Lucha Libre, the Mexican form of professional wrestling, has been a staple of the country for over eighty years with names like El Santo, Blue Panther, Mascaras, Guerrero, Mysterio, and many others decorating its extensive history. In many respects, lucha libre and its energetic atmosphere represent so much of the pride of the Mexican culture. The colorful masks and costumes hold an important value to the fans and the luchadors themselves. Arena Mexico, centered in Mexico City is a venue primarily used by the CMLL promotion and is considered one of the most famous professional wrestling buildings in the world, hosting weekly cards.
While El Santo, the athlete that transcended the ring onto the big screen as a film star, wore a silver mask as a stoic hero, the designs of each mask varied based on the persona of each luchador. One of the most famous masks in the history of lucha libre is known around the globe as the Skeleton mask of La Parka, a charismatic grappler that thrilled audiences for over three decades. Similar to many in the sport, the real-life Adolfo Margarito Tapia is from a wrestling family with several relatives, including a brother, nephews, and son working in the ring as well. These family connections are what brought him to the ring during his youth.
"My family owned an arena that was called sports 47, and my guys were fighters," La Parka commented.
After he learned the ropes, completing the tedious and grueling process of training to turn pro in the Mexican ranks, Tapia started his career in the early 1980s, working preliminary bouts for a variety of smaller promotions. While his family's stardom in lucha gave him an introduction to the industry, it was not an easy road for him, as he worked under a myriad of monikers and donned different masks throughout his early years before he found himself as Mexico's famous skeleton.
In 1992, when the late Antonio Pena founded the AAA organization, he scouted the premiere young talent in the country at the time, and in the process set the stage for those athletes to eventually make their way to American to introduce the Mexican style to the United States. Rey Mysterio Jr., Konnan, Psychosis, and Guerrera found their way to World Championship Wrestling television because of the connection to Pena's AAA group. For Tapia, it was under the AAA banner that he became known as La Parka, a character that saw a full body suit with bones printed on it to match the human body to go along with the famous mask. The stellar in-ring skills that Tapia perfected on his way up the ladder of the business were now matched with a character that allowed him to take his career to the next level, flourishing to become one of the most popular competitors in his country.
Tapia made his WCW debut in 1996 based on the previously mentioned AAA connection that had actually began a few years prior when the Ted Turner company was the American pay-per-view distributor of the famous "When Worlds Collide" event. When Nitro launched in 1995 ahead of the wrestling boom of the late 90s, it's well-documented that Eric Bischoff brought in the luchadors as a way to differentiate the product from the competition. Among the many Mexican stars that worked on Nitro at a time when the show garnered record-setting ratings was Tapia himself, who immediately stood out because of the La Parka costume and his ability to wrestle the fast-paced style that the luchadors were known for in WCW.
Through his three and a half years under contract to WCW, La Parka's charisma transcended any language barrier, as he often entertaining the crowd with a combination on in-ring skills and antics. After a successful series of maneuvers, he would often strut around the squared circle to celebrate. Plus, he was dubbed "The Chairman of WCW" as a play on words after he was known for bringing a chair to the ring to smash opponents with when the referee wasn't observing the action.
However, it was actually a match outside of WCW during his time under contract to the American company that Tapia considers a highlight of his extensive career, "When I unmasked Pierroth," he explained.
In 1998, Parka challenged Pierroth, the grappler known around the world for his black and yellow mask, to a mask vs. mask match, one of the most important bouts in the lucha libre culture. La Parka won the match, and Pierroth revealed his face to the audience. Once in-ring rivals, Parka and Pierroth remain respectful friends today.
Before he left WCW in 2000, Tapia didn't appreciate the disrespectful way the Mexican athletes were treated, but enjoyed the financial aspect of the contract saying, "WCW gave me the chance to earn so much more money than as just a wrestler in Mexico."
Post-WCW, the skeleton-clad Tapia worked literally around the globe, wrestling for both AAA and CMLL in Mexico, tours of Japan, and even the American independent scene on occasion. A copyright dispute in the mid-2000s saw him make occasional variations to his name, such as L.A. Park, but fans in multiple countries still cheer for the famous wrestler.
Ironically, after more than thirty years as a performer, La Parka is still one of the hardest-working talents in the business, alternating between AAA and CMLL stints when he's not wrestling on the independent circuit in both Mexico and the United States. One aspect of his career went full circle in recent years when he returned to American TV for the Major League Wrestling group, where he traded the aerial style he was known for in the 90s for a wild brawling style in the modern era that received rave reviews from American fans in attendance.
He spoke enthusiastically on his MLW experience saying, "American companies, in particular MLW does not have the disrespect that WCW had, they love the Mexican MLW"
After more than three decades in the ring, La Parka proved that the right combination of skills, persona, and charisma can translate to any audience. He often did things his own way in his career on the path to become a legend in the sport. It's amazing that Tapia still works a nearly full-time schedule, but he can continue to thrill fans around the world. Still, the man known for the sinister skeleton mask is very appreciative for the opportunities that wrestling provided for him.
"I have won in MLW, to have fought in WCW, to be recognized in Japan, and to be the best Mexican wrestler are highlights for me," he said.
More than anything La Parka is an example of how both performers and fans from any country or any background can enjoy the sport of professional wrestling. In many ways, through its different styles and interpretations, professional wrestling is an international language that can be appreciated around the world.
Friday, June 28, 2019
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Stomping Grounds
This weekend, the Stomping Grounds pay-per-view is scheduled to take place without much buzz after an uninspiring build to the event in the past few weeks. The draw to the recycled Seth Rollins/Baron Corbin Universal title match is the yet-to-be-named special referee, which attempts to sell the potential of a shady title switch. Unfortunately, a Corbin championship victory would probably be met with less of a reaction than the build up to this pay-per-view. Side note, Corbin was portrayed for months as the flunky for the Authority that was "blamed" for the lackluster ratings so how exactly is he supposed to be perceived as a possible main event star now? This isn't meant as a jab at Corbin, but rather to point out that maybe management should consider how the booking decisions affect how a talent will be presented later on. Remember, earlier this year, Corbin had more TV time than most of the roster, and the sum total of that investment of TV time puts him at a lower mid-card position at best in terms of star power because he was made to look like a nobody when he was deemed "the reason the ratings declined" on TV after his stint as general manager. Despite the illogical nature of the 50/50 booking on Raw, those decisions make an impression beyond just a weekly basis.
Becky Lynch made history as the winner of the first women's main event at Wrestlemania, but it seems like a distant moment, even though it was less than three months ago. In fact, the argument could be made that Lynch is less over now than she was prior to the victory at the biggest event of the year. The infamous botched pin fall made the finish flat, and the discussion post-WM was more about Ronda's shoulder clearly being up than the potential of Becky Lynch's run as a double champion. Don't get me wrong, Lynch is very talented and deserves a better angle for the biggest exposure of her career, but ultimately, she hasn't had a compelling storyline to follow up the WM win. Perhaps, it was the lack of a one-on-one match with Ronda Rousey or any type of rematch. There just wasn't anything booked to continue the momentum of the main event win since WM.
Unfortunately, it's very possible that any momentum that Becky Lynch had from the Wrestlemania win might conclude at Stomping Grounds.
