Last weekend, Impact Wrestling held its Slammiversary pay-per-view in Toronto, which was the second live PPV under the Anthem banner with the direction of Don Callis and Scott D'Amore. The event had its positives and negatives, but the totality of the show gave a more complete view of the status of the company. The arena was sold out, but was a smaller venue and it showed during the broadcast. Unfortunately, the look of the building unintentionally gave the perception of a less important event and almost took away from the atmosphere. Granted, it's possible management was working with a budget and wanted to ensure a full building, which makes sense, but maybe this particular venue just wasn't suited for wrestling. The small entrance way and terrible lighting, along with the hard camera setup almost gave the show somewhat of a minor league type of look on television. But, this choice of venue with a full crowd is certainly better than the bigger arenas that were often half empty during the Dixie era.
The 4-way match was a great way to open the show and provided a lot of action to set the tone for the pay-per-view. Hopefully, Fenix continues to be featured on Impact on a regular basis because he has really made a name for himself as one of the best aerial athletes in the business over the past year and has the potential to be a star for the promotion. The same could be said for Ishimori, who has really elevated his status in recent months, making his debut for New Japan and working extensively in the Super Jr. tournament. However, his schedule might be limited because of the bookings in Japan. Still, I'd say that international talent could be one of the major keys for Impact Wrestling to not only differentiate themselves, but also a way to establish a brand identity, something that the company lacked for years. Keep in mind, the X-Division style that put TNA on the map during its early years is much more common place now, and the NXT brand is more or less using that style in the United States so Impact will have to build an identity as something beyond that.
The Tessa Blanchard/Allie match was decent, but nothing spectacular from an in-ring perspective. Allie is a tremendous baby face and would work well in a variety of angles so she certainly has her place on the roster, even if she's not exactly the most technical wrestler. I understand what they're trying to do with Tessa Blanchard, but something just doesn't completely translate with her. It almost comes across as if she's trying too hard to act like someone that's a big deal instead of letting the character organically project that she's a star. Plus, the Blanchard name will get fans to take notice, but the quality of women's wrestling has increased across the board so if she can keep pace in terms of in-ring performance remains to be seen.
The House of Hardcore match was sloppy and the post-match angle was bizarre. Don't get me wrong, Tommy Dreamer is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, and Eddie Edwards is a great athlete, but the angle that was presented after the match didn't make sense with the story that was told prior to the pay-per-view. Edwards was the heel and it was a feud based on hatred with a solid build up to a match that the audience had to pay to watch, which certainly makes sense. However, why exactly would Dreamer "endorse" Edwards if the feud was based on hatred? I understand the premise is supposed to be a "passing the torch" but that's a rather odd scenario. Plus, Edwards isn't a hardcore wrestler so it's almost an apples to oranges situation.
The X-Division title match was solid, and the Brian Cage win actually diversifies the division, allowing for more of the no weight limit aspect to be used for angles. Again, the original X-Division style is common place so the variety of competitors that wrestle for the championship give it more substance as opposed to just a high spot showcase. That said, Cage is a bigger athlete and while he has impressive agility, he might be more prone to injuries trying to work that style at his size, but time will tell if he can be the champion on a long term basis.
The Knockouts title match was okay, but similar to the other women's match on the card, wasn't anything too memorable. However, the contest did further establish Su Yung's character, a persona that continues to be one of the most effective on the Impact television show. Su portrays the character very well and it can be used in a variety of scenarios so she will probably have better pay-per-view matches with more polished opponents.
The LAX match-up was solid and used a good combination of in-ring action as well as the story of the bout. Santana and Ortiz are a really good team and always deliver great performances when given the opportunity. That combination of LAX doesn't get nearly enough credit as they should, probably because their initial addition to the Impact roster was during a rocky time for the company, but hopefully with a new direction, this team can continue to get the exposure they deserve. While it's great that Homicide and Hernandez were on pay-per-view again, it's very disappointing that they didn't get the chance they deserved when TNA was on a bigger platform on Spike TV. In my opinion, Homicide had the ability and the potential to be a main event star in TNA during his original run in the organization before a combination of terrible booking and injuries sidelined his progress. Along with that, he's one of the most underrated workers of his generation. Hernandez seemed to really have a chance to be a big deal during his "Super Mex" push in TNA around a decade ago, but ridiculous Russo booking halted his momentum and he was reduced to a mid-card role before he left the company in 2014. At 45, Hernandez's chance to be a major star is in the past, but it will be interesting to see if his current still with Impact continues in the next few months. It should also be noted that Eddie Kingston did stellar work on the mic to build this feud and hopefully he remains a regular on the shows because he's an asset to any promotion.
In my opinion, the hair vs. mask match was the most anticipated contest on the card and was possibly the best match at the event. Pentagon has a great gimmick and is great in the ring so he undoubtedly has the potential to be one of the stars that Impact could build around for the future. Despite his association with Lucha Underground, it's nice to see Pentagon get the exposure on Impact because quite frankly, the LU platform isn't big enough to truly showcase his skills to a main stream audience. Sami Callihan made the most of the opportunity that the unfortunate "baseball bat" incident gave him and he deserves a lot of credit for his ability to maximize his chance to make a name for himself on a bigger stage. Through a series of solid promos, he made himself one of the most talked about performers in the industry and has the skills to be another athlete that contributes to the rebuilding process of Impact.
I have to be honest, I was skeptical about the main event. Austin Aries is a tremendous in-ring athlete, but his star power decreased significantly after his WWE run, simply because he was injured and then wasn't booked much for TV prior to his request for a release. While the Impact ratings have improved somewhat, there are still weeks when they dip so he doesn't exactly have the biggest name value at the moment. Moose is an incredible athlete, but because he's been involved in major companies throughout his career, some fans forget that he's only been wrestling roughly five years. I didn't know if Moose could deliver a quality main event, simply because of his experience level, not his athlete ability. However, Austin Aries did a stellar job and made Moose look tremendous during the match, which is exactly what a top level heel should be able to do in that situation. Moose was solid in the match as well and it was probably the best match of his career. Despite my doubts, the Impact Heavyweight title match was a entertaining bout, and Aries proved why he's a main event level performer.
Overall, Slammiversary was another solid step forward for the promotion and proves that Impact has made progress. The biggest aspect and probably what matters most is, will the event draw a solid buyrate? It will be interesting to see how the event sells because it's difficult to see a $40 event when that translates to four months of the WWE Network in the modern era. The bottom line is, if the event is profitable and establishes the brand then it's a successful pay-per-view.
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Friday, July 20, 2018
Will Lashley win the title?
Next week on Raw, Roman Reigns will clash with Bobby Lashley to determine who will challenge for the Universal championship at Summer Slam. Both competitors won triple threat matches to advance to the number one contender bout next week. In theory, Roman will win the match to set up a contest against Lesnar to finally get the win WWE built to for months. Keep in mind, Reigns supposedly has the unresolved finish from the cage match at the Greatest Royal Rumble as a justification for yet another shot at the championship. Plus, with as much as WWE invested into "Big Dawg" Roman, he will undoubtedly get a victory over Brock before the part-time champion leaves sports entertainment to cash-in again with a UFC fight.
But, is Bobby Lashley the better choice to challenge for the title?
After a notable amateur career, the former ECW champion debuted in the OVW developmental system in 2004 and made his debut on WWE TV less than a year later. In truth, his original run in the WWE was relatively brief, as he worked less than three years on the roster, which included a six month period when he was on the sidelines with an injury. Some cite his role in the "battle of the billionaires" at Wrestlemania 23 as a major highlight, but let's be honest here, that much was more about Vince McMahon getting his head shaved than either of the talented athletes that were booked for the match. So, when Bobby was released from his contract in early 2008, he didn't necessarily have major star power or name value because he wasn't really in WWE long enough to truly build himself to a top level.
