Well, Jon Jones, former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and once thought to be the future of mixed martial arts, was arrested again this week as a result of a probation violation following a traffic incident last week. All of this taking place less than a month before he's scheduled to return to the octagon after nearly a year absence to fight Daniel Cormier for the title he was stripped of in April of last year. After the well documented hit-and-run incident last year, Jones narrowly avoided jail time after he caused an accident that injured a pregnant woman, but thankfully, her pregnancy was unharmed. Jones' expensive legal team got him the relatively light sentence of probation for the debacle, which saw officers find drug paraphernalia in the car that the former 205 LBS titleholder ditched when he fled the scene. Keep in mind, this all happened after his initial driving mishap when he hit a pole and was charged with DUI in 2012. Prior to this latest run in with the law, "Bones" Jones was cited for speeding and driving without a license in February. It was reported last week that he was given five tickets for various infractions related to drag racing and earlier this week, he took to the MMA Hour show to apologize for it. Since the announcement of the warrant for his arrest, Jones turned himself in to Albuquerque police and a video surfaced on TMZ.
Some have argued that the police officer was hostile towards Jones and they might have a point, as the officer bantered with him instead of defusing the situation. However, Jon Jones is on probation and had several traffic incidents, and quite frankly, he doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt. While video of the actual alleged drag racing wasn't released, it's difficult to view Jones as the sympathetic figure when he has a history of reckless driving. Considering he's on probation and was stopped as recently as a month ago for driving without a license, wouldn't it be the smarter move to just sign the tickets and present his side of the story in court? How exactly is arguing with the officer going to help the situation? Again, Jones is on thin ice and he can't expect to be given the benefit of the doubt when his driving record includes a hit-and-run.
As the video progressed, "Bones" Jones became abrasive and began yelling profanity at the officer. Once again, (I realize this is getting repetitive, but work with me here) how exactly is swearing at the police going to help his case? It's not as though the cop is going to say, "you know, Mr. Jones you're right, let's forget these tickets and have a nice day."
Does Jon Jones think he shouldn't be stopped because he's an MMA fighter? He has demonstrated his arrogance in the past and at this point, you have to wonder, is Jones going to become known more for his mishaps outside of the cage than his career accomplishments? Are there cops that have used their job title to be disrespectful to others? Absolutely, but it should be noted that the majority of officers risk their lives to serve the public so if the officer was hostile towards Jones then a complaint could've been filed. But, because of Jones' reaction, he will be cast in a negative light regardless of the officer's stance since there's the celebrity factor. If the cop was rude to Jones and the MMA fighter just signed the papers without ranting, the officer might be more scrutinized.
Now, a month away from the bout where he could reclaim his title, Jon Jones is sitting in a jail cell because of a probation violation. After "Bones" Jones was sentenced to probation last year, I penned a column that stated "the saddest thing in life is wasted talent," a quote from the "A Bronx's Tale" film. Sadly, that might be a statement that continues to summarize the career of Jon Jones, as instead of training in the gym, he will have to dodge legal jabs in court during a hearing scheduled on Thursday. As I've said previously, Jon Jones is one of the greatest athletes to step into the octagon and despite all the fumbles, he still has the ability to become a legend in the sport. In my opinion, Jon Jones' biggest problem is Jon Jones, as it appears as though his celebrity status has turned the once 23-year-old humble champion into the now arrogant 28-year-old that has made more headlines outside the cage than he has in competition. Certainly, the five years in the spotlight seems to have inflated Jones' ego, but if he wants to avoid becoming another precautionary tale in sports, he should get a reality check.
As of this writing, Jones is still in custody, awaiting a hearing for the probation violation, but his lawyers will probably get him released without any major penalties. If that's the case, the fight with Cormier in a few weeks shouldn't be in jeopardy, but it speaks volumes to Jones' continuous problems. Despite his attempts to portray himself as learning from his past mistakes, "Bones" Jones continues to grapple with legal problems.
If Jon Jones gets his career back on track is his decision and as mentioned previously, it would be extremely disappointing if he doesn't reach his potential because of a laundry list of unwise decision. Make no mistake about it, Jon Jones could because one of the greatest fighters of all time in combat sports, but he's basically sabotaging his own career. Again, Jon Jones has the potential to be great, if he conducts himself like it, both inside and outside of the sport.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Friday, March 25, 2016
UR Fight Review
Last weekend, a very unique concept made its way to internet pay-per-view as the "UR Fight" event took place in Phoenix, Arizona and was broadcast on urshow.tv through a partnership with the Jim Ross endorsed Fite app. When first announced a few months ago, the show garnered some buzz because of the affiliation of Roy Jones Jr. Kurt Angle, Rey Mysterio, Micheal Bisping, Chael Sonnen, and others all battling within their respective sports on the card. Again, the concept of bringing four different types of combat styles to one show seems interesting on paper, but as the night progressed, it was clear that was not the case during the course of the event. However, before the show went on the air, there were a few indications that it might not be the historic event the promoters had hoped. Outside of a few Twitter mentions from the participants, there was no actual advertisement or promotion done for the show with main stream commercials. As a result, the small building in Phoenix was sprinkled with many empty chairs, even though it was reported online that free tickets were being offered prior to the event.
Originally scheduled to be Ken Shamrock vs. Dan Severn, the mixed martial arts portion of the card was changed after Shamrock tested positive for banned substances following the Bellator debacle when he fought MMA legend, Royce Gracie last month. With Shamrock not cleared to fight, someone found Tank Abbott as a replacement, but he didn't pass the state athletic commission physical so the bout was completely replaced with two virtually unknown MMA fighters.
With both competitors in their 40s, Jim Ross, who was on commentary for the show, should've referred to this one as "bowling shoe ugly." The 48-year-old Maverick Harvey brought a record of 8-4 and it looked like he lost a fight with a tattoo gun. The 45-year-old Shannon Ritch brought a stellar 53-79 record into the contest. It should be noted that the entire event took place inside of a pro wrestling ring, which doesn't provide the proper footing for MMA or boxing bouts. Within the opening minute, Maverick rushed Ritch, who was tumbling through the ropes while trying to dodge punches from his opponent. When both competitors were finally back in the ring, Ritch took the fight to the ground and got the relatively easy submission choke at roughly two minutes in the first round.
UFC middle weight, Michael Bisping completed with suspended MMA fighter Chael Sonnen in a grappling match. For those wondering, this one was signed as a grappling contest because it's one of the few "competitions" that Bisping can compete for while still under UFC contract. Sonnen, who is still under a two year suspension as a result of the multiple failed drug tests that cost him an analyst job on Fox, was allowed to compete because of the unique rules of the grappling match. It should be noted that while grappling is a very technical aspect of combat sports, the UR Fight show didn't have judges to score it and the only way to win was via submission. If an audience is unfamiliar with the grappling fighting system and there are not score cards, it can lead to a very lackluster exhibition, which is exactly what happened on IPPV. For the three rounds and a total of 15 minutes, this grappling "fight" was essentially a glorified sparring session with neither competition attempting to finish the contest. There was a lot of posturing and and not much action while Bisping played to the nearly nonexistent crowd. Reportedly, the notable names of the card made a decent paycheck, but I don't blame Bisping at all for his lack of intensity grappling. He's signed to the UFC, the biggest MMA organization in the world and recently got the biggest win of his career when he defeated Anderson Silva so why would he risk an injury at a side show event? Another question is, fans pay to see Bisping in a mixed martial arts setting and if you can't book him in that environment, why put him on the card? After the Bisping/Sonnen match, a preliminary fight from earlier in the show was shown and while that footage was played, the live feed from the announcers' mics was accidentally left on when commentator Sean Wheelock was overheard saying "that was awful." His statement accurately describes the uneventful grappling contest.
The intermission "entertainment" was 15 minutes of a rapper named "Riff Raff" walking around the ring with two ladies that looked like they had no idea where they were or what to do there. Riff Raff is an appropriate name for the ridiculous outfit and hair style.
The Kurt Angle/Rey Mysterio 2/3 falls match was next and seemed to be the only hope to save the card, but it's been almost ten years since the classic Rey/Angle matches in the WWE. The match itself was quality, but the finish was typical of the rest of the show, as Riff Raff helped Mysterio get the win. Riff Raff would also be a good way to describe the event.
The main event was next as former boxing champion Roy Jones Jr. was going to participate in a boxing match with contest winner Vyron Philips, an MMA fighter with a 5-3 record. Philips won through voting on social media and could win $100,000 if he defeated Jones. The 47-year-old Roy is well past his prime, but still competes in glorified exhibition fights in Europe while working as an analysts for HBO. While there's a novelty to this fight, the results were going to be disastrous either way, considering if Jones lost, it's a disappointment to boxing fans to see the former star defeated by a rookie boxer or Roy easily wins and it's obvious the the contest wasn't really much of a "challenge." The opening round was relatively uneventful until the closing seconds when Roy staggered Philips with a punch before the end of the round. Jones KO'ed Philips in the second round to conclude a lackluster event.
