A Bronx Tale

When I saw the chance to write about a film here, I was thrilled because much like the drama that unfolds in other forms of entertainment, movies can have such a deep layer of meaning beyond just the run time on-screen. I was introduced to "A Bronx Tale" in my middle school years when my dad put a copy that he taped from HBO into the VCR, one of my home recorded movies we watched together at the time.

Formulated from Chazz Palminteri's one-man stage show show that began its run off-broadway in 1989, the film is a semi-autobiographical account of Palminteri's childhood in the Bronx in the 1960s. My dad, who grew up in Braddock, Pennsylvania, a steel town just outside of Pittsburgh, around the same era often drew comparisons to the environment that beamed through the television. The late Grandma LaMotta was full-blooded Italian and her recipes are still made today through my dad's cooking skills, as he slices bread and reminds me to stir the sauce, something fans of another De Niro film, Goodfellas, can appreciate.

Speaking of the legendary De Niro, he not only played a powerful role opposite of  Palminteri's gangster character, Sonny, but was also critical to getting the film made. After Chazz garnered rave reviews for his ability to play several different parts during the course of the stage show, he received offers from studios for the rights to the story. He insisted on writing the screenplay and to play the previously mentioned Sonny, the neighborhood mob leader that served as an intriguing and complex fixture of the narrative. When studios still persisted for only the rights and the ability to cast their own star, Chazz walked, leaving considerable money on the table to stay true to his vision of what he thought the New York saga should be. Shortly afterwards, De Niro attended the stage show and was impressed with Palminteri's performance, offering him the chance to write the screen play for the production that De Niro himself would direct.

The 1993 release chronicles the youth of Calogero, a young boy that innocently pals around his Bronx neighborhood and idolizes the Yankee's Mickey Mantle. As Calogero sits on the front steps of his apartment building, an argument breaks out over what appears to be a parking spot. After someone gets cracked with a baseball bat, Sonny halts the incident with the shot to the aggressor's head. The Mickey Mantle fan always admired Sonny's magnetic presence from afar, but it wasn't until those gun shots rang out in the streets that he locked eyes with the Mafia boss. The cold, calculating stare only relinquishes Calogero from its grasp when Lorenzo, the boy's father played by De Niro, scoops him from the cement steps to hustle him up to their apartment to avoid any connection to the murder.

Moments later, the police arrive and claim that those on the street saw the boy witness the crime and ask him to identify the shooter. As Calogero looks into the eyes of the line-up of wise guys, even he knows that the code of those Bronx streets is never to rat. After the offices begrudgingly dismiss him, The young boy asks his father if he did a good thing, and Lorenzo replies, "yeah, you did a good thing for a bad man," a subtle nod to a theme that plays out during the narrative between the balance of morality and legality. Following the save, Sonny's crew offers Lorenzo, the name and occupation based on Palminteri's real-life father, a job dropping off numbers on his bus route. The $250 a week was an hefty sum in that era, but the upstanding Lorenzo politely declines because he doesn't want to  put his legitimate job as a city bus driver in jeopardy. Calogero often rode on that same bus route with his father, who delivered one of the iconic lines of the film in the form of advice to his son, "the saddest thing in life is wasted talent."

Still, Calogero's silence gained him favor with the charismatic boss, and Sonny sends one of his crew to fetch him as he worked on his bicycle from the safety of his stoop. Just down the street, he finds himself inside the neighborhood bar where the mafia crew hangs out. After Sonny formally introduces himself, the young boy asked him if he really shot the man in the street over a parking space. The powerful figure replied in an almost caring tone, "when you get older, you'll understand," another central theme in the film. This is also the scene where Calogero gets his first street lesson, as Sonny asked if he was a Yankee fan and the young boy explains his admiration for the previously mentioned Mickey Mantle. Sonny's harsh, but realistic response was, "Is Mickey Mantle going to pay your rent? Mickey Mantle don't care about you, why should you care about him? Nobody cares, nobody cares"

As time goes on, Sonny takes the boy under his wing, allowing him to serve coffee at their club and earn generous tips for it. In one of the scenes that shows the complex side of Sonny, after Calogero goes on a roll when invited to throw dice, the mafia leader tells him to get home because it was getting late and gives him a portion of the winnings. He also gave him the nickname Cee, another subtle element of foreshadowing of an eventual conflict. When the blue collar Lorenzo, who works long hours on his bus route to provide for his family, discovers Cee's cash and finds out where it was from, he attempted to return the money before an argument ensued with Sonny at the mafia club. The two men wouldn't speak again for eight years.

The next scene finds Lillo Brancato Jr. as Cee eight years older, now in high school, emulating the style of the mafia boss that schooled him on the ways of the streets during the time that passed. Cee's childhood friends became a few of the neighborhood hoodlums that Sonny eventually warned him about. Lorenzo still dutifully keeps his bus route and invited his son along when he spotted him sitting on the sidewalk with his crew of friends. Cee, not wanted to be embarrassed by his dad, begrudgingly accepts the invitation to join him for a few stops. As Lorenzo's jazz blared from his radio on the bus, Cee was memorized by Jane, a beautiful African American girl played by Taral Hicks. Her bright smile, beaming eyes, and glowing complexion are contrasted with the racial tension of the era as Cee's inner thoughts can be heard, "she was tall, she was beautiful, and she was classy, but she was black, and that was a no-no in my neighborhood"

As Cee exits the bus and his father continues the route, the mafia crew are waiting for him on the corner. Lorenzo and Sonny exchange tense nods of acknowledgement as the hard-working bus driver disapproves of his son's association with the mob leader. Eventually, Cee runs into Jane outside their school and offers to walk her home. On the few blocks they travel from the school, they make plans to see a movie the next day. As the approach Webster avenue, the black section of the Bronx, there's another reminder of the racial divide of the time. Jane finishes the final block herself, but agrees to their plans for the movies. When Cee catches up to his hoodlum neighborhood friends later that day, they jump a few black kids riding their bikes through the white section. Cee tries to disguise one of the victims and doesn't actually throw any punches. Following the brawl in the streets, Cee seeks advice from Sonny, who inexplicably drives backwards for blocks while delivering this life lesson. As he peers over his shoulder to continue his reverse travel, Sonny has a rather causal response to the revelation that Jane is black. When Cee expresses discontent with what his childhood friends might say, Sonny explains that half of them will end up dead or in jail anyway. The mafia kingpin goes on to explain that how the two care about each other is all that matters, and passes on the knowledge of "the door test." He tells Cee he can borrow his car to pick up Jane.