Still, the athletic ability and potential were there so when mixed martial arts was surging in popularity, he made his MMA debut toward the end of 2008, winning via TKO at a regional event. He fought again a few months later and won. The totality of Bobby Lashley's eight-year career as an MMA fighter saw him garner a record of 15-2, mostly notably with wins in Strike Force and Bellator. Interestingly, Bobby had various stints with TNA (Impact) while he still fought regularly, and even did so when he was the TNA heavyweight champion. The taping scheduled allowed him to work in pro wrestling and still train for fights. Granted, Bobby didn't fight the level of competition that Brock did in the UFC, but the 15-2 MMA record is certainly a useful marketing tool for Lashley.
At 42, Bobby's most recent fight was a win via choke for Bellator in October of 2016 so it seems as though he might be unofficially retired from MMA competition. However, the MMA-inspired persona that he used during his time as Impact champion allowed him to establish a character that was used to build storylines. Prior to that, he was presented as a tremendous athlete, but had a very generic on-screen persona.
Lashley's time in Impact generated mostly favorable reviews and while the company was still finding a new direction, his exit earlier this year set the stage for a return to the WWE with renewed hype around him. Bobby reemerged on WWE TV the night after WM 34, and his run thus far has yielded various results. In many ways, it was simply a matter of presentation and the writing team failed to utilize aspects that made Lashley successful in Impact. He wasn't pushed as a monster athlete, but rather, "hey, Bobby Lashley from 2007 is back" and it almost hindered the progress he made on the mic as a performer in TNA. The Sami Zayn feud was cringe worthy, which was completely because of the sub par scripting and did nothing to introduce Lashley to a new generation of fans. Keep in mind, Bobby was gone for over a decade so there was a chance to present him as a much more effective persona to the newer group of fans.
Does Bobby have the ability to be a main event star?
In theory, yes, but again it will be a matter of presentation. If he's presented as a generic big man, he will essentially be in the same spot he was prior to his WWE departure. It's surprising that his MMA accomplishments were barely mentioned, especially with the possibilities it sets up for a match against Lesnar. Considering his age, Bobby is in unbelievable shape, and if he's not put in ridiculous segments, he could undoubtedly be a successful Universal champion. Granted, the 42-year-old isn't the future of the industry, but anything that gets WWE out of the Lesnar/Reigns debacle would be a solid solution. The former MMA fighter that will compete against all challengers could provide some intriguing TV, similar to the US open challenge that John Cena did a few years ago. Obviously, Bobby wouldn't drop the belt to Chad Gable or another mid-carder on TV, but a competitive bout against the Universal champion elevates their status.
Aside from the fact that Roman Reigns is still the top priority, it seems like WWE brass almost rushed Bobby into the main event scene simply as a way to keep some structure on Raw to build to Summer Slam. Lashley went from the cringe worthy segments with Zayn to the feud against Reigns in the span of just a few weeks so he's not necessarily being built for a main event run, but rather a way to push Roman toward another title shot. The problem with that is, since Bobby was rushed toward the title picture without much character development, what's next if he loses to Reigns on Raw?
Either Bobby will get lost in the shuffle of a mid-card feud or he will challenge Roman for the title after Brock leaves, which will lead to him being lost in the shuffle of a mid-card feud after that. If management wants Lashley's current run to be more than just a nostalgic run then they must present him as a top-tier star, not just an opponent for Roman Reigns until Lesnar is booked for a pay-per-view. A title victory against Brock is certainly a way to solidify Lashley, and the writing team booked themselves into a corner because either Lashley will be seen as a legitimate title challenger or they will miss the chance to make him a bigger star. The bottom line is, the writing team wants to get Roman over, not Lashley so Reigns will defeat Lesnar to win the title, but Lashley would be an interesting option for the stable Lesnar/Reigns feud.
But, is Bobby Lashley the better choice to challenge for the title?
After a notable amateur career, the former ECW champion debuted in the OVW developmental system in 2004 and made his debut on WWE TV less than a year later. In truth, his original run in the WWE was relatively brief, as he worked less than three years on the roster, which included a six month period when he was on the sidelines with an injury. Some cite his role in the "battle of the billionaires" at Wrestlemania 23 as a major highlight, but let's be honest here, that much was more about Vince McMahon getting his head shaved than either of the talented athletes that were booked for the match. So, when Bobby was released from his contract in early 2008, he didn't necessarily have major star power or name value because he wasn't really in WWE long enough to truly build himself to a top level.
Still, the athletic ability and potential were there so when mixed martial arts was surging in popularity, he made his MMA debut toward the end of 2008, winning via TKO at a regional event. He fought again a few months later and won. The totality of Bobby Lashley's eight-year career as an MMA fighter saw him garner a record of 15-2, mostly notably with wins in Strike Force and Bellator. Interestingly, Bobby had various stints with TNA (Impact) while he still fought regularly, and even did so when he was the TNA heavyweight champion. The taping scheduled allowed him to work in pro wrestling and still train for fights. Granted, Bobby didn't fight the level of competition that Brock did in the UFC, but the 15-2 MMA record is certainly a useful marketing tool for Lashley.
At 42, Bobby's most recent fight was a win via choke for Bellator in October of 2016 so it seems as though he might be unofficially retired from MMA competition. However, the MMA-inspired persona that he used during his time as Impact champion allowed him to establish a character that was used to build storylines. Prior to that, he was presented as a tremendous athlete, but had a very generic on-screen persona.
Lashley's time in Impact generated mostly favorable reviews and while the company was still finding a new direction, his exit earlier this year set the stage for a return to the WWE with renewed hype around him. Bobby reemerged on WWE TV the night after WM 34, and his run thus far has yielded various results. In many ways, it was simply a matter of presentation and the writing team failed to utilize aspects that made Lashley successful in Impact. He wasn't pushed as a monster athlete, but rather, "hey, Bobby Lashley from 2007 is back" and it almost hindered the progress he made on the mic as a performer in TNA. The Sami Zayn feud was cringe worthy, which was completely because of the sub par scripting and did nothing to introduce Lashley to a new generation of fans. Keep in mind, Bobby was gone for over a decade so there was a chance to present him as a much more effective persona to the newer group of fans.
Does Bobby have the ability to be a main event star?
In theory, yes, but again it will be a matter of presentation. If he's presented as a generic big man, he will essentially be in the same spot he was prior to his WWE departure. It's surprising that his MMA accomplishments were barely mentioned, especially with the possibilities it sets up for a match against Lesnar. Considering his age, Bobby is in unbelievable shape, and if he's not put in ridiculous segments, he could undoubtedly be a successful Universal champion. Granted, the 42-year-old isn't the future of the industry, but anything that gets WWE out of the Lesnar/Reigns debacle would be a solid solution. The former MMA fighter that will compete against all challengers could provide some intriguing TV, similar to the US open challenge that John Cena did a few years ago. Obviously, Bobby wouldn't drop the belt to Chad Gable or another mid-carder on TV, but a competitive bout against the Universal champion elevates their status.
Aside from the fact that Roman Reigns is still the top priority, it seems like WWE brass almost rushed Bobby into the main event scene simply as a way to keep some structure on Raw to build to Summer Slam. Lashley went from the cringe worthy segments with Zayn to the feud against Reigns in the span of just a few weeks so he's not necessarily being built for a main event run, but rather a way to push Roman toward another title shot. The problem with that is, since Bobby was rushed toward the title picture without much character development, what's next if he loses to Reigns on Raw?
Either Bobby will get lost in the shuffle of a mid-card feud or he will challenge Roman for the title after Brock leaves, which will lead to him being lost in the shuffle of a mid-card feud after that. If management wants Lashley's current run to be more than just a nostalgic run then they must present him as a top-tier star, not just an opponent for Roman Reigns until Lesnar is booked for a pay-per-view. A title victory against Brock is certainly a way to solidify Lashley, and the writing team booked themselves into a corner because either Lashley will be seen as a legitimate title challenger or they will miss the chance to make him a bigger star. The bottom line is, the writing team wants to get Roman over, not Lashley so Reigns will defeat Lesnar to win the title, but Lashley would be an interesting option for the stable Lesnar/Reigns feud.