Lacey Evans, a former marine that started wrestling in 2014, signed a WWE deal just two years after she started in the sport. She spent a rather undistinguished year and a half on the NXT roster and didn't generate the following of other mainstays on the brand. When she debuted on the main roster in late-2018, she was more of a new commodity than a competitor with a background from NXT to build upon, which isn't necessarily a negative, but rather another aspect to the booking process because there wasn't previous hype to use to propel her to Raw. For several weeks, Evans randomly walked down the ramp before she returned backstage without any specific point to the appearance. In theory, it was used to get heat and it could've been effective, but that type of gimmick is inherently short-term. When it was overused, it became stale and her character was one dimensional.
According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, one of the reasons that Lacey Evans is a priority for WWE brass is because her background makes her a good representative of the company. If her military service is one of the reasons for her push toward the title picture, it's certainly not being highlighted as a major selling point on TV. Granted, she's a heel, but if the plan is to make her a star so she can be a good representative for the company then maybe she should be a baby face instead. Her background as a marine was only mentioned as a side note, with more of an emphasis on the nickname of "the sassy southern belle," but what exactly does that translate to for her persona? She's a heel that wears Kentucky derby hats?
Similar to her random appearances before she had matches on Raw, her promo style might be designed to get heat, but the robotic monotone deliver grinds the momentum of the show to a halt. It's possible that she can cut good promos, but with how those segments are scripted, it's more cringe worthy TV on a show that already has cringe worthy segments. While one of the reasons the WWE is the global company it is today is because of its ability to market different aspects of the product, the "branding" of the "sassy southern belle" is just a moniker they want to put on a t-shirt without any substance to add to her character.
Evans' match against Becky Lynch at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view was subpar, and her match with Charlotte on Raw a few weeks ago was a disaster so maybe she should've been given more time to develop on the NXT brand before she was rushed to the main roster. In theory, if she's a priority for management then it would make sense for them to try to book her in scenarios that would camouflage any potential weaknesses that might go along with her inexperience. However, at this point, she was booked in situations that more or less exposed the flaws in her in-ring ability.
At 29, the prime of Lacey Evans' career appears to be ahead of her, but as mentioned earlier, booking decisions can affect how the audience reacts to a performer later on. Essentially, Lacey Evans will make an impression based on how she does in front of a global television audience, and if she flops, it might be difficult for her career to rebound to be considered a star, which is why it's important that she's not put in scenarios that expose any possible flaws in the ring.
Since Lacey appears to be a project for the company, there's always a chance that they book her to win the title at Stomping Grounds, which more or less puts an end to Lynch's current run, as it was based on the "Becky two belts" gimmick. Lynch as a double champion with the ability to show up anytime to defend the title against anyone would've added to the fighting champion character. If Lynch drops the title, where exactly does she go from there? Sure, she won the main event of Wrestlemania, but she didn't main event another pay-per-view after that, and she might drop both championships after just two pay-per-views. In retrospect, WM 35 might be known as "Ronda Rousey's main event" if it's not used to propel Becky Lynch to a more prominent role in the company.
The common theme is that management didn't put these athletes in the best possible situation to be successful. You can't book Baron Corbin as "the reason ratings declined" then expect the fans to consider him a serious challenger for the Universal title. Lacey Evans might've been brought to the main roster too early and the walk out segments probably went on too many weeks so the fans tuned out when she was on stage. Plus, she was immediately booked in the title picture without a major push to establish herself as a contender for the champion. How many wins did Lacey Evans get on TV before the title match at the MITB pay-per-view? Becky Lynch was one of the most over on the roster prior to Wrestlemania, but hasn't been booked for too many major segments on TV so the momentum wasn't used effectively from the title win. There's a lot of criticism about the 50/50 booking, the scripted promos, and some of the storylines, but the lack of hype for the Stomping Grounds seems to be the result of an overall mismanagement of the product.
Becky Lynch made history as the winner of the first women's main event at Wrestlemania, but it seems like a distant moment, even though it was less than three months ago. In fact, the argument could be made that Lynch is less over now than she was prior to the victory at the biggest event of the year. The infamous botched pin fall made the finish flat, and the discussion post-WM was more about Ronda's shoulder clearly being up than the potential of Becky Lynch's run as a double champion. Don't get me wrong, Lynch is very talented and deserves a better angle for the biggest exposure of her career, but ultimately, she hasn't had a compelling storyline to follow up the WM win. Perhaps, it was the lack of a one-on-one match with Ronda Rousey or any type of rematch. There just wasn't anything booked to continue the momentum of the main event win since WM.
Unfortunately, it's very possible that any momentum that Becky Lynch had from the Wrestlemania win might conclude at Stomping Grounds.
Lacey Evans, a former marine that started wrestling in 2014, signed a WWE deal just two years after she started in the sport. She spent a rather undistinguished year and a half on the NXT roster and didn't generate the following of other mainstays on the brand. When she debuted on the main roster in late-2018, she was more of a new commodity than a competitor with a background from NXT to build upon, which isn't necessarily a negative, but rather another aspect to the booking process because there wasn't previous hype to use to propel her to Raw. For several weeks, Evans randomly walked down the ramp before she returned backstage without any specific point to the appearance. In theory, it was used to get heat and it could've been effective, but that type of gimmick is inherently short-term. When it was overused, it became stale and her character was one dimensional.
According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, one of the reasons that Lacey Evans is a priority for WWE brass is because her background makes her a good representative of the company. If her military service is one of the reasons for her push toward the title picture, it's certainly not being highlighted as a major selling point on TV. Granted, she's a heel, but if the plan is to make her a star so she can be a good representative for the company then maybe she should be a baby face instead. Her background as a marine was only mentioned as a side note, with more of an emphasis on the nickname of "the sassy southern belle," but what exactly does that translate to for her persona? She's a heel that wears Kentucky derby hats?
Similar to her random appearances before she had matches on Raw, her promo style might be designed to get heat, but the robotic monotone deliver grinds the momentum of the show to a halt. It's possible that she can cut good promos, but with how those segments are scripted, it's more cringe worthy TV on a show that already has cringe worthy segments. While one of the reasons the WWE is the global company it is today is because of its ability to market different aspects of the product, the "branding" of the "sassy southern belle" is just a moniker they want to put on a t-shirt without any substance to add to her character.
Evans' match against Becky Lynch at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view was subpar, and her match with Charlotte on Raw a few weeks ago was a disaster so maybe she should've been given more time to develop on the NXT brand before she was rushed to the main roster. In theory, if she's a priority for management then it would make sense for them to try to book her in scenarios that would camouflage any potential weaknesses that might go along with her inexperience. However, at this point, she was booked in situations that more or less exposed the flaws in her in-ring ability.
At 29, the prime of Lacey Evans' career appears to be ahead of her, but as mentioned earlier, booking decisions can affect how the audience reacts to a performer later on. Essentially, Lacey Evans will make an impression based on how she does in front of a global television audience, and if she flops, it might be difficult for her career to rebound to be considered a star, which is why it's important that she's not put in scenarios that expose any possible flaws in the ring.
Since Lacey appears to be a project for the company, there's always a chance that they book her to win the title at Stomping Grounds, which more or less puts an end to Lynch's current run, as it was based on the "Becky two belts" gimmick. Lynch as a double champion with the ability to show up anytime to defend the title against anyone would've added to the fighting champion character. If Lynch drops the title, where exactly does she go from there? Sure, she won the main event of Wrestlemania, but she didn't main event another pay-per-view after that, and she might drop both championships after just two pay-per-views. In retrospect, WM 35 might be known as "Ronda Rousey's main event" if it's not used to propel Becky Lynch to a more prominent role in the company.