With Sonny's assurance, Cee plans to meet up with Jane as scheduled, but not before Sonny catches those same neighborhood friends attempting to buy guns from a neighborhood lowlife. Sonny smacks a few of them around and gives Cee a verbal warning about guns not making a tough guy. The next day as Cee carefully shaves his chin, he asked Lorenzo what he thought about going out with black girls and claims he was asking for a friend. Lorenzo replies with precautionary advice before telling his son to be careful, a small gesture that lets the audience know that the father knew the son meant this advice for himself. The movie night never got started as the planned meeting spot became a place of confrontation as one of the kids jumped in the white neighborhood was Jane's brother, Willie. Cee attempted to explain that he tried to help, but Jane storms off, and Cee delivers Sonny's car back before he disappointingly shuffles back to his apartment.

Lorenzo saw his son behind the wheel of the mob leader's car and confronts him about it before an argument ensues. Lorenzo reiterates that Sonny can't trust anyone, something that the naive teenage vehemently disagrees with. As Cee goes to seek refuge in the bar, Sonny snatches him outside the club and slams him against a wall, demanding to know where he took the car. It was revealed that a bomb was planted on the engine, but didn't detonate as designed. Cee tearfully proclaims his innocence and says that Sonny was like a father to him. The kingpin relinquishes his leather jacket and the distraught youngster shuffles down the street where his friends are now in a car and invite him for the ride. Lorenzo witnessed the confrontation and demands to know what happened to his son. Sonny's goons hold Lorenzo back and the mob leader delivers one punch to the stomach, sending the blue collar bus driver to the pavement.

Inside the car, Cee's friends plan further retaliation on the black section of the Bronx with a dozen molotov cocktails ready. As Jimi Hendrix's "Along the Watchtower" accompanies the ride, again the viewing audience can hear Cee's inner thoughts as he reflects upon the advice that Sonny and his father gave him, advice from two different men with a common theme of his best interest in mind. As Cee is conflicted about how to get out of the situation, another car cuts off the youngsters and Sonny appears, demanding that Cee get out of the car. Sonny issues a final warning to the hoodlums to stay away from his protege. On the ride back to the club, Cee asked Sonny if he even thought that he and Jane could've inadvertently been killed by the car bomb. Sonny acknowledges that he knows Cee didn't set it up, but the teenager is betrayed by his mentor's lack of trust and refuses to follow him into the club. Instead, he catches up with Jane, who went to his house to reveal that her brother admitted that he did actually try to shield him from the previous attack. As they walk down the street, Cee and Jane share a kiss, a sign of  the beginning of their relationship.

Suddenly, Cee realizes that her brother might be in danger from the planned molotov attack and hurried to the record store of the black section. When they arrived, they discover that the hoodlums' plan backfired and the car exploded, killing everyone inside. Sonny's earlier interception had saved Cee's life. He makes peace with Willie and tells Jane he has to go find Sonny. Cee runs all the way to the club, where a massive party is going on. As Cee makes his way through the crowded bar, Sonny is smiling and waved him through. Cee notices someone isn't smiling and it was that man that shoots Sonny in the back of the head, as the club erupts in chaos. It's revealed that the man that shot Sonny was the son of the man he killed eight years earlier in front of Cee's house during the apparent parking space dispute.

Sonny's funeral scene is what can be expected of most mob funerals, lavish floral arrangements and his contemporaries causally talking as if the departed wasn't even in the room. An ironic "nobody cares" aspect to the scene. Eventually, Cee finds himself alone in the funeral home after the others have left. He tells Sonny how his life was saved and his plans to start a relationship with Jane. A cameo from the legendary Joe Pesci takes place as he enters the viewing room in a suit. During their brief exchange, he tells Cee that he will look over the neighborhood for a while and points to a scar on his head, a reminder that he was the other man involved in the baseball bat incident that began Cee's entire association with Sonny. After Pesci's character exits, Lorenzo emerges in the funeral parlor to pay respects to the man that saved Cee. The teenager apologizes to his father if he ever made him feel overlooked and the two resolve the earlier apartment dispute. Lorenzo speaks to Sonny in the casket and said that he never hated him, but rather mad that he made his son grow up so fast. After Lorenzo thanks Sonny for saving his kid's life, Cee tells Sonny, "nobody cares? you were wrong about that one. See you around" before he uses Sonny's famous three-finger hand gesture. As Lorenzo and his son leave the funeral home, the father says, "Come on, Cee let's go home," an acknowledgement of acceptance for his son as more than just the young kid on the front steps. The film encompasses many different contrasts as it traces the path of the Bronx youth. Lorenzo and Sonny, the racial divides and then eventually the common aspects seen within each of them. 

Palminteri's stage show continues today in the form of a full-cast musical and is currently touring various cities. De Niro paired up with director Martin Scorsese and fellow screen legend Al Pacino again to get the previously mentioned Pesci to emerge from retirement for this year's "The Irishman," an epic saga produced by Netflix with a limited run in theaters before wide distribution on the streaming service. In an ironic incident of life intimating art, Lillo Brancato Jr., who appeared in half a dozen episodes of the second season of The Sopranos, saw his seemingly promising career derailed following a series of unwise decisions. The allure of show business led him into drug problems and that eventually saw him arrested for drug possession in 2005. Later that year, during an attempted burglary, Brancato Jr. and an accomplice tried to break into a house when an off-duty police officer tried to stop them. The criminal with Brancato Jr. shot the officer, who later died. The accomplice was convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole. Brancato Jr. was convicted of first-degree attempted burglary and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but received parole in 2013. Lorenzo was right, the saddest thing in life is wasted talent.

The Survivor Series

Tonight's Survivor Series event, the pay-per-view with the most history behind it, second only to Wrestlemania. The fall tradition was originally based around Thanksgiving, which was a staple of the pro wrestling calendar in the 80s. Much like Wrestlemania around the mid-point of the year and Summer Slam after that Survivor Series was considered the top show of the fall. The original selling point for the pay-per-view in the 80s was the tag matches that were assembled to represent all-star teams, but even as the concept evolved to allow for more continuity with the format, the traditional five-on-five tag was a fun match for the show.

Unfortunately, the 2019 edition brings with it mostly indifference as a product that didn't have a clear direction for most of the year appears to be even more disjointed than usual ahead of this weekend's events. First, I find the entire concept of "brand superiority" to be somewhat silly and illogical because it's tough to sell the importance of a particular brand as the winner when it's all under the same umbrella, which is part of the reason the original brand extension flopped. Are the fans really supposed to be sold on the fact that the brand that wins will make any difference in the narrative going forward? In theory, what is truly at stake with these matches?

Speaking of the brands, what was the point of the draft just last month if the next major angle was going to bring stars for every brand on each show? How exactly is anyone supposed to be considered "brand exclusive" when that was only actually followed for a few weeks? Remember how nonsensical things were with the wild card rule a few months ago?