As you can tell from reading this, UR Fight wasn't exactly the complete combat sports events promoters tried to sell and it underscores the fact that you can book novelty acts to try to sell a show, but the bottom line is, there has to be quality competitors to produce a quality event. Realistically, Roy Jones Jr. hasn't been a draw in America for over a decade and the attendance of the event represented it. Could an event book multiple styles on the same card and be successful? Sure, similar cards have drawn major attendance in Japan for years, but again quality competitors are the key to producing a quality event.
Originally scheduled to be Ken Shamrock vs. Dan Severn, the mixed martial arts portion of the card was changed after Shamrock tested positive for banned substances following the Bellator debacle when he fought MMA legend, Royce Gracie last month. With Shamrock not cleared to fight, someone found Tank Abbott as a replacement, but he didn't pass the state athletic commission physical so the bout was completely replaced with two virtually unknown MMA fighters.
With both competitors in their 40s, Jim Ross, who was on commentary for the show, should've referred to this one as "bowling shoe ugly." The 48-year-old Maverick Harvey brought a record of 8-4 and it looked like he lost a fight with a tattoo gun. The 45-year-old Shannon Ritch brought a stellar 53-79 record into the contest. It should be noted that the entire event took place inside of a pro wrestling ring, which doesn't provide the proper footing for MMA or boxing bouts. Within the opening minute, Maverick rushed Ritch, who was tumbling through the ropes while trying to dodge punches from his opponent. When both competitors were finally back in the ring, Ritch took the fight to the ground and got the relatively easy submission choke at roughly two minutes in the first round.
UFC middle weight, Michael Bisping completed with suspended MMA fighter Chael Sonnen in a grappling match. For those wondering, this one was signed as a grappling contest because it's one of the few "competitions" that Bisping can compete for while still under UFC contract. Sonnen, who is still under a two year suspension as a result of the multiple failed drug tests that cost him an analyst job on Fox, was allowed to compete because of the unique rules of the grappling match. It should be noted that while grappling is a very technical aspect of combat sports, the UR Fight show didn't have judges to score it and the only way to win was via submission. If an audience is unfamiliar with the grappling fighting system and there are not score cards, it can lead to a very lackluster exhibition, which is exactly what happened on IPPV. For the three rounds and a total of 15 minutes, this grappling "fight" was essentially a glorified sparring session with neither competition attempting to finish the contest. There was a lot of posturing and and not much action while Bisping played to the nearly nonexistent crowd. Reportedly, the notable names of the card made a decent paycheck, but I don't blame Bisping at all for his lack of intensity grappling. He's signed to the UFC, the biggest MMA organization in the world and recently got the biggest win of his career when he defeated Anderson Silva so why would he risk an injury at a side show event? Another question is, fans pay to see Bisping in a mixed martial arts setting and if you can't book him in that environment, why put him on the card? After the Bisping/Sonnen match, a preliminary fight from earlier in the show was shown and while that footage was played, the live feed from the announcers' mics was accidentally left on when commentator Sean Wheelock was overheard saying "that was awful." His statement accurately describes the uneventful grappling contest.
The intermission "entertainment" was 15 minutes of a rapper named "Riff Raff" walking around the ring with two ladies that looked like they had no idea where they were or what to do there. Riff Raff is an appropriate name for the ridiculous outfit and hair style.
The Kurt Angle/Rey Mysterio 2/3 falls match was next and seemed to be the only hope to save the card, but it's been almost ten years since the classic Rey/Angle matches in the WWE. The match itself was quality, but the finish was typical of the rest of the show, as Riff Raff helped Mysterio get the win. Riff Raff would also be a good way to describe the event.
The main event was next as former boxing champion Roy Jones Jr. was going to participate in a boxing match with contest winner Vyron Philips, an MMA fighter with a 5-3 record. Philips won through voting on social media and could win $100,000 if he defeated Jones. The 47-year-old Roy is well past his prime, but still competes in glorified exhibition fights in Europe while working as an analysts for HBO. While there's a novelty to this fight, the results were going to be disastrous either way, considering if Jones lost, it's a disappointment to boxing fans to see the former star defeated by a rookie boxer or Roy easily wins and it's obvious the the contest wasn't really much of a "challenge." The opening round was relatively uneventful until the closing seconds when Roy staggered Philips with a punch before the end of the round. Jones KO'ed Philips in the second round to conclude a lackluster event.
As you can tell from reading this, UR Fight wasn't exactly the complete combat sports events promoters tried to sell and it underscores the fact that you can book novelty acts to try to sell a show, but the bottom line is, there has to be quality competitors to produce a quality event. Realistically, Roy Jones Jr. hasn't been a draw in America for over a decade and the attendance of the event represented it. Could an event book multiple styles on the same card and be successful? Sure, similar cards have drawn major attendance in Japan for years, but again quality competitors are the key to producing a quality event.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Building the Roman Empire
Last year, the stage was seemingly set for Roman Reigns to defeat Brock Lesnar to win the WWE Heavyweight title and take the John Cena spot, which was the plan since Roman made his WWE debut. As I've said many times before, the fans don't want to be told who they should want to cheer or who they should want to see in the main event because it essentially tells the audience that their opinion is irrelevant to the WWE brass. The crowd could support a talent in the hopes that the competitor would move up the card and reach the main event, but when management decides to anoint the next star prior to the actual angle, the audience resents that their opinion is being ignored. The audience knew that Roman Reigns was chosen to go to Wrestlemania 31 to win the title long before they had a chance to voice their opinion on that particular scenario and when they saw cheers for other performers being discarded, they directed the heat for management at Roman Reigns. As history will show, Roman didn't get over and that led to Seth Rollins cashing in to win the belt.
I don't want to sound repetitive here, but lack of competition continues to be the direct reason behind why these less than over angles continue to get pushed. In 1997, Nitro was winning the ratings war and the WWF was very much on the ropes, even close to going out of business. When the audience decided they wanted to see Stone Cold Steve Austin in the title picture, the WWF booked him as the top guy because WCW pushed them to do whatever they had to do to survive the ratings war. Granted, the industry has changed, but with WWE dominating the pro wrestling market, if the general public wants to watch wrestling then they will watch WWE and until revenue drops, (which it hasn't) management will continue to book their vision of sports entertainment, despite the demands of the live audience.
During a recent conference call, Vince McMahon touted record setting revenue and explained the decline of ratings as a result of people watching less TV. The public watching less TV might be true for a general basis, but the fact remains, if you have a show people want to watch then viewers will tune in to watch it. For example, sporting events still draw major ratings and several current shows such as The Walking Dead garner major numbers, even with the use of DVR so again, if you have a product viewers want to see, they will tune in for it. The argument could be made that it's difficult to book a " must see" program for a three hour format, but the exponential increase in ad revenue allowed the decision makers to overlook that aspect of the product.
It's 2016 and according to a report from The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer last week, Vince McMahon has plans to make WM 32 the start of the Reigns era and he will have the top spot going forward. The rational behind this is supposedly that even if the fans boo Roman, the WWE is at a point where the company isn't built around a particular star, but rather fans will find something on the shows that makes them watch the product. While it is true that the WWE brand is the draw for the WWE audience, it would seem more difficult to get the audience to emotionally invest in the product without identifying with the top stars. For example, the Wrestlemania brand sells itself because the audience is emotionally invested in the history and the perception of the event. The problem is, will the crowd want to pay for events where Roman is supposed to be the draw? I've stated previously that it's disappointing that Reigns is getting flak from the crowd when the WWE hasn't done him any favors with its booking direction and considering recent crowd reactions, it's very possible he gets booed when he wins the title at Wrestlemania. A few weeks ago when Triple H "bloodied" Roman, the crowd cheered and as recent as this past week on Raw during their in ring confrontation, the audience booed him again.
So, what's it going to take to get Roman Reigns some actual crowd support?
I know some have compared the reaction to Reigns to John Cena's polarizing popularity, but I don't think that's the case. In many scenarios, Cena had the crowd at 50/50 in terms of his fan support, but the same ratio doesn't apply to Roman as his cheers as in the minority during live events. The other key factor with the Cena comparison is that no matter of the opinion, John Cena is undoubtedly a draw. The fans either pay to cheer him or pay to boo him, but from a business prospective, the only thing that matters is that they pay to see him. Plus, the demographic that supports Cena buys his red, blue, yellow, green, orange, and purple t-shirts along with all the accessories. Merchandise is a key revue source for the WWE and from a historical prospective, it's one of the reasons they've remained the top company in the world. Also, according to Meltzer, 84,000 tickets have already been sold for Cowboy stadium, which is somewhat surprising, considering the relatively weak card because of key injuries in recent months. The amount of sales seems to indicate two key aspects of the WWE business model, the Wrestlemania brand can sell tickets for a major venue and secondly, obviously the WWE fan base isn't as disgusted as they sound at live events. If fans are that against Reigns as the top guy, why spend the money on expensive Wrestlemania tickets? The WWE wants Reigns as the next star because he's their type of champion and essentially they would rather have the stereotypical wrestler to help bring sponsors to the company than Daniel Bryan or Dolph Ziggler, both of whom were pushed aside during the original Roman main event run. Unless tickets don't sale or network subscriptions drop, why wouldn't WWE management book what they want? It seems as though more live crowds look for the opportunity to "hijack" a show or view it as an accomplishment to boo Roman Reigns, but if the fans are paying to be there, does Vince McMahon really care if they cheer or not?