The common theme is that management didn't put these athletes in the best possible situation to be successful. You can't book Baron Corbin as "the reason ratings declined" then expect the fans to consider him a serious challenger for the Universal title. Lacey Evans might've been brought to the main roster too early and the walk out segments probably went on too many weeks so the fans tuned out when she was on stage. Plus, she was immediately booked in the title picture without a major push to establish herself as a contender for the champion. How many wins did Lacey Evans get on TV before the title match at the MITB pay-per-view? Becky Lynch was one of the most over on the roster prior to Wrestlemania, but hasn't been booked for too many major segments on TV so the momentum wasn't used effectively from the title win. There's a lot of criticism about the 50/50 booking, the scripted promos, and some of the storylines, but the lack of hype for the Stomping Grounds seems to be the result of an overall mismanagement of the product.
Saturday, June 15, 2019
The economics of Impact
After Impact Wrestling's April pay-per-view event, I penned an article that discussed the reasons why it was the most well-produced and probably best event held under the Anthem banner. With all the well-documented turmoil the company had that spanned over different eras and different regimes, the post-Rebellion PPV buzz around the organization was the most positive news the group had in several years. It finally appeared that the group had a solid direction to progress forward, and that may still be the case for the property of The Fight Network.
However, some disappointing details surfaced recently about the Impact pay scale, which might shed some light on where the league stands in the crowded professional wrestling landscape. Recently, reports were posted online that Killer Kross, one of the featured grapplers for the current product, had requested his release from the promotion because his compensation for working there simply wasn't enough to provide a living wage. The 33-year-old athlete got a later start than most in the sport, debuting in 2014, but had a combat sports background before he began a career in sports entertainment. He garnered some notoriety for a stint in Mexico in AAA before he had a run in Lucha Underground and his debut for Impact last year. He returned to Mexico earlier this year, but isn't working a full-time schedule there. When he surfaced on Impact television last June, he was booked as the "mystery attacker," which was a lame introduction, but since that time, he proved himself as a compelling persona with solid in-ring skills.
When the story about his request for a release was posted online, it was said that $45,000 a year was offered to him as a raise from the previous amount. As a comparison, it was also reported that the $45,000 he was offered was less than most standard NXT contracts. Keep in mind, all this must be taken with a grain of salt because it's doubtful that those that published the initial story actually saw the paychecks of those particular talents. Still, the most important aspect that was eventually confirmed by Kross in an interview on the Wrestling Prospective podcast is that he isn't earning enough to make a living from Impact Wrestling. While a "living wage" can be subjective, there are still some general figures of what those who wrestle full-time are paid when under contract to a national organization. During the previously mentioned Wrestling Perspective podcast, Kross explained his situation in probably the most professional way possible, considering the personal nature of a financial deal that wasn't meant to be public. Kross emphasized that his initial request to renegotiate his contract was based of his family obligations, which is certainly understandable. It was also interesting to hear that he was lead to believe that a certain amount of money couldn't be offered to wrestlers signed to the company prior to this, but it was actually offered to others on the roster. Basically, it sounds like he was mislead about the amount of money the organization was willing to pay wrestlers under contract. He also explained that the contract he asked for was only to be comparable to others at his level on the roster.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that professional wrestlers are independent contractors and there are individual negotiations, but there are still general guidelines for specific promotions. For example, the highest paid regular on Raw will make more than the highest paid regular on Impact simply because of the scale of each company. The same way you'd assume that a talent under contract to a national company would make more there than on the independent scene. Considering that Impact has a roster of similar talent in terms of their TV experience and star power, it doesn't sound unreasonable that Kross requested to make similar money to others at his level. Granted, does that mean he will make as much money as Rob Van Dam? Probably not, but again, his explanation on the podcast didn't sound unreasonable. That being said, Impact management is within their right to decide if they want to release a talent or not. Kross knew the terms of the deal when he signed it and even if his personal situation changed, that doesn't automatically mean that Impact is somehow obligated to pay him more, which is probably the reason he requested his release so that he could seek better financial opportunities elsewhere.
To be clear, Impact Wrestling doesn't "owe" Killer Kross anything other than the money for his current contract. As unfair as it might seem, it's within their right to keep him under that deal if they choose until it expires. At the same time, the optics of the situation don't present the company in a favorable light, and it might be an indication of a more complex problem. Kross mentioned that the answer he was told when he expressed his financial struggles to management was to "get a second job" to supplement his income. This isn't a good look for the organization because how exactly is Kross supposed to be perceived as a star if he has to work at an office or stock shelves to afford to continue to wrestle for Impact? Kross cited another disappointing example when he said that Scarlett Bordeaux, who appears regularly for Impact, actually does have to work a second job outside of wrestling and still lives with her family to cover expenses.
In many ways, perception is reality and the perception appears to be that Impact Wrestling can't afford to pay some of its roster enough to be full-time wrestlers, which doesn't speak well for the promotion, especially when there are more options for talent now than in almost two decades. There's also the harsh reality of business in this scenario, in terms of Impact's ability to generate revenue, specifically after the TV show moved to the Pursuit channel at the beginning of the year. Sure, the show is also broadcasts on Twitch, but the online broadcast usually averages about 10,000 viewers while the Pursuit Channel airing garners roughly 12,000 when those numbers are reported so there's not really any major ad revenue to be made from the Impact TV show right now. Aside from ticket sales and possibly some merchandise, how exactly does the organization generate revenue?
At a time when TV rights fees and distribution are emphasized in pro wrestling, Impact doesn't have either of those right now. As far as business goes, the goal for Anthem Sports is to make a profit and it's possible that the only way to minimize the risks of losing money is to keep payroll lower. Make no mistake about it, if Anthem would lose money continuously with the Impact project then it would probably shut down the promotion so maybe the economics of Impact is what allows it to continue to run events. But, there's also an evolving wrestling landscape and unless Impact can find a solid audience to keep pace with WWE, AEW, New Japan, MLW etc. they might simply get squeezed out of the market. Don Callis and Scott D'Amore deserve a lot of credit for their ability to rescue the promotion from the brink of collapse, but the outside factors of the industry might prevent Impact from finding a profitable niche. As for Killer Kross, he had a tremendous bout against Davey Boy Smith Jr. at the Blood Sport show Wrestlemania weekend so even if he continues to work for Impact until his contract expires, he would be a solid addition to another company.
However, some disappointing details surfaced recently about the Impact pay scale, which might shed some light on where the league stands in the crowded professional wrestling landscape. Recently, reports were posted online that Killer Kross, one of the featured grapplers for the current product, had requested his release from the promotion because his compensation for working there simply wasn't enough to provide a living wage. The 33-year-old athlete got a later start than most in the sport, debuting in 2014, but had a combat sports background before he began a career in sports entertainment. He garnered some notoriety for a stint in Mexico in AAA before he had a run in Lucha Underground and his debut for Impact last year. He returned to Mexico earlier this year, but isn't working a full-time schedule there. When he surfaced on Impact television last June, he was booked as the "mystery attacker," which was a lame introduction, but since that time, he proved himself as a compelling persona with solid in-ring skills.