When All Elite Wrestling was scheduled to debut on TNT, Vince McMahon wisely counted on Wednesday nights, moving NXT from the streaming WWE Network to USA, which put a similar style head-to-head with Dynamite. While this is an example of how competition fuels the industry, WWE brass might've jumped the shark when they shoehorned the NXT brand into the Survivor Series equation as an attempt to get those particular stars more main stream exposure to boost viewers on USA. An advertisement on Raw or Smackdown makes sense because it lets the biggest WWE audience know about the show, but this current angle with three brands has only further muddied the waters of already diluted programming.

The actual card is overbooked and too convoluted with three triple threat matches and two traditional Survivor Series tag matches. Won't the third triple threat match on the card become too repetitive? Along with that, the existing feuds were more or less paused to book these tag matches, and the brand t-shirts during confrontations make the competitors look like brawling softball teams, it doesn't emphasize some intense rivalry.

I'd rather not write something that sounds too negative, but in my opinion, the entire concept of brand vs. brand is lazy booking used as an excuse for a pay-per-view because the product has almost nothing truly compelling about it right now. Seth Rollins is presented as a whiny baby face and his tweets don't do anything to help that perception. Bray Wyatt was arguably the most over performer on the roster until the historically terrible finish at the HIAC pay-per-view and then the title win was at a Saudi Arabia show nobody watched. Even as the Universal champion, how much momentum does The Fiend have right now? Daniel Bryan's status as a heel or a baby face wasn't established in recent weeks on Smackdown.

As far as a storyline, Brock Lesnar vs. Rey Mysterio has the most behind it and in theory, could be the best match on the show in terms of in-ring action, but after the one-dimensional monster push that Brock had, do you think Vince McMahon is really going to book Rey to win the title? Again, what's at stake at one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year?

This is where the 50/50 booking and illogical storylines come back to bite the booking team. Most of the product has become repetitive and stale to the point where the audience knows that the results don't really matter because there's either going to be a rematch the next night on Raw or eventually the same angle will be recycled. All of this is an illustration of what happens when the results don't matter, and that's the perception that very few on the roster are over with the audience. The WWE brand and its stock holders get the push and the publicity. The individual stars are booked like interchangeable parts in the WWE machine so there's a level of mediocrity in terms of the star power on the roster. If the stars were booked  as important and the results of the matches had a direct impact on the direction of the product then the events that feature the stars would have a better selling point to try to get the audience to want to watch the to see the results.

The Survivor Series will probably be close to four hours because similar to the brand vs. brand concept being used as a crutch for lazy booking, WWE brass books longer shows to attempt to present them as "major events." The translation of that is these marathon shows eventually drag at some point and there probably be a better quality presentation if the shows were kept at a more reasonable format. Adam Cole vs. Pete Dunne is scheduled for the NXT championship after Cole took an insane bump at the conclusion of the War Games match. Perhaps, Cole/Dunne won't steal the show at Survivor Series because of the physical toll of the matches yesterday, but the NXT format provides an interesting example. Granted, the in-ring product is apples to oranges compared to Raw or Smackdown because it's marketed toward a different demographic. However, the fact that NXT delivered a quality show within two and a half hours is proof that a four-hour show is required for a memorable event.

As mentioned previously, the biggest reason for the lack of hype for the Survivor Series is probably that nothing is really at stake. If Raw wins the traditional team match, what's the difference? How does that change or progress the product compared to a Smackdown win? It's disappointing and somewhat surprising that the WWE has three brands and dozens of wrestlers on the roster, but only a portion of them are over enough with the audience to make a different in the perception of an event because of the structure of the product.

The Jim Cornette controversy

When Billy Corgan, widely-regarded  as one of the best musical talents of his generation and known as the front man for the Smashing Pumpkins, purchased the rights to the National Wrestling Alliance, I didn't know what it could actually be used for. Since Ted Turner bought Jim Crockett Promotions, the major promoter of the NWA name, in 1988 and later changed the name of the organization to World Championship Wrestling, the actual NWA more or less floundered around with a few independent promoters claiming they were a part of the National Wrestling Alliance since that time. It was often disappointing to see small cards with 50 people in attendance attempt to associate themselves with the initials that were once the most powerful in the industry. Even TNA's use of the title belt didn't necessarily represent a new age for the organization, but rather a way to get a new project noticed in 2002 before they dropped it in exchange for their own championship roughly five years later.

So, I was skeptical about what could actually be done with anything named NWA as far as a product in 2019. However, I was very happy to see that Corgan and former WWE writer, Dave Lagana had found their own niche in the current crowded wrestling landscape, producing NWA Power, a roughly 45-minute show posted on Youtube that has garnered stellar reviews. The format blends the throwback of the traditional studio show with the modern technology of the internet to present a unique presentation to the audience. With Nick Aldis as heavyweight champion and underrated performers like Eddie Kingston on the roster, a compelling product has made an impact in a relatively short time with an upcoming pay-per-view and another set of tapings next month. If the project gets off the ground on a bigger scale remains to be seen, but it's certainly a solid start and a lot more than anyone else probably could've done with the NWA.

Along with the old school elements that decorate the program, the controversial and legendary manager, Jim Cornette worked as a commentator for the show. Cornette, who made much of his legacy under the JCP banner, is known as one of the most insightful minds of the history of professional wrestling, including an absolutely astonishing memorabilia room in his house with items from several decades.

Unfortunately, the former manager of the Midnight Express has become just as known, if not more well known in recent years for his outrageous podcast sound bytes or profanity-laced tweets than his fast-paced prose in promos or swing the racket at ringside.

His hatred for perennial goof Vince Russo and the nonsensical booking that tanked WCW in 2000 is well-documented. While it's understandable that most would agree that Russo's "Judy Bagwell on a pole" match helped bankrupt a multi-million dollar company, Cornette's boarder-line obsessive hatred of Russo seemed unhealthy in recent years. While that internet feud raged in some form or fashion since the two worked together in the WWF in the late-90s, The Louisville slugger remains a lightening rod online for his divisive opinions on the modern industry.

On the surface, the NWA position appeared to be a perfect fit for him, as it was as old school as a modern product could get and the environment allowed him to fully utilize his  legendary verbal skills. However, similar to many of his other recent comments, Cornette put himself amid more controversy when he blurted out a rather tasteless joke that sounded very racist during the Nick Aldis/Trevor Murdoch match during this week's edition of the NWA Power show.

Part of Jim Cornette's usual response to these types of incidents is that people are just too sensitive and misinterpret the things he says as too literal. Does Cornette's misspoken "joke" automatically mean that he's a hateful racist? No, but he made a reference to fried chicken and Ethiopia, a country in Africa so it's obvious why this remark would be considered racist. In fact, that's really the only logical way that particular remark could be interpreted so what exactly did Cornette expect the reaction to be? At best, Cornette made a really dumb reference and an even dumber decision when he thought the statement would somehow be effective in a wrestling show.

The online backlash is only the most recent toward the former manager, as he made an insensitive reference to suicide (something he had done before on Twitter about Kurt Cobain) toward Progress ring announcer, Jim Smallman on social media earlier this month, and the NWA issued an apology for that. The National Wrestling Alliance also posted an apology for Cornette's Ethiopia comments and announced his resignation from the organization, a story that was picked up by different media news outlets, including TMZ.

