AEW vs. GCW

Professional wrestling, for whatever reason, regardless of if there's $20 on the line at a sparsely-attended independent show in the middle of nowhere, of if there could be millions at stake on the national stage, has always tended to drift toward pettiness. Maybe it's the fact that the action is scripted and thus at the behest of someone with the pencil, or maybe it's simply the ego-driven nature that is often seen in the entertainment business across the board.

One of the many criticisms of All Elite Wrestling, some of which have merit and others that don't, is that some talent would more or less completely disappear with little to no explanation. For anyone that ends up on the Ring Of Honor project, it offers less exposure than the witness protection program so of the very bloated roster, there are many that are flown to television, appear in front of the smaller audiences in the building, but that the vast majority of the All Elite viewing audience wouldn't know that they even had a match because they weren't on Dynamite.

Beyond that, there are also those that are simply a healthy scratch from the AEW line-up. Some competitors are being paid by Tony Khan as a part of their All Elite contract, but he doesn't have anything scripted for them so they stay home, get the check, and are essentially on ice until Tony has something for them to do on the show.

One example of this is cult favorite, Danhausen, who inked a deal in 2022, but hasn't appeared for the company in almost a year. He had previously suffered a torn pec, but even after he recovered from the injury, he only worked on the independent circuit this year. He's undoubtedly healthy, as he continues to wrestle outside of AEW, but it seems rather wasteful to keep him under contract if Tony has no use for him. That's not to say that Danhausen is the next Steve Austin in terms of drawing power, but rather to point out that even niche performers have been put on ice while under a contract.

Another example, and arguably someone with a bigger mainstream upside is, "Absolute" Ricky Starks, who had an injury scare in March, but was cleared to compete. However, that was the last time that he was booked for AEW and he has only worked two matches since then, with the most recent being an independent bout last weekend. Starks has done a few interviews where he explained that he was healthy and had a little communication with the company, but wasn't given a reason why he wasn't used for anything for the rest of the year.

In terms of pettiness, I always find it amazing that, similar to the CM Punk situation, that you hear these stories that the talent can't get an answer from the company that they work for so they have to take it to a public forum to get some type of answer. In my opinion, it speaks volumes to the lack of leadership and structure if a wrestler has to speculate about their status with a national organization on a random podcast.

That being said, Ricky Starks resurfaced in the pro wrestling world last weekend at GCW's "Dream On" event, a show that was held in the afternoon on the same day as the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view to capitalize on the influx of fans that would be in the New Jersey area. The event itself had a cool look, as it was held at a mall and had a visual that looked similar to the Mall of America episode of Nitro. Starks cut a promo and basically it was used as a way to set up that he would be a part of the GCW roster, with it later announced that it would be Starks vs. Matt Cardona at a future event.

However, the buzz of Starks' surprise appearence would only last a few days when it was announced that AEW decided to cancel Starks from his scheduled GCW appearances. While All Elite talent are allowed to take outside bookings, those appearances are subject to AEW approval. Supposedly, AEW management made the decision to cancel Starks from GCW events based on comments Effy made on his podcast about Shad Khan, Tony's dad, funding All Elite Wrestling so that he wasn't involved in the football team that the family owns, the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Obviously, it's well-known that without coming from a billionaire family, Tony Khan wouldn't be the booker of the second-largest pro wrestling company in the United States. At the same time, for Effy to mention Tony's dad and speculate about specifically why he funded a wrestling project seems a little personal.  The perceived beef between the two sides stems from the fact that after GCW announced its return to the Hammerstein Ballroom, the famous venue that held ECW and ROH events in its heyday, it was announced that Tony's version of Ring Of Honor would present its Final Battle pay-per-view from the same location a few weeks earlier.

On the surface, it might seem like AEW is trying to undercut Game Changer Wrestling by holding its pay-per-view there, but I have to be honest, I think it's probably more of a coincidence than anything else. The original ROH held events, including Final Battle at the venue in the past so it's not completely out of nowhere that the brand would run the building. At the same time, it does at least theoretically make things a little more difficult for GCW if fans are put in the position to financially have to choose between the two shows. There's economic uncertainty and inflation in terrible so financial constraints are a legitimate concern.

This might not be the most provocative take on this situation, but all things considered, GCW and AEW at odds doesn't do anything to help either promotion or the pro wrestling industry as a whole. In many ways, GCW tries to position itself in a similar fashion as the original ECW in terms of being a bridge between the major leagues, and as a way for talent to be discovered. Thankfully, Game Changer has all of the lessons of what not to do from the original ECW to try to avoid some of the same pitfalls. More than anything, Game Changer understands its position, it's an independent organization, an independent with a bigger reach than most, but still an independent. They aren't going to attempt to compete with AEW or WWE, and they don't have to, they've found a profitable niche that also serves a purpose for the industry.

When Jon Moxley was AEW and GCW champion simultaneously, it was a boost for Game Changer because they had a world champion of a national promotion as their titleholder and at the same time, it gave All Elite somewhat of an edge as the alternative to WWE since you'd never see the WWE champion work an independent show.

GCW owner, Brett Lauderdale somewhat downplayed the situation in recent comments, explaining that Effy is his own person and he doesn't speak for GCW. At this point, what else is Lauderdale going to do? He isn't going to win a verbal sparring match with a billionaire, as it won't help his company, and he has a point, he's not in control of what Effy or anyone else on the GCW roster says in public.

The pettiness of the whole situation is that All Elite Wrestling is keeping Starks under contract with seemingly no plans to use him for anything, other than that they probably don't want to have the perception of another former AEW talent that goes to WWE and becomes a much bigger star in the process. A realistic look at the situation, Starks is a talented guy and probably too talented to just sit at home so if they aren't going to book him for anything, why not just release him? Even if he ends up with a WWE contract, does anyone think that Starks is going to main event Wrestlemania? Don't get me wrong, if Starks actually does go to WWE, I think he could be successful there, but it's doubtful that he will be the next Roman Reigns. So other than throwing money away on his contract, and we know that money is no object for Tony Khan, what exactly is the point of keeping Starks under contract or preventing him from working for GCW?

Look, Starks working for GCW wasn't going to boost Game Changer itself, but it was another aspect that added to the reputation of the organization as a bridge so to speak, which gives them something unique to promote for the brand. If Tony Khan has learned anything from being a promoter in the past five years, hopefully, he realized that wrestling fans aren't going to feel bad for a billionaire. If All Elite blocks talent from GCW, it gives the impression that the billionaire is punching down on the little engine that could organization. At the same time, GCW can't overplay its hand because quite frankly, they will need access to some AEW talent in the future to keep their shows fresh. Hopefully, there's some type of compromise in the future because right now, it seems like this could be a lose-lose situation for everyone involved since it wouldn't help either company.

CM Punk on Smackdown

 Simple, but effective.

For as much analysis and arm-chair quarterback discussion that professional wrestling is the subject of, and there's nothing wrong with that, it's part of what keeps the business compelling, not to mention keep a few dozen podcast in business, the narratives that are often most successful in terms of box office are simple, but effective.

The reason for it is also simple, the genre is based on human psychology, and regardless of the road that the booker takes to get to the destination, an over baby face against a heel with heat can draw money. Of course, in the modern era there are exponentially more aspects to take into consideration. The WWE machine churns out countless hours of content to satisfy their TV contracts, the newest one that will start in January for Netflix is an unprecedented move for the industry, as well as the amount of live events on the calendar that necessitate a drawing card to bring fans into the building at a time when WWE ticket prices are at a peak. The international markets, merchandise, the developmental system, building the next generation of stars, and every other portion of a global publicly-traded corporation must be taken into account with the direction of WWE programming.

Still, the bottom line is, a compelling storyline with a baby face that the crowd is invested in, and a heel that has heat is the foundation of the ability to draw money.

As mentioned, the WWE machine has to produce live television every week, and while it's not realistically possible to hit a home run 52 weeks a year for both Raw and Smackdown, the task of management is to give the audience a reason to tune in each week to see how the angles unfold for the product.

The best example of this is the current Bloodline storyline that is building toward this weekend's Survivor Series pay-per-view with a War Games match scheduled between the two Bloodline factions. One of the many reasons that this angle has been so successful for the WWE is that it continues to use the cache of Roman Reigns' historic title reign to add importance to the current feud. There's a background and a history that the fans have followed in some form or fashion for more than four years as far as the genesis of The Bloodline faction so there's a built-in investment from the audience to follow the direction that the stable takes within the WWE landscape, particularly a Samoan showdown to determine what side of the Samoan group will continue to be a force within the company.

Roman's incredible return to the company at Summer Slam and the reaction that it received from the live crowd was a memorable moment that will be etched into the history books. However, it also provided a completely new chapter for the Bloodline angle, as it was time for Roman to have a legitimate top guy run as a baby face after he evolved into the best version of his character as a heel the few years prior. After such an extended and record-setting title reign, a baby face persona allowed Roman to get a fresh coat of paint upon his WWE presentation. Sure, he dropped the championship to Cody Rhodes, but let's be honest here, Roman has reached a level that he more or less cemented himself as a top guy that doesn't need the championship to maintain that status. John Cena and CM Punk are two other examples of drawing cards that don't need the title to bring a level of importance to what they booked for on the shows.