It's common knowledge that Reigns is winning the belt at WM 32 and if I had to guess, I would say that he will get booed at the conclusion of the show. I find the Roman situation comparable to The Rock's early days in the WWF when the fans initially rejected him. Rocky Maivia was getting a push because the booking team thought he should, but the fans hadn't seen him earn his stripes. In many ways, the audience today doesn't think Roman "earned" his spot on the card because he was recruited to be a top guy since day one. It's an unfair reality of the situation because obviously Reigns has worked hard to improve on his weaknesses and the way he continues to be booked only adds fuel to the criticism. For example, the overused move set and the super man come back during the number one contender match at Fastlane. As I've said previously, if Rocky Maivia didn't turn heel, would the The Rock have become one of the biggest stars in the business? A Roman Reigns will turn might be a way for him to evolve his character and eventually get over as a baby face, but it seems like the generic win is going to be booked for Wrestlemania. In my opinion, without a major angle, Roman won't suddenly get over as the top baby face. With WM 32 weak on paper and the result of the main event obvious, there appears to be more intrigue as to the reaction to Reigns at the event than the actual match. As mentioned, the way Roman has been portrayed hasn't done him any favors and the process of pushing him as the next top star continues to be an uphill battle. However, if it doesn't effect revenue, does it really matter?
I don't want to sound repetitive here, but lack of competition continues to be the direct reason behind why these less than over angles continue to get pushed. In 1997, Nitro was winning the ratings war and the WWF was very much on the ropes, even close to going out of business. When the audience decided they wanted to see Stone Cold Steve Austin in the title picture, the WWF booked him as the top guy because WCW pushed them to do whatever they had to do to survive the ratings war. Granted, the industry has changed, but with WWE dominating the pro wrestling market, if the general public wants to watch wrestling then they will watch WWE and until revenue drops, (which it hasn't) management will continue to book their vision of sports entertainment, despite the demands of the live audience.
During a recent conference call, Vince McMahon touted record setting revenue and explained the decline of ratings as a result of people watching less TV. The public watching less TV might be true for a general basis, but the fact remains, if you have a show people want to watch then viewers will tune in to watch it. For example, sporting events still draw major ratings and several current shows such as The Walking Dead garner major numbers, even with the use of DVR so again, if you have a product viewers want to see, they will tune in for it. The argument could be made that it's difficult to book a " must see" program for a three hour format, but the exponential increase in ad revenue allowed the decision makers to overlook that aspect of the product.
It's 2016 and according to a report from The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer last week, Vince McMahon has plans to make WM 32 the start of the Reigns era and he will have the top spot going forward. The rational behind this is supposedly that even if the fans boo Roman, the WWE is at a point where the company isn't built around a particular star, but rather fans will find something on the shows that makes them watch the product. While it is true that the WWE brand is the draw for the WWE audience, it would seem more difficult to get the audience to emotionally invest in the product without identifying with the top stars. For example, the Wrestlemania brand sells itself because the audience is emotionally invested in the history and the perception of the event. The problem is, will the crowd want to pay for events where Roman is supposed to be the draw? I've stated previously that it's disappointing that Reigns is getting flak from the crowd when the WWE hasn't done him any favors with its booking direction and considering recent crowd reactions, it's very possible he gets booed when he wins the title at Wrestlemania. A few weeks ago when Triple H "bloodied" Roman, the crowd cheered and as recent as this past week on Raw during their in ring confrontation, the audience booed him again.
So, what's it going to take to get Roman Reigns some actual crowd support?
I know some have compared the reaction to Reigns to John Cena's polarizing popularity, but I don't think that's the case. In many scenarios, Cena had the crowd at 50/50 in terms of his fan support, but the same ratio doesn't apply to Roman as his cheers as in the minority during live events. The other key factor with the Cena comparison is that no matter of the opinion, John Cena is undoubtedly a draw. The fans either pay to cheer him or pay to boo him, but from a business prospective, the only thing that matters is that they pay to see him. Plus, the demographic that supports Cena buys his red, blue, yellow, green, orange, and purple t-shirts along with all the accessories. Merchandise is a key revue source for the WWE and from a historical prospective, it's one of the reasons they've remained the top company in the world. Also, according to Meltzer, 84,000 tickets have already been sold for Cowboy stadium, which is somewhat surprising, considering the relatively weak card because of key injuries in recent months. The amount of sales seems to indicate two key aspects of the WWE business model, the Wrestlemania brand can sell tickets for a major venue and secondly, obviously the WWE fan base isn't as disgusted as they sound at live events. If fans are that against Reigns as the top guy, why spend the money on expensive Wrestlemania tickets? The WWE wants Reigns as the next star because he's their type of champion and essentially they would rather have the stereotypical wrestler to help bring sponsors to the company than Daniel Bryan or Dolph Ziggler, both of whom were pushed aside during the original Roman main event run. Unless tickets don't sale or network subscriptions drop, why wouldn't WWE management book what they want? It seems as though more live crowds look for the opportunity to "hijack" a show or view it as an accomplishment to boo Roman Reigns, but if the fans are paying to be there, does Vince McMahon really care if they cheer or not?
It's common knowledge that Reigns is winning the belt at WM 32 and if I had to guess, I would say that he will get booed at the conclusion of the show. I find the Roman situation comparable to The Rock's early days in the WWF when the fans initially rejected him. Rocky Maivia was getting a push because the booking team thought he should, but the fans hadn't seen him earn his stripes. In many ways, the audience today doesn't think Roman "earned" his spot on the card because he was recruited to be a top guy since day one. It's an unfair reality of the situation because obviously Reigns has worked hard to improve on his weaknesses and the way he continues to be booked only adds fuel to the criticism. For example, the overused move set and the super man come back during the number one contender match at Fastlane. As I've said previously, if Rocky Maivia didn't turn heel, would the The Rock have become one of the biggest stars in the business? A Roman Reigns will turn might be a way for him to evolve his character and eventually get over as a baby face, but it seems like the generic win is going to be booked for Wrestlemania. In my opinion, without a major angle, Roman won't suddenly get over as the top baby face. With WM 32 weak on paper and the result of the main event obvious, there appears to be more intrigue as to the reaction to Reigns at the event than the actual match. As mentioned, the way Roman has been portrayed hasn't done him any favors and the process of pushing him as the next top star continues to be an uphill battle. However, if it doesn't effect revenue, does it really matter?
Saturday, March 12, 2016
AJ Styles signed for WWE
As rumors swirled about when and where AJ Styles would debut for the WWE, the words "I Am Phenomenal" lit up the big screen as the third entrant into the Royal Rumble was announced. The live crowd in Orlando exploded as the former TNA and IWGP champion made his way to the ring, and his follow up performances on WWE TV seem to indicate that this could be a game changer for the WWE landscape.
The native of Gainsville, George had an amateur wrestling background in college and debuted as a pro in the late 1990s. With less than two years experience, Allen Jones was offered to deal to compete as "Air Styles" for WCW during the dying days of the promotion. Still a rookie in the sport, Air Styles was wrestling on national television, but despite the young cruiser weight roster that had potential, the Turner organization folded and AJ Styles returned to the independent scene. Granted, the ratings would indicate that not many were watching WCW programming in 2001, but it speaks volumes to Styles' athletic ability to be offered a deal so early in his pro career, especially considering that the cruiser weight division was supposed to be highlighted in an attempt to rebuilt the company if Eric Bischoff would've been given the opportunity to buy it.
AJ Styles went on to work for the Nashville based Total Nonstop Action promotion in 2002 and began building a career as one of the greatest athletes to ever step inside of the squared circle. Styles brought precision, intensity and innovation to the table that had many fans buzzing during the early days of TNA. Make no mistake about it, AJ Styles was the franchise of TNA and without him, it seems doubtful that the promotion would've gotten off the ground. Furthermore, AJ was without question the wrestler of the decade of the 2000s and he carried the promotion for most of his career. Keep in mind, the X Division put TNA on the map as an alternative and Styles was a major aspect of the revolutionary division. As his career continued, AJ was a featured star for the promotion, alternating between the TNA Heavyweight and X Division title picture. Regardless of the opponent, his matches received rave reviews, particularly bouts with Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels. While showcasing his skills at Universal Studios, where TNA had moved its tapings, Styles also competed regularly for Ring of Honor until 2006 when he concluded his initial run there. The turning point of Styles' career and in TNA as a whole was when Hogan signed with the promotion in 2010. Hogan and Bischoff booked the company to look like a weekly WCW reunion and the lackluster attempt at recreating the Monday night war concluded after a few months. Impact returned to Thursdays and many of the aspects of the organization that made it an alternative were changed to seem like a WWE lite product. Even when AJ was the champion during the Hogan era, he dropped the title on free TV to Rob Van Dam, who recently said in a Kayfabe Commentaries Youshoot that he mailed in it during run in TNA. There was also the lame Claire Lynch angle that had Vince Russo's finger prints all over it and it minimized one of the best athletes the company had on the roster. While all this was airing on Spike TV, Hogan was collecting major money from the clueless Dixie Carter and it had a major effect on the promotion after he jumped shipped to return to the WWE before being erased from history. The combination of Hogan's contract and the lack of the draw for Impact tapings on the road led to budget cuts. Those budget cuts are ultimately led to AJ's exit from TNA, as officials wanted him to take a pay cut, but he declined to resign. I said it at the time and I will say it now, TNA should've done what was necessary to resign AJ and it could be argue that the company hasn't been the same since his departure in 2013.