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Extreme Rules
Originally, I intended to write a detailed article about the live event experience of Extreme Rules, last night's pay-per-view from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. I planned to compare the WWE Network viewing to the live show and I'm sure some of what was broadcast through television was rather bland, but in-person seemed better. There are certainly interesting differences when you go to a live show. I hadn't been to a live WWE event in nearly five years so I was looking forward to writing something unique as opposed to the usually post-PPV article. I enjoyed most of the show and would've had a favorable review.
However, the main event, a 30-minute iron man match with Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler, changed what I'm going to write about Extreme Rules.
The 30-minute match gave the two stellar athletes enough time to deliver a contest that was expected to steal the show, especially considering the quality of their two previous bouts on Raw. But, instead of that, this bout summed up why wrestling fans often ruin wrestling in the modern era. While the countdown clock on the video screen showed the progress of the match, the majority of the fans in attendance waited for the ten-second mark each time the minutes ticked down and counted along to be able to make a siren noise to imitate the Royal Rumble clock. So, every fifty seconds most of the audience would repeat this process without following any of the action in the ring. When there are two of the best athletes on the roster in the ring with enough time to deliver a classic, why exactly was the audience watching the countdown clock? Those that paid to buy tickets to the event would rather watch the clock than the action in the ring? As I sat there trying to watch the main event, I just shook my head as the building echoed the repetitive countdown, and again wondered why that somehow took priority ahead of the action in the squared circle. It undoubtedly took away from the match because Ziggler had to use five minutes of rest holds to try to get control of the situation, and when the clock was taken off of the screen, the crowd was more concerned with the countdown than the wrestlers they paid to watch.
To be completely clear, yes, if someone buys a ticket, they certainly have the right to cheer for whatever they want, including the countdown clock. But, that doesn't mean that they can't be criticized for the foolishness. Quite frankly, the knuckleheads that wanted to play count along ruined what could've been a classic match, because even those watching on the WWE Network heard the countdown chants that took away from the contest. Instead of the Rollins/Ziggler iron man match being called a possible classic, it will be known as the match where the fans counted the entire time. Again, anyone that buys a ticket certainly has the right to do it, but that doesn't make it smart or the "cool thing" for an audience to do during a main event. Are there matches that deserve rejection? Sure, but in this situation, and more often in recent years, audiences would try to get noticed for random chants than actually watch the product they paid for at the show.
Too often, fans want to say, "hey, look we're at a wrestling show" when the reality is, the audience isn't the show, and fans shouldn't be there to try to make themselves known on social media. Not every fan that goes to a wrestling show deserves some type of social media validation, but that seems to be the goal for those in attendance on a regular basis in the modern era. The bottom line is, the wrestlers tell the fans the story, and the audience shouldn't be able to dictate the story to the performers. If the fans are that discontent with the product that they don't want to watch the match in the ring then maybe they should pick another hobby. Attempting to ruin a main event just so they can tweet about it after the show doesn't make them diehard fans, it makes them look silly for trying to make the show about themselves. The people watching on the WWE Network don't care what the dude dressed as a shady looking Hulk Hogan wearing a replica belt in the fifth row thinks about the main event.
The problem is, these attention-seeking chants have become trendy or something that "cool fans" do at pay-per-views when in reality it just seems foolish. Unfortunately, the emphasis on some of the post-WM Raw shenanigans have unintentionally encouraged this type of response more often in the modern era and it seems like it will continue in the future.
What exactly is the goal for the fans that attempt to hijack shows with random chants? Are they attempting to "prove a point" to management? Here's a reality check on the point that really matters, Vince McMahon got their money when they bought tickets to the event and he will get their money again when they subscribe to the network so they can complain about pay-per-views on social media. So, the fans can try to get themselves noticed when they count along with the clock, and Vince will count the money he made from the event. More than anything, it would be nice if current fans were actually fans of the product instead of trying to be fans of themselves.
However, the main event, a 30-minute iron man match with Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler, changed what I'm going to write about Extreme Rules.
The 30-minute match gave the two stellar athletes enough time to deliver a contest that was expected to steal the show, especially considering the quality of their two previous bouts on Raw. But, instead of that, this bout summed up why wrestling fans often ruin wrestling in the modern era. While the countdown clock on the video screen showed the progress of the match, the majority of the fans in attendance waited for the ten-second mark each time the minutes ticked down and counted along to be able to make a siren noise to imitate the Royal Rumble clock. So, every fifty seconds most of the audience would repeat this process without following any of the action in the ring. When there are two of the best athletes on the roster in the ring with enough time to deliver a classic, why exactly was the audience watching the countdown clock? Those that paid to buy tickets to the event would rather watch the clock than the action in the ring? As I sat there trying to watch the main event, I just shook my head as the building echoed the repetitive countdown, and again wondered why that somehow took priority ahead of the action in the squared circle. It undoubtedly took away from the match because Ziggler had to use five minutes of rest holds to try to get control of the situation, and when the clock was taken off of the screen, the crowd was more concerned with the countdown than the wrestlers they paid to watch.
To be completely clear, yes, if someone buys a ticket, they certainly have the right to cheer for whatever they want, including the countdown clock. But, that doesn't mean that they can't be criticized for the foolishness. Quite frankly, the knuckleheads that wanted to play count along ruined what could've been a classic match, because even those watching on the WWE Network heard the countdown chants that took away from the contest. Instead of the Rollins/Ziggler iron man match being called a possible classic, it will be known as the match where the fans counted the entire time. Again, anyone that buys a ticket certainly has the right to do it, but that doesn't make it smart or the "cool thing" for an audience to do during a main event. Are there matches that deserve rejection? Sure, but in this situation, and more often in recent years, audiences would try to get noticed for random chants than actually watch the product they paid for at the show.
Too often, fans want to say, "hey, look we're at a wrestling show" when the reality is, the audience isn't the show, and fans shouldn't be there to try to make themselves known on social media. Not every fan that goes to a wrestling show deserves some type of social media validation, but that seems to be the goal for those in attendance on a regular basis in the modern era. The bottom line is, the wrestlers tell the fans the story, and the audience shouldn't be able to dictate the story to the performers. If the fans are that discontent with the product that they don't want to watch the match in the ring then maybe they should pick another hobby. Attempting to ruin a main event just so they can tweet about it after the show doesn't make them diehard fans, it makes them look silly for trying to make the show about themselves. The people watching on the WWE Network don't care what the dude dressed as a shady looking Hulk Hogan wearing a replica belt in the fifth row thinks about the main event.
The problem is, these attention-seeking chants have become trendy or something that "cool fans" do at pay-per-views when in reality it just seems foolish. Unfortunately, the emphasis on some of the post-WM Raw shenanigans have unintentionally encouraged this type of response more often in the modern era and it seems like it will continue in the future.
What exactly is the goal for the fans that attempt to hijack shows with random chants? Are they attempting to "prove a point" to management? Here's a reality check on the point that really matters, Vince McMahon got their money when they bought tickets to the event and he will get their money again when they subscribe to the network so they can complain about pay-per-views on social media. So, the fans can try to get themselves noticed when they count along with the clock, and Vince will count the money he made from the event. More than anything, it would be nice if current fans were actually fans of the product instead of trying to be fans of themselves.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Liddell vs. Ortiz
When I read the rumors about a potential Chuck Liddell comeback a few months ago on social media, I penned an article to explain my concern for the possible pitfalls of "The Iceman" back in the cage. More specifically, the aspect of sports that nobody wants to see a legend as a shell of themselves because it's just a sad situation. At the time, there was speculation that the former UFC Light Heavyweight champion might ink a deal with Bellator to set up a trilogy fight with longtime rival, Tito Ortiz. I asked if the big payday from the Viacom-owned organization was worth the risk of tarnishing his legacy as one of the greatest to step into the octagon?