By nature, the WWE product is episodic, not just because it involves the continuation of specific characters over the course of several years, but also because as mentioned, the office has to give the fans a reason to tune into the show every week. Again, one of the many reasons that the Bloodline angle has been so successful for the WWE is that it brings with it that aspect of episodic programming each week, particularly with the build to War Games. Obviously, we've seen the addition of the Toganas and Jacob Fatu this year to set up the formation of Solo Sikoa's group, which were key pieces of the puzzle to continue the storyline. However, just within the past few weeks on Smackdown, Bronson Reed and Sami Zayn added to their respective teams were important aspects of the storyline and thus a reason for the fans to watch the Friday show. Similar to some of the other portions of the angle, Sami's involvement uses his previous association with The Bloodline from Roman's heel run as champion. Furthermore, Bronson Reed is being pushed as a monster on Raw so he's not just there to get the Sokia team to five wrestlers for the War Games situation, he brings a level of credibility as a monster based on the current push.

Finally, and this might be the biggest piece of the puzzle that was added on last week's episode of Smackdown, Paul Heyman returns and brings with him the final member of Roman's team, CM Punk. Solo Sikoa took out Paul Heyman, which was impactful because a wrestler rarely got their hands on him, and furthermore, I don't think anyone expected him to take a power bomb through the table. As I've written for the past several years, the former leader of extreme is the best talker in the business and he can sell a match better than just about anyone in the modern era so the return of Heyman itself was enough to add another level of sizzle to the War Games bout. When he brings in CM Punk, a Paul Heyman guy earlier in his career, it makes the cage match at Survivor Series an all-star segment.

The logic is there because Punk would naturally want revenge against Solo for the attack on his mentor, and both he and Roman have the common background of Heyman as a manger during their championship runs. Keep in mind, there were pieces added to keep the storyline fresh and relevant along the way, but the entire concept of this angle was the fact that Solo wanted to takeover The Bloodline from Roman Reigns. Roman is majorly over as a top guy, and the fans were ready to see him as a baby face after his return at Summer Slam. Solo Sikoa attacked Jey Uso, Paul Heyman, and  formed his own Bloodline to try to dispose of Reigns to get heat from the audience.

The War Games match has over baby faces against over heels with something at stake based on the result of the match. The future of The Bloodline and who can claim to be the "true tribal chief" will be determined at Survivor Series so there's a selling point for the event. There are reasons for the audience to be invested in the characters and the results of the main event of the pay-per-view, which is exactly how to draw money.

Full Gear review

All Elite Wrestling presented its latest pay-per-view offering, Full Gear, an event that I wrote an article about earlier this week in terms of selling the show to the audience, is in the books. Depending on your perspective, the PPV delivered where expected, and also misses where expected.

The tag team opener was fun for what it was. It was difficult to build specific momentum with four teams involved and just 12 minutes given to the segment so this was basically a high spot spirit of a bunch of moves, which is fine if this was designed to kickoff the event. The crowd was energetic for this bout, and when Private Party landed their finisher to retain the belts, there was a solid reaction to the finish. Still, I think a lot more work needs to be done to get Private Party into the position where they are marketable stars for the organization. For way too long they were overlooked and underutilized so this sudden jump into the title picture won't be enough on its own to establish them. This bout was booked more or less to shoehorn as many wrestlers on the card as possible so hopefully, Private Party can get a storyline with some substance to solidify them in the future. They have the talent, but definitely need to be presented in the right fashion to be considered a top team in the company. A feud with FTR could be very helpful if highlighting Private Party is a priority for AEW management.

As much as the crowd was energetic for the opener, they were also equally as quiet for Roderick Strong/MJF that followed it. Don't get me wrong, this was quality pro wrestling, everything they did was crisp and smooth, but this was also a textbook example of misguided booking. As I wrote previously, the argument could be made that the audience has minimal interest in anything further between Adam Cole and MJF after the reveal last year flopped so there was barely any interest in a match only designed to build up the confrontation mentioned prior. MJF vs. Strong would've been a tremendous television main event, especially considering that TV is obviously used to build the pay-per-views, but in this setting, the audience just didn't care because the result was obvious without anything at stake. The feud is between MJF and Cole, not Strong so what exactly, beyond Tony's flimsy explanation with disjointed booking on Dynamite, was the point of this match on pay-per-view? Rodrick Strong is as consistent as anyone in terms of quality bouts and one of the best utility workers in the business, but he was positioned as a lame duck in this angle so the crowd just didn't care about the segment. MJF won, and unfortunately, the storyline with Cole looks like it will continue on AEW programming.

The crowd was still mostly quiet for the TBS title match, particularly because Mercedes Mone hasn't been known to rejuvenate the crowds so far in her AEW tenure. That being said, this match built really well and by the midpoint in the contest, the audience followed the action. This became a really solid contest and arguably the best match Mone has had since she debuted in the company. Kris Statlander deserves a lot of credit for someone that was put into a relatively brief feud, but was able to create a few occasions where it looked like the title might change hands. The back and fourth action with a series of counters allowed for peaks and valleys that translated to an entertaining segment. Mercedes retained the title with a flash pin, which was smart since kick outs are often telegraphed in AEW.

Adam Page vs. Jay White was solid, but I have to be honest, I expected a little more from this contest. If I had to pick the specific aspect that took away from the match, it was the extended time outside of the ring that slowed the segment down and prevent any true momentum to be built for a portion of the segment. That being said, there was a brilliant series of counters that led to the finish when White landed the Blade Runner for the victory. This was given 20 minutes, but in the grand scheme of things, it went about five minute too long. Unfortunately, Full Gear fell into one of the misguided Tony Khan booking tropes of using a copy and paste format of 20 minutes for most matches on the card without the consideration of if those bouts should've been given 20 minutes or if the angle justified that time frame.

Next up, Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher had a 25-minute dazzling spot fest, and for the All Elite audience, this was exactly what they look for in a pay-per-view bout. It was total fire works with high spots and risky bumps. There was sporadic selling and minimal overall psychology, which depending on your perspective either added to or completely hindered the presentation. The athleticism was incredible, but after someone takes a tombstone from the apron to the steel steps and then a pile driver in the ring, it just jumps the shark when they not only kick out, but then land a few more high impact maneuvers. I understand why Tony put Fletcher over, but I'd still say it was the wrong decision. In my opinion, everything that Ospreay is involved in should be designed to push him as the franchise guy of the company, and anything outside of that is counterproductive. Still, this had every daring maneuver in the book and it was tailored to the All Elite audience.

The downside of throwing everything but the kitchen sink on-screen for Ospreay/Fletcher is that it becomes very difficult for anyone else on the card to follow it after the audience, both viewing at home and in the building, just saw an entire encyclopedia of moves done over the course of one segment. Daniel Garcia/Jack Perry was fine, nothing spectacular, but nothing terrible either. However, it seemed rather ordinary after the previous high spot bout. Garcia won the title, but with Perry in a lame duck position, I'm not sure how much cache the title win will bring for Garcia. Another match that fell into the same category was Ricochet vs. Konosuke Takeshita because it was essentially a lesser version of the Ospreay/Fletcher match that the crowd saw about 30 minutes earlier. I don't know if Ricochet and the Japanese star fell short of expectations or if it was a situation where most of what they did was a retread because of how many spots the Ospreay/Fletcher segment had. Takeshita retained the title.

Bobby Lashley beat Swerve Strickland in a rather basic match, but it was solid for what it was. The double stomp through the announce table was a highlight of the match. Lashley won with the Hurt Lock submission, and there wasn't anything wrong with this match, but it was at this point of the four-hour marathon show that it becomes a very tedious viewing experience, especially after some matches went longer than they should've so the broadcast dragged at a few points.

I'm probably being too pessimistic when I say this, but in my honest opinion, the main event was 20 minutes of fluff. Nobody in the building or watching the pay-per-view believed that Orange Cassidy was going to win the title, especially after the seeds were already planted for a Darby Allin/Moxley bout for the title. The match wasn't terrible, but there was no drama or anticipation because the comedy guy was miscast in the main event role. The run-ins almost emphasized how out of place Cassidy was as the challenger because a slew of directionless mid-cards were there to even the odds against Moxley's group. So, it was no surprise when Moxley won, but everything for the post-match segment was bizarre and fell flat. They could've had something with the Christian cash-in, even though it would've been against a heel, at least it could've given the show a spark before the conclusion. Adam Page's cameo was odd and the same can be said for Jay White's random appearence. The crowd seemed to be confused, as the arena was mostly quiet, and it's still puzzling what exactly Tony was trying to accomplish with this segment. Darby hitting the truck with his car isn't exactly a major way to go off the air since the heels left without any confrontation and Moxley is still the champion.

Did AEW sell Full Gear?

Tomorrow night, All Elite Wrestling presents Full Gear from Newark, New Jersey, and a glance at the nine-match main card and the television to promote the card, have me wondering, why exactly is the selling point of this pay-per-view with a $50 price tag? This is where the details of the new television deal, which include some components to the Max streaming platform, are important. The reason that I point this out is that if this card was offered at a cheaper rate on a streaming service, any discussion about the sizzle to substance ratio would probably be moot.

However, this is still the traditional pay-per-view format, and one of the pitfalls I discussed when Tony Khan began to expand the AEW PPV calendar to monthly events was that it would be increasing difficult to book cards that justify the hefty price tag in the modern era. Keep in mind, outside of the UFC schedule and a few select boxing cards a year, traditional pay-per-view, particularly within the world of sports entertainment, is almost an antiquated concept. The vast majority of pro wrestling fans have been conditioned for more than a decade to pay $9.99, $4.99, or even in some cases there was a period of time when The WWE Network was included with a subscription to Peacock to watch the signature events of the year within the industry.

Sure, it's possible that you can sell fans a $50 pro wrestling card in the modern era, All Elite Wrestling has proven that, because while their television audience has eroded, the core group of around 100,000 fans will pay continuously for the pay-per-views, which increased based on the specifics of a card.