After AJ left TNA, he returned to Ring Of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2014, which really rejuvenated his career in a sense after he floundered somewhat with some of the more ridiculous angles that were booked in TNA. For the two years that he wasn't under an exclusive deal, Styles was arguably the most in demand free lancer in the business, as he wrestled literally around the globe as a main event star, which really helped solidify that he was still one of the best performers in the industry despite TNA's fumbles. As rocky as Styles' exit was from the impact zone, the run he had in Japan and on the independent scene in recent years seems to have really helped him evolve as a performer. When AJ worked in ROH, it was promoted as a "special event," where as with TNA he wasn't really emphasized. During international tours, Styles was featured, but in Orlando he was deemed stale.
After AJ made headlines as an participant in the Royal Rumble, TNA posted a statement that claimed that Styles, Doc Gallows, and Karl Anderson had signed some type of deal with the promotion, but then reconsidered. Styles' management promptly responded and acknowledged that there were negotiations, but nothing was signed for Styles to return to TNA. First of all, IF anything was signed, it clearly had no legal power because the WWE wouldn't sign anyone unless they are cleared to ink the deal. The WWE legal team is top notch and you can bet that all the legal stuff is clear before contracts are offered. Second, there were two possible motives for TNA to "leak" the talks of the trio to work there, either they wanted to save face to their fan base and say "hey, we tried" or it was a case of sour grapes, and they wanted to attempt to taint Styles for opting to sign with WWE. Finally, it makes TNA look completely bush league since it essentially proves that the top free agents would rather work for the WWE so why say that competitors would rather work elsewhere? It makes TNA look secondary, but then again TNA making themselves look secondary is nothing new. If a deal couldn't be reached, Dixie Carter should keep it quiet because the whole situation only adds to the public perception that her company can't compete with the WWE.
As for AJ Styles working for the WWE, the introduction in the Rumble was presented in a way that he didn't get lost in the shuffle and it was no coincidence that he was put in the ring with Roman Reigns for his debut. I've read some fans criticize the booking of AJ vs. Chris Jericho on free TV the following night instead of a pay-per-view for his WWE TV debut, but in my opinion it was a smart move from WWE management as it put Styles over to the WWE TV audience and putting him over Jericho, a well established star, gives him instant credibility with the WWE viewers. Keep in mind, depending on the ratings, Raw has 3-4 times the viewers as the network has subscribers so to truly establish AJ as a star, it made more sense to put him over on TV. Plus, the rematch was booked for PPV and it seems like there will be another match booked for Wrestlemania. Generally speaking, AJ Styles on the WWE roster helps the company add depth and despite being 38, it's still possible he gets a solid run.
Will AJ Styles get a main event title reign in the WWE? Time will tell, but I still have doubt that WWE brass would put the title on someone extensively associated with TNA. Keep in mind, AJ was making great money working in Japan and was able to dictate much of his own schedule on the independent scene so I would guess that he signed a very lucrative deal to trade that for the WWE schedule. If AJ gets a fair shot remains to be seen, but the bottom is from a business prospective, he's presumably set to make the most money of career before he retires so it's a win-win situation.
The native of Gainsville, George had an amateur wrestling background in college and debuted as a pro in the late 1990s. With less than two years experience, Allen Jones was offered to deal to compete as "Air Styles" for WCW during the dying days of the promotion. Still a rookie in the sport, Air Styles was wrestling on national television, but despite the young cruiser weight roster that had potential, the Turner organization folded and AJ Styles returned to the independent scene. Granted, the ratings would indicate that not many were watching WCW programming in 2001, but it speaks volumes to Styles' athletic ability to be offered a deal so early in his pro career, especially considering that the cruiser weight division was supposed to be highlighted in an attempt to rebuilt the company if Eric Bischoff would've been given the opportunity to buy it.
AJ Styles went on to work for the Nashville based Total Nonstop Action promotion in 2002 and began building a career as one of the greatest athletes to ever step inside of the squared circle. Styles brought precision, intensity and innovation to the table that had many fans buzzing during the early days of TNA. Make no mistake about it, AJ Styles was the franchise of TNA and without him, it seems doubtful that the promotion would've gotten off the ground. Furthermore, AJ was without question the wrestler of the decade of the 2000s and he carried the promotion for most of his career. Keep in mind, the X Division put TNA on the map as an alternative and Styles was a major aspect of the revolutionary division. As his career continued, AJ was a featured star for the promotion, alternating between the TNA Heavyweight and X Division title picture. Regardless of the opponent, his matches received rave reviews, particularly bouts with Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels. While showcasing his skills at Universal Studios, where TNA had moved its tapings, Styles also competed regularly for Ring of Honor until 2006 when he concluded his initial run there. The turning point of Styles' career and in TNA as a whole was when Hogan signed with the promotion in 2010. Hogan and Bischoff booked the company to look like a weekly WCW reunion and the lackluster attempt at recreating the Monday night war concluded after a few months. Impact returned to Thursdays and many of the aspects of the organization that made it an alternative were changed to seem like a WWE lite product. Even when AJ was the champion during the Hogan era, he dropped the title on free TV to Rob Van Dam, who recently said in a Kayfabe Commentaries Youshoot that he mailed in it during run in TNA. There was also the lame Claire Lynch angle that had Vince Russo's finger prints all over it and it minimized one of the best athletes the company had on the roster. While all this was airing on Spike TV, Hogan was collecting major money from the clueless Dixie Carter and it had a major effect on the promotion after he jumped shipped to return to the WWE before being erased from history. The combination of Hogan's contract and the lack of the draw for Impact tapings on the road led to budget cuts. Those budget cuts are ultimately led to AJ's exit from TNA, as officials wanted him to take a pay cut, but he declined to resign. I said it at the time and I will say it now, TNA should've done what was necessary to resign AJ and it could be argue that the company hasn't been the same since his departure in 2013.
After AJ left TNA, he returned to Ring Of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2014, which really rejuvenated his career in a sense after he floundered somewhat with some of the more ridiculous angles that were booked in TNA. For the two years that he wasn't under an exclusive deal, Styles was arguably the most in demand free lancer in the business, as he wrestled literally around the globe as a main event star, which really helped solidify that he was still one of the best performers in the industry despite TNA's fumbles. As rocky as Styles' exit was from the impact zone, the run he had in Japan and on the independent scene in recent years seems to have really helped him evolve as a performer. When AJ worked in ROH, it was promoted as a "special event," where as with TNA he wasn't really emphasized. During international tours, Styles was featured, but in Orlando he was deemed stale.
After AJ made headlines as an participant in the Royal Rumble, TNA posted a statement that claimed that Styles, Doc Gallows, and Karl Anderson had signed some type of deal with the promotion, but then reconsidered. Styles' management promptly responded and acknowledged that there were negotiations, but nothing was signed for Styles to return to TNA. First of all, IF anything was signed, it clearly had no legal power because the WWE wouldn't sign anyone unless they are cleared to ink the deal. The WWE legal team is top notch and you can bet that all the legal stuff is clear before contracts are offered. Second, there were two possible motives for TNA to "leak" the talks of the trio to work there, either they wanted to save face to their fan base and say "hey, we tried" or it was a case of sour grapes, and they wanted to attempt to taint Styles for opting to sign with WWE. Finally, it makes TNA look completely bush league since it essentially proves that the top free agents would rather work for the WWE so why say that competitors would rather work elsewhere? It makes TNA look secondary, but then again TNA making themselves look secondary is nothing new. If a deal couldn't be reached, Dixie Carter should keep it quiet because the whole situation only adds to the public perception that her company can't compete with the WWE.
As for AJ Styles working for the WWE, the introduction in the Rumble was presented in a way that he didn't get lost in the shuffle and it was no coincidence that he was put in the ring with Roman Reigns for his debut. I've read some fans criticize the booking of AJ vs. Chris Jericho on free TV the following night instead of a pay-per-view for his WWE TV debut, but in my opinion it was a smart move from WWE management as it put Styles over to the WWE TV audience and putting him over Jericho, a well established star, gives him instant credibility with the WWE viewers. Keep in mind, depending on the ratings, Raw has 3-4 times the viewers as the network has subscribers so to truly establish AJ as a star, it made more sense to put him over on TV. Plus, the rematch was booked for PPV and it seems like there will be another match booked for Wrestlemania. Generally speaking, AJ Styles on the WWE roster helps the company add depth and despite being 38, it's still possible he gets a solid run.
