Last week on AEW Dynamite, the show opened with Cody's defense of the TNT championship, which has been a series of matches that has allowed him to showcase his hard-working style as a fighting champion with a subtle nod to the throwback of the titleholders of a previous era. He was met by a throwback challenger, Eddie Kingston, gritty 18-year pro that despite a few brushes with opportunity in the past, just hasn't landed on the platform that most think his skills justify.
One of the positives of AEW taking the approach to allow non-contracted talent to appear on the show is that it opens the door for these unique scenarios that aren't seen often. The general thought process of the industry is that you don't want to promote a talent unless they are under contract because they could use that exposure to go elsewhere and take some of that spotlight with them. It makes sense and it's the reason WWE rarely has outside talent on its programming with the exception of a few times in more recent years. On the flip side, All Elite Wrestling is trying to grow and expand its audience, which isn't easy to do in general because of the hundreds of channels available today, not to mention the competition from NXT on Wednesday night. Establishing the possibility that anyone could show up to challenge for the TNT championship gives All Elite Wrestling something unique to promote, which is key if they are going to maintain or expand their market share.
Eddie Kingston became known on the independent circuit in the early-2000s with his tag team work in Chikara, the now-defunct group that presented an over-the-top comic book product. Among the colony of ants and ice cream cones, Kingston brought a sense of realism to his persona, an aspect to his persona that had his stand out among the rest of the comical wrestling of the organization. That realism makes him stand out today all these years later.
As time went on, "The Last of a Dying Breed" became a mainstay among the indy scene, with speculation about a potential move to Ring Of Honor, which was still independently-owned at the time. He had a few stints with ROH, as far back as 2008 and as recent as 2014, but for whatever reason, they didn't materialize into anything substantial. Perhaps, the highlight of his time with Ring of Honor was when his extensive feud with Chris Hero was brought to the promotion for their Final Battle pay-per-view in 2009. Known as "The War King" in more recent years, Kingston is known as a wordsmith on the mic, weaving his street influence from his time as a youth in Yonkers with the narrative of the squared circle. The reason I must mention the Hero pay-per-view bout is the promo that he cut in a hype package to promote the show was one of the best promos of his generation. With the show in New York, Kingston proclaimed the match with his rival was "for all the underdog" and the authenticity really sold the match as something that people would be willing to pay to watch.
His pair of stints in TNA could be described as mishandled and underutilized respectively. The stable with James Storm, another underrated talent, could've done really well, but the DCC gimmick was too cartoonish and didn't use play to any of their strengths as performers. The LAX run with King as their manager is arguably what helped get Santana and Ortiz to a level where they garnered offers from WWE and AEW after their Impact exit. As we've seen the former LAX are extremely talented and have done very well as a part of the Inner Circle group. Before the pandemic, Kingston had a successful tour of the UK, but should a performer of his caliber have to go overseas to be a featured talent?
Although, his nearly two decade path toward last Wednesday night and the lack of a full-fledged opportunity on a national level really added depth to the narrative of the match. Kingston brings a believably that very few can in the modern era and that is really a key to draw money in the industry. As cliche as it might sound, you don't have to make people believe everything that watch on a wrestling show is legitimate, but if you can make them believe an aspect of it is legitimate then you can draw money. You could rally behind Kingston because if the result is predetermined or not, you were hoping for the surprise win because a championship victory means that the real-life Kingston gets the financial stability of a contract. Granted, the result of most of these TNT title matches are obvious because the angle is the continuous challengers, but the fact that the audience has a reason to cheer for a challenger without previous AEW exposure proves that the scenario was successful. In the modern era, when everyone thinks they know everything, Eddie Kingston brings authenticity to the table and that's a rare commodity in the current industry. As far as the action of the match, it was really solid and King's style was influenced by many of the legends of All Japan so the physical style suits his character.
I've been a fan of Kingston for several years so I think it would be great for him to get an AEW deal, but considering that the organization has continued to add competitors to the roster, it's probably a matter of if they have a role for him. If he's signed just to be on the roster and gets lost in the shuffle, that would more or less repeat the mistakes of how he was used for Impact. In my opinion, the authenticity that he brings in the ring and on the mic is money so hopefully this wasn't a one-off appearance. In an industry where as spectacular as the athletes are and as slick as the production is on Wednesday for AEW and NXT, how many performers can project the emotion and the realism of Eddie Kingston? During the opening promo, he spoke like an athlete that had to claw his way for notoriety because that's actually what he had to do after he was overlooked in other companies. As incredible as all the moves are on Dynamite, professional wrestling is ultimately about the story, and it would certainly be a tremendous narrative if Kingston finally lands a major contract after almost two decades in the industry.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Monday, July 20, 2020
Extreme Rules review
Professional wrestling isn't cool anymore, and the Extreme Rules pay-per-view was a direct example as to why the industry hasn't been anything close to trendy in over 15 years.
Ironically, the under card of this show had some solid matches, including Asuka/Sasha Banks, and it should be noted that even in the pandemic phase of the industry without a full crowd, Asuka as a performer has really been an MVP because she can make any scenario work. Another example was The New Day vs. Cesaro and Nakamura in a tables match. With as much as Cesaro and Nakamura could've been bigger stars individually, their styles mesh together very well for the team. Obviously, it goes without saying that The New Day are one of the most solid and entertaining acts of their generation. It really can't be understated how valuable it is for the company to have performers like that on the roster.