Still, you have to wonder when even that core number will slip if there's not enough meat on the bone in terms of progress within the company. Full Gear, similar to many other All Elite PPV cards, should have some spectacular in-ring action, but the storyline portion of the show, also similar to many other AEW pay-per-view cards, is lacking, at least on the surface. Remember, there are dazzling spot fests on Dynamite on a regular basis, does the audience have to pay $50 to watch more high spot wrestling?

The sizzle/substance ration that I mentioned earlier is really key here because as is usually the trend with AEW programming, there has been such a disjointed approach to Dynamite recently that nothing truly stands out as "must see" for the Full Gear event.

The Roderick Strong/MJF bout should be solid in the ring, but what's the point? The entire angle of the Undisputed Kingdom reforming with a focus on MJF is just bizarre. Remember that MJF was actually the baby face in the reveal storyline last year? Furthermore, if there's a group of baby faces against one heel, isn't that a conflicting narrative because it technically portrays MJF as the underdog since the odds are against him? Finally, why in the wide world of sports would Tony Khan book ANYTHING as a reference to, let alone a continuation of a storyline that completely flopped last year? As I've written several times, the goal should've been to get Cole and MJF, both individually and collectively, as far away from any reminder of the failed devil mask reveal as possible. I get that the premise is that it will probably eventually lead to a Cole vs. MJF match, but does anyone want to see that? I say that with the full acknowledgement that they are two of the most talented guys on the roster, but again, nobody wants to be reminded of the angle that was panned in 2023. MJF is currently filming a movie so his participation in the angle will be minimal, and Adam Cole isn't even on the card so how is this getting anyone over?

While nobody cares about the result of MJF/Roderick Strong, especially because it's not the focal point of the feud, that is still MJF vs. Cole, the same can be said for the TNT title match. I get that they are trying to sell Jack Perry vs. Daniel Garcia as a grudge match on television, but this is a storyline where the disjointed portions of the program make it too murky for the fans to be invested. Perry, and much of his reign as TNT champion, was involved with The Young Bucks, who abruptly left TV. Presumably, this is to repackage them as baby faces to combat Jon Moxley's rouge group, but until that happens, it leaves Perry rather directionless, specifically because his return to the company several months ago was based on an alliance with The Bucks. Listen, we've heard that Daniel Garcia got paid major money to re-sign with All Elite, and good for him, that's the entire point of the business to make as much money as possible, but nothing that Tony has booked for him as allowed him to evolve as a character. Even if he wins the TNT title this weekend, he beat a heel that has no direction and minimal heat anyway.

On the other side of the coin, they are a few bouts that should be absolutely tremendous and give the viewers their money's worth, even if there isn't a major storyline behind them. Despite the fact that Adam Page has flipped from heel to baby face too many times for the crowd to have the chance to invest in his character, he can go bell-to-bell. Jay White had somewhat of a lackluster baby face turn, at least within the context of this feud, but where does that put his stablemates? Are they all baby faces now? Regardless, Jay White is a top-notch performer inside the ring ropes, and quite frankly, hasn't been given nearly the opportunity to be a major star as compared to the talent that he brings to the table. I understand that money talks, and that New Japan simply can't compete with Tony's offers, but Khan took a top guy in New Japan that proved he had the skills to be a top star, and reduced him to a mid-card tag team act. That being said, from a pure in-ring perspective, Page/White should be a great contest that provides some substance to the card. The same can be said for the International title bout of Konosuke Takeshita vs. Ricochet because, depending on the criteria you want to use, the argument could be made that Takeshita is the best performer in terms of consistent quality in the business right now. It will be another dazzling spot fest on the card, but the difference is that this will be a spot fest at the highest level as far as performance, which is why it will stand out on the card. I'd expect much of the same will be said about Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher, but I think they will probably fall into a few of the typical bad habits that make a segment look too overly choreographed. I understand that there's a storyline behind Ospreay/Fletcher, and I could be wrong, but it seems like the audience still views Fletcher as just a former sidekick from Ospreay's career prior to AEW. Nothing against Fletcher, but the priority should be establishing Ospreay as potentially the franchise star of the company, not trying to get his former sidekick over with the audience. Regardless, in terms of quality, those three bouts should be highlights of the pay-per-view.

The four-way tag team match is a usual Tony booking trope to shoehorn as many wrestlers onto the card as possible, and will probably be more of a traffic jam than a compelling segment. Mercedes Mone, particularly with her promo on Dynamite this week that barely got a reaction, is one of the most underwhelming acts in the entire industry. After she arrived in AEW earlier this year, her mic work has been subpar and her matches have been sloppy. Kris Statlander probably has the talent to be a more featured star in the division, but it seems like she's just booked for this to give Mercedes and opponent.

I'd expect Bobby Lashley vs. Swerve Strickland to be a solid match, although I'm not sure if it will be the contest that the fans are hoping for on this particular card. Lashley just made his debut so it will be unwise for him to take a defeat, but Swerve hasn't been made to look too strong recently so it's possible this could be a one-sided match to set up a rematch next month.

Technically, the main event is supposed to be the biggest selling point of a pay-per-view, but all things considered, I don't think that's realistically the case for Full Gear. The entire Moxley takeover of the company seems forced and almost like the stable is trying too hard to be an updated version of the NWO from more than 25 years ago. Moxley's cryptic promos to start the angle implied that there was something bigger on the horizon, but so far, it's just a rather flat beat down of mid-card talent most weeks on Dynamite. As I've written before, it's not his fault, but Moxley has been overexposed in AEW. He carried the company when they needed a star to step up in the role as champion, but at this point, does Moxley really need to be the champion for a fourth time?

Finally, as much as he has a cult following and has displayed talent in the ring, the Orange Cassidy character just isn't the wrestler to book to challenge the rogue champion. The comedy stuff has a place on the card and as mentioned Cassidy is a talented performer, but the promo segments on Dynamite have been cringe worthy. The audience can't take it seriously when the guy that was pure comedy for the past five years immediately gets scripted to potentially win the title from the rouge heel in the company.

Kevin Owens on Smackdown

"People will believe until you give them a reason to disbelieve" -"Dirty" Dutch Mantel

 "I can't make them believe wrestling is real, but I can make them believe I'm real" -Johnny Valentine

Those quotes go hand-in-hand, as they each involve the ability to invoke genuine emotion within the pro wrestling business to draw, which is the entire point of the industry. The genre, which originated from the carnival circuit, uses character and storylines to connect with the audience. The ability to get the crowd to identify with the baby face, particularly to conquer a villain with heat, is a formula that has worked for decades. Sure, the narrative can take many different forms, but at the end of the day, if the audience believes in the baby face, they will flock to the box office to support him.

As you peel back the layers of the onion, more details can be revealed as far as why something works well and why other pitches to the crowd are panned. For example, The Ultimate Warrior got really over with the audience for a relatively short time. Yes, the colorful presentation and the intensity were tremendous, bur beyond that superficial level, the crowd couldn't connect with the rambling nonsensical promos, which is why his title reign was brief, especially compared to the expectations he had as the next top star after Hulk Hogan. On the flip side, the most famous example is probably "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, which allowed him to become the biggest star in the history of the business. Sure, the vast majority of the audience of the Attitude era knew what they were watching in the ring was a show, and maybe those trademark sloppy stomps in the corner didn't quite connect every time, but it was fun and entertaining every time the crowd had the chance to see Austin on Monday Night Raw.

That's where such an important distinction is made, the audience didn't have to believe everything about pro wrestling was real, they just had to fully believe and thus be fully invested in the Stone Cold character for the company to draw major money. It was easy for the audience to do because they saw a wild Texan stomping and drinking beer on television, and the real-life Steve Austin didn't go around beating up his boss, but he actually is a red neck from Texas that reflects a lot of similarities to his character. When it's easy for the performer to portray their character, it's just as easy for the audience to connect with them.

That's why, as I wrote about Vikingo's injury recently, that maybe there were too many risks taken to the point that it doesn't have the same effect it once did on the narrative, but still presents the same level of actual danger to the performers. The cruiser weight division in WCW brought dazzling spot fests to national television, the X-Division in TNA was an evolution of that style in many ways, and All Elite Wrestling has more high spot wrestling on main stream television than any other time in history.

Of course, the Attitude era itself had a lot to do with pushing the envelope too far in terms of too many high-risk bumps and the concept of crash TV that moved the shows so fast that eventually more risks were used to keep the viewers from changing the channel. Still, the modern era has move dives, more major bumps, and ultimately, more risks that any other time in the history of the business. The fact that the injury rate is so high on the AEW roster, or that many of the New Japan veterans had such a toll taken on their bodies is proof of that.

That's why I was pleasantly surprised to see the pile driver, a move that was legitimately banned by the WWE for several years, used as a serious maneuver on Smackdown a few weeks ago when Kevin Owens used it on Randy Orton. The fact that the move is rarely ever seen on WWE programming in the modern era made the occasion stand out, but the fact that Orton was put into an ambulance afterward maximized the effectiveness of it.

While I doubt that the WWE could put the toothpaste back in the tube so to speak on recapturing the seriousness that many devastating moves once had, if they continue to protect the credibility of select maneuvers like that pile driver, they might be able to get more modern fans to invest in that seriousness, and thus have more to work with when the writing team scripts angles. If management continues to protect the credibility of the pile driver then in a few years, it's something in the tool box that they could use to add another level of intensity to a feud. Reportedly, Kevin Owens will challenge Cody Rhodes for the WWE championship at some point to give Rhodes someone to work with before Wrestlemania season, and the entire premise of that storyline, even if Owens isn't slotted to win the title, would be to make him seem a credible threat to the title. If the challenger doesn't have a realistic chance to win the belt from the audience's perspective then it's just another match on the card.