Will AJ Styles get a main event title reign in the WWE? Time will tell, but I still have doubt that WWE brass would put the title on someone extensively associated with TNA. Keep in mind, AJ was making great money working in Japan and was able to dictate much of his own schedule on the independent scene so I would guess that he signed a very lucrative deal to trade that for the WWE schedule. If AJ gets a fair shot remains to be seen, but the bottom is from a business prospective, he's presumably set to make the most money of career before he retires so it's a win-win situation.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Hayabusa passed away
I was completely saddened at the news that Japanese legend, Hayabusa
passed away from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 47, reports Tokyo
Sports. It's a passing that happened too soon and a career that ended
even sooner, as the innovative aerial competitor was paralyzed after he
slipped from the ropes during an attempted moonsault in 2001. I'm not
sure if anything I can say will truly summarize the impact that Hayabusa
had on the sport, as tapes of his matches influenced an entire
generation, many of whom are wrestling on national TV today.
Hayabusa would ascend through the ranks to become the top star for Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, the group that influenced much of what ECW did in the 1990s, but before he worked in front of packed crowds at Korakuen Hall, Eiji Ezaki began training at the FMW dojo in 1991, where he was considered one of the star students. The following year, Ezaki was working as a preliminary wrestler for the company's tour of the United States and Mexico, which provided a major inspiration for him. He saw Mil Mascaras preform on the cards and formed the concept for his own eventual mask. In 1993, he returned to Mexico, where he debuted the Hayabusa character and when he took the gimmick to Japan, it made him extremely popular with the FMW fan base. Along with the mask and face paint combination, he brought many of the skills that he learned wrestling the lucha libre style during the previous tours of Mexico.
As time went on, Hayabusa thrilled audience with spectacular high flying offense, including a match with the legendary Jushin "Thunder" Liger at the well known Super-J Cup 1994 tournament that elevated his profile in Japan and moved him into the main event scene in FMW. In 1995 when the FMW founder Atsushi Onita claimed he was going to retire, he booked himself in an exploding barbed wire cage match against Hayabusa and the bout was considered a "passing of the torch" so to speak as Ezaki became the center piece of the organization. In the years that followed, FMW continued to present wild and dangerous barbed wire matches, which drew major crowds in Japan and generated a cult following in the United States through various tape traders. Among his many great matches in FMW, Hayabusa had a memorable series of matches with Mike Awesome, who worked under the name "The Gladiator" at the time. Ezaki displayed amazing skill using his risky style, including the Phoenix splash, which Seth Rollins has preformed in WWE, to become one of the top stars in Japan in the 90s so he often competed for other promotion as well. In 1997, Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki won the All Asia tag team titles in All Japan Pro Wrestling.
The pair would also form a team in America when they wrestled Rob Van Dam and Sabu at the Heat Wave pay-per-view in 1998 for a notable match that is still talked about today. The next year in Japan, the FNW owner Shoichi Arai, who bought the company after Onita's initial retirement, signed a deal with Direct TV for FMW distribution. Along with the new deal, Arai attempted a new business strategy that included more entertainment aspects ( the phrase FMW Entertainment was used for the promotion of many of the Direct TV ads) of the organization instead of the death match style that fueled the popularity of the group. Along with the increased exposure, Arai made a series of unwise business decisions that effected revenue and was also rumored to owe money to the yakuza. Despite the behind the scenes turmoil, FMW embarked on expanding distribution with Tokyo Pop bringing FMW DVDs to America with English commentary to capitalize on the wrestling boom of the late 90s in the United States. In 2000, Hayabusa made an appearance in the United States to promote the project, which typically featured the older death matches from the group. The following year during a match with Mammoth Sasaki, Hayabusa suffered the previously mentioned neck injury and it would be a decade before he could walk again.
Hayabusa had carried FMW for the majority of his career and after his injury, the group folded within a few months. Arai, who was still in debt to the yakuza, hung himself a few months after he declared bankruptcy. After Hayabusa began recovering from the accident, he started a singing career and released a CD in his native country. He would continue to sing for many years and even performed at a Pro Wrestling Unplugged show in the United States in 2006. While visiting America, Hayabusa was a guest at a few WWE events and was well received by his peers backstage. He also met Vince and Shane McMahon, who posed for a picture with him. The admiration he received at the WWE shows is a sign of how respected Hayabusa is for his contributions to the industry. When he returned to Japan, Hayabusa began working with the Dragon Gate promotion and traveled with them for some of their tours. In 2011, during Mil Mascaras' 40th anniversary show, Hayabusa took his first steps publicly since his injury with assistance from a cane and wrestlers on the card. Hayabusa walked to the ring for the first time in ten years for a photo-op with the legend that inspired him in his own career. When FMW was relaunched in 2015, Hayabusa signed on to be the executive producer and worked in a promotional role for the group. Later that year, he walked to the ring with only the assistance of a cane and many legends, including Genichiro Tenryu, Kenta Kobashi, and The Great Muta were in attendance to honor him. As he walked into the ring for the celebration, many fans in the venue were overcome with emotion as Hayabusa kept his promise of stepping into the ring again. The video of the scarred warrior willing himself up a small set of steps to stand in the ring is an amazing show of courage and determination. One of the main aspects of Japanese culture is fighting spirit and one of the phrases during Hayabusa's career was "The phoenix never dies," and Ezaki certainly represented both of those when he walked again.
Hayabusa was a tremendous competitor that took the FMW promotion to its peak and he inspired an entire generation. He obtained legendary status in Japan and his career ended too soon. Many national stars praised his work on social media last week and his influence on the sport will be seen for years.
Hayabusa has passed away, but the phoenix never dies.
Arigatou Hayabusa
Hayabusa would ascend through the ranks to become the top star for Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, the group that influenced much of what ECW did in the 1990s, but before he worked in front of packed crowds at Korakuen Hall, Eiji Ezaki began training at the FMW dojo in 1991, where he was considered one of the star students. The following year, Ezaki was working as a preliminary wrestler for the company's tour of the United States and Mexico, which provided a major inspiration for him. He saw Mil Mascaras preform on the cards and formed the concept for his own eventual mask. In 1993, he returned to Mexico, where he debuted the Hayabusa character and when he took the gimmick to Japan, it made him extremely popular with the FMW fan base. Along with the mask and face paint combination, he brought many of the skills that he learned wrestling the lucha libre style during the previous tours of Mexico.
As time went on, Hayabusa thrilled audience with spectacular high flying offense, including a match with the legendary Jushin "Thunder" Liger at the well known Super-J Cup 1994 tournament that elevated his profile in Japan and moved him into the main event scene in FMW. In 1995 when the FMW founder Atsushi Onita claimed he was going to retire, he booked himself in an exploding barbed wire cage match against Hayabusa and the bout was considered a "passing of the torch" so to speak as Ezaki became the center piece of the organization. In the years that followed, FMW continued to present wild and dangerous barbed wire matches, which drew major crowds in Japan and generated a cult following in the United States through various tape traders. Among his many great matches in FMW, Hayabusa had a memorable series of matches with Mike Awesome, who worked under the name "The Gladiator" at the time. Ezaki displayed amazing skill using his risky style, including the Phoenix splash, which Seth Rollins has preformed in WWE, to become one of the top stars in Japan in the 90s so he often competed for other promotion as well. In 1997, Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki won the All Asia tag team titles in All Japan Pro Wrestling.
The pair would also form a team in America when they wrestled Rob Van Dam and Sabu at the Heat Wave pay-per-view in 1998 for a notable match that is still talked about today. The next year in Japan, the FNW owner Shoichi Arai, who bought the company after Onita's initial retirement, signed a deal with Direct TV for FMW distribution. Along with the new deal, Arai attempted a new business strategy that included more entertainment aspects ( the phrase FMW Entertainment was used for the promotion of many of the Direct TV ads) of the organization instead of the death match style that fueled the popularity of the group. Along with the increased exposure, Arai made a series of unwise business decisions that effected revenue and was also rumored to owe money to the yakuza. Despite the behind the scenes turmoil, FMW embarked on expanding distribution with Tokyo Pop bringing FMW DVDs to America with English commentary to capitalize on the wrestling boom of the late 90s in the United States. In 2000, Hayabusa made an appearance in the United States to promote the project, which typically featured the older death matches from the group. The following year during a match with Mammoth Sasaki, Hayabusa suffered the previously mentioned neck injury and it would be a decade before he could walk again.
Hayabusa had carried FMW for the majority of his career and after his injury, the group folded within a few months. Arai, who was still in debt to the yakuza, hung himself a few months after he declared bankruptcy. After Hayabusa began recovering from the accident, he started a singing career and released a CD in his native country. He would continue to sing for many years and even performed at a Pro Wrestling Unplugged show in the United States in 2006. While visiting America, Hayabusa was a guest at a few WWE events and was well received by his peers backstage. He also met Vince and Shane McMahon, who posed for a picture with him. The admiration he received at the WWE shows is a sign of how respected Hayabusa is for his contributions to the industry. When he returned to Japan, Hayabusa began working with the Dragon Gate promotion and traveled with them for some of their tours. In 2011, during Mil Mascaras' 40th anniversary show, Hayabusa took his first steps publicly since his injury with assistance from a cane and wrestlers on the card. Hayabusa walked to the ring for the first time in ten years for a photo-op with the legend that inspired him in his own career. When FMW was relaunched in 2015, Hayabusa signed on to be the executive producer and worked in a promotional role for the group. Later that year, he walked to the ring with only the assistance of a cane and many legends, including Genichiro Tenryu, Kenta Kobashi, and The Great Muta were in attendance to honor him. As he walked into the ring for the celebration, many fans in the venue were overcome with emotion as Hayabusa kept his promise of stepping into the ring again. The video of the scarred warrior willing himself up a small set of steps to stand in the ring is an amazing show of courage and determination. One of the main aspects of Japanese culture is fighting spirit and one of the phrases during Hayabusa's career was "The phoenix never dies," and Ezaki certainly represented both of those when he walked again.