Last week, Oscar De La Hoya announced that his Golden Boy Promotions company will venture into the MMA business with plans to promote an event later this year. De La Hoya, a former boxing champion in six different weight classes, started his promotional group in 2002 and currently represents several well-known fighters, including Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez. Undoubtedly, Oscar remains a prominent figure in boxing almost a decade after he hung up his gloves, but mixed martial arts, while still within the genre of combat sports, is a different scenario.
Despite the down slide in star power the past few years, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, an organization that was purchased by the WME group a few years ago for over $4 billion, remains the top MMA company in the world. In fact, the UFC just signed an extensive deal with ESPN that will bring content to the cable network and its ESPN+ streaming service next year. Bellator, which is broadcasted on the Paramount network, is considered another option for fighters that look to continue their career on a main stream stage outside of the UFC, but that is clearly the secondary option. Speaking of Bellator, the argument could be made that the promotion already brings nostalgic type fights to the table on traditional television, so how exactly will Golden Boy market a similar bout on pay-per-view?
The main problem that Oscar has ahead of this event is that there's no way to promote this Tito/Liddell trilogy on anything other than the accomplishments of the past. Sure, Tito was one of the few athletes that was able to make a new for himself during the dark ages of the sport, but the prime of his career was more than ten years ago. The latter half of his UFC run saw him win one fight and suffer six losses. After he signed with Bellator, he won three of four fights before he retired early last year. However, the surge of success was more so because of the level of competition than an indication of a comeback in the sport.
For "The Iceman," as I wrote previously, he had a legendary career and was the top star in the organization when the sport boomed in popularity in the early 2000s. The conclusion of his career caused concern from fans and peers, as the aging grappler suffered three consecutive KO losses before he hung up his gloves in 2010. Now, the 48-year-old Liddell will make a return to the cage without a victory since 2007. I don't want to sound too harsh because Chuck Liddell is legitimately one of the most important fighters in the history of the sport, but does anyone want to see him fight again? More importantly, does anyone want to see him risk another KO loss? This isn't Rocky and in reality, the type of comeback he's hoping for rarely happens. Considering the brutal KOs he endured prior to retirement, there are very serious risks if he suffered another knockout at this point in his career. I would rather not watch Liddell compete again because I don't want to see him risk his health.
That said, the contracts were signed last week, making the bout official for a venue yet to be announced. While Golden Boy does very well on pay-per-view with boxing, the distribution of this event could be another hurdle entirely. The easiest answer if for De La Hoya to go the traditional pay-per-view path that he used to distribution his major boxing cards, but again, MMA is a different world. In fact, this actually isn't the first time that Oscar will be involved with mixed martial arts. As companies like Elite XC set ratings records on broadcast TV, and Strike Force tried to establish itself on Show Time, an alphabet soup of organizations tried to get a piece of the pie when MMA was still in the boom period. Affliction, the clothing company that sponsored many UFC athletes at the time, launched a subdivision of the organization, Affliction Entertainment to promote fight cards. Golden Boy partnered with Affliction to distribute MMA cards that featured many former Pride and UFC competitors. In mid-2008, Affliction produced a PPV event that saw Fedor Emelianenko knockout Tim Sylvia in just 36 seconds and the event garnered 100,000 buys. Six months later, Fedor KO'ed Andre Arlovski in the first round of a contest that headlined a show that drew a buyrate of 175,000 on pay-per-view. The third event was scheduled to showcase Fedor vs. Josh Barnett in the main event, but Barnett tested positive for steroids less than two weeks before the show, prompting the decision to cancel it, which led to the shut down of Affliction Entertainment.
More recently, Bellator attempted to promote events on PPV, including a Rampage vs. King Mo main event that generated roughly 100,000 buys in 2014. It's second venture for pay-per-view drew slightly better with 130,000 purchases for Wanderlei Silva vs. Chael Sonnen last year. For a comparison, the previous numbers mention would rank among the lowest numbers the UFC did in the modern era. The bottom line is, no company other than the UFC has drawn major numbers for an MMA event on pay-per-view in the United States.
Regardless of any criticism, the only question that matters here is, will fans pay to see another Tito/Liddell fight?
If there's a market for it then Oscar can promote a successful MMA pay-per-view completely under his own banner. But, I don't see ANY logical reason why Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz in 2018 would draw an audience to pay to watch it. In fact, even if these two were still in the prime of their careers, there would be no reason to book a trilogy fight because Liddell beat Tito via TKO in both of their previous bouts. If this fight takes place, I'd guess that it's a one-time deal for Golden Boy Promotions with an MMA card because again, quite frankly, there's no major reason to expect Liddel vs. Tito to be a draw to the modern audience.
Last week, Oscar De La Hoya announced that his Golden Boy Promotions company will venture into the MMA business with plans to promote an event later this year. De La Hoya, a former boxing champion in six different weight classes, started his promotional group in 2002 and currently represents several well-known fighters, including Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez. Undoubtedly, Oscar remains a prominent figure in boxing almost a decade after he hung up his gloves, but mixed martial arts, while still within the genre of combat sports, is a different scenario.
Despite the down slide in star power the past few years, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, an organization that was purchased by the WME group a few years ago for over $4 billion, remains the top MMA company in the world. In fact, the UFC just signed an extensive deal with ESPN that will bring content to the cable network and its ESPN+ streaming service next year. Bellator, which is broadcasted on the Paramount network, is considered another option for fighters that look to continue their career on a main stream stage outside of the UFC, but that is clearly the secondary option. Speaking of Bellator, the argument could be made that the promotion already brings nostalgic type fights to the table on traditional television, so how exactly will Golden Boy market a similar bout on pay-per-view?
The main problem that Oscar has ahead of this event is that there's no way to promote this Tito/Liddell trilogy on anything other than the accomplishments of the past. Sure, Tito was one of the few athletes that was able to make a new for himself during the dark ages of the sport, but the prime of his career was more than ten years ago. The latter half of his UFC run saw him win one fight and suffer six losses. After he signed with Bellator, he won three of four fights before he retired early last year. However, the surge of success was more so because of the level of competition than an indication of a comeback in the sport.
For "The Iceman," as I wrote previously, he had a legendary career and was the top star in the organization when the sport boomed in popularity in the early 2000s. The conclusion of his career caused concern from fans and peers, as the aging grappler suffered three consecutive KO losses before he hung up his gloves in 2010. Now, the 48-year-old Liddell will make a return to the cage without a victory since 2007. I don't want to sound too harsh because Chuck Liddell is legitimately one of the most important fighters in the history of the sport, but does anyone want to see him fight again? More importantly, does anyone want to see him risk another KO loss? This isn't Rocky and in reality, the type of comeback he's hoping for rarely happens. Considering the brutal KOs he endured prior to retirement, there are very serious risks if he suffered another knockout at this point in his career. I would rather not watch Liddell compete again because I don't want to see him risk his health.
That said, the contracts were signed last week, making the bout official for a venue yet to be announced. While Golden Boy does very well on pay-per-view with boxing, the distribution of this event could be another hurdle entirely. The easiest answer if for De La Hoya to go the traditional pay-per-view path that he used to distribution his major boxing cards, but again, MMA is a different world. In fact, this actually isn't the first time that Oscar will be involved with mixed martial arts. As companies like Elite XC set ratings records on broadcast TV, and Strike Force tried to establish itself on Show Time, an alphabet soup of organizations tried to get a piece of the pie when MMA was still in the boom period. Affliction, the clothing company that sponsored many UFC athletes at the time, launched a subdivision of the organization, Affliction Entertainment to promote fight cards. Golden Boy partnered with Affliction to distribute MMA cards that featured many former Pride and UFC competitors. In mid-2008, Affliction produced a PPV event that saw Fedor Emelianenko knockout Tim Sylvia in just 36 seconds and the event garnered 100,000 buys. Six months later, Fedor KO'ed Andre Arlovski in the first round of a contest that headlined a show that drew a buyrate of 175,000 on pay-per-view. The third event was scheduled to showcase Fedor vs. Josh Barnett in the main event, but Barnett tested positive for steroids less than two weeks before the show, prompting the decision to cancel it, which led to the shut down of Affliction Entertainment.