Granted, Owens is being used in the role that he was mostly used for previously in his career, he's great at making his opponents look good so he will work with Cody the same way he worked with Roman Reigns earlier in his title run because he can make the champion look strong. That being said, the fact remains that the office will have to make him look like a dangerous threat to the title to sell the potential championship match so in this scenario, the pile driver was used as the move to emphasis how dangerous of a character he is on the show.

Again, I'm not saying that pro wrestling can go back to throwing someone over the top rope being perceived as a career-ending situation, but the ability to maximize what is done during a match or an angle should always be a priority, especially because that can theoretically maximize the amount of money it draws for the company.

Unfortunately, in many ways, the horse has left the barn. The audience has seen too much and been exposed to too much behind-the-scenes for some of the most basic, but most effective tactics, to be used in pro wrestling again. But as I said, I think there are certain aspects of the industry, with the pile driver being an example, that can be used effectively again since it was so long ago that it was a part of WWE programming. Speaking of the pile driver, a perfect example of something being overused and thus losing its effectiveness in the modern era is the Canadian destroyer. Despite being invented by Scott D'Amore, it was Petey Williams that made the move famous, and sadly he became typecast with the move, with the rest of his stellar skills often ignored. When Petey brought the move to TNA in the early-2000s, it was one of the most devastating moves that wrestling fans had ever seen, and the reaction for it was always incredible. Fast forward two decades and there are often multiple Canadian destroyers used in matches during AEW shows as just another move during a spot fest. So, maybe it's time for the pro wrestling industry as a whole to elevate not only the amount of risks taken within a match, but also how those risks should be perceived by the audience because protecting the credibility of a maneuver can add another level of intensity to a storyline.

The career of Bobby Piskor

More than 23 years ago, a 15-year-old freshman in high school found himself in Weirton, West Virginia with a bundle of nervous energy, as it was the first time that he stepped foot into a professional wrestling ring for an official match at an official event as a referee. Under the banner of an alphabet soup organization, he put down the count for a bout to decide what was dubbed the "Inner City Championship." That 15-year-old had no idea that the first three count that he put down would be the start of a journey that would shape the rest of his life. Between the stripes as an official, and eventually his boots as a wrestler, the sport took Bobby Piskor from his hometown in western, Pennsylvania zigzagging through several states, across the country to the west coast, and even around the globe to England.

It all started with that first three count on May 26, 2001. However, Piskor, affectionately known as "Potter" for his striking resemblance to the JK Rowling character, will hit the canvas for the final three count of his referee career on December 7th of this year, wrapping up his final in-ring participation after almost a quarter of a century.

"Being a referee you have the best seat in the house. As a long time wrestling fan, I absolutely love being so close to the action. Being a referee taught me so much. A good referee can really add to a match, and a bad referee can really take away from a great match.  I really enjoyed being involved in the ring for as long as I have," Bobby explained.

Throughout the more than two decades that Piskor has been involved in the grappling arts, he shared the ring with countless national stars and a myriad of legends. Names like AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, Low Ki, Tracy Smothers, La Parka, Mistico, Chris Sabin, and Alex Shelley are just some of those that he had the chance to stand alongside between the ring ropes. Still, he found that jumping in for the dramatic pin fall attempt and several years as an active wrestler, especially over the course of such a long tenure in the industry, made his decision to step away from the ring a little easier.

"I have been refereeing for 23 years straight. My body is not the same as it was when I began in 2001. I have accomplished so many things and shared the ring with so many legends. I have nothing left to prove anymore. I am 38 years old. I do not see WWE or AEW in my future as a referee," Piskor remarked.

However, that doesn't mean that Bobby plans to wind down his pro wrestling career. In fact, Bobby's decision to retire the stripes has a lot to do with his duties already outside the ring. He's currently one of the head organizers behind-the-scenes at the International Wrestling Cartel, one of the most well-known and longest-running groups in the area. Originally founded by radio personality and grappler, Bubba The Bulldog in 2001 before it was promoted for several years under the direction of "Notorious" Norm Connors, who is regarded as the godfather of Pittsburgh independent wrestling, IWC brought a plethora of stars to the steel city over the years. Ownership would change at points in time, but Justin Plummer, who broke into the industry as a video host for the organization, has promoted the brand successful during the past decade.

Given his vast amount of knowledge and experience, Bobby was asked to join the management team in recent years, and his duties within the company also expanded when he became one of the head trainers at the Iron City Wrestling Academy school for aspiring hopefuls that wanted to pursue the sport. It was undoubtedly a hefty responsibility, but with his lofty passion for the industry, Bobby knew that it was another avenue to contribute to the business that had given so much to him.

"When I was first asked to be a part of the IWC creative team, I knew I would be disliked. Booking is a thankless job.  But it also can be the most rewarding.  Many times I have seen one of my ideas from paper turn into reality, and then go off better than expected.  Not everything we plan is a slam dunk.  I felt like my strong points were attention to detail.  I love subtle Easter eggs that were planted early on," he said.

Aside from the increase in professional responsibilities outside of the ring, which include meetings to determine the direction of events, making sure everything runs smoothly during the course of those live events, and of course, the planning stages for the next presentation, Bobby had to take personal circumstances into account when he decided to downsize his pro wrestling check list.

Tragically, his brother Ed Piskor, critically-acclaimed comic book artist with a global fan following for his work in the traditional printed pages, as well as digital media online, including the extremely popularly Youtube show Cartoonist Kayfabe, passed away suddenly earlier this year at the age of just 41. Since he received the tragic news in early April that his brother passed away, Bobby has taken the time to prioritize his well being, including a focus on his mental health as a part of the healing process.

 "This year has been a difficult year for my family and I. My brother unfortunately passed away at a young age of 41. It really took a toll on my mental health," Bobby explained.

Aside from taking the time to care for his own mental health, Piskor expanded his tool belt, taking up the craft of photography when he wasn't in the ring to officiate the action. Some of his candid photos of IWC events have been highlights on social media.

"For the last year or so I have been dabbling with photography. I will pop up here and there when I am around to take photos. I have always been creative, and It will give me another notch on my already full belt. I have been around pro wrestling for 25 years, so I'd like to think I know what I am looking at which gives me an edge," Piskor commented.

So, from that nervous 15-year-old in Weirton when he still wasn't old enough to drive, to the family man that is regarded as one of the most accomplished veterans of the Pittsburgh area as a member of the management team of one of the region's longest-running companies, Bobby Piskor will make the final three-count as an in-ring participant on December 7th in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. He won't be as close to the action or get the energy from the crowd quite as much since he will step away from the ring, but the closure of a chapter that he started more than 23 years ago will be just another chapter in his story of a lifetime in the pro wrestling business. Bobby will still be there with pen and paper in hand to organize from behind the curtain, and he will still be there catching the action shots with his camera.

"I'm not sure what it will be like to make the final three count. It will be emotional, to say the least," Bobby concluded.

The career of Axel Law

Sports fans love a comeback story.

Nothing exemplified this more than when more than 70,000 fans flocked to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas just to see the legendary "Iron" Mike Tyson step back into the ring for the first time in more than two decades for an official pro fight. Netflix, the streaming platform that hosted the fight, infamously had issues with the broadcast throughout the night right up until the main event based on the sheer amount of viewers that tuned into the event, despite the company's expertise within the streaming world.

Yes, there's no doubt that sport fans love a good comeback story.

The genre of professional wrestling, which other sports often mimic to generate box office, is also very familiar with the concept of the comeback story. Regardless of it's within the context of a match when the hero rallies from behind to conquer the villain for the three count, or when the audience gets the chance to see a legend lace up the boots for one more run, there's nothing like a comeback in sports entertainment, a business that originated on the carnival circuit several decades ago.

As thrilling as the iconic Terry Funk's countless returns were around the globe throughout his nearly 50-year career, not all comeback stories have to have an international flare. Instead, a comeback story can take place much closer to home.

Earlier this month, as a part of my duties as one of the commentators for Ryse Wrestling, a blue collar league based in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, an even more blue collar town just south of Pittsburgh, I arrived early to get the chance to catch up with Gregory Iron, who I originally met more than 16 years previously. Iron, a standout independent performer with a form of Cerebral Palsy that affects the use of one of his hands, was brought into the Stronghold Academy, Ryse Wrestling's training center, to run a seminar for the students at the school. The academy is anchored by co-head trainers, longtime veterans, Brandon K and Dean Radford. In an effort to bring their students a variety of knowledge and experience, the 18-year veteran Iron was invited to host a seminar to allow the aspiring youngsters to pick his brain with questions that ranged from character development to ring psychology.

Over the course of more than three hours that the rookies asked questions, I was occasionally asked to throw my two cents in on some topics from a broadcast prospective. The school is located in the same mall complex near where live events are hosted, and the training space also features a full weight room to go along with the squared circle. During the course of the seminar, it caught my eye that someone was pumping some major iron for a majority of it. 

Emerging from a weight machine, wearing a pair of wireless headphones and drenched in sweat was Pittsburgh independent standout from the late-90s and early-2000s, Axel Law, a wild man that made his reputation as an over-the-top grappler when the rowdy style of hardcore wrestling was en vogue.

I knew of the name and reputation through Pittsburgh indy lore, and had a chance to briefly talk to him at the prior month's event, but wanted to get the chance to have a conversation after the seminar finished before everyone would be busy with that night's event.

To my surprise, the 55-year-old former grappler wasn't just exercising to stay in shape, he was preparing himself for a comeback to the ring.

Ironically, Axel started wrestling long before many of the aspiring rookies in the building were even born, breaking into the business in April of 1996 under the Penn Atlantic Wrestling banner. At a time when the wrestling wars of the 90s were just starting to cook on cable television, Law's debut bout was slightly less glamorous, as he was defeated by an opponent named "Luscious" Lucas in about five minutes at a tiny venue in Glassport, Pennsylvania.