This is all just days after he made headlines for his claim that All Elite Wrestling ring announcer Justin Roberts looks like he should be registered to be around kids, implying that Roberts looked like a predator. Cornette brushed it off on his podcast, and while the comment was probably just another jab toward AEW because of Cornette's hatred for most of the AEW roster, Justin Roberts, who Cornette mentioned he has no animosity toward, didn't deserve those comments.

The bigger point here is that Jim Cornette, with all the knowledge and insight that he could contribute to the business, has basically made himself unemployable to any major wrestling company. His famous temper saw him depart ROH years ago, his beef with Russo (fairly or unfairly) led to his release in TNA. His stint with MLW earlier this year was brief and he later had criticism toward some of the performers on that roster. Obviously, his most recent comments along with other things he said in the past probably also put him off the list for WWE because it's a publicly traded company.

Is the entire sports entertainment world wrong or has Jim Cornette at least occasionally taken things too far?

In many ways, it takes effort to get ousted from nearly every major company of the modern era. Some have claimed that Cornette's rants are all a work to carter to his audience and generate sells through his website, including a graphic novel that sold very well recently. It's very possible that the "anger old man yelling at the clouds" routine is just a gimmick, but even then, is it worth it?

Jim Cornette has become more well-known for his hatred of almost everything modern than he is for his legendary career. His podcast is fueled by "wait until Cornette vents about this" than the tremendous knowledge he has about the history of the industry. I hate to say it, but I think the "Cornette rants" have finally jumped the shark and tarnished some of his legacy with the continuous controversial comments. I want to make it very clear, I respect everything that Jim Cornette has done in the wrestling industry and still think he's one of the brightest minds of the sport, but at some point, it needs to be said that things have gone too far. About a year and a half ago, I had a very polite e mail exchange with him when I asked about his collectibles site, and mentioned to him that I met Big Bossman, who he worked with in the 80s, when I was younger after one of the surgeries that I had. Cornette thanked me for telling him and said he always enjoyed remembering him.

So no, this isn't the typical Cornette rebuttal, but more to point out that the NWA incident is probably the last major platform that he will have and on some level that's sad. I guess, it's mostly because he has so much insight to offer to professional wrestling. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of Joey Ryan either, but if he can make a living with his gimmick, good for him, that's capitalism. I don't hold a personal grudge against him, I just choose not to watch most of his matches. Cornette's disdain for anyone that doesn't agree with his philosophy about the sport is almost illogical when he takes it to such an extreme level. Again, maybe this is all designed to play to his audience and it brings him a nice income in his later years so he doesn't have to travel or hustle autographs at card shows like other characters from the 80s.

I know this article might be met with venom from Cornette or his fan base, but that's honestly not the intention here. However, if Cornette declares I should be boiled in oil then that would put me in decent company with names like Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks etc. Do I think Jim Cornette is a racist? No, but when a remark makes media outlets and overshadows what the NWA has built in the past few months, perhaps even the verbal Mozart should consider what he says before he delivers one of his trademark rants. Granted, Jim Cornette shouldn't care or be concerned with anything I write in this article, but he also has the knowledge to be a much more influential force than just a renegade podcast on Youtube.

Jim Cornette rightfully said for years that Vince Russo was a clown show so  it's somewhat ironic that Cornette has become a TMZ headline.

WWE release requests

Just a few days ago, Oney Lorcan publicly announced that he requested his release from the WWE, putting him as the latest on the list of performers that have expressed the ability to exit the company. So, is this trend a bigger indication of the status of the company?

Lorcan, the former Biff Busick, made a name for himself all across the independent scene before he inked a WWE developmental deal in 2015. Despite notable in-ring ability and just over four years under contract, Lorcan hasn't really been given the chance to do anything of substance in the organization. Sporadic appearances for NXT and NXT UK only yielded him one match at a Takeover event, a multi-team ladder match. Other than that, he hasn't been featured or had any major storylines at any point in his WWE tenure. He had a handful of appearances for the 205 Live show, which garners about as much exposure of the witness protection program. At 33, Lorcan should theoretically be in the prime of his career so unless management has some type of meaningful plans for him then it doesn't make sense for him or the company to stay under contract. Don't get me wrong, Lorcan is a talented athlete, but he might've gotten typecast as a utility worker because he isn't known for his promo ability. The automatic answer in the current sports entertainment climate is for an underutilized talent to jump to All Elite Wrestling, but considering that there's still a portion of their roster that hasn't been established on TV yet, Lorcan might be better suited for either New Japan or Ring Of Honor, where he can avoid being lost in the shuffle. Hopefully, he gets the release because it's very doubtful his role will change, even with the public request on social media.

Speaking of social media, Sin Cara also took to Twitter to announce that he also officially requested to release from his deal. This seems like an easy decision for everyone involved because management can simply do the same thing they did when Mistico, the original Sin Cara, left the company, and put someone else under the mask to portray the character. WWE owns the rights to the persona, which is the only perceived value of the gimmick and it's not as though they've invested a lot of TV time into the current competitor under the mask so there's really nothing to lose to allow him to walk away from the Sin Cara character. That being said, it's puzzling why the company continues to recycle the gimmick with different athletes using the mask because it hasn't gotten over as early as Mistico botching several moves in nearly every match. Perhaps, the mask does well for merchandise sales, but either why, it would be the right call to grant the request and find someone else to put under the mask for episodes of main event or an occasional Raw appearance.

Luke Harper wanted to leave just a few weeks after Wrestlemania earlier this year, but was denied. Of the athletes that recently wanted to quit the company, Harper is probably the best example of someone that mismanaged by the writing team. They had the perfect combination of Harper and Rowan as the stablemates of Bray Wyatt, but when the booking beat Wyatt into powder and disbanded the group, none of the trio regained the momentum it originally had. In fact, despite the in-ring ability, the mic skills, and magnetic charisma, Bray had to be completely repackaged as the Fiend to have any chance to get over again. Harper has the size that WWE looks for and can go bell-to-bell, but doesn't have polished mic skills, which is why it made sense for Bray to cut promos for the stable. With as agile as Luke Harper is and the look that he has, there's no reason he isn't used more prominently in some form or fashion on WWE programming. According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, Harper's deal will expire in roughly six months because of time added from when he was on the sidelines with a wrist injury. At 39, he's probably at the latter stage of his career so it doesn't make sense for him to fade into obscurity just to get a WWE pay check. He made a brief return a few months ago to team with Rowan in the Daniel Bryan feud,but hasn't been seen on television after that. This is a scenario where AEW would probably be the best bet for him in his post-WWE career because of the skills previously mentioned. It would be very interesting to see him compete against those athletes without some of the restrictions of the WWE style.