Hayabusa was a tremendous competitor that took the FMW promotion to its peak and he inspired an entire generation. He obtained legendary status in Japan and his career ended too soon. Many national stars praised his work on social media last week and his influence on the sport will be seen for years.
Hayabusa has passed away, but the phoenix never dies.
Arigatou Hayabusa
Friday, March 4, 2016
UFC 196
Tomorrow night's UFC 196 event will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV and it sets the stage for what could be a feast or famine scenario for the UFC. Originally scheduled for 155 LBS, Rafel Dos Anjos was set to defend his belt against the Feather weight champion, Conor McGregor in an anticipated bout, but the Light weight champion suffered a broken foot during training. After the Werdum/Valesquez debacle that forced the cancellation of the initial 196 plans, management was scrambling to find an opponent for McGregor just weeks before the pay-per-view.
Former 145 LBS kingpin, Jose Aldo declined a rematch with McGregor, citing lack of time to prepare. Frankie Edgar, who was vocal in the past about getting a title shot, was offered the contest, but is recovering from an injury of his own at the moment. So, who was going to step up to fight the brash Irishman?
Nate Diaz, a former light weight contender, agreed to the bout, but at his current weight class of 170, which means that McGregor is taking a fight two weight classes above where he's the champion. There was some dispute at a press conference about if Diaz would've been willing to fight at a lower weight, but the fight is signed for 170 LBS. It's certainly a bold move for the Dublin native and he's certainly risking much of the momentum he has with very little to gain by taking a welter weight fight in an effort to save the pay-per-view.
With Anderson Silva's embarrassing positive tests for banned substances last year (one was an out-of-competition test and the other was a post fight test following the Nick Diaz fight) and subsequent loss to Michael Bisping last week, along with the Jon Jones debacle, the UFC is looking for star power. Add that to the hiatus of Georges St. Pierre, the retirement of Brock Lesnar, and the recent KO of Ronda Rousey, it's obvious the Conor is the top draw for the promotion. Don't get me wrong, the company has many great fighters on the roster, but the general public pays to see the stars fight and that's where the major money is for the business side of the UFC. Within the past 5-6 years, it's been a transition period for mixed martial arts, as many of the competitors that were the centerpieces of the boom in popularity for the sport have mostly retired and a series of incidents (Silva's positive test, Jones getting arrested etc.) have made Zuffa search for a new top star.
I've often described Conor similar to Chael Sonnen in the sense that he can talk his way to selling a show, but McGregor actually has the skills to live up to the hype. Conor also has much more of a fan following because his Dublin background allows him to identify with the blue collar fan base. Make no mistake about it, Conor McGregor is a charismatic and dynamic fighter, which equals box office for the UFC.
As mentioned, Conor is risking a lot of his stock taking a fight at 170 because if he loses, there's just not as much momentum for him going into an eventual fight with Dos Anjos in an attempt to win titles in two different weight classes. If McGregor gets the victory, it adds even more hype for him heading into the title fight at UFC 200 later this year, hence the feast of famine aspect of the Diaz bout. As for the actual bout, Nate Diaz is a serious test, especially at welter weight and it would seem wise if McGregor kept the fight standing to avoid a grappling battle with his Ju Jit Su black belt opponent. If there's an aspect of Conor's game that is lacking, it's the ground game and the only two defeats of his career were submissions so he definitely has to be careful grappling with Diaz. For Nate Diaz, it's a win-win situation, either he wins and elevates his own profile or he loses a fight he took on barely a week's notice while making main event money. Again, McGregor is risking a lot here and doesn't have much to gain with a win against Diaz. Some have asked, why Nate Diaz? The answer is simple, the abrasive Stockton fighter talks trash and when you add that to McGregor's Ali-inspired promotion style, it makes for an easy sell for a pay-per-view the UFC machine doesn't have the normal time frame to hype to generate buys. As for a winner, I will say McGregor gets the win because how can you bet against him? That being said, it will be interesting to see how he handles fighting at welter weight and I would guess it will be a tough fight for him.
Nearly lost in the shuffle of the McGregor buzz is the co-main event with Holly Holm defending the Women's Bantam weight title against Miesha Tate. Holly, the multi-division boxing champion that shockingly KO'ed Ronda Rousey last year to claim the title, is making her first defense, which you would think would be enough to sell the show. However, I think the reason that Holm/Tate wasn't bumped up to the main event spot was mostly because Holly isn't really established on her own yet and is still known as "the one that knocked out Ronda," while Tate isn't perceived as a major threat to the title because of her previous title shot against Rousey. While Tate might not be considered a threat by the causal fan, she definitely has the skills to be a test for Holm. Tate also brings a four fight win streak into the octagon at UFC 196 so the argument could be made that she's probably the biggest threat to Holly's belt outside of Rousey. If Holly can keep this a striking battle, she could use her tremendous boxing ability and foot work to land enough punches to win the fight within a few rounds, but if Tate can get it to the ground, she could score enough points to win a decision. I will pick Holly Holm to win it, but I don't think it will be nearly as dominating of a performances as the Rousey fight because Tate will be more cautious and look to win on the score cards.
The bottom line is, Conor McGregor is the draw for the UFC and the result of his fight at 170, while the Feather weight champion will either stall his momentum or solidify his spot as the top star in the sport.
Former 145 LBS kingpin, Jose Aldo declined a rematch with McGregor, citing lack of time to prepare. Frankie Edgar, who was vocal in the past about getting a title shot, was offered the contest, but is recovering from an injury of his own at the moment. So, who was going to step up to fight the brash Irishman?
Nate Diaz, a former light weight contender, agreed to the bout, but at his current weight class of 170, which means that McGregor is taking a fight two weight classes above where he's the champion. There was some dispute at a press conference about if Diaz would've been willing to fight at a lower weight, but the fight is signed for 170 LBS. It's certainly a bold move for the Dublin native and he's certainly risking much of the momentum he has with very little to gain by taking a welter weight fight in an effort to save the pay-per-view.
With Anderson Silva's embarrassing positive tests for banned substances last year (one was an out-of-competition test and the other was a post fight test following the Nick Diaz fight) and subsequent loss to Michael Bisping last week, along with the Jon Jones debacle, the UFC is looking for star power. Add that to the hiatus of Georges St. Pierre, the retirement of Brock Lesnar, and the recent KO of Ronda Rousey, it's obvious the Conor is the top draw for the promotion. Don't get me wrong, the company has many great fighters on the roster, but the general public pays to see the stars fight and that's where the major money is for the business side of the UFC. Within the past 5-6 years, it's been a transition period for mixed martial arts, as many of the competitors that were the centerpieces of the boom in popularity for the sport have mostly retired and a series of incidents (Silva's positive test, Jones getting arrested etc.) have made Zuffa search for a new top star.
I've often described Conor similar to Chael Sonnen in the sense that he can talk his way to selling a show, but McGregor actually has the skills to live up to the hype. Conor also has much more of a fan following because his Dublin background allows him to identify with the blue collar fan base. Make no mistake about it, Conor McGregor is a charismatic and dynamic fighter, which equals box office for the UFC.
As mentioned, Conor is risking a lot of his stock taking a fight at 170 because if he loses, there's just not as much momentum for him going into an eventual fight with Dos Anjos in an attempt to win titles in two different weight classes. If McGregor gets the victory, it adds even more hype for him heading into the title fight at UFC 200 later this year, hence the feast of famine aspect of the Diaz bout. As for the actual bout, Nate Diaz is a serious test, especially at welter weight and it would seem wise if McGregor kept the fight standing to avoid a grappling battle with his Ju Jit Su black belt opponent. If there's an aspect of Conor's game that is lacking, it's the ground game and the only two defeats of his career were submissions so he definitely has to be careful grappling with Diaz. For Nate Diaz, it's a win-win situation, either he wins and elevates his own profile or he loses a fight he took on barely a week's notice while making main event money. Again, McGregor is risking a lot here and doesn't have much to gain with a win against Diaz. Some have asked, why Nate Diaz? The answer is simple, the abrasive Stockton fighter talks trash and when you add that to McGregor's Ali-inspired promotion style, it makes for an easy sell for a pay-per-view the UFC machine doesn't have the normal time frame to hype to generate buys. As for a winner, I will say McGregor gets the win because how can you bet against him? That being said, it will be interesting to see how he handles fighting at welter weight and I would guess it will be a tough fight for him.