"My trainers there were Guido and Frankie Corleone, and Sniper. But, I am and always have been a student of the game. I am always learning with every person I get in the ring with. Working in the 90s was a little bit crazy. ECW was doing their thing, and hardcore wrestling was really on the up rise as far as popularity. The only problem with that was, you were always trying to out crazy the last match," Axel explained.

Considering that when Law was in elementary school, he and his pals would put broomsticks into the ground and string some rope around them to complete a homemade ring to emulate their favorite stars of the Rock N' Wrestling era of the 80s, the chance for him to pursue a career inside an actual squared circle years later was considered a dream come true.

However, that career path was a catch-22 in many ways for him, as the popularity of hardcore wrestling in the era had its positives and negatives in terms of its impact on his wrestling journey. As mentioned, wild matches and a unique charisma gained him a following around the Pittsburgh circuit, as he zigzagged around western, Pennsylvania at a time when pro wrestling surged in popularity at all levels so audiences from different organizations anticipated his arrival to the ring.

Unfortunately, the same style that garnered him a cult following would ultimately cut his career drastically short.

Just four and a half years into his stint as a professional wrestler, he suffered a broken neck during a bout in October 2000, The injury was serve enough to require neck fusion surgery in early January of 2001, putting him on the shelf for almost the entire year. But, too dedicated and too passionate toward the sports entertainment game, he became a player on the local scene again after he returned to the ring, winning championships and being involved in memorable feuds throughout the Pittsburgh region in the few years that followed.

"I consider one of my biggest highlights coming back from breaking my neck to become the very first NWA East X champion. My multiple feuds with Bison, always ending in a hardcore match because we battled at a lot of different promotions back in the day," Law explained.

The injury bug would bite Axel again in 2005 after a series of chair shots, and after dodging a bullet once with the ability to recover from a broken neck to wrestle again, he knew that the injury scare meant that he had a tough decision to make about the pursuit that he brought him joy from the time that he put those broomsticks in his yard to emulate his favorite stars as a kid.

"My last match was at Callaghan’s night club in 2005. I took 3 chair shots that night. My 3-year-old son was in the crowd. After the second chair shot, my left arm went numb, it was the same feeling I had the night I broke my neck. At that point, looking at my son, I had to step away," Axel explained.

With pro wrestling in the rear view mirror, Axel Law relocated south as a single dad to work in law enforcement as a part of the gang unit. He cites that he could never work a desk job, but enjoyed his career in the law enforcement field. Still, with his son now in his early-20s, the youngster was too young to remember seeing his dad in the ring for that final bout in 2005.

"I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I needed to step away and be a dad. That being said, my son was too young to remember me wrestling. I think he’d get a kick out of seeing his old man go," Law commented enthusiastically.

As the cliche goes, nobody really retires from wrestling, and about six months ago, Axel Law found himself at a Ryse event by complete accident, as he and his son thought they were going to see a band play at the former Sears spot at the Uniontown Mall. Axel was surprised to find himself at a wrestling show, but was even more surprised when he found out that Brandon K, one of his former peers from his heyday, was actually the founder of the organization. The old grappling buddies had a nice chat and Brandon invited Axel to check out the previously mentioned training center. Once he was in the environment, he couldn't resist the chance to hit the canvas again. After an in-ring workout seemed successful, the seed of the idea to return for a comeback match was planted, specifically so that his son could see him transform into the wrestling star at least once, which he hopes for at some point in 2025.

"I have to say that if I am able to do any sort of comeback, it wouldn’t be possible without Brandon K and Glenn Specter. At 55 years old,  my biggest hurdle is my cardio, but I am up every day working out. As far as my gym training it’s going great, good gains, trimming down, and feeling a lot younger than my age. The ring work is really just a process of knock a lot of rust off," Law remarked.

It took Mike Tyson $20 million to step into the ring again. For Axel Law, it's only the chance to let his son see him inside the ring ropes one more time that would be a truly priceless comeback story.

What's next for Mike Bailey?

Former X-Division champion, Mike Bailey reportedly opted not to renew his TNA contract when it expired at the beginning of this month, according to PWInsider. The 34-year-old Bailey dropped the X-Division title to Moose at a recent TV taping, but many were still surprised with the news of his exit, considering that he had been a featured performer during the time that the organization had a rebuild that saw it became strong enough to form a working agreement with NXT.

Despite inking a TNA deal in late-2021, Bailey has spent more than half of his life in the wrestling business, breaking in when he was still in his teenage years in Canada. Because of that, he had a cup of coffee more or less everywhere in North America outside of the two major promotions already, and given his skill set, it makes sense that he brings his talent to the biggest platforms possible.

He had a show stealer performance against Takeshita on night one of former TNA boss, Scott D'Amore's debut Maple Leaf Pro weekend last month. There's absolutely no doubt that a bout of the caliber of Takeshita/Bailey should be seen on the biggest stage possible. The biggest aspect that sets Bailey a part from the pack so to speak is that in an era when the majority of those outside of the realm of WWE work a very similar style, Bailey is one of the few that is truly top-tier. He doesn't just do the moves, he's precise and graceful enough to be a level above even a talented field of athletes, which should be an indication of why not every modern wrestler should attempt to carbon copy a typical style. When you have half a dozen of the best high spot wrestlers in the world on the roster, you simply doesn't need a few more dozen that aren't quite as crisp since the presentation will naturally be diminished by comparison.

At some point, the entire style gets so homogenized, particularly in All Elite Wrestling, that the competitors become interchangeable because the specific wrestlers that are booked are usually only there to do the moves, not to get over as characters using the moves. Bailey, similar to Will Ospreay, is one of the rare exceptions to that, he's such an incredibly gifted aerial wrestler that just the opportunity to display his skills can get him over with  the audience. That's only possible with the absolutely top-tier of the modern style, which is why Bailey should be considered a valuable commodity for the current market.

Speaking of AEW, the rumor mill suggest that the Khan-owned organization will be where he lands next, and while I completely anticipate that he will continue to work the indy circuit,at least to some degree, as mentioned, the guy is too talented not to work on television somewhere so AEW or WWE are the realistic options in this situation. On one hand, Bailey's over-the-top style will fit into the mold of All Elite, as that is accepted as a typical part of the presentation for the company, which has yielded positive and negative results. All Elite has offered pro wrestling fans some absolutely incredible matches, but at the same time, the injury rate within the organization is rather high, particularly for the featured stars. I know that money is no object for Tony Khan, but the bottom line of the wrestling business is still to make the most money possible. Revenue and profit are the true barometer of success, not how many stars a match is given. Quite simply, if a talent is on the sidelines with an injury, they can't be on the shows to draw money for the organization.

So yes, Bailey's dazzling high spots would fit into AEW immediately, but would that potentially hinder more than help his status?

The reason being is rather simple, and it doesn't include the risk of injury, as that's inherent with the aerial style anyway. Bailey would be working a style very similar to many others already on the All Elite roster, and we've seen how easy it is for talent to start off strong with the artificial debut pop, only to be lost in the shuffle within a matter of weeks. As spectacular as if he, it wouldn't be surprising if Bailey had some tremendous matches to kick off his career there before he's regulated to just another high spot wrestler on the roster, which would subtract from what makes him stand out as a talent to begin with.

On the flip side, if Bailey landed in NXT, I doubt that he would be given the green light to do quite as many dangerous dives, but the spots that he would do there could stand out as some more unique, spotlighting him in a more prominent position in the process. This isn't a knock on All Elite, but rather to point out how it's not quite as cut and dry so to speak as it might seem on the surface. I definitely try to avoid being repetitive, but the consistent reality of the situation is the bloated roster continues to be a problem, and I honestly think it could be a pitfall for Bailey within AEW.

That said, I think Bailey would undoubtedly get a chance to shine in All Elite, particularly with a potential rematch with Takeshita, as pro wrestling with that level of in-ring work promoted on main stream television would be tremendous. The downfall would be, I'm not sure any of those potential stellar matches will be translated into a scenario where Bailey is pushed as a bigger star. If anything, I could see one-off segments where he has some insane bouts on pay-per-view once every few months just so Tony can read get the star ratings in The Wrestling Observer newsletter. The flip side would be, at least in my opinion, is that he wouldn't get the chance to have those epic type of spot fests that cater to the most diehard audience in NXT, but in the long run, he would be established as a bigger star overall through the careful efforts of the WWE promotional machine.

Everyone has different goals within their own career, and if main stream notoriety isn't what Bailey is looking for, and it's completely fine if he isn't then he might prefer the freedom of All Elite Wrestling. Of course, it also comes down to dollars and cents so if Tony offered him a better deal than WWE then it might've been an easy decision.

Nothing is confirmed as of yet, and until something official is announced, technically it's not a done deal. However, I would guess that the speculation about Bailey's next move is true and that he will be on All Elite programming relatively soon. Bailey is actually scheduled to compete against another newly-signed AEW talent, Shelton Benjamin at the Wrestlecade convention at the end of this month, which would be the week after the Full Gear pay-per-view. It might be a non-factor, but also might be an indication that he might not debut with the company until at least sometime next month. Either way, it will be interesting to see how Bailey is booked in AEW and if he has the chance to fully utilize his skills for the company.

UFC 309

On the same weekend when Mike Tyson will step back into the ring for his first pro fight in more than twenty years to fight Jake Paul at Cowboys Stadium on Friday, the UFC will host a long-awaited heavyweight title bout at the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Somehow, the hype around the clash that will see Jon Jones defend his belt against former champion, Stipe Miocic is considerably lower than many expected when the prospect of "Bones" Jones moving up to the heavyweight division was originally discussed several years ago.