Mike Kanellis is a unique scenario because rumors of a potential request to leave the company surfaced earlier this year before it was reported that he signed a new five-year contract with the promotion. However, just last month, Kanellis took to social media to publicly express his intent to leave the organization. After he debuted in mid-2017, he disappeared from television to go to rehab and he has subsequently stayed clean, which is great for him. But, it also stalled his momentum and when he returned, the novelty of a new face had worn off so he was regulated to secondary programming. A few months ago after Paul Heyman took the role of executive director for Raw, Mike and Maria resurfaced on the brand for a rather embarrassing angle that was dropped a shortly after that. At this point, his character was made to look like a fool and he has no star power under the WWE banner. Unfortunately, in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really make a difference if Mike Kanellis is under WWE contract or not. While he worked for ROH and TNA previously, he didn't necessarily have a major run as far as a main event star in either promotion. A lot of the hype around him was always based on his potential to be a major star, but it looks like that potential wasn't realized on the global stage of WWE. At 34, he's still young enough to theoretically have a solid career, but even with a release, considering the damage the most recent storyline did to his character, what exactly does he bring to the table for other promotions? Plus, he signed a five-year deal after rumors of a possible release before that so he knew what he was asking for when he signed a new contract. Basically, unless management looks to cut the budget at some point in the future, Kanellis might just have to accept his role as a relative non-factor in the industry while he collects a WWE payday.

The ACH controversy in recent weeks is a very complex situation, and most of it is based on his personal opinion about how the WWE conducted business, which he certainly has the right to his opinion. He was very vocal about an offensive t-shirt designed, but later apologized for lashing out about it, including some offensive comments about ROH star, Jay Lethal. When it appeared that the situation was resolved with the WWE's decision not to sell the t-shirt that was the basis of the problem, ACH posted a profanity-laced video on Twitter to announce that he quit the company. During a Q&A on Twitter a few days ago, ACH explained his reasoning for the prior video and explained that he deals with mental health issues, as well as plans for the future. Mostly importantly, I hope that ACH is doing okay with the mental health issues that he mentioned because that's definitely more important than anything to do with professional wrestling. I've seen a wide array of opinions on this subject on social media, but nobody can tell ACH how he should or shouldn't react to a situation. If he was insulted by a t-shirt design then he has the right to express it. At the same time, it would also be unfair to label everyone involved  with the WWE as the same thing. ACH mentioned on Twitter that he wasn't legally allowed to sign elsewhere yet so it seems like he's still under contract at the moment, but it would probably be better for everyone involved if he could continue his career in a different promotion.

So, what does the list of release request say about the company?

Truthfully, it doesn't really say anything about the promotion because there have been disgruntled wrestlers as long as there has been a wrestling business. Someone dissatisfied with their spot or booking isn't anything new. No, there isn't some mass exodus among the WWE roster, despite the Meltzer narrative that is designed more to cater to his audience than anything else. That being said, the requests for releases is another aspect of the competition in the business because there are more options in the industry.

New Japan Pro Wrestling of America

Last month, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced its subsidiary group in the United States, New Japan Pro Wrestling of America, an organization that plans to run events on a regular basis in the western market. Last weekend, NJPW ran its first set of events in San Jose and Los Angeles respectively. The San Jose show featured the final match on US soil for the legendary Jushin "Thunder" Liger, who will retire from the sport after a 35-year career at the Tokyo Dome in January.

While expansion into the American market was a priority for the Japanese league since it was purchased by Bushiroad in 2012 and there was increased distribution through the New Japan world streaming service and live events, a regular schedule in the country is a completely different level. There are many different aspects to such a project and several different variables that could impact the effectiveness of the group in the United States.

New Japan has rightfully garnered rave reviews in the past several years for tremendous matches, but will that translate into full-time success in the United States?

One of the biggest hurdles of expansion for NJPW or any other wrestling entity in 2020 will be the crowded landscape in America, as WWE continues its regular tour schedule, and All Elite Wrestling attempting to build its brand as a second truly national organization. While some of the very diehard demographic might attend multiple events within the span of a few weeks, realistically, there's only so much fans are willing to spend on a "wrestling budget" regardless of if that cash goes to pay-per-views or live event tickets. All Elite is trying to carve itself a piece of the pie, while Vince McMahon will do everything he can to retain as much of his turf as possible, and make it as difficult as possible for AEW to gain ground, which is why he's as successful as he is in the industry. At the same time, Ring Of Honor is looking to replenish the roster and remain a draw after many of its top-drawing acts left prior to the formation of the previously mentioned AEW. The recent Joey Mercury controversy that prompted questions about ROH's financials and stability might be an indication of the increased competition.

Don't get me wrong, New Japan has some of the best wrestlers in the world on its roster, but that doesn't automatically translate to success in a new market. Domestically, NJPW surged in popularity under the Bushiroad banner, but the product is structured based on the Japanese culture. For the New Japan product to standout in the United States, it must be as authentic to the New Japan style as possible, but that intrinsically makes it a niche product in America, which is fine if it's profitable. The problem is, much of the diehard fan base that follows the Japanese scene already has options that cater to them. For example, if the draw of a show is based on the in-ring action then AEW, NXT, and ROH try to present that as a selling point. Considering that All Elite is bringing as much of that philosophy as they can to get off that ground on TNT and NXT is doing the same to counter it on USA, the argument could be made that there's more main stream availability to products with the in-ring action as the selling point now than any other time in the history of the industry.

Aside from the options of the modern era, as simplistic as it sounds, there are some aspects to the New Japan expansion that are based on the logistics of geographical locations. Keep in mind, Japan is nearly a day a head of the United States as far as the time zones so the travel for talent to work on both continents on a continuous basis might be a very challenging task. When the project was announced, NJPW said that there will be roughly two dozen events scheduled for next year and will continue it's current Japanese schedule as well. I would say that this is a tough scenario for the roster because the New Japan style is very physical and very risky so is it realistic to expect the roster to travel literally around the globe on a regular basis to compete in those type of matches?

Another aspect to consider is the increased schedule could increase potential injuries. While the work load is balanced in Japan as epic 30-minute bouts are often followed with easier multi-person tag matches on the same tour, that booking style won't draw as well in the United States. Culturally, Japanese fans consider it a draw just to see top stars like Tanahashi or Okada on the card, even if they work less time in the ring in a tag match. American fans are usually sold on events based on particular match-ups, not just who is booked for the card. For example, a 10-man tag isn't as much of a selling point in the US as it is in the native country. This is where the US shows must be booked with substance as opposed to just the sizzle of the Japanese names live because eventually the novelty of New Japan in America will wear off if shows are run on a regular basis. Tickets to these NJPW live events are usually expensive because of the costs to bring the shows to the United States with the travel costs for talent etc. Possibly the most important question of this entire situation is will this venture be profitable?