Nearly lost in the shuffle of the McGregor buzz is the co-main event with Holly Holm defending the Women's Bantam weight title against Miesha Tate. Holly, the multi-division boxing champion that shockingly KO'ed Ronda Rousey last year to claim the title, is making her first defense, which you would think would be enough to sell the show. However, I think the reason that Holm/Tate wasn't bumped up to the main event spot was mostly because Holly isn't really established on her own yet and is still known as "the one that knocked out Ronda," while Tate isn't perceived as a major threat to the title because of her previous title shot against Rousey. While Tate might not be considered a threat by the causal fan, she definitely has the skills to be a test for Holm. Tate also brings a four fight win streak into the octagon at UFC 196 so the argument could be made that she's probably the biggest threat to Holly's belt outside of Rousey. If Holly can keep this a striking battle, she could use her tremendous boxing ability and foot work to land enough punches to win the fight within a few rounds, but if Tate can get it to the ground, she could score enough points to win a decision. I will pick Holly Holm to win it, but I don't think it will be nearly as dominating of a performances as the Rousey fight because Tate will be more cautious and look to win on the score cards.
The bottom line is, Conor McGregor is the draw for the UFC and the result of his fight at 170, while the Feather weight champion will either stall his momentum or solidify his spot as the top star in the sport.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Jim Cornette vs. Sports Entertainment
From wearing a dress in Mid South to plummeting 20 feet from a scaffold at Starrcade, Jim Cornette certainly had a memorable run during his heyday in the pro wrestling business, which led to him rising to the position of possibly the second greatest manager of all time, behind only the legendary Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. That's not a jab at the former leader of the Midnight Express either, as Cornette himself yields the top managerial spot to "The Brain." Cornette quite literally grew up in the wrestling business when he started as a ringside photographer at the age of just 14 in Memphis in the 70s."Momma Cornette," who was mentioned frequently in early promos actually drove him to the matches to take pictures since he started snapping shots before he was old enough to drive. After six years of visually documenting the Memphis mayhem, Cornette traded the camera for a tennis racket and began his legendary career, infuriating the rasslin' fans with a preppy attitude and proclamation that Momma Cornette bought him the wrestling stars he would manage to success.
As time went on, Cornette became one of the best talkers in the business and when he was eventually paired with The Midnight Express, it was a perfect combination. Bobby Eaton, who is considered to be one of the nicest people in the wrestling business, was tremendous in all of his in ring work, (bumps, technical skills, etc.) but the Alabama native had such a strong accent that he was nearly inaudible in promos. Dennis Condrey, another great in ring talent and a solid heel, wasn't exactly going to talk the people into the building either. So, Jim Cornette would show up attired in outrageous mismatched outfits and use his gift of gab to sell the feud for his team. It could be Memphis, Mid South, World Class, or the Jim Crockett territory that provided the platform and Cornette generated enough heat to motivate fans to buy tickets to see the heels get hammered. After Condrey abruptly left the wrestling business, (and actually didn't resurface in a wrestling ring until about a decade ago for a Midnight Express reunion) Stan Lane was added into the Midnight equation, but the trio didn't stumble at all. After Ted Turner bought the NWA and changed the name to World Championship Wrestling, Cornette worked as a manager, commentator, and a member of the booking committee. Within a year, "The Louisville Slugger" quit the organization after becoming frustrated with former Pizza Hut executive Jim Herd, who had a cup of coffee running WCW. After his departure from Turner, Cornette founded Smokey Mountain Wrestling, a throwback to the territory days and many notable stars spent time there.
After three years and in the middle of the decline of the business in the early 90s, SMW closed its doors. By that time, Jim Cornette was working with the WWF in a variety of roles and remained there for several years, eventually taking the opportunity to step away from the national stage to work with the Ohio Valley Wrestling league that had a developmental deal with WWE. A slap to the rookie Santino Marella sent Cornette down the road in 2005. In recent years, Jim Cornette had disputes with TNA and Ring Of Honor, but began to become known for his shoot interview appearances, where he would verbally dropkick a variety of figures in the industry including former writer Vince Russo.
Cornette made many valid points about the former magazine editor, who booked such infamous angles as David Arquette as WCW heavyweight champion and Judy Bagwell on a pole. There was also the "fire Russo" chants for some of the more ridiculous angles that were written for TNA television. Vince Russo has definitely earned a lot of the criticism he receives. However, the level of hatred that Jim Cornette has shown towards Russo seems unhealthy and pollutes the interviews where Cornette offers tremendous knowledge.
When Cornette quit ROH, (he had more valid points about the company as well) he essentially disappeared from the wrestling business for nearly a year, but resurfaced with a podcast on the MLW website. Listeners get a weekly dose of Cornette's entertaining verbal skills, but depending on your perspective, his analysis of the industry is misguided.
Before I discuss the next topic, I want to note that I think Jim Cornette is one of the greatest talkers in the history of pro wrestling and most of the historical interviews I've watched are extremely insightful. A few weeks ago, Cornette took to the MLW airwaves to give his opinion on Lucha Underground, the El Rey Network's spin off of AAA that has garnered a cult following. He shredded the program and criticized the lack of its resemblance to an actual pro wrestling show. I'm not a fan of most of the pure lucha style because of the lack of psychology and only vaguely follow LU because the backstage segments seem a little too tacky. That being said, the athletic ability displayed is spectacular and if fans enjoy it, it's good to see another alternative product for the wrestling business. Granted, LU isn't my cup of tea, (Actually, I don't drink tea, but I have an energy drink as I'm writing this so let's go with that) but I can certainly recognize that clearly they are doing something right to generate the type of buzz the show has, even with it's limited TV clearance on a smaller network. LU is selling a rock star, but I would rather get an AMP (sadly, I didn't get royalties for mentioning either of those energy drinks) so I'm not the demographic the El Rey network is focused toward. Still, if fans enjoy their product, there are more options and in my opinion, that's a good thing. I wrote a column previously where I discussed the possible finical limitations of the LU business model and according to Dave Meltzer, the group might have to raise funds before a fourth seasons is secured.
Jim Cornette's lucha tirade, which included calling the talent "questionable," prompted many fans to defend the aerial show. Cornette is a legend so I'm not going to claim to have more knowledge, but at this point, you have to ask, "is there any company that Cornette doesn't criticize?" First, WWE was "killing the wrestling business" and then there was the TNA debacle that resulted in Cornette getting a legal letter, and he had disagreements with ROH. Now, LU is the target so what product is Cornette approved?
The common criticism is that Jim Cornette is too far behind the times and that seems to be the case. Professional wrestling has evolved along with society and in an age when images of war are broadcast on news networks, can a heel really get heat for using the ropes to win a match? The dreaded roll of coins to KO a babyface just isn't going to get the same reaction it once did when the TV viewers can see air strikes while flipping through the channels. Can pro wrestling still work today? Absolutely, the Daniel Bryan push is proof that if the fans rally the babyface, the competitor can become a star. But, Cornette's examples of what worked in the 70s in Memphis sometimes doesn't translate to 2016. There was also the subject of wrestling drawing less money today than in years previously, but it really depends on what numbers you look at. While there aren't a dozen territories running five shows a week, the WWE makes millions of dollars from ad revenue so essentially, the TV side of the industry has replaced the house show business. Are less people making a living in wrestling? Yes, but you can't necessarily knock the "sports entertainment" business model when it makes more money than some of the older eras of the industry. For example, as much discontent that the WWE audience has with the current product, Vince McMahon touted record revenue during a recent conference call. Basically, old school pro wrestling has a niche market today, but sports entertainment attempts to target the general public.
Don't get me wrong, I would rather see a product today that has a more old school type element, specifically when promos aren't completely scripted and the programs don't seem so manufactured. Another point is that it's disappointing to see finishers completely overused and have almost zero effect to building the drama of a match. Keep in mind, a false finish is not just a two count, an actual false finish is a point in the match where the audience believes it's possible that a scenario could be the conclusion, but the match continues, hence the reaction during a near fall. The aspects of the business such as lack of selling and too many high spots are something I can completely agree with Cornette about because it's rare that there's a believable false finish in 2016. This is just my two cents, but where I disagree is the mindset that an evolved product is somehow automatically less than the "Memphis rasslin" era. Again, society has evolved and if the infamous "foreign object" was used to win a match, viewers would roll their eyes and change the channel. I would guess that there can be a balance between pro wrestling and sports entertainment. For example, Stone Cold Steve Austin is the top drawing star in the history of the industry and many of his antics, such as driving almost anything with wheel on it to the ring, was very much sports entertainment, but it generated record ratings. At the same time, when the bell rang, Austin could go in the ring and produce an action package pay-per-view main event. Perhaps the key to another wrestling boom is the balance between pro wrestling and sport entertainment for the product?
So again, I will ask, what does Jim Cornette think is "good" wrestling? Among his many public disputes, he has criticized Kevin Owens, who received praise from both Stone Cold and The Rock prior to his WWE debut last year. Cornette has also discounted The Young Bucks, who are regarded by many to be one of the best tag teams in the world so it is possible that he won't acknowledge anything that he doesn't enjoy watching? As I said early, I'm not a fan of the pure lucha style, but I will give LU credit for generating a following when it's tougher to do now than in years prior. I guess what is most disappointing about the whole Cornette/LU disagreement is that it's another example that Jim Cornette has almost become known more for ranting about his hatred of sports entertainment than his legendary career. Vince Russo has as much of a chance of winning an Emmy for best writing as he does at winning a verbal battle with former leader of the Midnight Express. Cornette wins and it's no contest so it's to the point where the rants about Russo are somewhat overwhelming, and dilute the knowledge the SMW founder could offer. Finally, you have to ask the question, is every current major company wrong or has Jim Cornette just burned many bridges in the industry? That's not a question to imply an answer, but just something to consider because there are fans that agree with him.
