania publicity

 Bad Bunny is money for WWE.

I have to be honest, when I heard that "Bad Bunny" was performing at The Royal Rumble, the only thing I knew about him was that he did a song with Booker T recently. Considering the WWE musical experiments have yielded mixed results in the past, I didn't have any expectation for what he would bring to the show. You might have Kid Rock at WM 25, who spent more time with Jack Daniels than Jack Brisco before he hit the stage or one of the stellar performances from Motor Head where Lemmy delivered a signature song with his trademark razor blade voice.

After the performance of the song, Bad Bunny did a dive later in the night and eventually won the "prestigious" 24/7 title, which somehow and not surprisingly, some fans complained about on social media.

While I will never listen to the generic sounds of hillbilly country or the sad saga of Joe Bob's tractor being stuck in the mud, my music selection has a variety of almost everything. From Tupac to Johnny Cash, Neil Young to Marvin Gaye, and Warren Zevon to Linkin Park, I enjoy jammin' to the tunes. That said, I'm an old soul so despite being in the demographic that might be current on the Bad Bunny trends, I wasn't familiar with him.

That being said, the fact that I didn't know his background is irrelevant. The Latin Grammy winner is a draw and if he's used in the right context, this could be a major boost from the company, especially in the Hispanic market. Within the past week, the majority of Bad Bunny merchandise on WWE Shop was sold out, and includes a variety of t-shirts, as well as posters based on his Rumble appearance. When is the last time new merchandise has sold out on the website? Granted, we know that every time there's a return or a milestone, there's another collection of merchandise that goes along with it, which is one of the many reasons Vince McMahon is a billionaire, but how often does the product sell out?

I've said it before and I will say it again, in many ways, World Wrestling Entertainment is the Walmart of professional wrestling, it's the most recognizable and easily accessible sports entertainment product that targets the lower common denominator in an attempt to market to the general public. It's a harsh reality, but WWE brass doesn't have to sell themselves to the diehard demographic because that group of fans is already watching the show, and more often than not, the diehard audience isn't looking for the same content as the causal fan. Dean Malenko was an incredible worker that deserved a lot more credit than he received during his in-ring career, but the fans that buy every type of John Cena t-shirt released aren't concerned about how well Cena does the Texas Cloverleaf.

In a similar fashion, it's irrelevant if the subscribers of The Wrestling Observer know who Bad Bunny is or not. Obviously, the guy is a talented musical artist and he has a dedicated fan base that is willing to spend money on his products. Generating revenue is the bottom line and anyone that prioritizes something above that is misguided. The bigger picture goes beyond the WWE Shop sales and certainly beyond the "wrestling bubble" as far as what else Bad Bunny can bring to the table. As mentioned, WWE often markets to the lowest common denominator, which is a part of mass distribution in most industries, but as a result, they don't often attempt to translate any cultural barriers. For example, we've heard for years how important the Hispanic market is in the United States, especially because of the tradition of lucha libre in Latino culture, but who are the Hispanic stars for WWE? Reportedly, they planned to make more Latino stars, but there were lackluster attempts at best, even though they already have the talent on the roster that are capable of being used in those spots.

Rey Mysterio is an absolute all-time legend, but at 46 with a laundry list of injuries in his career, he's still the biggest lucha star the company has on the roster. Alberto Del Rio had the potential to be a major star for the organization before he was released and he went off a cliff, but he wasn't fully utilized. Angel Gaza is on the roster right now and is a tremendous talent, but he's booked as a sidekick. Andrade has all the skills to be a main event star, but doesn't get a solid push to truly establish him at the next level. It's debatable how well the Lucha House Party would do in bigger roles, but they don't even get a chance to be more than glorified jobbers on TV.

In my opinion, if the WWE machine gave some of these Hispanic stars a legitimate chance to establish themselves, they could have the Latino stars of the next generation. Reportedly, Bad Bunny will have a tag match with Damian Priest at Wrestlemania, which makes sense because it gets him booked in a match that can limit what he has to do in the ring and avoids any blunders. For those that complain about him winning the 24/7 title, to quote the late great Gorilla Monsoon, "Will you stop?!" It's a comedy title that isn't designed to actually push anyone on the roster so in this scenario, it's literally just a prop, which is fine because it accomplishes the goal of creating more brand awareness.