More recently, Bellator attempted to promote events on PPV, including a Rampage vs. King Mo main event that generated roughly 100,000 buys in 2014. It's second venture for pay-per-view drew slightly better with 130,000 purchases for Wanderlei Silva vs. Chael Sonnen last year. For a comparison, the previous numbers mention would rank among the lowest numbers the UFC did in the modern era. The bottom line is, no company other than the UFC has drawn major numbers for an MMA event on pay-per-view in the United States.
Regardless of any criticism, the only question that matters here is, will fans pay to see another Tito/Liddell fight?
If there's a market for it then Oscar can promote a successful MMA pay-per-view completely under his own banner. But, I don't see ANY logical reason why Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz in 2018 would draw an audience to pay to watch it. In fact, even if these two were still in the prime of their careers, there would be no reason to book a trilogy fight because Liddell beat Tito via TKO in both of their previous bouts. If this fight takes place, I'd guess that it's a one-time deal for Golden Boy Promotions with an MMA card because again, quite frankly, there's no major reason to expect Liddel vs. Tito to be a draw to the modern audience.
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Daniel Cormier wins the title
I have to be honest, I was shocked when I saw the right hand from UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Daniel Cormier that sent Stipe Miocic crashing to the canvas to claim the UFC Heavyweight title, making him only the second double champion in the history of the promotion. For DC, it validated his stellar career, which was roadblocked in recent years because of Jon Jones' failed PED tests.
Different from Conor McGregor, the only other dual champion in UFC history before he was stripped of both belts, Cormier wasn't shoehorned into a potentially history-making scenario. With a record of 20-1 prior to the HW bout, DC defeated top-tier competition throughout his time in mixed martial arts. The Stipe/DC contest was assembled as a super fight, and realistically, DC moving up was the only way to make it happen so he signed a contract to fight the bigger opponent. Miocic was a dominant titleholder in a division that sometimes lacks depth, but he defeated legitimate opponents, setting the record for the most successful title defenses of the championship with three wins before he fought Cormier.
Stipe is a dangerous striker, and I wrote earlier this week that I picked him to retain his belt because of his substantial size and reach advantage. However, I also mentioned that anything can happen in MMA and that was what made this super fight intriguing ahead of the pay-per-view. DC was able to close the distance and land the previously mentioned right hook to win a second championship in the UFC.
It should've been a moment of triumph for Cormier, a way for him to prove all the doubters wrong as he made history in the octagon. But, that opportunity was seemingly traded in for a cheap publicity stunt to generate press for the former UFC and current WWE champion, Brock Lesnar's eventual return to the cage. Brock's last appearance in the octagon was two years ago when he defeated Mark Hunt, but that contest was later overturned to a no contest when Lesnar failed a post-fight drug test.
In the article I wrote to preview the UFC 226 card, I explained that this DC/Stipe super fight is probably the biggest event the company will promote this year, mostly because of the lack of star power and established champions within various divisions. The bottom line is, the UFC is as much a business as it is a sport, and WME brass needed another major fight to sell on pay-per-view toward the end of the year. So, Brock Lesnar will fight Cormier, presumably for the HW title even though Brock hasn't officially won a fight since 2010. A Lesnar title shot against DC wouldn't be too surprising, considering that Brock was gifted a title shot during his original run in the sport after just one win in the UFC.
The way that this match-up was hyped post-fight will make you shake your head. Cormier, a well-known pro wrestling fan, took the mic from longtime commentator Joe Rogan and walked around the octagon to cut a sports entertainment style promo, calling out Lesnar. By sheer coincidence, Brock just happened to be in attendance and entered the cage where he pushed Cormier. After that, it was Brock's turn to sell the potential bout and he cut a profanity promo, which sounded more like sports entertainment than anything about legitimate competition. Does this mean that UFC management had some type of rehearsal for this? No, but it's obvious that this entire scenario was put together to sell the fight in the future. If Miocic would've won, I'm guessing that he would've taken the role of Cormier while Brock delivered a similar message on the mic. Ironically, Brock cuts a better promo in the legitimate environment of the UFC than he does in the scripted side of sports entertainment.
This is just my two cents, but this will ultimately do more to hinder than help the UFC. These post-fight shenanigans were almost too over-the-top and could make fans shake their head instead of hype for the fight. It also dilutes a legitimately history-making moment as DC won a second championship. Instead of DC's double championship getting the press coverage it deserves, UFC 226 will be known for when Brock Lesnar stormed the octagon. This shift in marketing strategy is somewhat concerning because the company's original surge in popularity was based on the credibility of the competition. Sure, Brock will draw big money on pay-per-view, but was this hokey aftermath to a memorable title fight really needed to sell Lesnar's return to the octagon? If this was a legitimate confrontation, why was it just shoving? If there was that much tension, why weren't any punches thrown? The reason is because a physical confrontation could delay the eventual fight on pay-per-view if the athletic commission decided to suspend Lesnar or Cormier.
For the WWE, it's a clear indication that Brock is done for now, which actually helps their intended angle of "Brock is leaving wrestling because he doesn't care" in an attempt to get Roman Reigns over. Now, it's public that Lesnar will return to the UFC so the narrative that he could potentially leave with the belt is another possible option that will be pushed on WWE TV. Roman might be presented as the competitor that "saves" the title, but that won't get him over either. It's very doubtful that Brock returns to MMA as the WWE champion, simply because he would make even less appearances on Raw than he does now if he trains for a fight, and he can't risk an injury at a pro wrestling show that could jeopardize the major money that he will get for an MMA fight. Before any of that is possible, Lesnar must enroll into the USADA testing pool to finish his six month suspension, which was frozen when he announced his retirement from the sport a few years ago.
How a potential Brock/DC fight goes is very interesting because it could have a direct impact on the career choices made afterwards. Keep in mind, before Jon Jones failed a second PED test, he challenged Lesnar, but with "Bones" Jones on the sidelines for an extended period of time as a result of the failed drug test, DC is the biggest opponent for Lesnar after the win at UFC 226. Remember there's no history or logical reason for this sudden supposed Brock/DC rivalry. If I had to guess, I'd say that the WWE champion doesn't care who the opponent is in mixed martial arts, he's just looking to use his renewed name value as the current WWE champion to cash-in one more time for a UFC return before he retires completely. For DC, in some respects, much of the same can be said, as the double champion will be near 40 when Brock is eligible to fight again, and this gives Cormier the biggest payday of his career before he hangs up the gloves. Along with that, the UFC gets to promote a pay-per-view that will do major buy rates so basically, everyone wins.
As mentioned, this pro wrestling rhetoric to sell mixed martial arts is concerning because it cheapens the selling point of the sport. There are certainly great fighters on the UFC roster, but with some of the divisions in disarray, it's difficult to build new stars. The boom period of MMA sold compelling competition, but currently UFC management must be careful that they don't sour the audience with attempts at a sports entertainment spin on the product.
Different from Conor McGregor, the only other dual champion in UFC history before he was stripped of both belts, Cormier wasn't shoehorned into a potentially history-making scenario. With a record of 20-1 prior to the HW bout, DC defeated top-tier competition throughout his time in mixed martial arts. The Stipe/DC contest was assembled as a super fight, and realistically, DC moving up was the only way to make it happen so he signed a contract to fight the bigger opponent. Miocic was a dominant titleholder in a division that sometimes lacks depth, but he defeated legitimate opponents, setting the record for the most successful title defenses of the championship with three wins before he fought Cormier.