When the story about his request for a release was posted online, it was said that $45,000 a year was offered to him as a raise from the previous amount. As a comparison, it was also reported that the $45,000 he was offered was less than most standard NXT contracts. Keep in mind, all this must be taken with a grain of salt because it's doubtful that those that published the initial story actually saw the paychecks of those particular talents. Still, the most important aspect that was eventually confirmed by Kross in an interview on the Wrestling Prospective podcast is that he isn't earning enough to make a living from Impact Wrestling. While a "living wage" can be subjective, there are still some general figures of what those who wrestle full-time are paid when under contract to a national organization. During the previously mentioned Wrestling Perspective podcast, Kross explained his situation in probably the most professional way possible, considering the personal nature of a financial deal that wasn't meant to be public. Kross emphasized that his initial request to renegotiate his contract was based of his family obligations, which is certainly understandable. It was also interesting to hear that he was lead to believe that a certain amount of money couldn't be offered to wrestlers signed to the company prior to this, but it was actually offered to others on the roster. Basically, it sounds like he was mislead about the amount of money the organization was willing to pay wrestlers under contract. He also explained that the contract he asked for was only to be comparable to others at his level on the roster.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that professional wrestlers are independent contractors and there are individual negotiations, but there are still general guidelines for specific promotions. For example, the highest paid regular on Raw will make more than the highest paid regular on Impact simply because of the scale of each company. The same way you'd assume that a talent under contract to a national company would make more there than on the independent scene. Considering that Impact has a roster of similar talent in terms of their TV experience and star power, it doesn't sound unreasonable that Kross requested to make similar money to others at his level. Granted, does that mean he will make as much money as Rob Van Dam? Probably not, but again, his explanation on the podcast didn't sound unreasonable. That being said, Impact management is within their right to decide if they want to release a talent or not. Kross knew the terms of the deal when he signed it and even if his personal situation changed, that doesn't automatically mean that Impact is somehow obligated to pay him more, which is probably the reason he requested his release so that he could seek better financial opportunities elsewhere.
To be clear, Impact Wrestling doesn't "owe" Killer Kross anything other than the money for his current contract. As unfair as it might seem, it's within their right to keep him under that deal if they choose until it expires. At the same time, the optics of the situation don't present the company in a favorable light, and it might be an indication of a more complex problem. Kross mentioned that the answer he was told when he expressed his financial struggles to management was to "get a second job" to supplement his income. This isn't a good look for the organization because how exactly is Kross supposed to be perceived as a star if he has to work at an office or stock shelves to afford to continue to wrestle for Impact? Kross cited another disappointing example when he said that Scarlett Bordeaux, who appears regularly for Impact, actually does have to work a second job outside of wrestling and still lives with her family to cover expenses.
In many ways, perception is reality and the perception appears to be that Impact Wrestling can't afford to pay some of its roster enough to be full-time wrestlers, which doesn't speak well for the promotion, especially when there are more options for talent now than in almost two decades. There's also the harsh reality of business in this scenario, in terms of Impact's ability to generate revenue, specifically after the TV show moved to the Pursuit channel at the beginning of the year. Sure, the show is also broadcasts on Twitch, but the online broadcast usually averages about 10,000 viewers while the Pursuit Channel airing garners roughly 12,000 when those numbers are reported so there's not really any major ad revenue to be made from the Impact TV show right now. Aside from ticket sales and possibly some merchandise, how exactly does the organization generate revenue?
At a time when TV rights fees and distribution are emphasized in pro wrestling, Impact doesn't have either of those right now. As far as business goes, the goal for Anthem Sports is to make a profit and it's possible that the only way to minimize the risks of losing money is to keep payroll lower. Make no mistake about it, if Anthem would lose money continuously with the Impact project then it would probably shut down the promotion so maybe the economics of Impact is what allows it to continue to run events. But, there's also an evolving wrestling landscape and unless Impact can find a solid audience to keep pace with WWE, AEW, New Japan, MLW etc. they might simply get squeezed out of the market. Don Callis and Scott D'Amore deserve a lot of credit for their ability to rescue the promotion from the brink of collapse, but the outside factors of the industry might prevent Impact from finding a profitable niche. As for Killer Kross, he had a tremendous bout against Davey Boy Smith Jr. at the Blood Sport show Wrestlemania weekend so even if he continues to work for Impact until his contract expires, he would be a solid addition to another company.
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
New Japan Dominion
Last weekend, New Japan Pro Wrestling held its annual Dominion card, which became one of the biggest events on its calendar in recent years, second behind the Tokyo Dome show in January. Speaking of this year's Wrestle Kingdom, it was more or less the end of an era for the company when Cody, The Young Bucks, Adam Page, and arguably the most important foreigner at the time for the promotion, Kenny Omega departed in preparation for the launch of All Elite Wrestling. Plus, one of the group's most popular Jr. heavyweights, Kushida left after several years there to sign a WWE deal to work NXT. It goes without saying that the Japanese league lacked some depth after that many established stars left at the same time. Fortunately for the Bushiroad-owned group, some of the shifts in the genre and more specifically, the timing of them proved to be very beneficial. Aside from a stacked card, Dominion might be known as an important transitional event for the Japanese landscape. Since the show went over four and a half hours, instead of trying to discuss the details of each bout, let's focus on some of the most important aspects that can have an impact going forward for New Japan.
Just a few days prior to Dominion and less than two weeks after his surprise appearance at AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view, Jon Moxley made his New Japan debut at the Best of the Super Jr. Finals event to challenge another former WWE superstar, Juice Robinson for the IWGP US championship. It should be noted that Juice, who was completely disregarded during his time in NXT, found himself in NJPW and proved the skills he brings to the table. At a time when the company will need to establish as many wrestlers as possible to maintain depth, Juice has shown that he can deliver quality bouts in a featured spot. Moxley defeated Juice to win the championship for what was probably his best in-ring performance in at least two years. As detailed on the Jericho podcast, the former Dean Ambrose left the WWE very frustrated, and it seems like he wants to prove what he's capable of when given the opportunity. This run in New Japan and eventually AEW when the organization goes full-time in October is a chance for him to rejuvenate his career and start a fresh chapter to progress his career. It's almost unanimous that WWE brass missed the boat on fully utilizing Moxley's ability, but his run outside of the sports entertainment empire might show how misguided management was when he was under contract. While the addition of Moxely on at least a semi-regular basis adds to the previously mentioned depth to the roster, following his victory against Shota Umino at Dominion, he declared that the will enter the G1 tournament that starts next month. Jon Moxley as a participant in the tournament sets up for the possibility of several major bouts, but another key is that he will be advertised for the opening event of the G1 series that will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Keep in mind, many of the American stars that were associated with the NJPW expansion into the north American market left for the AEW project so promoting Jon Moxley fresh from WWE TV might be an important selling point for the Dallas event if an American crowd buys tickets for a familiar star on the card.
Another interesting announcement for the G1 saw Katsuyori Shibata, who works as a trainer after a serious injury from a head butt put him on the sidelines, introduce Kenta to the crowd. Kenta got on the mic to enter the tournament, which again adds another familiar name to an American audience ahead of the Dallas event next month. Kenta made his name with several stellar matches in Pro Wrestling NOAH and Ring Of Honor in the mid-2000s. He was also one of the competitors that kept NOAH afloat after the founder, Misawa passed away in 2009. After he inked a WWE deal in 2014, there were lofty goals for him based on his prior work, but ultimately injuries completely derailed any chances he had of establishing himself as a major star in the United States. Maybe the physical style he worked throughout his early career began to take its toll? Either way, it wasn't really his or even WWE's fault that his run on American television was lackluster, as it was basically injuries that kept him from getting any momentum at all. That being said, despite the injuries as the reason, the biggest exposure of his career was more or less a flop. So, similar to Moxley, Kenta has a chance to wipe the slate clean and get a fresh run in his career under the New Japan banner. The G1 is known for its grueling schdule and top-tier standards for match quality so it will be interesting to see if the 38-year-old grappler had the chance to fully heal and can keep pace with the others in the tournament.