Last night, Bad Bunny performed on Saturday Night Live with the 24/7 championship and if nothing else, it puts the WWE brand in the spotlight to an audience that usually doesn't watch the product. That's what those in the wrestling bubble don't understand, Bad Bunny's involvement is to attempt to draw more fans to the product or at least sample the current product that don't usually watch it. It's the same reason Mr. T was used for the early WM events, it brings more publicity to the company to hype the show. Clearly, Bad Bunny is a fan of the product, he can generate publicity, and he's selling merchandise so from a business prospective, it's a very successful angle for the company.

Omega vs. Moxley

 I've said in the past few months and as recent as earlier this month that professional wrestling is about the moments. When a company can create those moments and put their stamp on pro wrestling history, it lends itself to longevity because it gives them a foothold in the industry. Generating that moment provides substances to go along with the promotional sizzle. When All Elite wrestling launched and through the first year of its existence, there was understandably some skepticism about the potential of the organization on a long-term basis.

As much grief as fans rightfully give Dixie Carter for her attempt to swerve Billy Corgan while she took TNA off of a cliff, the point was more so that the demographic that wanted an alternative to WWE had seen projects with potential fizzle out since the shutdown of WCW twenty years ago. In truth, TNA had the talent and the exposure to make it happen, but fell incredibly short of the goal of a truly national organization that would rival WWE. The lesson there was that fans saw that a company can have the talent, and the distribution, both being very difficult to obtain in their own right, but without the proper direction, the opportunity doesn't translate to success.

All Elite isn't perfect and has its critics, but it would be unrealistic to expect it to be perfect. As entertaining as the Monday night wars were, if you re-watch those shows, not everything was gold. Disco Inferno vs. The Renegade wasn't exactly a classic bout. However, at least so far, AEW has done enough right and avoided most major pitfalls so they've made progress to build the company. Thankfully, those within the industry have learned from the past mistakes of WCW and TNA. That statement goes across the board in many ways for not only Tony Khan, but Don Callis and Scott D'Amore as well.

As mentioned, AEW has made its share of moments recently with Sting's tremendous surprise debut with the group, and Kenta's attack on Jon Moxley that led to a tag match on Dynamite a few weeks ago.

Another moment was made this past week on the show after the main event six man tag team match concluded. Impact Tag Team champions, The Good Brothers and AEW champion, Kenny Omega attacked Moxley to set up the main event for the next pay-per-view in a few weeks. Drawing from their previous "lights out match," Omega made a shocking announcement when he challenged the former Dean Ambroe to an exploding barbed wire match at Revolution.

Sure, the spectacle and the potential over-the-top violence is the primary selling point of this bout, but there's an entirely different layer that makes this a particularly standout match.

The concept of an exploding barbed wire match was developed by hardcore pioneer, Atsushi Onita, who was one of the premiere jr. heavyweight wrestlers for Giant Baba's All Japan promotion in the 1970s. During his excursion to the United States, when a Japanese wrestler is sent to learn different styles before they return to their native country as a more polished athlete, he was exposed to the wild brawls of the Memphis territory. Later, he traveled to Puerto Rico, where he saw barbed wire used in matches in Carlos Colon's World Wrestling Council, a gimmick he eventually took back to Japan. When serious knee injuries ended his traditional wrestling career, Onita retired from All Japan, only to make a comeback when he founded the legendary Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion in 1989. FMW popularized the hardcore style and had a direct influence on the development of ECW in the United States. Barbed wire matches became a major draw for the rebellious organization, as wild matches, colorful characters, and Onita's charisma garnered a once-scuffed at genre to main stream popularity in Japan.

Too push the envelope, explosions, similar to what you would see at a pro grade fireworks show, were included with the barbed wire. Fans flocked to see the spectacle, as Onita vs. Terry Funk was a major card for the organization, drawing an estimated 40,000 fans to Kawasaki Stadium in 1993. Despite being strategically placed to allow for the most impressive visual presentation while minimizing the risk to the athletes, it's still a very dangerous gimmick match. The hardcore legend, Mick Foley detailed in his best-selling autobiography that he suffered serious burns from an exploding board in Japan, his skin still charred on his flight home.

At its peak, FMW blended danger, athleticism, and entertainment, influencing an entire generation of American wrestlers in the process. The spectacle of the exploding barbed wire gimmick was visually impressive and had an aura around it. As notorious as he is legendary, Onita's career, as well as the story of FMW as a whole is complex. In fact, the downfall of FMW will be profiled in season 3 of Vice TV's Dark Side of The Ring series. Still, the exploding barbed wire match maintained its mystic over the years, and despite some attempts, it hasn't been done on a major scale in The United States.