There are a few different reasons for it, but the fact that Tyson/Paul is the same weekend isn't one of them. Keep in mind, the boxing event is included in a Netflix subscription so fans won't have to choose between that or the UFC event with the hefty $79.99 price tag, which also requires a subscription to the ESPN+ streaming service. Sure, Netflix will make a majority portion of its cash on advertisements and sponsorships for the broadcast, but the bottom line is, fans won't have to choose between paying a premium price to watch the boxing match, which would theoretically leave some cash in their wallets to order the UFC heavyweight showdown.

Still, I'm not sure if sports fans will be clamoring to pay $80 for the Jones/Miocic event, especially with the current level of inflation and general economic uncertainly after the Presidential election. Just going to the grocery store can be a five-round war in itself so some viewers might be more hesitant to use disposable income that they would've spent on a pay-per-view in the past.

One of the main reasons for it is simple, out of sight, out of mind.

Some pundits have called "Bones" Jones the greatest fighter of all time, but I honestly see that as more of promotional hyperbole than anything else. Don't get me wrong, the 37-year-old champion had the skill and the potential to be in the conversation as one of the best to ever step into the cage, but his track record of terrible decisions outside of the octagon ultimately affected his position within the sport. Several arrests, failed drug tests, domestic violence incidents, and PED scandals kept "Bones" Jones on the sidelines more often than not during the prime years of his career. He simply wasn't eligible to fight some of the top competition within the 205 LBS division at different times so it's not known if he would've maintained his nearly unblemished record or not.

The bout with Stipe was delayed more than a year, as Jones was scheduled to fight him last November before a pectoral tendon tear sent the former Light Heavyweight champion into surgery rather than the octagon. That's partially the reason for a lack of sizzle around this pay-per-view, neither of the fighters, while accomplished, have fought regularly within the past few years. In fact, the only reason that Jones was granted a title shot was because Francis Ngannou was stripped of the title due to contract disagreements with the UFC, opting to pursue boxing and ink a deal with the PFL instead. Francis knocked out Stipe in the second round of a bout in March of 2021 to claim the title before his exit from the UFC. Ciryl Gane, who also lost a fight to Ngannou in January of 2022, was chosen to fight Jones to determine a new heavyweight champion last March. Clearly, UFC management wanted to pad the resume of Jones, who was being given a title shot despite the fact that he never fought in the division before.

It speaks volumes to the lack of depth in the heavyweight division when someone that hasn't fought in the weight class is immediately granted a title shot. However, Jones hasn't fought in over a year and a half, more or less putting a pause on the entire heavyweight division, as the ranking of contenders is irrelevant when the champion isn't set to defend the belt. It was very similar to when the UFC promotional machine got behind Conor McGregor, shoehorning him into a scenario where he could be promoted as a double champion, and then he took that promotional hype to fight Floyd Mayweather for a hefty amount of cash in boxing. The Irishman didn't fight for a few years and in the process, it completely hindered the featherweight and lightweight divisions respectively. Yes, Jones was on the injured list this past year, but given his track record, he probably wouldn't have defended the heavyweight title more once anyway, considering that before he beat Gane, he didn't fight for three years, vacating the Light Heavyweight championship after he defeated Dominick Reyes for a close decision on the score cards.

Stipe Miocic hasn't fought recently either, as his last bout was when he was knocked out by the previously mentioned Ngannou more than three and a half years ago. There's just not a lot of momentum to use to sell the fight as an important bout because Jones isn't known for a regular schedule, and even before the title shot was offered to Miocic last year, he hadn't competed in the two years prior to that so there was some speculation that he might retire. In short, the UFC can't properly promote a division when the competitors have been MIA for the past few years. As mentioned, Stipe hasn't fought in more than three and a half years, and Jones had one fight in the past four and a half years.

As for the fight itself, I think there are a few keys to victory to determine who might have the advantage, as well as who might secure the victory. Make no mistake about it, Stipe has dangerous power and he could undoubtedly catch Jones with a punch to end the fight. But, the biggest question is, at least for Stipe is, will the former champion have any ring rust from being away from competition for the past few years? As much as he wasted a lot of talent and some of the prime years of his career, it goes without saying that "Bones" Jones is an incredible athlete. I'm not sure if sparring or training sessions, especially after a long absence from the cage, can truly prepare Miocic for the level of competition he will encounter against Jones, particularly for a five-round fight.

The other side of the coin is, how will Jon Jones return from the pectoral tendon tear? Will he be in peak physical condition? Furthermore, will he be focused on the fight? As I said, the biggest hurdles throughout his career were his terrible decisions outside of the sport. He won a split decision against Thiago Santos and then the decision win against Reyes before he took the three-year hiatus from the octagon, and in both contests, he didn't look completely focused on the fight.

At 42, Stipe is at the latter stage of his career, but the notion of power being the last skill to diminish might be true and that makes him a dangerous opponent. However, Jones has the youth advantage, and I think that might play the biggest role as the fight gets into the championship rounds. As much as I'm disappointed with the talent and opportunities that Jones wasted throughout most of his career, I have to pick him to retain the championship, mostly because I don't think Stipe can defeat someone the caliber of Jones after such an extended absence from the sport.

Tyson vs. Paul

After several months of anticipation, boxing legend Mike Tyson will step back into the ring for his first official pro bout in more than two decades when he squares off in an eight-round contest against social media star, Jake Paul this weekend for an event that will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The streaming platform Netflix will host the fight, which was originally scheduled for July before it was postponed due to the former heavyweight champion suffering from a stomach ulcer. Tyson, as controversial as he is legendary, has seen a softening of his image in recent years, as he overcame drug addiction to tell his story as a cautionary tale in sports. The American public always enjoys a comeback story, and there was something wholesome about the youngster that came from a very turbulent background to find a level of peace in his life as an elder statesman of the boxing game.

Perhaps, that's why the public embraced his comeback to the ring for an exhibition fight against fellow legend, Roy Jones Jr. under the Triller banner in 2020. That's one of the stark differences between the contest four years ago and the bout that will be held on Netflix this weekend, the eight-round contest against Paul will be an officially sanctioned pro fight.

The last time "Iron" Mike had a pro match in 2003, his explosive and dynamic career throughout the previous almost twenty years concluded with a very flat finish, as the referee stopped the bout in the sixth round after Mike hit the canvas after a series of punches from the undistinguished Kevin McBride.

At 58, Tyson isn't going to rejuvenate his boxing career, but he is reportedly set to make $20 million for the bout, which gives him a very rare second chance at financial security. Infamously, Tyson was exploited for millions of dollars by shady promoter, Don King. That, along with very furiously spending saw him squander a few hundred million dollars earned from a carrer that saw him become the youngest heavyweight champion in history when he knocked out Trevor Berbick in the second round at the age of just 20.

Within the past several years, Tyson found other work in film and television, becoming somewhat of a pop culture icon, as sports fans could fondly reflect on the accomplishments of his career rather than the turbulent circumstances of his life. Of course, with a renewed level of popularity, he's also able to work the autograph circuit, which has become a very lucrative gig for stars of the past in sports and the entertainment business.

While Mike Tyson will use this Netflix showdown to get a hefty payday from the sport long after it should've been realistically possible or expected, Jake Paul seems to be using this contest to try to spark interest in his boxing exploits again to attempt to continue the paydays from the sport. Being a social media star and someone that played the role of the villain to initially generate interest, It's no surprise that Jake Paul used sideshow tactics to get noticed, as viewers tuned into circus fights more to see him lose more than anything else. Don't get me wrong, it's a wise strategy and a pro wrestling tactic that has been used in other sports for decades to draw money. Make no mistake about it, a prize fight is just as much the entertainment business as it is the fight business, and in some ways, the total at the box office is all that matters.

It's not a new concept in boxing, either. Tyson himself drew top dollar as the perceived wild man of boxing in the 90s, especially after he infamously chomped on a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear during this 1997 rematch, causing a DQ and a melee in the ring. Floyd Mayweather made a career of being the "bad guy" and carefully picked his opponents throughout most of his career to make sure he had the best chance possible to keep his undefeated streak intact. Again, the biggest selling point for the villain is that the audience is willing to pay to see them lose, and once that loss happens there will be diminished returns. For example, Adrien Broner tried to be a dollar store version of Floyd's heel persona to attempt to replicate his success, but a few key losses to the upper-tier of the welterweight division hindered Broner's profile considerable. He lost a unanimous decision to the mostly unknown Blair Cobbs this past June and it went under the radar of most sports news.

In a similar fashion, Jake Paul finds himself at somewhat of a crossroads in his athletic endeavors, as every fight he had from the time that he started to pursue boxing in 2020 had a novelty aspect, and that was only going to be a draw for so long until the audience wouldn't be willing to pay to see the sideshow opponents. So, Paul had to move up to at least decent competition before the interest in his boxing career dwindled. He knocked out basketball player Nate Robinson, and the crowd was willing to watch the circus for the entertainment value. He knocked out the bloated Ben Askren, a former MMA fighter that was there just for the payday since he couldn't be competitive in the UFC anymore. He beat an aging Tryon Woodley twice, but it's more or less agreed upon that Woodley was completely past his prime. The same could be said for his decision win over former UFC middleweight king, Anderson Silva.

Every fight had a novelty to it that gave an inherit advantage to Paul, which is wise on his part to try to leech as much money from the carnival fights as he could, but as mentioned, the novelty fights have a limited draw so he finally took a fight against an actual pro boxer, Tommy Fury. Fury's only claim to fame was that he's the younger brother of undisputed heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury. Tommy had less than ten pro bouts against competition that nobody had ever heard of before he stepped into the ring with Paul, who took the fight more because of the associations with the name Fury than anything else.