The Kota Ibushi/Tetsuya Naito match was very similar to their match at Madison Square Garden, as it had a lot of fast-paced action and some insane risks. Particularly, there was a German suplex spot on the apron where Ibushi landed awkwardly and clipped his head off the apron before he hit the floor. I legitimately thought he broke his neck and I was very surprised that he continued the match. As of now, no injuries were reported, but it must be said that this match took things too far and it appears to be another major injury waiting to happen. There's a difference between pushing the envelope and just being dangerous. The risks in this match were simply foolish because two athletes as talented as Ibushi and Naito don't need to devolve into a stunt show to deliver compelling matches.
Chris Jericho returned to NJPW to challenge Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight championship, and while the result was mostly obviously because Jericho wouldn't have the schedule to work full-time for New Japan, his involvement still adds depth to these events. One of the few criticisms I will say about the Okada era is that I think Jay White dropped the belt way too early. He either shouldn't have won it yet or held the title for a lengthy run. At this point, regardless of Okada's incredible in-ring skill, he's had matches against almost every legitimate contender on the roster so where are his opponents for this run? Again, Jericho isn't necessarily in the championship conversation since he only works New Japan on a semi-regular basis, but his name value gives Okada a big time match on one of the company's marquee events. Post-match, Tanahashi made the save when Jericho attempted to use a table to set up an eventual bout. As mentioned several times, Jericho's ability to reinvent himself and stay relevant throughout different eras speaks volumes to his ability as a performer. While he can still go in the ring at 48, he's smart enough to know that trying to work high spot matches on a card that has some of the best aerial wrestlers in the world wouldn't stand out. Instead, he uses a physical style as a brawl to add a new dynamic to his matches. All things considered, this recent run and his full-time status for AEW puts Jericho in a very rare league with some of the most versatile wrestlers in the history of the industry. Similar to how Terry Funk continued to evolve, Jericho has done much of the same for the modern era.
At the start of the year, there was much speculation about the direction of New Japan after the AEW exodus, but quality bouts, a few key signings, and some wise booking provide stability for the organization. It helped add more depth to the roster and it certainly sets the stage for an interesting tournament in a few months.
Just a few days prior to Dominion and less than two weeks after his surprise appearance at AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view, Jon Moxley made his New Japan debut at the Best of the Super Jr. Finals event to challenge another former WWE superstar, Juice Robinson for the IWGP US championship. It should be noted that Juice, who was completely disregarded during his time in NXT, found himself in NJPW and proved the skills he brings to the table. At a time when the company will need to establish as many wrestlers as possible to maintain depth, Juice has shown that he can deliver quality bouts in a featured spot. Moxley defeated Juice to win the championship for what was probably his best in-ring performance in at least two years. As detailed on the Jericho podcast, the former Dean Ambrose left the WWE very frustrated, and it seems like he wants to prove what he's capable of when given the opportunity. This run in New Japan and eventually AEW when the organization goes full-time in October is a chance for him to rejuvenate his career and start a fresh chapter to progress his career. It's almost unanimous that WWE brass missed the boat on fully utilizing Moxley's ability, but his run outside of the sports entertainment empire might show how misguided management was when he was under contract. While the addition of Moxely on at least a semi-regular basis adds to the previously mentioned depth to the roster, following his victory against Shota Umino at Dominion, he declared that the will enter the G1 tournament that starts next month. Jon Moxley as a participant in the tournament sets up for the possibility of several major bouts, but another key is that he will be advertised for the opening event of the G1 series that will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Keep in mind, many of the American stars that were associated with the NJPW expansion into the north American market left for the AEW project so promoting Jon Moxley fresh from WWE TV might be an important selling point for the Dallas event if an American crowd buys tickets for a familiar star on the card.
Another interesting announcement for the G1 saw Katsuyori Shibata, who works as a trainer after a serious injury from a head butt put him on the sidelines, introduce Kenta to the crowd. Kenta got on the mic to enter the tournament, which again adds another familiar name to an American audience ahead of the Dallas event next month. Kenta made his name with several stellar matches in Pro Wrestling NOAH and Ring Of Honor in the mid-2000s. He was also one of the competitors that kept NOAH afloat after the founder, Misawa passed away in 2009. After he inked a WWE deal in 2014, there were lofty goals for him based on his prior work, but ultimately injuries completely derailed any chances he had of establishing himself as a major star in the United States. Maybe the physical style he worked throughout his early career began to take its toll? Either way, it wasn't really his or even WWE's fault that his run on American television was lackluster, as it was basically injuries that kept him from getting any momentum at all. That being said, despite the injuries as the reason, the biggest exposure of his career was more or less a flop. So, similar to Moxley, Kenta has a chance to wipe the slate clean and get a fresh run in his career under the New Japan banner. The G1 is known for its grueling schdule and top-tier standards for match quality so it will be interesting to see if the 38-year-old grappler had the chance to fully heal and can keep pace with the others in the tournament.
The Kota Ibushi/Tetsuya Naito match was very similar to their match at Madison Square Garden, as it had a lot of fast-paced action and some insane risks. Particularly, there was a German suplex spot on the apron where Ibushi landed awkwardly and clipped his head off the apron before he hit the floor. I legitimately thought he broke his neck and I was very surprised that he continued the match. As of now, no injuries were reported, but it must be said that this match took things too far and it appears to be another major injury waiting to happen. There's a difference between pushing the envelope and just being dangerous. The risks in this match were simply foolish because two athletes as talented as Ibushi and Naito don't need to devolve into a stunt show to deliver compelling matches.
Chris Jericho returned to NJPW to challenge Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight championship, and while the result was mostly obviously because Jericho wouldn't have the schedule to work full-time for New Japan, his involvement still adds depth to these events. One of the few criticisms I will say about the Okada era is that I think Jay White dropped the belt way too early. He either shouldn't have won it yet or held the title for a lengthy run. At this point, regardless of Okada's incredible in-ring skill, he's had matches against almost every legitimate contender on the roster so where are his opponents for this run? Again, Jericho isn't necessarily in the championship conversation since he only works New Japan on a semi-regular basis, but his name value gives Okada a big time match on one of the company's marquee events. Post-match, Tanahashi made the save when Jericho attempted to use a table to set up an eventual bout. As mentioned several times, Jericho's ability to reinvent himself and stay relevant throughout different eras speaks volumes to his ability as a performer. While he can still go in the ring at 48, he's smart enough to know that trying to work high spot matches on a card that has some of the best aerial wrestlers in the world wouldn't stand out. Instead, he uses a physical style as a brawl to add a new dynamic to his matches. All things considered, this recent run and his full-time status for AEW puts Jericho in a very rare league with some of the most versatile wrestlers in the history of the industry. Similar to how Terry Funk continued to evolve, Jericho has done much of the same for the modern era.