Stipe is a dangerous striker, and I wrote earlier this week that I picked him to retain his belt because of his substantial size and reach advantage. However, I also mentioned that anything can happen in MMA and that was what made this super fight intriguing ahead of the pay-per-view. DC was able to close the distance and land the previously mentioned right hook to win a second championship in the UFC.
It should've been a moment of triumph for Cormier, a way for him to prove all the doubters wrong as he made history in the octagon. But, that opportunity was seemingly traded in for a cheap publicity stunt to generate press for the former UFC and current WWE champion, Brock Lesnar's eventual return to the cage. Brock's last appearance in the octagon was two years ago when he defeated Mark Hunt, but that contest was later overturned to a no contest when Lesnar failed a post-fight drug test.
In the article I wrote to preview the UFC 226 card, I explained that this DC/Stipe super fight is probably the biggest event the company will promote this year, mostly because of the lack of star power and established champions within various divisions. The bottom line is, the UFC is as much a business as it is a sport, and WME brass needed another major fight to sell on pay-per-view toward the end of the year. So, Brock Lesnar will fight Cormier, presumably for the HW title even though Brock hasn't officially won a fight since 2010. A Lesnar title shot against DC wouldn't be too surprising, considering that Brock was gifted a title shot during his original run in the sport after just one win in the UFC.
The way that this match-up was hyped post-fight will make you shake your head. Cormier, a well-known pro wrestling fan, took the mic from longtime commentator Joe Rogan and walked around the octagon to cut a sports entertainment style promo, calling out Lesnar. By sheer coincidence, Brock just happened to be in attendance and entered the cage where he pushed Cormier. After that, it was Brock's turn to sell the potential bout and he cut a profanity promo, which sounded more like sports entertainment than anything about legitimate competition. Does this mean that UFC management had some type of rehearsal for this? No, but it's obvious that this entire scenario was put together to sell the fight in the future. If Miocic would've won, I'm guessing that he would've taken the role of Cormier while Brock delivered a similar message on the mic. Ironically, Brock cuts a better promo in the legitimate environment of the UFC than he does in the scripted side of sports entertainment.
This is just my two cents, but this will ultimately do more to hinder than help the UFC. These post-fight shenanigans were almost too over-the-top and could make fans shake their head instead of hype for the fight. It also dilutes a legitimately history-making moment as DC won a second championship. Instead of DC's double championship getting the press coverage it deserves, UFC 226 will be known for when Brock Lesnar stormed the octagon. This shift in marketing strategy is somewhat concerning because the company's original surge in popularity was based on the credibility of the competition. Sure, Brock will draw big money on pay-per-view, but was this hokey aftermath to a memorable title fight really needed to sell Lesnar's return to the octagon? If this was a legitimate confrontation, why was it just shoving? If there was that much tension, why weren't any punches thrown? The reason is because a physical confrontation could delay the eventual fight on pay-per-view if the athletic commission decided to suspend Lesnar or Cormier.
For the WWE, it's a clear indication that Brock is done for now, which actually helps their intended angle of "Brock is leaving wrestling because he doesn't care" in an attempt to get Roman Reigns over. Now, it's public that Lesnar will return to the UFC so the narrative that he could potentially leave with the belt is another possible option that will be pushed on WWE TV. Roman might be presented as the competitor that "saves" the title, but that won't get him over either. It's very doubtful that Brock returns to MMA as the WWE champion, simply because he would make even less appearances on Raw than he does now if he trains for a fight, and he can't risk an injury at a pro wrestling show that could jeopardize the major money that he will get for an MMA fight. Before any of that is possible, Lesnar must enroll into the USADA testing pool to finish his six month suspension, which was frozen when he announced his retirement from the sport a few years ago.
How a potential Brock/DC fight goes is very interesting because it could have a direct impact on the career choices made afterwards. Keep in mind, before Jon Jones failed a second PED test, he challenged Lesnar, but with "Bones" Jones on the sidelines for an extended period of time as a result of the failed drug test, DC is the biggest opponent for Lesnar after the win at UFC 226. Remember there's no history or logical reason for this sudden supposed Brock/DC rivalry. If I had to guess, I'd say that the WWE champion doesn't care who the opponent is in mixed martial arts, he's just looking to use his renewed name value as the current WWE champion to cash-in one more time for a UFC return before he retires completely. For DC, in some respects, much of the same can be said, as the double champion will be near 40 when Brock is eligible to fight again, and this gives Cormier the biggest payday of his career before he hangs up the gloves. Along with that, the UFC gets to promote a pay-per-view that will do major buy rates so basically, everyone wins.
As mentioned, this pro wrestling rhetoric to sell mixed martial arts is concerning because it cheapens the selling point of the sport. There are certainly great fighters on the UFC roster, but with some of the divisions in disarray, it's difficult to build new stars. The boom period of MMA sold compelling competition, but currently UFC management must be careful that they don't sour the audience with attempts at a sports entertainment spin on the product.
Thursday, July 5, 2018
What's next for Dean Ambrose?
When the Shield literally stormed the ring in late-2012, it gave the trio of Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns a very impactful debut. The stable had a meaningful run and a purpose for the year and a half that they were a unit on television. Seth had incredibly athletic matches, Roman was actually given time to get over as a monster, and Ambrose was a wild card that had a sense of danger about him. Granted, the general consensus was that the group was ended too early, but that's often the nature of the beast for a product that has weekly TV.
Since the Shield split, Seth had a notable run as WWE champion, but injuries hindered much of his progress at the time, especially when he was on the shelf for what were key points in the evolution of his character. Thankfully, Rollins really rejuvenated his career within the past year and he's arguably the best performer on Raw right now. In fact, the argument could be made that if he avoids any other major injuries, Rollins might have as much potential as anyone to be the top star on the Monday night show.
As was the plan since he signed a WWE deal after a failed stint in football, Roman Reigns was given the super push toward the heavyweight title,which was rejected by the audience. The numerous reasons for that were already discussed previously so there's no reason to repeat it, but the point is, management had a clear path for what they wanted to do with Roman Reigns.
As mentioned, Dean Ambrose was a wild card, and it seems like WWE brass still haven't fully utilized the skills that he brings to the table. In some ways, it almost seems like the writing team minimized his potential and put him in scenarios that didn't effectively present his persona. Even prior to the Shield split, he won the US title, but rarely defended it and thus the title reign didn't do much to elevate his status. Post-Shield, former WCW announcer Mark Madden summarized it well when he remarked that WWE booked Ambrose as "sitcom crazy" after some of the more cringe worthy segments he did on Raw.
Those attempts at lame comedy from the writing team were completely counterproductive to how to get the most from the Dean Ambrose character. Before he signed with WWE, Ambrose's work on the independent scene as Jon Moxley garnered comparisons to the late Brian Pillman's "loose cannon" persona from two decades ago. As a student of Les Thatcher's HWA, Ambrose has the in-ring skills, but also excelled at promos. Quite simply, Ambrose could make the audience question if he was legitimately unbalanced, which is a rare accomplishment in the modern era.
Instead of being seen as legitimately dangerous, Ambrose was booked for segments with slime and a makeshift talk show set with Mitch the plant. Don't get me wrong, Ambrose did as well as he could under the circumstances, but those scenarios didn't showcase the best that he has to offer. Within the past few years, his feud with Chris Jericho is really the only storyline that stands out as memorable. On paper, his WWE title run in mid-2016 might as the most important stage of his career thus far, but the context of that time frame tells a different story. His MITB cash-in was just two months after he had a very underwhelming match with Brock Lesnar at WM when it appeared that the former UFC heavyweight champion mailed it in for a bout that wasn't in the main event spot. Ambrose lost to Lesnar, a booking decision that did nothing to benefit Brock since he was already established, and then won the title less than two months later via the MITB stipulation without a lot of momentum behind it. The run as WWE champion was decent, but nothing memorable and at its conclusion, Ambrose wasn't exactly more over than he was previously.