However, the Extreme Rules pay-per-view will be remembered for anything but good wrestling.
The original angle where Seth Rollins injured Rey Mysterio's eye made sense because theoretically, the sharp corner of the steel steps could injury someone's eye. WWE brass jumped the shark when they promoted an "eye for an eye" match because they confirmed the way to win was to "gouge out the opponent's eye" Obviously, everyone knows that nobody is actually going to lose an eye, and the only anticipation it built for the contest was that fans were anticipating some type of dumb stunt at the finish.
Unfortunately, the writing team made sure to deliver on that.
After a good in-ring match, Rollins put Rey's eye near the steps the same way he did for the initial injury spot, and without much actually happening, the bell rang with the announcers claiming, "the eye is out." As Rey clutched his face, he held an obviously fake eye ball near his mask, attempting to imply that his eye was taken out of the socket. Of course, Rollins threw up post-match because we all know from the infamous Beyond The Mat segment that Vince enjoys that type of humor. So, Rollins is vicious enough to want to gouge out Rey's eye, but can't handle the sight of it afterwards? Doesn't that take away from the vicious streak the stipulation tried to get over?
Listen, this is rather simple, but I think it must be discussed because it's the basis of why the industry hasn't and won't approach a pop culture boom any time soon. The use of a stipulation that the company can't actually deliver on and an obviously fake eye ball are so lame that it gives viewers a reason not to invest their time in the product. The fake eye ball and the notion that Rey lost an eye in the process is so phony that it insults the viewers watching the show. Keep in mind, pro wrestling is at least based in reality and some of the most successful performers in history didn't have to stray too far away from that ideology. Point being, is the general public going to be drawn to the phony eye stunt? Remember, diehard fans watch the product anyway, but WWE's goal is always to market to the biggest demographic possible. The bottom line is, when angles or gimmicks are so phony that it's insulting to watch, that's exactly why the casual fan only tuned in when the stars of the past are booked for the TV shows. Why did the Raw Reunion show draw the highest rating of the year in 2019?
Granted, there are several reasons for that, but the WWE's inability to properly push a baby face or make stars with the 50/50 booking philosophy that often doesn't get anyone over are only a part of the problem. On the most basic level, if professional wrestling is too phony, the general public rolls their eyes and changes the channel. Stone Cold Steve Austin drew record-setting TV numbers in the late-90s because he was authentic and the audience could identify with him. Sure, Austin wasn't really tormenting Vince McMahon every week with the zamboni and several stunners, but as a character, Stone Cold was believable because he was actually a gritty Texas that clawed his way up the ranks to wrestling stardom.
The casual fan tunes into Raw, sees the angle with the fake eye, and labels the modern product lame, which is why a major portion of that demographic only watches when the stars of the past appear on TV.
If you've read the other articles I'm written about attempts at "cinematic" wrestling, you know that I absolutely despises the concept because it's nothing close to pro wrestling and it makes the rest of the product look fake. So, I have to ask, what was the swamp fight at Extreme Rules? Were fans supposed to believe that Bray and Braun were actually fighting in a swamp? Was Braun fighting himself supposed to be real or some type of dream sequence? The presentation was as goofy as when Hulk Hogan saw Ultimate Warrior in a mirror in WCW, but Eric Bischoff couldn't see the same thing that Hogan and the fans saw on-screen. Furthermore, how are the fans supposed to believe in anything else they see from the product when a phony swamp fight with lame special effects was presented on the same show? It goes without saying that this debacle did nothing to help establish Braun as a credible champion, the same way that Drew saying that he doesn't want to defend the championship a few times since his Wrestlemania title win did nothing to get him over as the top guy. Drew told Big Show he didn't want to fight him, said to Rollins that he didn't want to fight, but would if he had to, and more recently told Heath Slater he wouldn't fight on Raw. How does any of that put Drew over as champion? The baby face champion shouldn't back down from a title defense. As much as Terry Bolea is a scum bag, did Hulk Hogan ever back down from a challenge? Did Stone Cold ever hesitate to fight?
The success of sports entertainment is based on human psychology, which is why the genre has continued for decades, because there are fundamental elements that draw an audience within the pro wrestling narrative. If the writing team has to camouflage an angle with fake eyes or a goofy swamp fight, maybe they should try to build a better angle that has substance with characters that are over instead of lame gimmicks. All that being said, the point is mostly moot because the guaranteed money from the TV deals secures the WWE with record-setting revenue for the next five years so there's nothing to make them change the philosophy for the company. At the same time, they might be trading the short-term money for building the future because the ratings show even the core audience has declined and the booking of the modern era hasn't made stars for the future of the industry.
Ironically, the under card of this show had some solid matches, including Asuka/Sasha Banks, and it should be noted that even in the pandemic phase of the industry without a full crowd, Asuka as a performer has really been an MVP because she can make any scenario work. Another example was The New Day vs. Cesaro and Nakamura in a tables match. With as much as Cesaro and Nakamura could've been bigger stars individually, their styles mesh together very well for the team. Obviously, it goes without saying that The New Day are one of the most solid and entertaining acts of their generation. It really can't be understated how valuable it is for the company to have performers like that on the roster.
However, the Extreme Rules pay-per-view will be remembered for anything but good wrestling.