At the start of the year, there was much speculation about the direction of New Japan after the AEW exodus, but quality bouts, a few key signings, and some wise booking provide stability for the organization. It helped add more depth to the roster and it certainly sets the stage for an interesting tournament in a few months.
Saturday, June 8, 2019
The Undertaker vs. Goldberg
The WWE has become a revolving door of mediocrity.
At a time when it's become the "cool thing" to take jabs at WWE and claim that All Elite Wrestling will somehow reignite the Monday Night Wars, let's take a second to make a few statements before this discussion. AEW has the potential to become competition to the sports entertainment empire. All Elite's goal should be to generate revenue and become profitable, which is what actually determines success from a business prospective. Assuming that All Elite's Tuesday night show in October will automatically get better ratings than Raw or Smackdown is misguided. The more important aspect is that All Elite is set up to make money, which can gives wrestlers and fans options. That said, the WWE has $2.4 billion in TV rights for the next five years so the company is secure and they aren't in any jeopardy, but are they taking the short-end money to sacrifice the future? More specifically, after the conclusion of this mega TV contract, who will be the legitimate money-drawing stars in five years?
I've written before about the philosophy of the brand as the draw as opposed to any particular star and the pros and cons of it. However, as the recent ratings have shown, the audience isn't increasing and the reason for that has to do with the fact that the brand is the selling point. The brand is an intangible, an important intangible, but still an intangible of the industry. How exactly does the WWE brand draw in new fans? The "brand first" philosophy inherently isn't designed to bring new viewers to the product. Is someone that isn't currently a wrestling fan going to see "Monday Night Raw" listed on their cable guide and randomly decide that's something they want to watch? The characters are ultimately what brought new fans to wrestling, and not allowing those personas to be the center piece of the product is what will limit the amount of people that discover it. When the MTV audience saw Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper, that made new fans, not simply the WWF logo. When a main stream audience took notice of Stone Cold and The Rock, a record-setting number of viewers watched the show. As cool as the famous "scratch logo" was, that alone wasn't the reason people tuned in.
As I mentioned in an article last week, the WWE monopoly has led to a level of complacency within the company. That complacency and the 50/50 booking of the product doesn't lend itself to star power or compelling television, which leads to the slump in recent ratings. One of the many short-term solutions for a much more complex problem was Brock Lesnar's potential cash-in of the MITB contract. After the third week in a row, Lesnar had Seth Rollins motionless in the ring on Raw this past week, but decided that Super Showdown was a better time to cash-in the title shot. There was no explanation and given that despite the suggested injuries on Raw, Rollins was able to defeat Baron Corbin before he prevented Lesnar from the cash-in at Super Showdown, doesn't this make Lesnar look rather silly for giving the champion a few days to recover? Isn't the championship supposed to be theoretically the most important aspect on the show? Why wouldn't Brock get the championship at the first opportunity to (in theory) maximize his payoff for his next title defense? The way this entire angle was booked is illogical and makes one of the legitimately highest paid in the company look foolish. Wasn't Brock supposed to be the "real fighter" on the roster? Where this goes from here is anyone's guess, but after a fourth bait-and-switch, how is there any buzz for the eventual cash-in for a title match?
The Kofi/ Dolph match was solid, but completely inconsequential to the WWE title or the Smackdown brand. It's not as though this angle will propel Ziggler into the main event picture again. If anything, Dolph will do the job again at the next pay-per-view and then probably disappear from WWE TV while the company pays him to not wrestle anywhere else. This bout was representative of most of the show as a whole, it's inconsequential to the rest of the product. It's basically a televised house show, which is fine except for the fact that it was promoted as an "equivalent" to Wrestlemania. If that is how this event is pushed on TV then there must be some standards for the quality of the show.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of this entire situation is that many websites reported that Alexa Bliss vs. Natalya was scheduled for the event, but was cancelled when they Saudi government didn't allow it because of the restrictions they have towards women in the country. For the past few years, the WWE has tried to market its "women's revolution" as a way to give the female athletes the rightful platform that they deserve within the sport. However, despite the fact that talented women like Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and others legitimately deserve that chance, WWE's "women's revolution" was more of a PR gimmick than anything else. If the WWE truly wanted the women to be represented then they could've said there was no deal unless the women had the chance to compete. The bottom line is, the "women's revolution" or anything it supposedly represents wasn't as important as the money the Saudi government paid for the WWE to be propaganda for publicity. Ted DiBiase was right, everyone's got a price, even Vince McMahon.
Speaking of Saudi money, the government paid millions of dollars to get The Undertaker and Goldberg to return to the ring for the main event. First it should be noted that the promo they did on Smackdown to hype this match was tremendous, and it speaks volumes about the current landscape of the company when two aging legends in their 50s can promote a match better than the rest of the roster in their prime. That being said, the bout was roughly eight minutes and went about five minutes too long. Goldberg got cut and might've been knocked out at one point during the contest, at least that's what he tweeted after the match. When the Undertaker went for a tombstone, Goldberg's head legitimately hit the canvas and it looked very dangerous. After that, Goldberg went for a jackhammer and almost dropped The Undertaker on his head, which was followed up with the sloppy finish to the match that saw The Undertaker get the win. Don't get me wrong, I respect everything that Undertaker has done in his career, he dedicated his life and sacrificed his body for professional wrestling. He has absolutely earned the right to decide when he officially retires, but that doesn't make it any less sad to watch these types of matches. This Undertaker/Goldberg contest was embarrassing and concerning to watch at times because there was the risk of serious injury from some of the botches that happened in this match.
So, following an event that paid the company millions of dollars, there's not much buzz to help the already declining ratings for Raw next week. Brock Lesnar was used for another bait-and-switch angle, which has probably already peaked, two legends looked like a sad shell of themselves, and the company that's already worth nearly a billion dollars would rather take the money to be used as a propaganda tactic for a government that admittedly murdered a journalist than promote an event at a location where women could wrestle or Sami Zayn could be welcomed at the building. There's really nothing from this event that speaks well about the perception of the WWE brand, which as mentioned earlier, is pushed as the primary selling point of the company.
At a time when it's become the "cool thing" to take jabs at WWE and claim that All Elite Wrestling will somehow reignite the Monday Night Wars, let's take a second to make a few statements before this discussion. AEW has the potential to become competition to the sports entertainment empire. All Elite's goal should be to generate revenue and become profitable, which is what actually determines success from a business prospective. Assuming that All Elite's Tuesday night show in October will automatically get better ratings than Raw or Smackdown is misguided. The more important aspect is that All Elite is set up to make money, which can gives wrestlers and fans options. That said, the WWE has $2.4 billion in TV rights for the next five years so the company is secure and they aren't in any jeopardy, but are they taking the short-end money to sacrifice the future? More specifically, after the conclusion of this mega TV contract, who will be the legitimate money-drawing stars in five years?
I've written before about the philosophy of the brand as the draw as opposed to any particular star and the pros and cons of it. However, as the recent ratings have shown, the audience isn't increasing and the reason for that has to do with the fact that the brand is the selling point. The brand is an intangible, an important intangible, but still an intangible of the industry. How exactly does the WWE brand draw in new fans? The "brand first" philosophy inherently isn't designed to bring new viewers to the product. Is someone that isn't currently a wrestling fan going to see "Monday Night Raw" listed on their cable guide and randomly decide that's something they want to watch? The characters are ultimately what brought new fans to wrestling, and not allowing those personas to be the center piece of the product is what will limit the amount of people that discover it. When the MTV audience saw Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper, that made new fans, not simply the WWF logo. When a main stream audience took notice of Stone Cold and The Rock, a record-setting number of viewers watched the show. As cool as the famous "scratch logo" was, that alone wasn't the reason people tuned in.