He had a solid run as IC champion last year, but again, there wasn't much progression from that because he was put into a Shield reunion during mid-2017 in an effort to try to get Roman Reigns over ahead of his WM 34 match against Lesnar. The reunion was cut short when Ambrose suffered a severe triceps injury that required surgery to repair, putting him on the sidelines for the past several months.
As disappointing as it is that Dean Ambrose got hurt, it actually provides an opportunity for a fresh start for him. Reportedly, he could be ready to return to the ring in August or September so how he resurfaces could point his career in a more progressive direction. In my opinion, the WWE missed the boat initially on Ambrose as a heel so he could return as a heel to give him more of an edge as a character. The key will be to present Ambrose as a dangerous persona on the show. Too often, the "lunatic fringe" phrase was thrown around simply as a way to get it put on a t-shirt. Instead of monikers, allow Ambrose's actions to generate an organic reaction from the audience. For example, don't shoehorn the "hey, Ambrose is crazy" narrative, but rather let his portray of the character get the message across to the crowd. Make no mistake, Ambrose absolutely has the ability to make an unbalanced heel persona work and it would probably be the most effective way to use his solid mic skills. With Brock Lesnar MIA 95% of the time, Raw needs top-tier heels and Ambrose has the ability to do it.
Since the Shield split, Seth had a notable run as WWE champion, but injuries hindered much of his progress at the time, especially when he was on the shelf for what were key points in the evolution of his character. Thankfully, Rollins really rejuvenated his career within the past year and he's arguably the best performer on Raw right now. In fact, the argument could be made that if he avoids any other major injuries, Rollins might have as much potential as anyone to be the top star on the Monday night show.
As was the plan since he signed a WWE deal after a failed stint in football, Roman Reigns was given the super push toward the heavyweight title,which was rejected by the audience. The numerous reasons for that were already discussed previously so there's no reason to repeat it, but the point is, management had a clear path for what they wanted to do with Roman Reigns.
As mentioned, Dean Ambrose was a wild card, and it seems like WWE brass still haven't fully utilized the skills that he brings to the table. In some ways, it almost seems like the writing team minimized his potential and put him in scenarios that didn't effectively present his persona. Even prior to the Shield split, he won the US title, but rarely defended it and thus the title reign didn't do much to elevate his status. Post-Shield, former WCW announcer Mark Madden summarized it well when he remarked that WWE booked Ambrose as "sitcom crazy" after some of the more cringe worthy segments he did on Raw.
Those attempts at lame comedy from the writing team were completely counterproductive to how to get the most from the Dean Ambrose character. Before he signed with WWE, Ambrose's work on the independent scene as Jon Moxley garnered comparisons to the late Brian Pillman's "loose cannon" persona from two decades ago. As a student of Les Thatcher's HWA, Ambrose has the in-ring skills, but also excelled at promos. Quite simply, Ambrose could make the audience question if he was legitimately unbalanced, which is a rare accomplishment in the modern era.
Instead of being seen as legitimately dangerous, Ambrose was booked for segments with slime and a makeshift talk show set with Mitch the plant. Don't get me wrong, Ambrose did as well as he could under the circumstances, but those scenarios didn't showcase the best that he has to offer. Within the past few years, his feud with Chris Jericho is really the only storyline that stands out as memorable. On paper, his WWE title run in mid-2016 might as the most important stage of his career thus far, but the context of that time frame tells a different story. His MITB cash-in was just two months after he had a very underwhelming match with Brock Lesnar at WM when it appeared that the former UFC heavyweight champion mailed it in for a bout that wasn't in the main event spot. Ambrose lost to Lesnar, a booking decision that did nothing to benefit Brock since he was already established, and then won the title less than two months later via the MITB stipulation without a lot of momentum behind it. The run as WWE champion was decent, but nothing memorable and at its conclusion, Ambrose wasn't exactly more over than he was previously.
He had a solid run as IC champion last year, but again, there wasn't much progression from that because he was put into a Shield reunion during mid-2017 in an effort to try to get Roman Reigns over ahead of his WM 34 match against Lesnar. The reunion was cut short when Ambrose suffered a severe triceps injury that required surgery to repair, putting him on the sidelines for the past several months.
As disappointing as it is that Dean Ambrose got hurt, it actually provides an opportunity for a fresh start for him. Reportedly, he could be ready to return to the ring in August or September so how he resurfaces could point his career in a more progressive direction. In my opinion, the WWE missed the boat initially on Ambrose as a heel so he could return as a heel to give him more of an edge as a character. The key will be to present Ambrose as a dangerous persona on the show. Too often, the "lunatic fringe" phrase was thrown around simply as a way to get it put on a t-shirt. Instead of monikers, allow Ambrose's actions to generate an organic reaction from the audience. For example, don't shoehorn the "hey, Ambrose is crazy" narrative, but rather let his portray of the character get the message across to the crowd. Make no mistake, Ambrose absolutely has the ability to make an unbalanced heel persona work and it would probably be the most effective way to use his solid mic skills. With Brock Lesnar MIA 95% of the time, Raw needs top-tier heels and Ambrose has the ability to do it.
Monday, July 2, 2018
UFC 226
This weekend's UFC 226 card will be the center piece of the
organization's traditional "Fight Week," which will feature the Hall Of
Fame induction of former Women's Bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey.
The main event is a true super fight as champions from the light
heavyweight and heavyweight divisions will clash. Stipe Miocic will
defend his title against Daniel Cormier, who competed in the HW division
previously, winning the Strike Force Grand Prix several years ago.
This is undoubtedly the biggest fight the WME-owned promotion will promote this year so will this event be a turning point for the company?
With Conor McGregor still awaiting a court appearance on felon charges, Jon Jones on the sidelines from a second failed drug test, Ronda Rousey retired, and Brock Lesnar's status still unknown, the UFC remains low on star power. Don't get me wrong, Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero delivered a classic slug fest last month, but that was a bout that catered to the diehard fans, not the general public. Similar to any other form of entertainment, there must be a draw for the audience to invest in the product and right now, the UFC doesn't have multiple stars that will motivate the public to pay $65 for a pay-per-view event more than a few times a year.
The numbers for the group were down across the board last year and that trend continues this year as well. The Romero/Rockhold MW title fight in February did a reported 130,000 buys and the recent Amanda Nunes title defense drew under 100,000 buys, putting it among the lowest numbers for the company in the past decade. When Conor McGregor fought regularly on pay-per-view, his few bouts a year drew more buys than the rest of the shows that year combined. This further proves that UFC brass invested too much into the marketing strategy to shoehorn the Dublin native into title fights so they could promote him as a double champion. Eventually, Conor took the name value from mixed martial arts and went to boxing to get a $100 million payday to fight Floyd Mayweather. He hasn't fought in the octagon in nearly two years and was stripped of both championships without defending them. The result of the McGregor experiment was that he was promoted as the top star in the organization while entire divisions were halted, which prevented other fighters from making a name for themselves.
Granted, the fight business is about cash, and Conor draws money, but the structure of rankings is ultimately how fighters gain notoriety. For example, when Francis Ngannou knocked out Alistair Overeem with one of the most brutal KOs in the history of the sport, it elevated his status to a title challenger for Miocic. Sure, Stipe used his well-rounded skills and experience to defeat him in the title bout, but the point is, Ngannou made a name for himself because he KO'ed a notable opponent. Essentially, Conor's absence didn't provide a goal for anyone that worked their way up the ranks in either the 145 or 155 divisions, and at the same time, McGregor didn't add to his accomplishments in the octagon.