The original angle where Seth Rollins injured Rey Mysterio's eye made sense because theoretically, the sharp corner of the steel steps could injury someone's eye. WWE brass jumped the shark when they promoted an "eye for an eye" match because they confirmed the way to win was to "gouge out the opponent's eye" Obviously, everyone knows that nobody is actually going to lose an eye, and the only anticipation it built for the contest was that fans were anticipating some type of dumb stunt at the finish.
Unfortunately, the writing team made sure to deliver on that.
After a good in-ring match, Rollins put Rey's eye near the steps the same way he did for the initial injury spot, and without much actually happening, the bell rang with the announcers claiming, "the eye is out." As Rey clutched his face, he held an obviously fake eye ball near his mask, attempting to imply that his eye was taken out of the socket. Of course, Rollins threw up post-match because we all know from the infamous Beyond The Mat segment that Vince enjoys that type of humor. So, Rollins is vicious enough to want to gouge out Rey's eye, but can't handle the sight of it afterwards? Doesn't that take away from the vicious streak the stipulation tried to get over?
Listen, this is rather simple, but I think it must be discussed because it's the basis of why the industry hasn't and won't approach a pop culture boom any time soon. The use of a stipulation that the company can't actually deliver on and an obviously fake eye ball are so lame that it gives viewers a reason not to invest their time in the product. The fake eye ball and the notion that Rey lost an eye in the process is so phony that it insults the viewers watching the show. Keep in mind, pro wrestling is at least based in reality and some of the most successful performers in history didn't have to stray too far away from that ideology. Point being, is the general public going to be drawn to the phony eye stunt? Remember, diehard fans watch the product anyway, but WWE's goal is always to market to the biggest demographic possible. The bottom line is, when angles or gimmicks are so phony that it's insulting to watch, that's exactly why the casual fan only tuned in when the stars of the past are booked for the TV shows. Why did the Raw Reunion show draw the highest rating of the year in 2019?
Granted, there are several reasons for that, but the WWE's inability to properly push a baby face or make stars with the 50/50 booking philosophy that often doesn't get anyone over are only a part of the problem. On the most basic level, if professional wrestling is too phony, the general public rolls their eyes and changes the channel. Stone Cold Steve Austin drew record-setting TV numbers in the late-90s because he was authentic and the audience could identify with him. Sure, Austin wasn't really tormenting Vince McMahon every week with the zamboni and several stunners, but as a character, Stone Cold was believable because he was actually a gritty Texas that clawed his way up the ranks to wrestling stardom.
The casual fan tunes into Raw, sees the angle with the fake eye, and labels the modern product lame, which is why a major portion of that demographic only watches when the stars of the past appear on TV.
If you've read the other articles I'm written about attempts at "cinematic" wrestling, you know that I absolutely despises the concept because it's nothing close to pro wrestling and it makes the rest of the product look fake. So, I have to ask, what was the swamp fight at Extreme Rules? Were fans supposed to believe that Bray and Braun were actually fighting in a swamp? Was Braun fighting himself supposed to be real or some type of dream sequence? The presentation was as goofy as when Hulk Hogan saw Ultimate Warrior in a mirror in WCW, but Eric Bischoff couldn't see the same thing that Hogan and the fans saw on-screen. Furthermore, how are the fans supposed to believe in anything else they see from the product when a phony swamp fight with lame special effects was presented on the same show? It goes without saying that this debacle did nothing to help establish Braun as a credible champion, the same way that Drew saying that he doesn't want to defend the championship a few times since his Wrestlemania title win did nothing to get him over as the top guy. Drew told Big Show he didn't want to fight him, said to Rollins that he didn't want to fight, but would if he had to, and more recently told Heath Slater he wouldn't fight on Raw. How does any of that put Drew over as champion? The baby face champion shouldn't back down from a title defense. As much as Terry Bolea is a scum bag, did Hulk Hogan ever back down from a challenge? Did Stone Cold ever hesitate to fight?
The success of sports entertainment is based on human psychology, which is why the genre has continued for decades, because there are fundamental elements that draw an audience within the pro wrestling narrative. If the writing team has to camouflage an angle with fake eyes or a goofy swamp fight, maybe they should try to build a better angle that has substance with characters that are over instead of lame gimmicks. All that being said, the point is mostly moot because the guaranteed money from the TV deals secures the WWE with record-setting revenue for the next five years so there's nothing to make them change the philosophy for the company. At the same time, they might be trading the short-term money for building the future because the ratings show even the core audience has declined and the booking of the modern era hasn't made stars for the future of the industry.
Sunday, July 19, 2020
Slammiversary review
Last night's Impact Slammiversary pay-per-view promised to "change everything" around the organization, prompting speculation about what freshly available free agents might show up. Similar to most of the history of the organization, the broadcast was somewhat of a mixed bag. It had its moments, but nothing truly earth shattering or something that would make it stand out from the pack so to speak. Still, there appears to be some potential in some aspects of the product.
It was great to see Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley return to the company after such an extended absence to challenge The Rascals. Considering that there are technically four major companies in the United States with some level of national television, there's no reason that The Motor City Machine Guns aren't featured somewhere. In truth, I was very surprised that Shelley wasn't signed to a full-time deal after he made an appearance for NXT earlier this year. Quite simply, Alex Shelley is too talented of a performer not to have a job somewhere, especially considering the current wrestling landscape. Similar to his tag partner, Shelley's well-rounded set of skills weren't fully utilized during his initial run in TNA, and the argument could be made that despite the success of the MCMG previously, the Dixie regime mismanaged the career of Alex Shelley at the time. Obviously, Shelley had a notable run in New Japan with Kushida, but injuries led to him reconsidering his career path. As great as it was to hear about Shelley pursuing and achieving his education in physical therapy in recent years, it was still somewhat disappointing that someone as talented and as smooth as him in the ring didn't have full-time work in the wrestling business.