In some ways, it might be a wise decision to keep the shows as "special events" a few times a year instead of a few shows a month to boost the New Japan World revenue. On the flip side, if NJPW can find a profitable niche in the western market then the Japanese group would be the only group in the world that can run live events on two different continents on a regular basis in the industry.

The Billy Graham situation

This is a subject that I could've and probably should've written about at some point during the past few years, but I always decided against it because it's usually not a good look to criticize a legend of the sports entertainment industry, especially a former star in less than great health.

However, recent statements made by WWE Hall of Famer, "Superstar" Billy Graham were so ridiculous that the topic should be addressed. As is well-known, Graham, former bodybuilder and WWWF champion in the golden era in the sport, was one of the most influential personas in the history of the industry. The blue print for Hulk Hogan's national run in the 1980s and Scott Steiner's stint at the top as a heel in WCW in 2000s was formed by Graham decades earlier. Along with Hogan and Steiner, many others borrowed from Superstar's playbook, either through his Ali-inspired promos or ring attire.

At a time when grizzled brutes or slick technicians comprised much of the main event scene in the business, "Superstar" Graham brought a flair of style to the squared circle, putting the entertainment in the sports entertainment phrase. While others such as Gorgeous George used a flamboyant presentation in the ring during a previous generation, Graham's super hero physique made him a very popular draw, despite his status as a villain during his heyday in the late-70s.

Sadly, after he dropped the WWWF title to Bob Backlund in 1978, the abrupt halt of his place at the top of the card seemed to do damage to Graham that he might've never truly recovered from. As was documented in his 2006 autobiography, Billy Graham tumbled into drug problems and years of steroid abuse ravaged his once-chiseled body, prompting a liver transplant in 2002. After his title reign, he attempted various comebacks, including a complete change to his signature look, but the sizzle was never recaptured. The karate pants and clumsy judo chops of the mid-80s didn't compare to the charismatic grappler that was clad in tye dye the prior decade. By 1988, he had a brief stint as an announcer, but again, the spark that he was known for throughout his prime just wasn't there.

While Graham has always been a controversial and somewhat infamous figure in his post-wrestling career, some of his recent statements are ludicrous. After NXT champion, Adam Cole's stellar bout against Daniel Bryan a few weeks ago on Smackdown, Graham posted his "suggestions" on his facebook page for Cole to be taken seriously as a champion in the WWE. Billy Graham not only criticized smaller champions of the modern era, but went as far as to suggest that Cole use steroids to enhance his body. Graham cautioned that the NXT champion "not abuse" steroids and he said that Triple H could show Cole how to use them properly.

So, Billy Graham suggested that Triple H, the real-life Paul Levesque, who is an executive of a globe, publicly-traded company, should advise a performer that is subject to the wellness policy to do steroids. Furthermore, Graham makes this claim when he is a precautionary tale himself for the harmful effects of steroids. It's ironic that Billy Graham currently has a Go Fund Me page because he can't afford medical treatment for his numerous health problems because of steroid use, but he claims that steroids are the answer for one of the most talented competitors currently on the roster.

Is Billy Graham insane?

No, he's just a complete and total hypocrite. I would guess that his latest opinion on the industry is nothing more than an attempt to get himself some type of publicly to attempt to garner awareness for his financial problems. Keep in mind, this stunt is only the most recent of Graham's extensive track record of misinformed statements. During the steroid scandal of the early 90s that led to a slump in the business, Graham was one of those that appeared on the infamous episode of the Phil Donahue show and claimed to validate the rumors of steroid distribution through the WWF office. However, after he was signed to a WWE "consultant" job and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004, including a book and DVD deal during that time, he admitted that he lied about the accusations against the company. So, either Graham lied about those accusations because he had a grudge against the company because he didn't remain employed as an announcer in 1988 or he changed his story for the pay check in 2006. Either way, Graham has zero credibility.

The trend continued for the legend, as after he was released from the consultant job in 2009 because of budget cuts, he once again began to criticize the company. Eventually, he signed a legends deal that allowed for merchandise to be sold through the WWE shop website, but he became the subject of controversy yet again in 2015 when he publicly lobbied for the NXT job that Dusty Rhodes had just days after the American Dream passed away.  It appeared that Graham was trying to do anything possible to secure another job with the organization. Earlier this year, he made headlines because he criticized Kofi Kingston's title win based on the current era of smaller champions.

Taking nothing away from Superstar Graham as a performer, he's a legend of the ring and had a very influential run in the sport, he's track record outside of the ring is much different. Graham changed his stance on a subject based on if a payday was in it for him. As far as giving advice to do steroids to the current roster, his situation shows the lack of thought in it. One of the reasons that Billy Graham is 76 years ago and financially destitute is because of his decisions to do drugs and abuse steroids throughout his wrestling career so he probably shouldn't attempt to give advice to anyone in the sports entertainment industry.

The career of Calvin Couture

"Success is related to standing out, not fitting in."

That wise quote was spoken on screen by Jon Hamm's Don Draper character on the opening episode of the second season of the drama "Mad Men," the television series that chronicled the happenings of a Madison Avenue agency in the 1960s. Despite the fictional and throwback setting, Draper's word translate very well to the real-life aspects of the entertainment industry.

While much of the golden age of the professional wrestling industry was known for grizzled brutes or scarred wild men, it was the iconic Gorgeous George that stood out in the land of mayhem through his slick maneuvers and pageantry, propelling him as one of the most well-known figures of that era through the media of television.

When the Pittsburgh-based grappler Calvin Couture discovered the unique genre of professional wrestling, it was a very typical experience. However, where it led him is anything but typical. Similar to many from his demographic, the young Couture found the sport in the early 90s through formative episodes of Monday Night Raw. While the glow of the neon entrance way beamed through the screen, the colorful outfits and larger-than-life personas that battled in the ring made a profound impression on him.
  
"I remember falling in love with wrestling when Monday Night Raw started on USA and from then on out it has been a journey since. I always remember Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty being early influences," Calvin explained.

As time progressed and Couture found success in other aspects of his life, he found himself drawn to the sports entertainment world that he remained glued to through his life. In fact, the televised cards that were such a big part of his youth weren't enough for his passion for the industry so he ventured to live matches as well, attending International Wrestling Cartel events held in Elizabeth, PA, a suburb of the steel city. Watching those bouts in-person also made their mark on him, prompting him to take a chance to chase a dream of his own, stepping into the squared circle the same way his wrestling idols had during those influential broadcasts of Raw.

"In all honesty, I was at a time in my life where I felt I needed to take a leap into something that I’ve always loved," Couture commented.

Ironically, Calvin found himself at the IWC's Iron City Training Academy for his introduction to the in-ring aspects of sports entertainment, the same way that IWC introduced him to the concept of the independent scene. Always mindful of his health and dedicated to exercise routines, Couture found the tedious process of landing on the canvas repeatedly less demanding than some of the mental hurdles of self doubt as the pursuit of glory in the squared circle seemed like a daunting task.