Tommy Fury won an eight-round split decision, and in many ways, the bloom was off the rose so to speak on the boxing career of Jake Paul. He lost and the defeat was at the hands of a mediocre pro fighter, not anyone with any name value in the sport beyond sharing a last name with the heavyweight champion. He went back to the MMA formula when he beat an older Nick Diaz before he defeated the completely unknown Andre August and then Ryan Bourland. He beat former MMA fighter Mike Perry earlier this year, but Perry's lack of name value, especially compared to his other opponents that were known from MMA, didn't capture much hype before the fight.

Make no mistake about it, even at 58, Mike Tyson is the draw for this fight at Cowboys stadium. Jake Paul isn't drawing that type of crowd with Andre August or Mike Perry. The selling point is Tyson back in the ring for a pro fight, nothing else, as the draw to see Jake Paul lose is minimal since he already lost to Tommy Fury last year. However, the promotion that Paul can bring to the fight is his "value" to the scenario.

As far as a winner, I really think it depends on the mindset of "Iron" Mike by the time that he steps into the ring. If he thinks back to the days of Cus D'Amato in the Catskills then Paul might hit the canvas by the second round. If Mike is just happy to make $20 and wants to get through the fight without getting injured, it's very possible that Jake Paul coasts to an underwhelming decision victory. That said, as much as this is still a total novelty fight because Paul is less than half of the age of the former heavyweight champion, it could still be a fun spectacle. Obviously, if Jake Paul loses to someone twice his age, it's difficult to image that his boxing career could continue to be lucrative or taken seriously in any fashion, but given the major cash that he's going to make for the bout, the result might be secondary for him.

I'll pick Tyson to get the win, but the biggest takeaway from this fight might be that it could open the door for more boxing on Netflix, a platform that might have the capital and the distribution to rejuvenate the sport.

What's the status of Bo Dallas?

Just over a year ago, Bray Wyatt tragically passed away due to a heart issue at the age of just 36. The charismatic star surfaced on the main roster a decade prior to that with a multi-layered persona as a cult leader character. He had the late Brodie Lee, and Erik Rowan aligned with him. Given the gimmick by Dan Spivey, who played Waylon Mercy two decades prior to that, and further developed by Dusty Rhodes, Bray became one of the most captivating characters of the era. Unfortunately, the first portion of Bray's career could be summarized by the fact that he could make his opponents look good while still staying strong through promos so more often than not, he was used to attempt to propel others, not get himself to the next level.

The fumbles of the booking of Bray Wyatt is a discussion on its own, but the point being, the second half of his WWE tenure was a rocky road of silly scenarios and over-the-top gimmick matches. With the original version of the Bray character beaten into powder to showcase his opponents, the attempt to repackage him as The Fiend often became cringe worthy or hokey. As talented as the late grappler was, the bell has to ring, and most of the time, the evolution of his character just didn't translate to the in-ring presentation for an event. A wrestler that looks like a burnt marshmallow isn't exactly being put in a position to draw money for the company. The office knew that they had damaged goods on their hands with The Fiend character when Wyatt was released from his deal in July of 2021, which was more or less the only way they could've rejuvenated his career. In many ways, Wyatt leaving the company built a demand for his return, particularly when the audience knew he was better than what he was given to do in the organization previously. Obviously, Wyatt deserved better, but the point being is that the reality was that he needed time away from the company to be able to return fresh.

Unfortunately, The Wyatt Sicks, a group formed nearly a year after his passing, with his real-life brother, Bo Dallas as the leader in the role of Uncle Howdy, might be on a similar path.

Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful that Bo Dallas and Erik Rowan want to continue the legacy of the real-life Windham Rotunda, but again, the bell has to ring, and as of right now, the faction seems to have a very limited use on Raw based on the way they've been positioned so far.

It should be mentioned with a stable like the Wyatt Sicks, it's all or nothing in many respects, the office has to fully get behind the gimmick or perhaps it would've been better to bring Bo Dallas back as a solo act. With five members, there are only so many ways that management can showcase them, and to this point, they are being used only against other factions. They are only so many groups in the modern era, as the trend is usually for a group to spotlight a specific star for the future than rather the group as a whole.

Keep in mind, when the Wyatts debuted on Raw this past June, there was an entire takeover of the show, with several staff members and wrestlers beat down backstage as the show went off the air. It was a very impressive visual, but where was the substance to follow up the sizzle? Outside of a mid-card feud with the Alpha Academy and then The Final Testament last month, what exactly is the purpose of the Wyatt Sicks? As mentioned, they debuted with a big splash in June and then had their first match on television in August, but haven't done much until this recent feud with The Final testament, a group that isn't really spotlighted or emphasized on WWE programming. When the group went a few weeks without television exposure, probably because the writing team didn't know what to do with them next, the vast majority of their momentum from the debut was diminished.

Obviously, there are a lot of pieces to work with for the Wyatts, but there really hasn't been much development of the individual characters since the faction itself still seems to be trying to find a solid direction. More than anything, it seems like the entire gimmick is based on the past of Bray Wyatt rather than attempting to progress the narrative into something that can be built for the future. That's not to attempt to discard Bray's legacy in any way, shape, or form, he undoubtedly had an impact on the concepts that can be brought to television, but at the same time, the reality is that by nature, a tribute gimmick has a limited run. 

Point blank, Bo Dallas isn't Bray Wyatt and it would be unfair to expect him to be. Something that worked for Bray doesn't automatically work for Bo, the same way that Wyatt couldn't have been Dallas. Again, it can't understated how truly wonderful it is that Bo wants to honor his late brother, but all things considered, it seems like he's miscast as a Wyatt group leader. Again, with a gimmick of this type, in many ways, it's all or nothing because there's a very fine line between compelling and hokey content. The plastic Uncle Howdy mask is more silly than sinister and in some respects also hinders Dallas' ability as a performer since it shields most of his face so the audience doesn't see his facial expressions or mannerisms.

The segment with The Miz this past week on Raw more or less solidified the status of the Wyatt faction as a mid-card group that will exist as long as the writing team can piece something together for the five of them to do, but it appears that they don't see them as a top act in the company. Given the way that they were introduced to Raw, for the faction to truly become a force, they would've needed something close to a full-scale takeover of the brand with a specific purpose or goal. Considering the other pieces in play among the WWE landscape, that wasn't realistically in the cards for the stable. There was much bigger business to do with Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and Drew McIntyre for what was sure to draw major money than to shift the spotlight of the brand to a faction that might or might not have gotten off the ground to a main event level.

Aside from the fact that they've only been associated with mid-card talent, the other major reason that there's a ceiling on the level of success the group can have is that among the five members, Bo Dallas is the only one that has been given the chance to develop a backstory around his character. Sure, the audience knows Rowan, but how much has his character evolved with the new faction? What exactly led Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, or Nikki Cross to join the group? Outside of an artificial video package, nothing is explained so there's very little for the audience to connect with or invest into the characters.

Baron Corbin released

After more than 12 years on the WWE roster, it was revealed that Baron Corbin's WWE contract will not be renewed after it expires, ending a tenure with the organization that spanned from his recruitment to the Performance Center, a successful run on the developmental NXT brand, and then a mixed bag on the main roster.

The former football player had a brief stint in the NFL, signing with the Indianapolis Colts in 2009 before he was offered a contract on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad in 2011 before he was cut from the team. Still, his football background made him a prime candidate for the WWE philosophy when he originally inked a developmental deal in 2012, sign former athletes and build them from the ground up to be sports entertainers within the WWE system.

By the time he arrived on NXT television in 2014, when the brand was still exclusive to the newly-launched WWE Network at the time, Corbin debuted as a lone wolf type of character. It was a simple, but effective presentation.

When he moved up to the main roster in 2016, winning the Andre The Giant Battle Royal at Wrestlemania 32, it began a trend in his career that followed him throughout most of his tenure in the company. While his in-ring skills and promos improved with experience on television, he was often a victim of circumstance within the Vince McMahon structure of the organization.

As we know, there were many stars that were built up and promoted as featured performers on the NXT brand under Triple H that never had a chance to be perceived as stars when they arrived on Raw or Smackdown. Quite simply, Triple H took a different approach with NXT, especially at that time, often pushing it as the "work rate" brand to differentiate it from Raw or Smackdown. However, the main roster was run by Vince, and the "work rate" approach was never his philosophy so the vast majority of NXT stars were underutilized on the main brands, at least until they were rebuilt from a Vince McMahon perspective. Anyone remember when Bayley went from one of the most organically over baby faces in the entire company on the NXT brand to those cringe worthy hug segments on Raw?

In many ways, even throughout achievements, Baron Corbin was never truly presented as a star or someone that fans should truly invest in as a performer with the potential to be a major star. I'm sure that Corbin did the best that he could, you could see from his work that the effort was there and he was proficient in the ring, even if he wasn't the next Lou Thez or Tiger Mask. However, there's only so much you can do as an in-ring performer if the angles themselves aren't designed to spotlight you. For example, Corbin won the MITB ladder match in 2017, which is usually an indication that the office sees the potential for someone to be involved in the title picture or the main event scene. If Corbin was ready for that spot at the time is debatable, but the fact that he lost the cash-in almost more or less labeled him a flop, at least for his first stint on the main roster, specifically because of the precedent that was set for who failed to cash in prior to that. The bottom line is, if you failed to win the cash-in, a scenario that from a storyline perspective should be the perfect opportunity to win the title, it sends the message that the wrestler just isn't a main event guy. As talented as he is, was Damien Sandow ever viewed the same way by the audience after he lost the cash-in match?