As I mentioned in an article last week, the WWE monopoly has led to a level of complacency within the company. That complacency and the 50/50 booking of the product doesn't lend itself to star power or compelling television, which leads to the slump in recent ratings. One of the many short-term solutions for a much more complex problem was Brock Lesnar's potential cash-in of the MITB contract. After the third week in a row, Lesnar had Seth Rollins motionless in the ring on Raw this past week, but decided that Super Showdown was a better time to cash-in the title shot. There was no explanation and given that despite the suggested injuries on Raw, Rollins was able to defeat Baron Corbin before he prevented Lesnar from the cash-in at Super Showdown, doesn't this make Lesnar look rather silly for giving the champion a few days to recover? Isn't the championship supposed to be theoretically the most important aspect on the show? Why wouldn't Brock get the championship at the first opportunity to (in theory) maximize his payoff for his next title defense? The way this entire angle was booked is illogical and makes one of the legitimately highest paid in the company look foolish. Wasn't Brock supposed to be the "real fighter" on the roster? Where this goes from here is anyone's guess, but after a fourth bait-and-switch, how is there any buzz for the eventual cash-in for a title match?
The Kofi/ Dolph match was solid, but completely inconsequential to the WWE title or the Smackdown brand. It's not as though this angle will propel Ziggler into the main event picture again. If anything, Dolph will do the job again at the next pay-per-view and then probably disappear from WWE TV while the company pays him to not wrestle anywhere else. This bout was representative of most of the show as a whole, it's inconsequential to the rest of the product. It's basically a televised house show, which is fine except for the fact that it was promoted as an "equivalent" to Wrestlemania. If that is how this event is pushed on TV then there must be some standards for the quality of the show.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of this entire situation is that many websites reported that Alexa Bliss vs. Natalya was scheduled for the event, but was cancelled when they Saudi government didn't allow it because of the restrictions they have towards women in the country. For the past few years, the WWE has tried to market its "women's revolution" as a way to give the female athletes the rightful platform that they deserve within the sport. However, despite the fact that talented women like Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and others legitimately deserve that chance, WWE's "women's revolution" was more of a PR gimmick than anything else. If the WWE truly wanted the women to be represented then they could've said there was no deal unless the women had the chance to compete. The bottom line is, the "women's revolution" or anything it supposedly represents wasn't as important as the money the Saudi government paid for the WWE to be propaganda for publicity. Ted DiBiase was right, everyone's got a price, even Vince McMahon.
Speaking of Saudi money, the government paid millions of dollars to get The Undertaker and Goldberg to return to the ring for the main event. First it should be noted that the promo they did on Smackdown to hype this match was tremendous, and it speaks volumes about the current landscape of the company when two aging legends in their 50s can promote a match better than the rest of the roster in their prime. That being said, the bout was roughly eight minutes and went about five minutes too long. Goldberg got cut and might've been knocked out at one point during the contest, at least that's what he tweeted after the match. When the Undertaker went for a tombstone, Goldberg's head legitimately hit the canvas and it looked very dangerous. After that, Goldberg went for a jackhammer and almost dropped The Undertaker on his head, which was followed up with the sloppy finish to the match that saw The Undertaker get the win. Don't get me wrong, I respect everything that Undertaker has done in his career, he dedicated his life and sacrificed his body for professional wrestling. He has absolutely earned the right to decide when he officially retires, but that doesn't make it any less sad to watch these types of matches. This Undertaker/Goldberg contest was embarrassing and concerning to watch at times because there was the risk of serious injury from some of the botches that happened in this match.
So, following an event that paid the company millions of dollars, there's not much buzz to help the already declining ratings for Raw next week. Brock Lesnar was used for another bait-and-switch angle, which has probably already peaked, two legends looked like a sad shell of themselves, and the company that's already worth nearly a billion dollars would rather take the money to be used as a propaganda tactic for a government that admittedly murdered a journalist than promote an event at a location where women could wrestle or Sami Zayn could be welcomed at the building. There's really nothing from this event that speaks well about the perception of the WWE brand, which as mentioned earlier, is pushed as the primary selling point of the company.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Jon Moxley signs for AEW
Just a few weeks ago, I penned an article about the decline of viewership across the board of the WWE product and explained some of the possible reasons for the slip in the ratings. Instead of a spontaneous and organic presentation, the reported rigid scripting of the television shows seemed stale. I also discussed how the illogical attempts at a short-term solution to boost numbers only muddied up the waters even further than the angles that don't keep viewers in the first place.
Granted, that was just my two cents on the subject based on my opinion of the show, and to be fair, the interpretation of professional wrestling can be very subjective.
However, Jon Moxley's appearance on the "Talk is Jericho" podcast revealed that much of the speculation around the management of the sports entertainment empire is justified by actual discontent from the performers under contract. It was an intriguing, revealing, and somewhat concerning look into the process of the WWE system. Some might compare Moxley's vent session to that of CM Punk's infamous post-WWE podcast that resulted in a lengthy lawsuit, but what the former Dean Ambrose expressed seemed more based on his experiences than simply sour grapes. Keep in mind, Ambrose opted not to resigned with the company, he didn't walk out, but rather worked the duration of his contract, which gives his explanation for his departure more objectivity.
Still, some of his revelations about the sports entertainment empire will make you shake your head. Specifically, how uncomfortable he was with the use of Roman Reign's real-life health problems in heel promos. I've said this many times before, but if the WWE has to use such low brow tactics to get heat than the writing team might need to place a higher priority on the quality of the product. In fact, Ambrose mentioned that there was a particular line that he completely refused to use about Roman's condition because of how distasteful he thought it was to be said on TV. Speaking of scripts, Ambrose also detailed how the process under the WWE banner works and that one of his main gripes with the company was the subpar writing. He explained that on one occasion he was so dissatisfied with the script he was given for that night's television that he told the writer that brought it to him to "hire actors" if they wanted the promo delivered verbatim on Raw. Obviously, the weekly broadcast is a major product and there are definitely certain time cues that must be used to allow for the commercials and advertisements that are a part of the reason WWE was offered such major TV deals. At the same time, the biggest stars in the history of the industry brought their particular style to promos, and it's very possible that the format of the current system actually hinders the ability of a talent to get over as much as possible with the audience, which might be why the company lacks legitimate money-drawing stars.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the podcast was Moxley's take on Vince McMahon, the owner that took the WWF from a regional north east promotion and made the WWE into the global publicly-traded company it is today. Moxley referred to Vince an "alleged genius" and an "old man" that doesn't know what's over with the crowd. The notion that Vince is behind the times is nothing new and a common complaint on social media when jaded fans don't agree with the direction of the product. However, Moxley's direct approach to this subject sounded like it had more validity to it because he had specific experience to speak on it. While Vince's dedication and work ethic can't be questioned, the possibility that the company he built might be better without his approval of every aspect is somewhat uncharted territory. Despite some of the valid criticisms of his decisions over the years, there was always a sense of stability with Vince running the show, mostly because of the previously mentioned work ethic. Obviously, the organization will be stable for years because of the amount of money generated, but it's still an odd suggestion for Vince not to be involved in the company he created. That being said, if Vince isn't the best director of the promotion at this point, it creates a unique problem for the company because he will work for the rest of his life so it's doubtful there will be a drastic change in the structure of the product. Vince has bet right a lot more often than wrong throughout his ownership, but perhaps it would be beneficial for someone to limit the amount of cringe worthy segments that somehow get booked for TV.