In 1997, Onita actually met with Vince McMahon at the WWF headquarters, which made news in Japan. Reportedly, there was some discussion about the exploding barbed wire being used in the feud of Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie, but the gimmick never materialized in the WWF. The following year, when ECW had a working agreement with FMW, which Onita sold after his 1995 retirement, despite returning to the ring roughly a year later, Paul Heyman brought the Masato Tanaka/Mike Awesome feud to American pay-per-view for their initial match-up in the company. At the same time, Heyman wanted to sign Onita for a bout to go along with the working agreement with FMW. As we know, both Tanaka and Awesome would eventually work full-time for ECW in 1999 and into 2000 before Awesome inked a deal with WCW, and Tanaka went back to Japan. Onita actually made a one-off appearance at the ECW Arena to attack The Sandman to set up the exploding barbed wire match in 1998. Supposedly, Heyman couldn't find a building that would allow the gimmick, and when Onita left FMW that same year, the match was scrapped completely.

Fast forward to 2000, the infamous Rob Black attempted to secure a deal for Onita vs. Sabu in the same match under the XPW banner. Despite promos to hype it, nothing materialized and XPW folded before Rob Black served jail time because of incidents with his production company in the adult film industry.

As recent as 2017, Combat Zone Wrestling, the Philadelphia-based independent group, promoted a barbed wire match with Onita vs. Matt Tremont, a tremendous performer in his own right. Depending on who you ask, it was miscommunication, a misunderstanding, or misleading promotion, but a bout that was thought to have explosions was changed to a six man tag match during the show.

As you can see, there's a pattern over the past 25 years of an attempt to bring such a gimmick match to the United States. Besides the danger to the competitors, the logistics of the gimmick make it very difficult because of the safety precautions, not only for the fans in attendance, but also the venue. The very unique circumstances of the pandemic era and the fact that Tony Khan has the use of a stadium theoretically make it possible for this gimmick match to happen. Truthfully, outside of the shock TV of the Attitude era, the WWE wouldn't have a reason to attempt to stipulation, and most death match independent groups simply can't afford the costs of the various safety measures used for such a gimmick so AEW has the chance to promoted the first ever exploding barbed wire match on American pay-per-view.

As mentioned before, when the WWE Network, with its thousands of hours of classic content and live PPV events, is going to drop to just $5 and for some fans free on the Peacock app, it makes selling a show at a traditional PPV price very difficult. However, the Revolution event, not only has a gimmick match that can be a selling point as a unique draw, it will also be a historic match in the United States for the company.

The career of Chris LeRusso

 "Stay in school." -Mick Foley on advice to aspiring professional wrestlers.

It's not too surprising that the hardcore legend cited an education as a fall back plan to those that decided they wanted to pursue the often unpredictable and unforgiving career path of sports entertainment. Mick's mentor and trainer, the legendary, Dominic DeNucci told Foley's fellow trainee that if he wanted to learn the grappling arts, he had to complete his education. Foley's classmate between the ring ropes at a small building in Freedom, PA was Pittsburgh native, Shane Douglas.

When it comes to professional wrestling and education, another grappler from the steel city chose to blend the two for his senior project in high school, a decision that would ultimately have a major effect on the direction of his life. 

Chris LeRusso, a nearly 18-year pro, attended an independent wrestling event during his impressionable high school years and was shocked to see that the athletic spectacle that he was obsessed with since his time in kindergarten could actually be seen live in the town where he lived.

"When I was in high school in Altoona, PA, I saw my first independent wrestling show at the Frankstown Armory. I had never been that close to the action and for the first time, the ring seemed within reach, Figuratively and literally," LeRusso explained.

With professional wrestlers in his area code, LeRusso sheepishly asked the promoter of that armory event for an interview for his school project. That promoter was Ken Downs, a now-retired wrestler that has worked in the industry in some form or fashion through either performing or promoting for nearly 23 years. By 2003, when Chris still had to get his homework done before he could energetically dart out the door to head to the local matches, Downs was promoting cards under the Keystone Championship Wrestling banner, an organization that ran successfully in central PA for several years. Eventually, Chris garnered the courage to ask Downs, known in the ring as Kato, about his training center, which was a fixture of KCW events as many of his students were staples of the promotion. 

The newbie realized that the tedious process of learning to land on the canvas wasn't quite as glamours as watching the Ultimate Warrior ricochet off the ropes when he was a youngster, but he was so invested in the journey that he soaked up the in-ring knowledge like a sponge.

"Chris was still in high school when I first met him. He started training with me shortly after graduation," Downs said.

"Kato’s training focused on the psychology and mental aspect of training just as much as the physical aspect, if not more so. I can still remember him saying over and over again 'there need to be rhyme and reason to the heat.' So even early on, I appreciated the storytelling and making the matches make sense," LeRusso explained.