"I had always been a fan of the International Wrestling Cartel and you may even see a young Calvin in the crowd at some events so IWC was always where I wanted to be. Training is challenging physically, but for me it was very mental. No one is going to believe what you are doing if you don’t believe in yourself," he said.

In early 2017, a lifetime of fandom led Calvin Couture, now-dubbed "The Fashionista of Professional Wrestling," to his pro debut against another steel city standout, Andrew Place. The event was held  at the  Shannock Valley Youth Center in Rural Valley, PA, and as the name implies, the site of this showcase wasn't exactly the Manhattan Center that hosted early Raw, but the opportunity meant just as much to the aspiring Couture.

"Wrestling Andrew Palace, if you’ve seen this guy, you know he’s a lot to handle. I’ve never been in the ring with someone who has the energy that he does. Many people don’t know, I actually hyper-extended my knee within the first few minutes of the fight, but that match was everything I’ve worked for and I wasn’t going to bail out," Calvin remarked.

In the nearly three years since he laced up his boots to start his career, the bow tie-clad competitor quickly made a name for himself, both for his en vogue fashion sense and crisp technical skills. Drawing inspiration from Tiffany Pollard and the Kardashians of reality TV, Couture often struts his way to ringside in his trademark sparkle jacket or a finely-tailored robe. During his walk to the ring, the aisle substitutes for a runway as he uses the platform under a literal spotlight to showcase his style. 

"Calvin is a little different in the fact that he can be a little bit of everything, but also be something different you’ve never seen before," Couture explained.

The combination of an over-the-top persona and solid in-ring ability made him a commodity among the tri-state area and he regularly competes for IWC, as well as Ryse Wrestling in Pittsburgh, while appearing for Premier Championship Wrestling in Cleveland, and various other groups in the area. In just a few years, he shared a ring with stars like MVP of Smackdown fame, posed next to Hollywood star David Arquette, and worked with of the well-known veterans that built the Pittsburgh scene. Among those accomplished veterans are Robert Parker Williams and BC Steele, a pair of real-life best friends that became a notable duo that recruited Couture to form the Golden Chic International stable in Ryse Wrestling. With Williams' nearly two decades of experience, most of which as an in-ring athlete, and Steele widely regarded as the best manager in Pittsburgh for the past several years, Couture considers his time in the tag team as one of the most valuable learning experiences of his career so far.

Still, the grind of an often harsh industry can be exhausting and challenging, especially for an athlete that remains as dedicated to success today as he was for that very first bout inside the rural rec center. But, with a solid playbook of skills and an entertaining presentation, many expect several successful years for Couture, both inside and outside of his hometown. In fact, as he reflects on the fortunate formative years he had so far in the sport, he remains driven to make his mark at the highest level possible.
  
"The toughest part about wrestling is keeping your emotions and mindset in check. It can be a frustrating business so you just have to be humble but keep hungry. It won’t always be your time and you may see others get opportunity but I always look at it that you’re exactly where you are supposed to be. I want to keep traveling and getting to new places. At this point, I want to become the best version of myself and want to continue to perfect my craft. My ultimate goal right now is to appear on TV so you never know where I’ll be next," Couture said.

In one of the most unique industries in entertainment, Calvin Couture found a way to present his own unique brand of professional wrestling. The bow tie, brash nature, and the latest fashion is blended with the athletic ability for him to compete as a well-rounded wrestler. All things considered, it's quite remarkable that those neon lights of early 90s sports entertainment brought Couture to find himself under the spotlight of the squared circle.

The Saudi Arabia incident

You reap what you sow-Galatians 6:7

When the WWE entered into a deal with the Saudi Arabian government last year, it was rightfully subject to much criticism, especially after the planned murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist that was critical of the Mohammad Bin Salman regime. Despite the controversy surrounding the initial event and the follow-up show, WWE continued its partnership with the country as basically a form of government propaganda to give the impression that the country was evolving toward modern society.

As I wrote at the time, everybody's got a price, and this overseas deal saw the WWE scheduled to get paid millions of dollars for these events, making it one of the most profitable revenue streams for the global, publicly-traded company. This contract along with the mega TV rights deals the organization inked with Fox and USA sets the stage for record-setting profit next year and a continued boost for the stock price. While the company certainly doesn't need the money because the TV contracts alone will set a revenue record for them, the major cash from the Saudi government was enough for Vince McMahon to bring highly-promoted events to the region.

All things considered, these shows always seemed to have a negative atmosphere around them in some form or fashion. In some ways, it was almost surprising that something hadn't gone off the rails already, but there was the very tense situation that occurred last week after the Crown Jewel pay-per-view. To say details on what actually did or didn't happen are murky would be a major understatement, as the company line touts nothing unusual, while industry insiders and even outside media outlets shed light on rumors of a potentially much more serious situation.

After the conclusion of the pay-per-view, the plane that was scheduled to depart Saudi Arabia with a narrow time frame to get the talent to Buffalo for Friday's live Smackdown broadcast apparently wasn't allowed to leave. The WWE statement claimed that the problem was simply "mechanical problems" and that some of the talent attempted to charter a plane to be able to return for Smackdown. Still, considering the Saudi government's less than stellar reputation, something seemed off about this story, mostly because if the talent was going to charter a plane, why was the charter also delayed?

Since the news surfaced, it prompted a lot of speculation and it was revealed that Vince McMahon had some type of disagreement with the Saudi prince because the WWE is still owned money from the previous events held in the country. According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, Vince decided to cut the live feed in the country because of the money dispute, which led to the talent being not allowed to leave after the show. With nothing confirmed through the company, most of this can only be considered as rumor, but on the company's conference call last week, there was reportedly millions of dollars listed in "accounts receivable" so it appears that the promotion was owned money.

Thankfully, the day after the wrestlers were scheduled to land in Buffalo, they finally made it back to the United States. As a result of most of the roster on the trip, an impromptu NXT debut was booked for Smackdown, which saw Daniel Bryan challenge Adam Cole for the NXT championship in a tremendous match. I was very surprised that Vince McMahon left Saudi Arabia while his roster was stuck there, but there are reports that he might've left before there was any problem with the travel arrangements. As much as some people try to portray Vince as a villain because of his ruthless business model, it's very doubtful that he would've left had he known his roster might be in jeopardy. Say what you want about Vince the businessman, but I just don't think he would knowingly leave them behind. It's often said that Vince wouldn't ask his wrestlers to do anything he wouldn't do and if nothing else, I think he would've made sure they returned home safely because it's part of the leadership that made him as successful as he is today.

Don't get me wrong, this entire scenario wasn't some attempt to hold WWE wrestlers hostage because the ripple effect of that would ruin any chance of the propaganda efforts the country tries to project to the rest of the world. More specifically, the other western events that are scheduled for the area, including a boxing match for the heavyweight championship, would be very hesitant to appear there if it was confirmed that other athletes were detained.