Some of the lame segments that made Ambrose look "sitcom crazy" instead of legitimately dangerous more or less ruined his chances to be pushed as a top-tier star in the company. This scripting didn't maximize his potential or his ability as a performer. Moxley called these type of segments embarrassing and depressing, which contributed to his decision not to renew his contract. Quite simply, Vince's immature sense of humor isn't entertaining to anyone except him and in this scenario, it might've been one of the factors that led to one of his main stars to leave the company. Another interesting quote from Moxley was, "they take wrestling away from you," which ultimately speaks to the main difference between a sports entertainment company and a pro wrestling company. As I've written before, the WWE monopoly created an unintended sense of complacency around the organization and the assembly line structure basically sanitizes much of TV product. It's very possible that Jon Moxley could reach his fullest potential under the All Elite Wrestling banner simply because he will have the freedom to make the most of the opportunities there. The biggest question from all of this is, has the current WWE structure gotten too far away from the format that allowed some of the most popular eras for the company? More specifically, could a writer have truly scripted success for Stone Cold or The Rock in the Attitude Era?
Finally, it was notable that Ambrose said that Vince "paid Brock millions to ruin his company." This is something that I have to agree with, even if it's not at that level, considering that I wrote an article two years ago about the diminishing returns of the Lesnar experiment. More than anything, the "limited schedule for rare appearance" theory became a justification for weekly TV without a champion to build angles. But, later this week Brock is scheduled to be involved in the title picture at the Saudi show so clearly McMahon thinks Lesnar is worth the investment. At this point, I'm not sure what the big payoff is supposed to be with Brock because much of the shine has worn off of him and the way he's booked has become repetitive and stale.
Again, none of this is doom for the WWE because the company will be stable for years, but Moxley's explanation for his departure gives credibility to some of the criticism of the current product. It also allows for an intriguing situation in the future if AEW gets off the ground, will some talent decide to work there instead? If AEW allows for more options for talent it could provide better opportunities and a possible shift of the industry.
Granted, that was just my two cents on the subject based on my opinion of the show, and to be fair, the interpretation of professional wrestling can be very subjective.
However, Jon Moxley's appearance on the "Talk is Jericho" podcast revealed that much of the speculation around the management of the sports entertainment empire is justified by actual discontent from the performers under contract. It was an intriguing, revealing, and somewhat concerning look into the process of the WWE system. Some might compare Moxley's vent session to that of CM Punk's infamous post-WWE podcast that resulted in a lengthy lawsuit, but what the former Dean Ambrose expressed seemed more based on his experiences than simply sour grapes. Keep in mind, Ambrose opted not to resigned with the company, he didn't walk out, but rather worked the duration of his contract, which gives his explanation for his departure more objectivity.
Still, some of his revelations about the sports entertainment empire will make you shake your head. Specifically, how uncomfortable he was with the use of Roman Reign's real-life health problems in heel promos. I've said this many times before, but if the WWE has to use such low brow tactics to get heat than the writing team might need to place a higher priority on the quality of the product. In fact, Ambrose mentioned that there was a particular line that he completely refused to use about Roman's condition because of how distasteful he thought it was to be said on TV. Speaking of scripts, Ambrose also detailed how the process under the WWE banner works and that one of his main gripes with the company was the subpar writing. He explained that on one occasion he was so dissatisfied with the script he was given for that night's television that he told the writer that brought it to him to "hire actors" if they wanted the promo delivered verbatim on Raw. Obviously, the weekly broadcast is a major product and there are definitely certain time cues that must be used to allow for the commercials and advertisements that are a part of the reason WWE was offered such major TV deals. At the same time, the biggest stars in the history of the industry brought their particular style to promos, and it's very possible that the format of the current system actually hinders the ability of a talent to get over as much as possible with the audience, which might be why the company lacks legitimate money-drawing stars.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the podcast was Moxley's take on Vince McMahon, the owner that took the WWF from a regional north east promotion and made the WWE into the global publicly-traded company it is today. Moxley referred to Vince an "alleged genius" and an "old man" that doesn't know what's over with the crowd. The notion that Vince is behind the times is nothing new and a common complaint on social media when jaded fans don't agree with the direction of the product. However, Moxley's direct approach to this subject sounded like it had more validity to it because he had specific experience to speak on it. While Vince's dedication and work ethic can't be questioned, the possibility that the company he built might be better without his approval of every aspect is somewhat uncharted territory. Despite some of the valid criticisms of his decisions over the years, there was always a sense of stability with Vince running the show, mostly because of the previously mentioned work ethic. Obviously, the organization will be stable for years because of the amount of money generated, but it's still an odd suggestion for Vince not to be involved in the company he created. That being said, if Vince isn't the best director of the promotion at this point, it creates a unique problem for the company because he will work for the rest of his life so it's doubtful there will be a drastic change in the structure of the product. Vince has bet right a lot more often than wrong throughout his ownership, but perhaps it would be beneficial for someone to limit the amount of cringe worthy segments that somehow get booked for TV.
Some of the lame segments that made Ambrose look "sitcom crazy" instead of legitimately dangerous more or less ruined his chances to be pushed as a top-tier star in the company. This scripting didn't maximize his potential or his ability as a performer. Moxley called these type of segments embarrassing and depressing, which contributed to his decision not to renew his contract. Quite simply, Vince's immature sense of humor isn't entertaining to anyone except him and in this scenario, it might've been one of the factors that led to one of his main stars to leave the company. Another interesting quote from Moxley was, "they take wrestling away from you," which ultimately speaks to the main difference between a sports entertainment company and a pro wrestling company. As I've written before, the WWE monopoly created an unintended sense of complacency around the organization and the assembly line structure basically sanitizes much of TV product. It's very possible that Jon Moxley could reach his fullest potential under the All Elite Wrestling banner simply because he will have the freedom to make the most of the opportunities there. The biggest question from all of this is, has the current WWE structure gotten too far away from the format that allowed some of the most popular eras for the company? More specifically, could a writer have truly scripted success for Stone Cold or The Rock in the Attitude Era?
Finally, it was notable that Ambrose said that Vince "paid Brock millions to ruin his company." This is something that I have to agree with, even if it's not at that level, considering that I wrote an article two years ago about the diminishing returns of the Lesnar experiment. More than anything, the "limited schedule for rare appearance" theory became a justification for weekly TV without a champion to build angles. But, later this week Brock is scheduled to be involved in the title picture at the Saudi show so clearly McMahon thinks Lesnar is worth the investment. At this point, I'm not sure what the big payoff is supposed to be with Brock because much of the shine has worn off of him and the way he's booked has become repetitive and stale.
Again, none of this is doom for the WWE because the company will be stable for years, but Moxley's explanation for his departure gives credibility to some of the criticism of the current product. It also allows for an intriguing situation in the future if AEW gets off the ground, will some talent decide to work there instead? If AEW allows for more options for talent it could provide better opportunities and a possible shift of the industry.
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