Just as 2003 was coming to a close, a nervous, but excited "Chaotic" Chris LeRusso bounded to the ring for his debut match, his attire and mannerisms innocently borrowed from Rob Van Dam, an athlete he cites as one of his early influences. Despite the nervous energy after the opening bell to his wrestling career, the 18-year-old LeRusso showed a lot of pose and potential, especially for his first match in the same venue that started his journey prior to that. He spent the next few years doing what a majority of hopefuls have to do if they want to make progress along their path, he gained valuable experience to become more seasoned as a competitor. He made the car trips and zigzagged around the tri-state arena to whatever show he could, no matter how big or small, to get the chance to perform in front of an audience. Sometimes those reps were taken for a sparely-attended card in the middle of nowhere in West Virginia or for a packed house back at the KCW armory. Either way, Chris saw each event as a way to better himself as an athlete.

When he wasn't hitting the mat, Chris hit the books, as he did his under graduate studies at Pitt University, graduating in 2007 before he was accepted into law school at Duquesne University, where he passed the Bar Exam in 2010 to become lawyer. Today, when he's not physically pummeling opponents in the ring, he body slams foes legally as a practicing attorney. As is the case for many wrestlers in their formative years, he began to branch out from central Pennsylvania toward the Pittsburgh area, becoming a regular for the now-defunct Pro Wrestling Express organization, as well as other groups based around the steel city. However, balancing the law and the lariats during his period of higher education proved to be extremely difficult. It wasn't uncommon for LeRusso to arrive home very late on a Saturday night from a wrestling card and have to dive into school subjects just a few hours later to study for a test on Monday.

"Balancing law school and wrestling was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I took a few months off to study ahead of time. In a weird bit of crossover with my wrestling career, the security guard of the building where I took the bar exam was Gentleman Joe Perry, a manager for years in the Pittsburgh area. Even when about to begin my legal career; I couldn’t quite escape my wrestling side," LeRusso commented.

"I have fond memories of my time at PWX. Working with Quinn Magnum taught me a lot about booking and I made some great friends during that time like Jack Pollock. PWX ran very often and working that often made me a much better wrestler," he added.

Without the pressure of the Bar Exam hanging over his head, Chris sought higher education between the ropes, investing in himself when he enrolled in a series of Ring Of Honor seminars, three-day training sessions designed to evaluate potential talent. Betting on himself paid off, as he has worked a handful of ROH dates over the years, including on television as an entrant into the Top Prospect Tournament in 2017, an occasion that he considers one of his career highlights.

"The ROH camps were a fantastic opportunity to learn and be pushed out of your comfort zone. Kevin Kelly taught me so much about promos, Truth Martini about psychology, Steve Corino and Delirious about in ring work and the business in general. Participating in the Top Prospects Tournament in Pittsburgh was one of the great honors of my career. I got to share with ring with Fish and O’Riley, Josh Woods, Tommaso Ciampa, Moose, Cheeseburger, and others during my time at ROH. For that, I’ll always be grateful to Ring of Honor. Part of me hopes that I haven’t had my last ROH yet and I have a chance to return in the future," Chris remarked.

With the recognition brought along from the ROH appearances, LeRusso became a regular with the International Wrestling Cartel, one of the largest and longest-running promotion of the region, and has spent the past five years of his career calling the organization home.

"I think IWC’s role in Pittsburgh has always been as a launching pad. While it has always featured fantastic local talent like Shirley Doe, Dennis Gregory, Jimmy Vegas, and others; it also featured traveling indy stars like CM Punk and AJ Styles and trained future superstars like Elias. I have a feeling that a lot of the young talent you see on IWC today will one day be seen on much larger stages," he said.

Within the past few years, Chris saw things go full circle for him, as he became the head trainer of the IWC training academy, a place where he instills the fundamental lessons to rookies that Kato once shared with him. At this point, LeRusso has spent nearly half of his life involved in the sport and he wouldn't have it any other way. More recently under the IWC banner, LeRusso aligned himself with a stable known as "The Regulators," a group determined to draw the jeers from the audience.

"The Silver Bullet is Smoother than the finest whiskey. I would've never been IWC champ without LeRusso, he's the best tag partner I ever had," proclaimed Jock Samson, one of LeRusso's stablemates in the faction.

"Chris has evolved into a confident man. He believes in himself and his ability. As wrestlers, confidence in yourself is your greatest asset," Ken Downs commented.