The gimmicks that Crobin was given in the years that followed might've been different variations on his character, but they all boiled down to the same thing, they either presented him as a joke, a secondary figure, or were just plain drek as far as an on-screen persona. For example, Constable Corbin was cast as somewhat of an authority figure on Raw at a time when there was rightfully discontent with the product, specifically with the Roman Reigns super push, The heel Authority faction on Raw that appeared to be indignant at the hostile crowd reaction, and an overall stale presentation. This ultimately created the demand for an alternative that allowed for the formation of AEW to be given a chance, but that's a different discussion for a different time. Infamously, the Authority faction blamed Constable Corbin for the subpar programming during a promo on Raw.

In 2019, Corbin won the King of The Ring, which did absolutely nothing other than give him a silly outfit to wear that made him look like a hobbit. Unfortunately, he won the tournament at a time when there was a track record for the winners would become the King of The Ring and then lose most of their matches in the months that followed or were simply kept at a stagnant level. Sheamus is an example of the former, with Kofi Kingston as an example of the latter. Earlier that year, he beat a diminished Kurt Angle in the former Olympic gold medalist's retirement match for a forgettable six-minute segment during a marathon show that was more than a five-hour broadcast.

The King gimmick was hokey and too obtuse, even for a company that often utilizes the lowest common denominator to attempt to draw the general public. Speaking of which, when he was portrayed as broke and destitute, it could've completely ruined his career. Yes, I understand that it was booked to set up for the lottery win that saw him use the Happy Corbin gimmick, but the point is that he was quite literally booked to be a total loser. How exactly was he supposed to be perceived as a star? The Happy Corbin gimmick was cringe worthy and another example of something so blatantly obtuse that it was a channel changer gimmick. These series of gimmicks had Vince McMahon's finger print all over them.

Eventually, he was landed back on the NXT brand last year with a persona somewhat similar to his original gimmick, which at least gave him a chance at a fresh start after such a series of horrendous gimmicks. He was even paired with Gable Steveson, the Olympic champion that fizzled out when he couldn't make the transition to the pro ranks, for his NXT debut match, and that was no coincide. The office knew that Corbin could make Steveson look good and get him through the segment, as Corbin was a solid hand and a veteran of the WWE system. The fact that Steveson couldn't have at least a decent match with Corbin said a lot about his lack of progress as a sports entertainer.

For the majority of this year, Corbin continued to work on the NXT brand, which made sense because it allowed him to work with the younger talent to give them the valuable in-ring experience to continue to evolve their careers. That being said, with how many times he was repackaged previously, it probably wasn't a realistic option that he was going to successfully be reintroduced to the main roster so it's almost understand that his deal wasn't renewed, as they simply wasn't much left to do with him.

At 40, Corbin is at the latter stages of his career anyway, and if he has financially security then it might be wise for him to retire. Sure, he wasn't given the chance to flourish with many of the characters that he was given under the Vince McMahon regime, and it's doubtful that anyone would've been able to get most of them over, but the entire point of the business is to make as much money as possible. If Corbin can retire at an early age after a 12-year WWE career then good for him. At the same time, he was purely a WWE guy built within their system so it's doubtful that they would be a demand for him in AEW or New Japan. If anything, a stint in TNA could be possible, but again, he might opt to retire rather than risk any injury from wrestling elsewhere.

Crown Jewel review

Crown Jewel, WWE's latest offering from Saudi Arabia, is in the books, and as much as the concept of a Crown Jewel champion was very superficial to serve the propaganda arm of the Saudi government, this was definitely not a B-show in terms of its presentation. Vastly different from when the WWE started its 10-year deal with the company in 2018, this event held a level of importance and progress to the product, an aspect of the company that almost seems to be on cruise control until the switch to Netflix in January. Usually, outside of the "big four" traditional pay-per-views that run almost four hours, the smaller PPVs have less matches and often finish up at the three-hour mark of a broadcast, which is completely fine because it makes for an easier viewing experience.

However, the Saudis got their money's worth with a full card and more than three and a half hours of runtime before Crown Jewel went off the air. Credit where it's due, Saudi shows were often treated like fluff in the past, because in many ways they were, with requests from the government there originally for Ultimate Warrior and Yokozuna, both of whom past away years earlier. Under the Vince McMahon regime, those type of requests were placated with the brief appearance of sumo wrestler, Hishofuji Hiroki at The Greatest Royal Rumble in 2019. The WWE was clearly just there for the government to masquerade the event as modernism to the region after years of criticism of corruption in the country. They wanted a sumo wrestler so Vince gave them a sumo wrestler. It was the most profitable show on the WWE calendar so find a sumo wrestler to get in the ring for two minutes and collect $40 million to bring the brand to the country.

In many ways, that's still the goal for the TKO corporation, but it's not just make the sleazy cash. Keep in mind, TKO is a part of the bigger Endeavor conglomerate. There's quite literally a vested interest in establishing Saudi Arabia as not just a money grab, but a lucrative location for future projects, including the UFC, to be brought to the country as well. Technically speaking, any of the proprieties under the Endeavor banner could add Saudi Arabia to the list as a potential location to make some heft cash.

The show opened with The Bloodline vs. Roman Reigns and The Usos in a six man tag team match. This segment provided the sizzle, not necessarily the substance, to this card, and there's nothing wrong with that. The bottom line this, the Saudis pay for the star power, and despite dropping the title earlier this year. Roman is still one of the top guys in WWE and one of the biggest stars of the modern era so he's going to be there. At the same time, there's a lot more to develop and a lot more business to be done with this storyline so it makes sense that this wasn't the main event since it's just a piece of the puzzle, not the payoff. Jimmy Uso is just back in the fold with Roman and Jey so there's a lot more mileage with where the angle can go. That said, the action was fine, but this was essentially a basic six man tag, and that's all that it needed to be. As far as being a piece of the puzzle that isn't complete yet, Sami Zayn's involvement in the match sets up for his eventual alignment with Roman and The Usos to have a full circle moment based on where the original Bloodline faction started. The heels got the victory, which makes sense because as mentioned, this wasn't the payoff yet, and there probably won't be a baby face win until at least Survivor Series. Although, given the star power and the history involved, I really think that the storyline has enough steam to build to a main event at one of the nights of Wrestlemania.

Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill retained the WWE Women's tag team titles in a four-way match that only went about ten minutes so there's not much to say about it. It was fine for what it was, but this simply wasn't given enough time to get into second gear. If I had to guess, this match was booked to shoehorn a few more competitors onto the card than anything else.

Seth Rollins vs. Bronson Reed was a decent match, but to be honest, I think these two are capable of a lot more if they are given the right amount of time and spotlight for it. This was another bout that only went about 10 minutes and resembled more of a Raw match than something you'd expect from a pay-per-view. Hopefully, that's because there's more planned for than and they simply didn't want to give away everything until the final bout in the series. Rollins won with a few curb stomps, but Bronson Reed was standing after the contest so I'd guess that there will be a rematch at Survivor Series.

The Women's Crown Jewel championship match went about 7 or 8 minutes, but was still a tedious viewing experience. The early sequences were very clunky and clumsy. There was a spot in the corner where Liv Morgan completely missed a knee strike, and the two struggles to get to the next spot. The only thing that saved this match from being a total train wreck was the attempted cash in spot from Tiffany Stratton, mostly because it distracted from the very disjointed in-ring action. Eventually, a mishap with the MITB briefcase saw Nia get clobbered with it, allowing Liv to get the win. I've said it before and I will say it again, I'm sure the real-life Nia Jax is a very nice person, but her continued push on television is one of the perks of being related to The Rock, especially with his current role in the company.

The Kevin Owens segment wasn't really a match so this not much to discuss about it. If I had to guess, i'd say that the office wanted to wait to have the actual match until Survivor Series, but given Randy Orton's level of popularity, this was a way to get him on the show without giving away the bout. The Saudis pay big money to see Randy Orton so this was a way for them to see him at the event.

The triple threat match for the US title was a very entertaining sprint. This only went about eight minutes, but it was a fireworks show with some really entertaining aerial offense from each competitor. Andrade reminded everyone that he can be a much more valuable asset to the organization when he wants to turn it up a few notches, Carmelo Hayes looked more like a star here than most of his prior main roster exposure because he was presented on an equal level as the bigger stars, and LA Knight proved that he should still probably have a higher ceiling than a mid-card title. LA Knight retained the championship.

The main event was more or less what you'd expect from Cody Rhodes and Gunther, they are two polished pros that can deliver a quality main event match. Everything they did was crisp and smooth, and the presentation was carefully put together so that Gunther still looked like a monster, while Cody still shined as the top guy. Neither one of them looked secondary, which was the very difficult balancing act of this entire scenario. Rhodes sold and made Gunther look great, and Cody fought back like an admirable baby face should in the main event role. Yes, Cody had the longer and more dramatic road to the title, they was always going to be more cache for the competitor that eventually dethroned Roman Reigns after a historic title run, but Gunther was at least presented on the same level in terms of ability through this contest. Nobody had to sacrifice their credibility for this match to be something more than a glorified exhibition, even if that's what it was in the grand scheme of things.

The finish wasn't ground-breaking, as it was famously used in Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper in 1992 and then again when Bret beat Steve Austin in 1996, with the counter to the sleeper to get the pin fall, but it was still very well done at Crown Jewel. Cody was in jeopardy and with a slick counter just barely pinned Gunther for the three count. It wasn't a definitive win, and it wasn't supposed to be. That particular conclusion was probably the best way to give the Saudis a winner without hindering the credibility of either champion. The handshake and show of respect at the end of the broadcast was another subtle way to put both of them on an equal level, as it was a way that they both acknowledged their status as champions in the company.