Chris Sabin is actually a former TNA world heavyweight champion, but only a month with the belt and the subsequent fumbled booking makes that an often forgotten accomplishment of his career. Point blank, TNA had a chance to truly solidify Chris Sabin as a main event talent at the time, but they missed the boat on it. I'm honestly not trying to bury the Dixie era, but mistakes like that are ultimately what led to some of the rocky periods for the company. All that said, Sabin and Shelley look like they haven't lost a step and that is a major positive for the company. It goes without saying that The Rascals are very talented performers, but the harsh reality is, in the crowded landscape of the industry, they aren't recognizable names or bring star power to the table. However, Sabin and Shelley working with them could shine more of a spotlight on them and hopefully bring the young competitors more notoriety in the process of their matches.
On the surface, I understand why Impact wants to invest in Moose, but a lack of charisma and convincing mic skill leads to somewhat of a disconnect. The athletic ability is there, but you can see that Moose often looks like he's trying too much to act like a wrestler instead of naturally embracing the role of how he would organically fit as a performer on the card. At 36, Moose might be toward the latter stages of his career, depending on how long he wants to continue in the sports entertainment industry. The TNA World champion storyline implies there might be something bigger on the horizon for him, perhaps a unification match with the Impact champion, but I just don't see him as a top star so right now, it's questionable how far he can go as a competitor or if his progress has already plateaued. It makes sense that he defeated Tommy Dreamer because of the previously mentioned push, and Dreamer could lose every match for the rest of his career and still be over, but the match itself wasn't anything too spectacular.
In my opinion, the Knockouts Gauntlet Match was an unwise booking decision, mostly because the attempt to get everyone on the card more or less made sure that nobody got over in the match. The ring was too clustered and the result of that was that most of the action was very clunky. At almost 20 minutes bell-to-bell, it went too long and dragged on at several points. I get what they were going for with the Johnny Bravo involvement, but his impersonation of NWO Sting was just lame with nothing comical or entertaining about it. All that being said, the actual knockouts roster is solid and the athletes in this match prove it. Su Young, Keira, Rosemary, and others all show that there is depth to the division, this battle royal just wasn't the way to showcase any of it. Kylie Rae won the match to get a shot at the championship and she's definitely a very talented athlete so it's a good decision to book her in a featured role.
Chris Bey defeated Willie Mack to win the X-Division championship, and it was arguably the best match on the show. Willie Mack is such a unique and charismatic performer that he could undoubtedly be used to bring more viewers to the product. We've already discussed some of the over saturation of the current state of the industry, but Willie is a competitor that will stand out. Chris Bey can go in the ring and this title victory is a good step forward for him. Aside from the X-Division championship, Bey appears to have the potential to be a long term project for the company that could grow into a much bigger star if he continues to progress within the promotion. Assuming that Impact management and Anthem want to invest the time and the resources into the company to move it toward a more prominent position, Willie and Bey should be a part of those plans.
Unfortunately, the Knockouts title match was on the other end of the spectrum, as it went too long and was somewhat sloppy for a contest that just never reached the next gear. Deonna Purrazzo won the championship, but this wasn't exactly a banner moment for her. Nothing about this performance made her look like a star. To be honest, I'm not sure why Purrazzo was pushed so strongly upon her arrival in TNA because she had a stint in Ring Of Honor a few years ago, but spent the last two years under a WWE contract with very limited exposure on the NXT brand, working just a handful of matches on NXT TV. I'm not trying to be too harsh, but she went from being released from the WWE after a mostly unimpressive NXT run to the Knockouts champion in the span of roughly two months so what exactly does that say about Impact?
The North are a great tag team and if they were on a bigger platform, they might be in the conversation for the best team in the business. At one of the marquee shows of the year for the company, they should've been given something better to do than this particular match. The Shamrock/Sami team just isn't logically after their lengthy rivalry. Sami has already proved himself and could've been doing something more important on the show. This might be too critical, but I just can't take Ken Shamrock seriously in any type of combat atmosphere at this point. Don't get me wrong, Shamrock is undoubtedly a legend, but he did so much to tarnish that status when he fought for nearly 15 years past his time. Shamrock is in incredible shape, but he's 56 and he moves like it in the ring. The North retained, but I'd argue that this match-up didn't give them a chance to truly showcase themselves. Thankfully, the MCMG appeared post-match and challenged The North, which should be a great match.