"My career is going through a new phase where I honestly think I can do just as much as a coach and trainer for the business as I do as a talent. I am so proud and impressed by my students. I was always told that the greatest honor a student can pay a teacher is to surpass them and I good number of my students have already paid me that honor. I want to leave the business in a better place than I found it. If it’s a wrestler, backstage agent, in creative, as a trainer, a mentor, or a good brother, I just hope I can help the sport I love so much," LeRusso said.

"LeRusso is incredibly talented as what he does in the ring against his opponents, but I think his lasting legacy will be the knowledge that he passes on to younger talent. His track record as head trainer of the ICWA speaks for itself, and I expect his accomplishments as a teacher to grow exponentially in the years to come," said Justin Plummer, the promoter for IWC events since 2014.

LeRusso's next bout is scheduled for this weekend's IWC card in Elizabeth, PA where he plans to kickoff another successful year in the industry. Perhaps the biggest lesson that can be taken from LeRusso's path into professional wrestling is for those that dare to dream to take a shot at it and give themselves a chance to achieve it. Chris LeRusso's decision to muster up the courage to ask about training to be a wrestler at that Frankstown Armory created several year of memories in the industry.

St. Valentine's Day Massacre review

While tonight is an NXT Takeover event, it also marks 22 years since the St. Valentine's Day Massacre pay-per-view event in 1999. With the name as a spinoff of the infamous Chicago mob wars of the 1920s, the Attitude era broadcast had the benefit of the wave of momentum that went along with the surge in popularity of the time period. Something that I've noticed when re-watching these shows for these reviews is how that previously mentioned momentum can cover for some rather subpar segments. By nature, because it was such a boom period with some really thrilling television, the Monday Night Wars get remembered fondly, but it definitely wasn't perfect. In fact, there are sometimes entire shows that doesn't hold up in hindsight. 

This event would fall somewhere in the middle on that spectrum, showcasing why the era was such a big time for the industry, and some of the ways the "Jerry Springer booking" had Vince Russo's finger prints all over it.

The show opened with Goldust vs. The Blue Meanie, who dressed himself up as "Blue Dust" to mock his opponent. The match itself was more or less nothing, as it went a little more than two minutes with a portion of that spent with Meanie outside the ring attempting to stall. I'm not saying every match on pay-per-view has to be a 30-minute epic confrontation, but I've always found it puzzling why either too many matches were jammed onto a card so there wasn't time for some of them to get more than a few minutes or a match was shoehorned onto the show just to get it a spot on pay-per-view. There are very few scenarios where a two-minute bout can get a feud or a performer over on pay-per-view. Speaking of Russo, he has talked about his work with the Goldust character in several interviews, but I'd almost say that the scripting of the persona in this era is one of the reasons Dustin Runnels had to leave for WCW to reinvent his career. Russo took the bizarre elements of Goldust and even The Meanie, and made them more of a lame comedy sketch than anything. Keep in mind, the original run of the Goldust character got over to the level it did because he was presented as a threat so there were layers to what the persona could be booked for in storylines. Meanie was just there to act like a fool, and the association with Runnels after this more or less typecast him until he left the company later in the year. As far as this pay-per-view, Goldust got the win, but this match isn't actually a career highlight for either competitor. That said, both Goldust and Meanie are much better performers than they had the chance to show here, proof of that being that Dustin is still a stellar performer today more than two decades later.

As much as the entire concept for the hardcore division, and to a major extent, hardcore matches in the WWF was a direct rip off of ECW, the Al Snow vs. Bob Holly match on this show was an example of how the WWF tailored that particular style to a more main stream audience. For Vince McMahon's product, the hardcore division at this point was based on the wild matches, not necessarily the violence. Of course, the following year, Crash Holly's run turned the championship into more of a comedy gimmick, but he did very well in the role so it mostly worked. On the flip side, violence was the primary selling point of ECW because the gimmicks were presented as dangerous. During this pay-per-view, Snow and Holly have the standard hardcore title brawl, smashing broom sticks and throwing garbage cans backstage until they went outside the arena. At that point, the end up taking bumps into the Mississippi River and considering it was across the street from the venue, it made sense for them to clash in the famous river simply for the prosperity of pro wrestling. Holly won when he wrapped Snow in fencing and got the pin. Something to note here, it shouldn't be overlooked how over Al Snow was at this time and the reaction he received from the crowd. For a guy that was floundering as one of the New Rockers just a few years earlier, you have to credit Snow for reinventing himself and maximizing his ability to get over with the crazy gimmick.