I want to reiterate that I have a lot of respect for everything that Jim Cornette has contributed during the multiple decades that he worked in the wrestling business and I agree with some of his observations so this column isn't an attempt to trash him, but rather a look at his sparring session with sports entertainment during the past decade. More specifically, it's an attempt to evaluate if he's actually too far behind the times or if sports entertainment became too honky to draw money? The answer depends on perspective, but I will say that it's disappointing that Cornette, who is one of the best minds in the history of wrestling, can't work with some of the major promotions to offer his vast knowledge to many of the stars of the next generation.
As time went on, Cornette became one of the best talkers in the business and when he was eventually paired with The Midnight Express, it was a perfect combination. Bobby Eaton, who is considered to be one of the nicest people in the wrestling business, was tremendous in all of his in ring work, (bumps, technical skills, etc.) but the Alabama native had such a strong accent that he was nearly inaudible in promos. Dennis Condrey, another great in ring talent and a solid heel, wasn't exactly going to talk the people into the building either. So, Jim Cornette would show up attired in outrageous mismatched outfits and use his gift of gab to sell the feud for his team. It could be Memphis, Mid South, World Class, or the Jim Crockett territory that provided the platform and Cornette generated enough heat to motivate fans to buy tickets to see the heels get hammered. After Condrey abruptly left the wrestling business, (and actually didn't resurface in a wrestling ring until about a decade ago for a Midnight Express reunion) Stan Lane was added into the Midnight equation, but the trio didn't stumble at all. After Ted Turner bought the NWA and changed the name to World Championship Wrestling, Cornette worked as a manager, commentator, and a member of the booking committee. Within a year, "The Louisville Slugger" quit the organization after becoming frustrated with former Pizza Hut executive Jim Herd, who had a cup of coffee running WCW. After his departure from Turner, Cornette founded Smokey Mountain Wrestling, a throwback to the territory days and many notable stars spent time there.
After three years and in the middle of the decline of the business in the early 90s, SMW closed its doors. By that time, Jim Cornette was working with the WWF in a variety of roles and remained there for several years, eventually taking the opportunity to step away from the national stage to work with the Ohio Valley Wrestling league that had a developmental deal with WWE. A slap to the rookie Santino Marella sent Cornette down the road in 2005. In recent years, Jim Cornette had disputes with TNA and Ring Of Honor, but began to become known for his shoot interview appearances, where he would verbally dropkick a variety of figures in the industry including former writer Vince Russo.
Cornette made many valid points about the former magazine editor, who booked such infamous angles as David Arquette as WCW heavyweight champion and Judy Bagwell on a pole. There was also the "fire Russo" chants for some of the more ridiculous angles that were written for TNA television. Vince Russo has definitely earned a lot of the criticism he receives. However, the level of hatred that Jim Cornette has shown towards Russo seems unhealthy and pollutes the interviews where Cornette offers tremendous knowledge.
When Cornette quit ROH, (he had more valid points about the company as well) he essentially disappeared from the wrestling business for nearly a year, but resurfaced with a podcast on the MLW website. Listeners get a weekly dose of Cornette's entertaining verbal skills, but depending on your perspective, his analysis of the industry is misguided.
Before I discuss the next topic, I want to note that I think Jim Cornette is one of the greatest talkers in the history of pro wrestling and most of the historical interviews I've watched are extremely insightful. A few weeks ago, Cornette took to the MLW airwaves to give his opinion on Lucha Underground, the El Rey Network's spin off of AAA that has garnered a cult following. He shredded the program and criticized the lack of its resemblance to an actual pro wrestling show. I'm not a fan of most of the pure lucha style because of the lack of psychology and only vaguely follow LU because the backstage segments seem a little too tacky. That being said, the athletic ability displayed is spectacular and if fans enjoy it, it's good to see another alternative product for the wrestling business. Granted, LU isn't my cup of tea, (Actually, I don't drink tea, but I have an energy drink as I'm writing this so let's go with that) but I can certainly recognize that clearly they are doing something right to generate the type of buzz the show has, even with it's limited TV clearance on a smaller network. LU is selling a rock star, but I would rather get an AMP (sadly, I didn't get royalties for mentioning either of those energy drinks) so I'm not the demographic the El Rey network is focused toward. Still, if fans enjoy their product, there are more options and in my opinion, that's a good thing. I wrote a column previously where I discussed the possible finical limitations of the LU business model and according to Dave Meltzer, the group might have to raise funds before a fourth seasons is secured.
Jim Cornette's lucha tirade, which included calling the talent "questionable," prompted many fans to defend the aerial show. Cornette is a legend so I'm not going to claim to have more knowledge, but at this point, you have to ask, "is there any company that Cornette doesn't criticize?" First, WWE was "killing the wrestling business" and then there was the TNA debacle that resulted in Cornette getting a legal letter, and he had disagreements with ROH. Now, LU is the target so what product is Cornette approved?
The common criticism is that Jim Cornette is too far behind the times and that seems to be the case. Professional wrestling has evolved along with society and in an age when images of war are broadcast on news networks, can a heel really get heat for using the ropes to win a match? The dreaded roll of coins to KO a babyface just isn't going to get the same reaction it once did when the TV viewers can see air strikes while flipping through the channels. Can pro wrestling still work today? Absolutely, the Daniel Bryan push is proof that if the fans rally the babyface, the competitor can become a star. But, Cornette's examples of what worked in the 70s in Memphis sometimes doesn't translate to 2016. There was also the subject of wrestling drawing less money today than in years previously, but it really depends on what numbers you look at. While there aren't a dozen territories running five shows a week, the WWE makes millions of dollars from ad revenue so essentially, the TV side of the industry has replaced the house show business. Are less people making a living in wrestling? Yes, but you can't necessarily knock the "sports entertainment" business model when it makes more money than some of the older eras of the industry. For example, as much discontent that the WWE audience has with the current product, Vince McMahon touted record revenue during a recent conference call. Basically, old school pro wrestling has a niche market today, but sports entertainment attempts to target the general public.
Don't get me wrong, I would rather see a product today that has a more old school type element, specifically when promos aren't completely scripted and the programs don't seem so manufactured. Another point is that it's disappointing to see finishers completely overused and have almost zero effect to building the drama of a match. Keep in mind, a false finish is not just a two count, an actual false finish is a point in the match where the audience believes it's possible that a scenario could be the conclusion, but the match continues, hence the reaction during a near fall. The aspects of the business such as lack of selling and too many high spots are something I can completely agree with Cornette about because it's rare that there's a believable false finish in 2016. This is just my two cents, but where I disagree is the mindset that an evolved product is somehow automatically less than the "Memphis rasslin" era. Again, society has evolved and if the infamous "foreign object" was used to win a match, viewers would roll their eyes and change the channel. I would guess that there can be a balance between pro wrestling and sports entertainment. For example, Stone Cold Steve Austin is the top drawing star in the history of the industry and many of his antics, such as driving almost anything with wheel on it to the ring, was very much sports entertainment, but it generated record ratings. At the same time, when the bell rang, Austin could go in the ring and produce an action package pay-per-view main event. Perhaps the key to another wrestling boom is the balance between pro wrestling and sport entertainment for the product?
So again, I will ask, what does Jim Cornette think is "good" wrestling? Among his many public disputes, he has criticized Kevin Owens, who received praise from both Stone Cold and The Rock prior to his WWE debut last year. Cornette has also discounted The Young Bucks, who are regarded by many to be one of the best tag teams in the world so it is possible that he won't acknowledge anything that he doesn't enjoy watching? As I said early, I'm not a fan of the pure lucha style, but I will give LU credit for generating a following when it's tougher to do now than in years prior. I guess what is most disappointing about the whole Cornette/LU disagreement is that it's another example that Jim Cornette has almost become known more for ranting about his hatred of sports entertainment than his legendary career. Vince Russo has as much of a chance of winning an Emmy for best writing as he does at winning a verbal battle with former leader of the Midnight Express. Cornette wins and it's no contest so it's to the point where the rants about Russo are somewhat overwhelming, and dilute the knowledge the SMW founder could offer. Finally, you have to ask the question, is every current major company wrong or has Jim Cornette just burned many bridges in the industry? That's not a question to imply an answer, but just something to consider because there are fans that agree with him.
I want to reiterate that I have a lot of respect for everything that Jim Cornette has contributed during the multiple decades that he worked in the wrestling business and I agree with some of his observations so this column isn't an attempt to trash him, but rather a look at his sparring session with sports entertainment during the past decade. More specifically, it's an attempt to evaluate if he's actually too far behind the times or if sports entertainment became too honky to draw money? The answer depends on perspective, but I will say that it's disappointing that Cornette, who is one of the best minds in the history of wrestling, can't work with some of the major promotions to offer his vast knowledge to many of the stars of the next generation.
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