Eddie Edwards, Trey Miguel, and Ace Austin can go bell-to-bell, but management painted themselves into a corner with the mystery opponent advertised for the main event. When you take star power into account, there's not much of it here because Trey and Ace have only been on the national stage under the Impact banner during a time when the organization didn't have much buzz around it. Eddie has accomplished a lot, but he's just not as well known as other stars in the business. None of that is meant as a jab against their ability, but a consideration of their drawing power compared to the rest of the industry. The major mistake that management made was that in the build up to the main event, there's a video package that shows several former TNA or Impact stars that are technically free agents, including Sting, James Storm, and Bully Ray, and others. Just the three mentioned of Sting, Storm, and Bully have more star power than Edwards, Trey, or Ace. When management implied that someone of that level would be involved in the main event for the world championship, they set expectations that they weren't able to meet during the broadcast. Rich Swann returned to action, but is he at the level of a Sting or Storm? Eric Young made his return, which is great because he always works hard and made the best of whatever he was given, but he was so under the radar for most of his WWE tenure that his return wasn't going to live up to the hype of the mystery opponent. It wasn't Swann or Young's fault either, it was simply a miscalculation from management, but on the other hand, how exactly was that reveal not supposed to be considered underwhelming, given the promotional push for the mystery opponent?
Eddie Edwards won the championship and during a post-match brawl Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows made their debut, which was confirmed the night prior during their Youtube live stream. Gallows and Anderson bring some much needed name value to the organization, but after they made the save, they aligned themselves with Edwards for seemingly no reason. After that, a video was shown to reveal the return of EC3, but again he was so under the radar during the majority of his WWE run that he's almost in the Eric Young category that his return to Impact isn't exactly major news because his star power was minimized for the past few years.
Overall, the show was fine, but still somewhat underwhelming and a little disappointing because it wasn't the turning point for the industry that the company tried to hype for it. Let's be clear, the in-ring talent is there and the roster is mostly very solid, but there are very talented in-ring athletes across the board in the modern wrestling industry. Great in-ring performances on their own don't stand out nearly as much now as they did in years prior because there are a lot of great athletic matches in the modern era. Impact Wrestling lacks the star power and the buzz that fans can watch with the myriad of options today. AEW, NXT, and New Japan deliver top-notch bell-to-bell action with some major names. The WWE main rosters have the star power that draws in the causal fan. The bottom line is, what does Impact present that any of the previous examples don't already do better? That's not to say that Impact Wrestling can't find its own niche or place in the industry, but they certainly haven't found it yet. Trey and Ace? How about Adam Cole and Keith Lee? Eddie Edwards and Eric Young? What about Okada and Naito? Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, Cody, and The Young Bucks are on TNT every week.
Again, to be clear, I'm not trying to discredit Impact or the hard work of the roster, but a realistic look at the situation shows that the Impact brand as its presented today just isn't going to compete with the rest of the industry. When the WWE Network has a price tag of $10 a month for a pay-per-view and access to thousands of hours of classic footage, how exactly is Impact Wrestling going to sell fans a $40 show? Is it possible? Sure, All Elite Wrestling generates PPV buys, but they have to deliver a stellar show to accomplish it because the WWE Network completely shifted the dynamic of pay-per-view after it launched. The bottom line is, Anthem must decide if they are in the wrestling business or if they are just in the television business. Keep mind in mind, Anthem bought Impact because it was one of the most consist shows in the average rating it delivered so did they buy the group for the original programming for its network that can be produced relatively cheap or did they make the purchase to compete in the wrestling business? There's not a right or wrong answer, but considering the millions of dollars that Anthem has, there has to be a decision on how much they are willing to invest for either scenario. If they just want the original programming to get a better advertisement rate for commercials that's fine, but then there's a limit the progress Impact can make as a company, especially because of the competition of the industry.
It was great to see Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley return to the company after such an extended absence to challenge The Rascals. Considering that there are technically four major companies in the United States with some level of national television, there's no reason that The Motor City Machine Guns aren't featured somewhere. In truth, I was very surprised that Shelley wasn't signed to a full-time deal after he made an appearance for NXT earlier this year. Quite simply, Alex Shelley is too talented of a performer not to have a job somewhere, especially considering the current wrestling landscape. Similar to his tag partner, Shelley's well-rounded set of skills weren't fully utilized during his initial run in TNA, and the argument could be made that despite the success of the MCMG previously, the Dixie regime mismanaged the career of Alex Shelley at the time. Obviously, Shelley had a notable run in New Japan with Kushida, but injuries led to him reconsidering his career path. As great as it was to hear about Shelley pursuing and achieving his education in physical therapy in recent years, it was still somewhat disappointing that someone as talented and as smooth as him in the ring didn't have full-time work in the wrestling business.
Chris Sabin is actually a former TNA world heavyweight champion, but only a month with the belt and the subsequent fumbled booking makes that an often forgotten accomplishment of his career. Point blank, TNA had a chance to truly solidify Chris Sabin as a main event talent at the time, but they missed the boat on it. I'm honestly not trying to bury the Dixie era, but mistakes like that are ultimately what led to some of the rocky periods for the company. All that said, Sabin and Shelley look like they haven't lost a step and that is a major positive for the company. It goes without saying that The Rascals are very talented performers, but the harsh reality is, in the crowded landscape of the industry, they aren't recognizable names or bring star power to the table. However, Sabin and Shelley working with them could shine more of a spotlight on them and hopefully bring the young competitors more notoriety in the process of their matches.
On the surface, I understand why Impact wants to invest in Moose, but a lack of charisma and convincing mic skill leads to somewhat of a disconnect. The athletic ability is there, but you can see that Moose often looks like he's trying too much to act like a wrestler instead of naturally embracing the role of how he would organically fit as a performer on the card. At 36, Moose might be toward the latter stages of his career, depending on how long he wants to continue in the sports entertainment industry. The TNA World champion storyline implies there might be something bigger on the horizon for him, perhaps a unification match with the Impact champion, but I just don't see him as a top star so right now, it's questionable how far he can go as a competitor or if his progress has already plateaued. It makes sense that he defeated Tommy Dreamer because of the previously mentioned push, and Dreamer could lose every match for the rest of his career and still be over, but the match itself wasn't anything too spectacular.