The rest of the under card is fine, but it's nothing to necessarily worth going out of your way to watch either. Bossman vs. Mideon, Double J and Owen Hart vs. The Nation, and Ken Shamrock vs. Val Venis were all more or less average matches. Chyna and Kane beat Triple H and X-Pac, but I've always found this entire storyline, including the Triple H heel turn later to be a rather nonsensical angle. Maybe this was more from the Russo playbook, but the whole "swerve heel turn, bro" was completely overused and the whole thing became illogical. DX was one of the promotion's most over acts and the argument could be made that the stable should've stayed intact for the rest of 1999 before Triple H was ultimately pushed toward the top of the card during the Cactus Jack feud.

The amount of Russo writing for the DX angle depending on what podcast you listen to, but The Rock vs. Mankind and much of the main event scene of this time is definitely trademark Russo. The famous Rock/Foley match from the previous month from The Royal Rumble overshadows this February bout based on the brutality of the I Quit match and the fact it was chronicled in Beyond The Mat so this Last Man Standing match is usually forgotten. The majority of the match was similar to most WWF championship contests at the time with generic brawling through the crowd, but the final few minutes show why these two were great inside the ring ropes. The back and fourth exchanges created a narrative that had the live crowd following every move and counter of the action. The finish was a draw when both competitors didn't answer the count. The end of the bout was flat and The Rock would win the title back the following night on Raw to set up for the match against Stone Cold at Wrestlemania.

The main event is known for two things, the horrendous table bump that Vince McMahon took off the cage, and the debut of The Big Show. The match itself was rather basic, but it wasn't as though Vince was going to trade arm drags with Stone Cold so it made sense for him to stall to start the match. Granted, this wasn't the typical main event, but it was the biggest feud of the era in a cage match so it was a logical decision because it translated to PPV buys. As far as the table bump, Vince has his critics, but the guy will do anything for the company. The Big Show's debut was memorable as he emerged from underneath the ring and throw Austin through the side of the cage. He had weight problems in the years that followed, but eventually got himself in good shape, which was great because it greatly benefited his health. The weight problems hampered some of his progress early in his WWF run, but the signing of The Giant indirectly boosted the company, too. In the years prior to this, the WWF saw some of its biggest stars depart for WCW, implying that the Turner organization was the place to be in the wrestling industry. Hulk, Macho, Hall, Nash etc. jumped to TNT as the organization built momentum to put the McMahon empire on the ropes. When The Giant and later Chris Jericho showed up on WWF TV, it sent the message that the momentum had tilted and the WWF was the future of the business. The McMahon group might've been on the brink of collapse in 1997, but when the younger stars of the business saw the WWF as an option for their future, it showed that the company was stable in the industry.

The career of Joe Mandak

The drama and the spectacle of professional wrestling are often said to be built around moments, a specific point in time that stands out among all the chaos and colorful bravado to create something memorable in the minds of the audience. As the grappling arts reaches its crescendo, fans lean from the edge of their seats to see if a potential three-count will lead to the final bell. As much as that excitement is generated by the spirited athletes in the squared circle, those with a deep understand of sports entertainment mechanics know that a solid referee is the glue for those tense moments that signal a dramatic victory.

In truth, an official's job is to stay outside of the viewers' scope until the action dictates their involvement. You simply won't notice a great referee until its time to notice their count, calls, or decisions. To say the third participant in the ring is overlooked is a true statement because that's what the job description calls for. However, as mentioned, those that truly understand the sport know that a top-tier official allows for top talent to shine the brightest possible.

Among the glitz and the glamor usually associated with the genre, a passion and dedication develops among those that choose to pursue this unique field. Recently, at Ring Of Honor's finale of 2020 pay-per-view, Final Battle, someone featured on the broadcast saw their own pro wrestling story go full circle.

Joe Mandak, a seven-year pro from western Pennsylvania, stood inside the ropes, holding a championship belt on display before he was set to officiate the bout. The image of the 31-year-old Mandak beamed through the television screen to an eager audience that wanted to see if Johnathan Gresham would retain the Pure Championship, a title that utilizes a traditional set of rules for a division that received rave reviews. Ironically, Mandak, a diehard fan since his youth, was hooked by the allure of the ring when he stumbled upon a stack of Coliseum Video VHS tapes, sending the mayhem through the screen, which had a profound impact on him.

"One match that sticks out was a ladder match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship. The way Shawn and Bret sold during the match made me feel every kind of emotion even at a young age. I laughed, I yelled with anger, I yelled with excitement, and knew that is what I wanted to do. I wanted to bump and sell like Bret and Shawn did in that match so others might feel the same way I did," Joe recalled.