With Conor's status undecided, and Georges St. Pierre's decision to vacate the MW belt after a one-off return last year, the credibility of certain divisions were hindered. The recent interim title debacles didn't help the situation either. Plus, injuries remain an aspect of the sport that affects announced cards. But, the Max Holloway/Brian Ortega title fight provides an opportunity to not only reestablish the belt, but also the platform for someone to make themselves a star. With the publicity of a champion vs. champion bout in the main event, the show will garner an audience and thus provide a platform for those in the co-main event to elevate their status. For Holloway, a dominate performance could finally get him from under the shadow of McGregor in terms of the path that he took for the belt. Ortega is mostly unknown to much of the general audience, but brings an undefeated record (14-0) into the cage along with a no contest from a positive test for steroids a few years ago. If Ortega delivers an impressive performance and wins the championship, that makes him a marketable commodity as an undefeated champion. The point being, with the viewers Stipe/Cormier will draw, there's certainly a valuable opportunity for a new era of the featherweight division.
As mentioned, the main event of Stipe vs. Cormier is probably the biggest card the UFC will promote this year and the scenario provides an intriguing match-up. Daniel Cormier started at a later age because of his extensive amateur wrestling career, but achieved some stellar accomplishments, earning a record of 20-1-1 during his nine year career. In some ways, Cormier gets overlooked or doesn't get the credit he deserves because of the Jon Jones debacles, but make no mistake, he had what will be considered a legendary career. While "Bones" Jones wasted much of his talent, Cormier defeated top level competition to retain the Light Heavyweight championship. At 39, Cormier indicated that he plans to retire next year so a HW title victory and the double champion status could be the biggest moment of his career.
On the flip side, Stipe Miocic is still theoretically in the prime of his career at 35 and could eventually be known as the most successful heavyweight in UFC history. With three successful title defenses so far, Stipe is probably the most solidified HW champion of the past decade, and his well-rounded skill set with an amateur wrestling background and powerful striking allows for a style that has no obvious flaws. In many respects, Miocic could be the dominate champion for the division that many expected Cain Velasquez to be several years ago before a series of injuries derailed his career. If Stipe defeated another champion at UFC 226, he might establish himself as the top star of the promotion.
As for a winner, it's somewhat of a toss up and a prediction depends on where the fight takes place. Stipe will have a size and reach advantage, as well as more notable striking skills so it might be wise for Cormier to try to close the distance and use the clinch against Miocic. The key might be if Cormier can effectively use wrestling against the bigger opponent, which might be difficult, considering that Stipe was able to use take downs to defeat Ngannou, who competes near the HW limit of 265 LBS, earlier this year. Since Stipe has the physical tools and the well-rounded skill set, I will pick Miocic to retain the belt, but anything can happen, which makes this such an intriguing bout, especially considering the unique champion vs. champion aspect.
This is the only UFC pay-per-view main event since the previous Miocic title against Ngannou in January that has a "must see" atmosphere this year. The reasons for the lack of star power mentioned previously led to a lack of hype around most PPVs this year. With the publicity that the champion vs. champion bout will generate, an entertaining event could be used as somewhat of a "reset button" for the organization to improve the perception of the star power of the company.
This is undoubtedly the biggest fight the WME-owned promotion will promote this year so will this event be a turning point for the company?
With Conor McGregor still awaiting a court appearance on felon charges, Jon Jones on the sidelines from a second failed drug test, Ronda Rousey retired, and Brock Lesnar's status still unknown, the UFC remains low on star power. Don't get me wrong, Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero delivered a classic slug fest last month, but that was a bout that catered to the diehard fans, not the general public. Similar to any other form of entertainment, there must be a draw for the audience to invest in the product and right now, the UFC doesn't have multiple stars that will motivate the public to pay $65 for a pay-per-view event more than a few times a year.
The numbers for the group were down across the board last year and that trend continues this year as well. The Romero/Rockhold MW title fight in February did a reported 130,000 buys and the recent Amanda Nunes title defense drew under 100,000 buys, putting it among the lowest numbers for the company in the past decade. When Conor McGregor fought regularly on pay-per-view, his few bouts a year drew more buys than the rest of the shows that year combined. This further proves that UFC brass invested too much into the marketing strategy to shoehorn the Dublin native into title fights so they could promote him as a double champion. Eventually, Conor took the name value from mixed martial arts and went to boxing to get a $100 million payday to fight Floyd Mayweather. He hasn't fought in the octagon in nearly two years and was stripped of both championships without defending them. The result of the McGregor experiment was that he was promoted as the top star in the organization while entire divisions were halted, which prevented other fighters from making a name for themselves.
Granted, the fight business is about cash, and Conor draws money, but the structure of rankings is ultimately how fighters gain notoriety. For example, when Francis Ngannou knocked out Alistair Overeem with one of the most brutal KOs in the history of the sport, it elevated his status to a title challenger for Miocic. Sure, Stipe used his well-rounded skills and experience to defeat him in the title bout, but the point is, Ngannou made a name for himself because he KO'ed a notable opponent. Essentially, Conor's absence didn't provide a goal for anyone that worked their way up the ranks in either the 145 or 155 divisions, and at the same time, McGregor didn't add to his accomplishments in the octagon.
With Conor's status undecided, and Georges St. Pierre's decision to vacate the MW belt after a one-off return last year, the credibility of certain divisions were hindered. The recent interim title debacles didn't help the situation either. Plus, injuries remain an aspect of the sport that affects announced cards. But, the Max Holloway/Brian Ortega title fight provides an opportunity to not only reestablish the belt, but also the platform for someone to make themselves a star. With the publicity of a champion vs. champion bout in the main event, the show will garner an audience and thus provide a platform for those in the co-main event to elevate their status. For Holloway, a dominate performance could finally get him from under the shadow of McGregor in terms of the path that he took for the belt. Ortega is mostly unknown to much of the general audience, but brings an undefeated record (14-0) into the cage along with a no contest from a positive test for steroids a few years ago. If Ortega delivers an impressive performance and wins the championship, that makes him a marketable commodity as an undefeated champion. The point being, with the viewers Stipe/Cormier will draw, there's certainly a valuable opportunity for a new era of the featherweight division.
As mentioned, the main event of Stipe vs. Cormier is probably the biggest card the UFC will promote this year and the scenario provides an intriguing match-up. Daniel Cormier started at a later age because of his extensive amateur wrestling career, but achieved some stellar accomplishments, earning a record of 20-1-1 during his nine year career. In some ways, Cormier gets overlooked or doesn't get the credit he deserves because of the Jon Jones debacles, but make no mistake, he had what will be considered a legendary career. While "Bones" Jones wasted much of his talent, Cormier defeated top level competition to retain the Light Heavyweight championship. At 39, Cormier indicated that he plans to retire next year so a HW title victory and the double champion status could be the biggest moment of his career.
On the flip side, Stipe Miocic is still theoretically in the prime of his career at 35 and could eventually be known as the most successful heavyweight in UFC history. With three successful title defenses so far, Stipe is probably the most solidified HW champion of the past decade, and his well-rounded skill set with an amateur wrestling background and powerful striking allows for a style that has no obvious flaws. In many respects, Miocic could be the dominate champion for the division that many expected Cain Velasquez to be several years ago before a series of injuries derailed his career. If Stipe defeated another champion at UFC 226, he might establish himself as the top star of the promotion.
As for a winner, it's somewhat of a toss up and a prediction depends on where the fight takes place. Stipe will have a size and reach advantage, as well as more notable striking skills so it might be wise for Cormier to try to close the distance and use the clinch against Miocic. The key might be if Cormier can effectively use wrestling against the bigger opponent, which might be difficult, considering that Stipe was able to use take downs to defeat Ngannou, who competes near the HW limit of 265 LBS, earlier this year. Since Stipe has the physical tools and the well-rounded skill set, I will pick Miocic to retain the belt, but anything can happen, which makes this such an intriguing bout, especially considering the unique champion vs. champion aspect.
This is the only UFC pay-per-view main event since the previous Miocic title against Ngannou in January that has a "must see" atmosphere this year. The reasons for the lack of star power mentioned previously led to a lack of hype around most PPVs this year. With the publicity that the champion vs. champion bout will generate, an entertaining event could be used as somewhat of a "reset button" for the organization to improve the perception of the star power of the company.
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