In my opinion, the Knockouts Gauntlet Match was an unwise booking decision, mostly because the attempt to get everyone on the card more or less made sure that nobody got over in the match. The ring was too clustered and the result of that was that most of the action was very clunky. At almost 20 minutes bell-to-bell, it went too long and dragged on at several points. I get what they were going for with the Johnny Bravo involvement, but his impersonation of NWO Sting was just lame with nothing comical or entertaining about it. All that being said, the actual knockouts roster is solid and the athletes in this match prove it. Su Young, Keira, Rosemary, and others all show that there is depth to the division, this battle royal just wasn't the way to showcase any of it. Kylie Rae won the match to get a shot at the championship and she's definitely a very talented athlete so it's a good decision to book her in a featured role.
Chris Bey defeated Willie Mack to win the X-Division championship, and it was arguably the best match on the show. Willie Mack is such a unique and charismatic performer that he could undoubtedly be used to bring more viewers to the product. We've already discussed some of the over saturation of the current state of the industry, but Willie is a competitor that will stand out. Chris Bey can go in the ring and this title victory is a good step forward for him. Aside from the X-Division championship, Bey appears to have the potential to be a long term project for the company that could grow into a much bigger star if he continues to progress within the promotion. Assuming that Impact management and Anthem want to invest the time and the resources into the company to move it toward a more prominent position, Willie and Bey should be a part of those plans.
Unfortunately, the Knockouts title match was on the other end of the spectrum, as it went too long and was somewhat sloppy for a contest that just never reached the next gear. Deonna Purrazzo won the championship, but this wasn't exactly a banner moment for her. Nothing about this performance made her look like a star. To be honest, I'm not sure why Purrazzo was pushed so strongly upon her arrival in TNA because she had a stint in Ring Of Honor a few years ago, but spent the last two years under a WWE contract with very limited exposure on the NXT brand, working just a handful of matches on NXT TV. I'm not trying to be too harsh, but she went from being released from the WWE after a mostly unimpressive NXT run to the Knockouts champion in the span of roughly two months so what exactly does that say about Impact?
The North are a great tag team and if they were on a bigger platform, they might be in the conversation for the best team in the business. At one of the marquee shows of the year for the company, they should've been given something better to do than this particular match. The Shamrock/Sami team just isn't logically after their lengthy rivalry. Sami has already proved himself and could've been doing something more important on the show. This might be too critical, but I just can't take Ken Shamrock seriously in any type of combat atmosphere at this point. Don't get me wrong, Shamrock is undoubtedly a legend, but he did so much to tarnish that status when he fought for nearly 15 years past his time. Shamrock is in incredible shape, but he's 56 and he moves like it in the ring. The North retained, but I'd argue that this match-up didn't give them a chance to truly showcase themselves. Thankfully, the MCMG appeared post-match and challenged The North, which should be a great match.
Eddie Edwards, Trey Miguel, and Ace Austin can go bell-to-bell, but management painted themselves into a corner with the mystery opponent advertised for the main event. When you take star power into account, there's not much of it here because Trey and Ace have only been on the national stage under the Impact banner during a time when the organization didn't have much buzz around it. Eddie has accomplished a lot, but he's just not as well known as other stars in the business. None of that is meant as a jab against their ability, but a consideration of their drawing power compared to the rest of the industry. The major mistake that management made was that in the build up to the main event, there's a video package that shows several former TNA or Impact stars that are technically free agents, including Sting, James Storm, and Bully Ray, and others. Just the three mentioned of Sting, Storm, and Bully have more star power than Edwards, Trey, or Ace. When management implied that someone of that level would be involved in the main event for the world championship, they set expectations that they weren't able to meet during the broadcast. Rich Swann returned to action, but is he at the level of a Sting or Storm? Eric Young made his return, which is great because he always works hard and made the best of whatever he was given, but he was so under the radar for most of his WWE tenure that his return wasn't going to live up to the hype of the mystery opponent. It wasn't Swann or Young's fault either, it was simply a miscalculation from management, but on the other hand, how exactly was that reveal not supposed to be considered underwhelming, given the promotional push for the mystery opponent?
Eddie Edwards won the championship and during a post-match brawl Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows made their debut, which was confirmed the night prior during their Youtube live stream. Gallows and Anderson bring some much needed name value to the organization, but after they made the save, they aligned themselves with Edwards for seemingly no reason. After that, a video was shown to reveal the return of EC3, but again he was so under the radar during the majority of his WWE run that he's almost in the Eric Young category that his return to Impact isn't exactly major news because his star power was minimized for the past few years.