A basketball player for the majority of the time he grew up, he was always athletic, but his natural metabolism kept him at no more than 125 LBS so after college when he looked into some of his area's local pro wrestling groups, he found that even after he trained to be a wrestler in 2012, the physics of the situation just weren't in his favor.

"It takes a toll on your body, I knew there was no way I could make a living doing this," Mandak explained.

With a Communications degree from Penn State New Kensington, skills he didn't know would later be useful in his path as a ref, Joe saw that the risk of injury on the dirt-stained canvases of smaller cards wasn't something he could balance as he entered the work force outside of the realm of professional wrestling. Still, even after he hung up the boots following his brief stint as a wrestler, he attended local shows and wanted to remain a part of the industry.

Pittsburgh, an area known for its wrestling almost as much as the steel it once produced, has an extensive history of the squared circle. From Bruno battling the villains in the 60s, Kurt Angle learning his Olympic skills on the amateur mats at Mount Lebanon high school, and Mick Foley's famous plunge at the Civic Arena, Western Pennsylvania continues to see stars emerge from the area. Part of the fabric of that is a collection of independent groups that allow many aspiring hopefuls to get their start in the industry. Mandak saw the referee stripes as a way to continue his journey in the business and sought the advice of Shawn Patrick, regarded by many as one of the best officials in Pittsburgh history with over three decades of experience. 

"I talked with Shawn Patrick after a show one night and after telling him how I got started, and how I wanted to be around the business, he told me that his path to becoming a referee was similar. He showed me the ropes and walked me through some of the basics of being a good ref. Since I had trained to be a wrestler, I understood certain psychology, ring positioning, and storytelling. which helped me with becoming a better ref," Joe explained.

"He had decided to transition from wrestling to ref training. I had a talk with him about how serious he was and his response was , 'Very Serious.' I told him that I would work with him on developing his skills and he was quick to apply all advice I gave him. I would watch his matches, offer corrections on small details, and help him round out his skill set. When to interject yourself into the match so you add to, not take away from it.  The best compliment that a wrestler can give you is they didn't even realize you were in the ring.   He has taken the lessons that I provided and far surpassed anything that I have achieved. I am proud to have had a small part in Joe's start in the crazy world we call wrestling," Shawn Patrick added.

After two years of quite literally learning the ropes on the smaller circuit, Joe focused himself on his original goal, to land full-time work in the business, and knew he had to get in front of the ring people to make that happen so he attended a Ring Of Honor training seminar, a three-day session designed to polish and discover aspiring talent, in 2015. His awareness of the structure of matches and natural instincts as an official made an impression on the right people, and he landed a part-time gig with the organization before he was offered a full-time position more recently. However, there's much more to his time as a full-time member of the staff than just under the bright television lights, but it's a schedule that he fully embraced as he started a new chapter of his career. 

"Pre-Covid, a typical event day would start bright and early with set up. We would unload the production and ring trucks and begin assembling the stage After everything is set up, a quick lunch break is a great way to socialize and network. The ring crew was typically made up of the ‘up and comers’ of Ring of Honor along with local independent workers who were looking to be booked on the show as security, streamer collector or even get a dark match. So, during lunch, it was nice time to get to know everyone. Once talent started arriving, I would get my assignment from senior ref, Todd Sinclair and begin dressing for that night’s event. During the event, I’m everywhere. I’m in the ring, I’m in the gorilla position, and I’m running around looking for talent who are ‘on deck.’ It’s a fast-paced environment that I love! After the show, we tear down, pack up the trucks, and go to the next city," Mandak remarked.

Joe's professionalism and dedication to the job hasn't gone unnoticed by his co-workers.

"Joe Mandak has been one of the most reliable, consistent young referees I've ever seen. Joe does all of the little things right, he is consistent with his decisions and is not afraid to enforce the rules. Joe is frequently the first person in and last person out. He has endeared himself to the ROH roster with his work ethic and passion," said Ian Riccaboni, lead play-by-play announcer.

Mandak cites his opportunities to officiate the Pure title matches as highlights of his ROH tenure so far, but also expressed a deep appreciation for the environment of the organization, as it helped him develop as a professional in the sport. He noted that the crew from top to bottom work together to make the shows happen, and even those with the more mundane tasks are a part of the progress of the promotion.

"Ring of Honor has been an incredible company to work for. When Covid hit, they paid everyone despite the shows being cancelled. The caliber of talent that they have is right up there with any promotion. Look at who they had in the past and where they are now. Look at who they have coming up and, in next few years, see who will be making their mark on the company," Mandak added.