Obviously, only those within the company know the full story, but this is just my two cents on the situation, I would guess that Vince's decision to cut the live feed to the local audience because of the money situation created a conflict with government officials because it ruins part of the illusion the Saudi regime paid for with this event. As a result, the Saudi government delayed the plan to cause as much inconvenience as possible for the company because of the scheduled live Smackdown on Friday.

Still, the Saudi debacle had a costly effect on the organization, as the stock price tumbled 15% after the previously mentioned conference call. Among the reasons for the drop was lower WWE network subscriptions, live event attendance, and the lack of a TV deal secured for Saudi Arabia. It goes without saying that even with the dip in numbers for stockholders that it would probably be a wise decision for McMahon to conclude his deal with the country. However, it was announced just a few days ago that the Saudi deal will continue through 2027. At this point, if something goes wrong on any of these trips then WWE brass will look foolish because this latest incident could be an indication of some of the Saudi government's last than ethical business practices. Keep in mind, the entire point of this contract with all the baggage that goes along with it, including the criticism and the task to shoehorn major names onto the show, is because of the massive payday, but management already had a dispute about money so is all of this really worth it?

While it's doubtful that any WWE staff would be in possible danger at these stadium shows, it must be noted that it could theoretically be a possibility. Remember, the entire crew is in a foreign country and if nothing else, this latest situation shows that if Mohammad Bin Salman doesn't want a plane to leave then it won't depart to the United States. I truly hope that nothing harmful  happens to any of the WWE staff in Saudi Arabia, but it's still a very concerning situation. It will be interesting to see how many WWE performers actually agree to return to the country after this incident.

The bottom line is, WWE brass knew the reputation of the Bin Salman prior to their shows overseas and perhaps the announcement for shows through 2027 was simply a way to maintain the stock price, but I would still say that it would be a wise decision for the company to avoid a return to Saudi Arabia. It's very possible that the incident last week should be used a precautionary tale, but the money is still the top priority for the company.

Alvarez vs. Kovalev

This weekend's clash from the MGM Grand Garden Arena will see Sergey Kovalev defend his WBO light heavyweight championship against Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in a bout that will air live on the DAZN streaming service.

While DAZN made a hefty investment into key acquisitions for its boxing content, this scheduled bout isn't the anticipated Golovkin trilogy most fans hoped for, but it's certainly not a glorified exhibition for Canelo Alvarez either. In fact, the argument could be made that he might have more to lose than the champion that has his title at stake in this contest.

The 29-year-old Alvarez is widely regarded as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the sport. While that topic could be subject to debate because of the accomplishments of welterweight champion, Terrence Crawford, there's no doubt that Canelo is the top draw in the sport. With titles held in three different weight classes, Alvarez will move up in weight again to challenge Kovalev, which could be an underestimated advantage for the Russian titleholder.

This bout is the latest in a list of contest that are placeholders until negotiations for the previously mentioned Triple G trilogy fight are (hopefully) finalized. When the two slugged it out in a thrilling bout that resulted in a razor-close draw in September of 2017, it was a shinning example of the sport when two of the top pros actual ink a deal to fight each other. Still, ludicrous scoring from judge, Adalaide Bryd marred the prize fight, prompting many to speculate that Triple G might've won the bout if there was legitimate judging across the board, and most importantly, there was a demand for a rematch. The return bout took place a year later and this time Canelo won a close, but controversial majority decision, leaving fans with more questions as to who might be victorious in the rubber match.

As usual in boxing, negotiations for that third fight stalled, prompting Alvarez to defeat Rocky Fielding via TKO in the third round of a bout just a few months later in December of 2018. A unanimous decision win over tough contender, Daniel Jacobs this past May allowed Canelo to maintain his spot as the biggest draw in the sport, but the usual red tape left him without an opponent for the second half of 2019.

Sergey Kovalev is somewhat of an enigma ahead of this fight at the MGM Grand. The Russian power punch solidified his name in the United States when he became the fighter to derail Bernard Hopkins' remarkable run as the oldest champion in boxing history, garnering a decision over Hopkins in late-2014. The Russian racked up another four wins, improving his record to 30-0-1 before he was set to compete against another undefeated fighter, Andre Ward. Nearly two years after he claimed the light heavyweight belt against Hopkins, the Russian dropped a unanimous decision to  Ward. The now-retired Ward made an even more definitive statement in the rematch using a series of combinations to stagger Kovalev until the referee stopped the contest, declaring Ward the winner in the eighth round of the 2017 bout.

The surprising pair of defeats cast some doubt upon the Russian, who rebounded with two wins in a row before he was signed to fight underdog, Eleider Alvarez in August of last year. Shockingly, Kovalev found himself on the canvas and eventually lost via TKO in a stunning defeat. However, just two months prior to that, he was arrested for felony assault after he allegedly punched a woman, resulting in a concussion and fractures. He avenged the loss to Eleider Alvarez earlier this year with a win on the score cards and followed that up with a TKO victory against Anthony Yarde just a few months ago.

But, just prior to the Yarde contest,  Kovalev was involved in another incident, which saw him escorted off a plane for vulgar behavior toward a woman. The felony assault case is still pending. At 36, Sergey Kovalev might be past his prime and nearing the end of his in-ring career. The result of this contest against Canelo will answer many of the questions about Kovalev's future in the sport. If the Russian gets a win over the biggest star in boxing, it gives him the chance at a fresh run at the latter stage of his career, and restores some of the shine to his drawing power that wore off after the two losses to Ward.

At the same time, Canelo Alvarez must maintain his dominance if he wants to keep the demand and the bargaining chips he has for the Golovkin trilogy. A protege of the legendary Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo  has a very dedicated Hispanic fan base and boxing fans are drawn to his stellar technical skills. Despite an already extensive record, another trademark of the passionate Mexican boxing tradition, Alvarez is really only now in the prime of his career so maintaining status quo will continue to bring him major cash.

All things considered, Alvarez should win this match-up. He's younger, in the prime of his career, and more well-rounded, which is why I will pick him to get the victory. At the same time, Kovalev is still a dangerous puncher and could be fighting to remain relevant in his career. Kovalev's outside the ring antics might overshadow his in-ring accomplishments, especially if he doesn't look competitive in this bout. The Russian is fighting to possibly add a few more paydays before he hangs up the gloves, while Canelo has millions on the line in the future. If Alvarez's drawing power is damaged in the slightest, Triple G can make a claim at a better split of the purse for their third fight. It's a very intriguing scenario because as mentioned, it seems like Alvarez might have more to lose than the champion defending the title in this fight. More importantly, assuming Canelo gets the win, it will be interesting to see if the contract will actually get signed for the Canelo/Golovkin trilogy fight.