Overall, the show was fine, but still somewhat underwhelming and a little disappointing because it wasn't the turning point for the industry that the company tried to hype for it. Let's be clear, the in-ring talent is there and the roster is mostly very solid, but there are very talented in-ring athletes across the board in the modern wrestling industry. Great in-ring performances on their own don't stand out nearly as much now as they did in years prior because there are a lot of great athletic matches in the modern era. Impact Wrestling lacks the star power and the buzz that fans can watch with the myriad of options today. AEW, NXT, and New Japan deliver top-notch bell-to-bell action with some major names. The WWE main rosters have the star power that draws in the causal fan. The bottom line is, what does Impact present that any of the previous examples don't already do better? That's not to say that Impact Wrestling can't find its own niche or place in the industry, but they certainly haven't found it yet. Trey and Ace? How about Adam Cole and Keith Lee? Eddie Edwards and Eric Young? What about Okada and Naito? Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, Cody, and The Young Bucks are on TNT every week.
Again, to be clear, I'm not trying to discredit Impact or the hard work of the roster, but a realistic look at the situation shows that the Impact brand as its presented today just isn't going to compete with the rest of the industry. When the WWE Network has a price tag of $10 a month for a pay-per-view and access to thousands of hours of classic footage, how exactly is Impact Wrestling going to sell fans a $40 show? Is it possible? Sure, All Elite Wrestling generates PPV buys, but they have to deliver a stellar show to accomplish it because the WWE Network completely shifted the dynamic of pay-per-view after it launched. The bottom line is, Anthem must decide if they are in the wrestling business or if they are just in the television business. Keep mind in mind, Anthem bought Impact because it was one of the most consist shows in the average rating it delivered so did they buy the group for the original programming for its network that can be produced relatively cheap or did they make the purchase to compete in the wrestling business? There's not a right or wrong answer, but considering the millions of dollars that Anthem has, there has to be a decision on how much they are willing to invest for either scenario. If they just want the original programming to get a better advertisement rate for commercials that's fine, but then there's a limit the progress Impact can make as a company, especially because of the competition of the industry.
Friday, July 17, 2020
The career of Miranda Gordy
"If I leave here tomorrow, will you still remember me?"
Ronnie Van Zant's iconic opening line hit while his band's classic song blared through the legendary Sportatorium, the storied venue located in downtown Dallas that saw a few thousand fans pack the dingy building on a muggy night. The lack of air conditioning and other amenities did nothing to dissuade the dedicated fan base, the locals that had grown up on Texas wrestling and made their attendance at the matches a part of their normal routine. As the music elevated toward a crescendo, the rambunctious trio of the Fabulous Freebirds bounded toward the squared circle, making their way through the crowd and greeted with the jeers of the spectators. Micheal PS. Hayes strutted down the aisle, swinging his hips with an Elvis-level of enthusiasm while his lengthy blond hair bounced to the rhythm of the song. Buddy Roberts, with a no-nonsense sneer on his face, entered the ring attired in one of his sparkly jackets. Finally, Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, a nearly 300-LBS grappler that was amazingly light on his feet, hustled up to the apron, his curly hair peeking out from underneath his cowboy hat. This night, as was the case often during the heyday of World Class Championship Wrestling in the 80s, The Freebirds prepared to battle The Von Erichs, the team consisting of David, Kerry, and Kevin on this particular night.
Some of the biggest legends in the history of the sport cited this famous rivalry as one of their main influences to pursue the sports entertainment business. Aside from the charismatic Hayes, who became known as a master wordsmith on the mic, another blond-haired athlete saw those six-man clashes in Dallas. He went onto to be the biggest star in the history of the industry, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. While that might be the most famous example of who was inspired by the televised Texas mayhem that was syndicated around the world at the time, there's another example that was much closer to home.
Miranda Gordy, the daughter of "Bam Bam" Terry, also found inspiration through her father's work, just recently commemorating his first year in the business as a wrestler, but it was a step that was a long time in the making before she decided to become involved in August of 2018
"For years I have had people ask me to come to shows or be a part of something wrestling related, so I finally decided to do it. I managed a friend for a while just so I could get used to being in front of a crowd and also to learn the inner workings of a show," Miranda explained.
As much as the big man from Bad Street was known for wild action in his heyday, Miranda only knew her dad as a gentle giant that had a deep dedication to his family during her elementary school years. Always known as a kind and caring man by his peers, the international wrestling star didn't hesitate to trade his boots for a pair of roller skates to take Miranda and her sister, Amber to the rink. When they weren't fishing or spending time together at home, the Gordy family enjoyed visiting amusement parks, where he sandwiched his massive frame into the elephant car with an endearing smile on his face so he could enjoy the ride with his kids. Despite his global career as such an accomplished athlete, Miranda cites one of his fondest memories of her dad as the time he taught her how to ride a bike without training wheels, his over-the-top wrestling tone replaced with a settling reassurance as Miranda maneuvered the pedals.
Still, when 7-year-old Miranda saw her dad on local wrestling cards, she was totally invested in the Fabulous Freebird as the winner, frantically cheering for his victory and legitimately upset if a villain tried to break the rules against him.
Even after Terry's tragic and untimely passing from a heart attack in July of 2001, that passion for the sport never left Miranda, as she remained drawn and linked to the business that was so closely associated with her family name. After that initial exposure to the live audience at ringside in August 2018, she knew the sports entertainment path was something she wanted to fully pursue, opting to begin wrestling training the following month at the XCW Dojo in Denton, Texas under the guidance of seasoned pro, Nite Davis and Athena Palmer, known to fans as WWE's Ember Moon. Miranda also credits accomplished grappler, Tom Howard and veteran wrestler, Kraig Keesaman as helpful in her experience to learn the ring ropes. Just over a year ago, the second generation athlete made her official debut as an in-ring wrestler at a local event in Texas, an appropriate location for the Freebird decedent, on July 7,2019. After the final bell of her first contest, Miranda knew exactly who she should talk to, and a familiar voice answered the phone.