The story of Joe Mandak is a success story in many ways because it displays rather simple, but key lessons that apply to many scenarios even beyond the scope of professional wrestling. Dedication and persistence are what allowed the talented ref to land a full-time contract. His journey to ink that deal wasn't with a pair of boots, but he stayed determined to reach his goal. A reminder of the accomplishment of that goal for Mandak is when he calls for the opening bell to start the Ring Of Honor action.

Carlito returns

Among the slew of returns at last Sunday's Royal Rumble match, Carlito, a former United States, IC, and tag champion from over a decade ago, made an appearance to enter the Rumble match. A member of a wrestling family, Carlito was last seen on-screen for the WWE in 2014 when he was a part of the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Just a few weeks ago, he was rumored to be involved in Raw Legends Night, but reportedly declined the offer to appear because he wasn't scheduled for anything beyond a cameo. The online chatter speculated that he was backstage to be involved in the Rumble, but to be honest, I took it with a grain of salt because he was originally penciled in for Raw just a few weeks earlier, but didn't make it on camera.

Not only was Carlito officially involved in the event, but looked to be in the best shape of his career, prompting many to ask, does he have another run in the WWE?

As mentioned, he is a member of a Puerto Rican wrestling family and aside from his father's work as the owner of WWC, one of the most well-known organizations in Puerto Rico, his brother, Primo and cousin, Epico worked for the WWE in the past as well. As far as I know, part of the deal for his father's WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2014, was also the purchase of the majority of the classic footage of the WWC video library, but to my knowledge, very little of that footage has actually been officially released under the WWE umbrella or used for anything beyond the HOF video packages. A side note, there was also a similar deal in 2006 for the AWA content when Verne Gagne was inducted, despite not working for the WWE, but was paid the standard fee for the inductees, as well as a six-figure sum for the AWA library.

Management saw his talent with his Smackdown debut, he was paired in a feud with John Cena, who was still a star on the rise in his own right at that point, and won the US title. The following year, he had a run as IC champion and continued a rise in popularity with entertaining mic work and a series of athletic matches on Raw. At so point along the way, his progress and momentum completely plateaued, and he floundered for a period of time with the company.

In truth, Carlito had all the tools to be a much bigger star than he was, despite the fact he had six years of television exposure and at times, he been given chances to take a leap to the next level. From those that were involved at the time and the general consensus from many was that Carlito simply didn't want to put in the effort to make a bigger impact on the WWE landscape. Unfortunately, that might've been an accurate assessment, as there were times within his WWE tenure, specifically around 2006 and beyond that it looked as though he was just going through the motions of the performance.

It's unclear if he mailed it in because he didn't have the skill to perform at the higher level or probably that he had such a level of natural talent that he didn't think he had to push himself further. Either way, there always seemed to be somewhat of a let down around Carlito's WWE career because he had the mic skills, the charisma, and the talent to be a major star, but for whatever reason, it just didn't happen.

Reportedly, Carlito failed a drug test and didn't want to enter treatment so he was released from the company. Thankfully, it seems like he's in a much healthier place today, which is great to see because nobody wants to see talent wasted or more importantly, another cautionary tale in the wrestling industry.

Post-WWE, Carlito returned to his family's World Wrestling Council promotion and within the past ten years worked a variety of independent groups, but nothing major within the sport outside of Puerto Rico. Again, this seemed puzzling because his skills in the ring and on the mic would've made him an asset to other groups, but he never worked for TNA or Ring Of Honor during his time away from WWE.

Considering that he's in great shape, I think it would be a great opportunity for Carltio to get a fresh run in the WWE and see how he progresses during this stint. At 41, perhaps he's in a better space mentally as well and has matured as a person. An older, wiser, and more focused Carlito Colon could be a tremendous asset for WWE, especially when the company must look for ways to add some sizzle to the product during the pandemic era. Nothing is confirmed yet, but his match this past week on Raw looks to be an indication that management might at least consider the possibility of offering him another full-time deal. As much as the pandemic is a completely miserable time for so many in the world, within the vacuum of sports entertainment, this would actually be a scenario that would suit a returning competitor rather well because the demands of a tedious WWE road schedule aren't a factor when the company isn't touring for live events. This might allow Carlito to settle into the WWE system and flourish if he's eventually given a feud for television.

The comparison has been drawn to MVP, who returned to the company a few years ago and is arguably doing the best work of his career. While Raw set a low bar in the past year in terms of quality television, The Hurt Business has been one of the highlights of the show. In the same way, Carlito might be able to rejuvenate his career for a fresh run in the WWE.