"I called my Uncle Michael Hayes for advice. He said 'get out there and learn to work.' I did just that and all of the pieces of training started to fall into place," Miranda explained.
Following the words of the founder of the Freebirds, she began to zig-zag her way across Texas, and in the past year has already expanded into neighbor states, honing her craft through the valuable experience of working with a variety of opponents in front of difference audiences on a regular basis.
"Being a second generation wrestler has its pros and cons. The name gets me noticed, however there are very high expectations to go along with that. When I decided to train, I also decided that I wanted to start just like everyone else so that I could build my own career and not just base it off my dad to get to the top faster," she commented.
Aside from her last name, Miranda was noticed more directly for her in-ring skills, as she brought a natural poise to the squared circle and performs at a level beyond her rookie year in the industry. To go along with pairs of wrestling boots that her dad wore when he cemented his legacy in the industry, she has added championship titles of her own to the collection. Although, that in-ring ability was put to the test just a few months into her tenure as a performer, as she was booked for her first tour of Japan in February of this year. While this would be the first trip to Japan for Miranda, the country was already very familiar with the Gordy name. After his stellar work with Gordy and Roberts in the United States, Terry also had a legendary stint in Japan, most notably teaming with the late, great "Dr. Death" Steve Williams to form the Miracle Violence Connection in All Japan Pro Wrestling, the organization that was founded by the iconic, Giant Baba.
"Its always been my dream to go there, but the fact that I got to wrestle there as well makes me very proud of the legacy my father built while he was there," Miranda remarked.
Always wanting to learn, Miranda often consults her brother, Ray for advice as well. Ray spent five years under WWE contract as Jesse and then Slam Master J before he retired from the ring in 2010. So, Miranda looks to continue the legacy and has discovered even more about her father's impact on the industry through her own ventures in wrestling.
"Growing up, I never realized the impact my dad had made on so many other wrestlers. There are legends who have told me stories of how my dad made an impact on their career, which goes above just being a good wrestler. He was also a good person. Obviously, he made an impact on countless fans as well. I study his matches a lot. I have gained a new understanding of the inner workings of the wrestling business. Its a lot different from what i grew up knowing. I have gained a new respect for it. I have also learned that I can accomplish a lot more than i ever dreamed," Miranda said.
So, the question, "If I leave here tomorrow, will you still remember me?"
Yes, the fans certainly remember the legacy of Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, and that legacy looks to continue on through his daughter Miranda each time she steps into the squared circle.
Ronnie Van Zant's iconic opening line hit while his band's classic song blared through the legendary Sportatorium, the storied venue located in downtown Dallas that saw a few thousand fans pack the dingy building on a muggy night. The lack of air conditioning and other amenities did nothing to dissuade the dedicated fan base, the locals that had grown up on Texas wrestling and made their attendance at the matches a part of their normal routine. As the music elevated toward a crescendo, the rambunctious trio of the Fabulous Freebirds bounded toward the squared circle, making their way through the crowd and greeted with the jeers of the spectators. Micheal PS. Hayes strutted down the aisle, swinging his hips with an Elvis-level of enthusiasm while his lengthy blond hair bounced to the rhythm of the song. Buddy Roberts, with a no-nonsense sneer on his face, entered the ring attired in one of his sparkly jackets. Finally, Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, a nearly 300-LBS grappler that was amazingly light on his feet, hustled up to the apron, his curly hair peeking out from underneath his cowboy hat. This night, as was the case often during the heyday of World Class Championship Wrestling in the 80s, The Freebirds prepared to battle The Von Erichs, the team consisting of David, Kerry, and Kevin on this particular night.
Some of the biggest legends in the history of the sport cited this famous rivalry as one of their main influences to pursue the sports entertainment business. Aside from the charismatic Hayes, who became known as a master wordsmith on the mic, another blond-haired athlete saw those six-man clashes in Dallas. He went onto to be the biggest star in the history of the industry, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. While that might be the most famous example of who was inspired by the televised Texas mayhem that was syndicated around the world at the time, there's another example that was much closer to home.
Miranda Gordy, the daughter of "Bam Bam" Terry, also found inspiration through her father's work, just recently commemorating his first year in the business as a wrestler, but it was a step that was a long time in the making before she decided to become involved in August of 2018
"For years I have had people ask me to come to shows or be a part of something wrestling related, so I finally decided to do it. I managed a friend for a while just so I could get used to being in front of a crowd and also to learn the inner workings of a show," Miranda explained.
As much as the big man from Bad Street was known for wild action in his heyday, Miranda only knew her dad as a gentle giant that had a deep dedication to his family during her elementary school years. Always known as a kind and caring man by his peers, the international wrestling star didn't hesitate to trade his boots for a pair of roller skates to take Miranda and her sister, Amber to the rink. When they weren't fishing or spending time together at home, the Gordy family enjoyed visiting amusement parks, where he sandwiched his massive frame into the elephant car with an endearing smile on his face so he could enjoy the ride with his kids. Despite his global career as such an accomplished athlete, Miranda cites one of his fondest memories of her dad as the time he taught her how to ride a bike without training wheels, his over-the-top wrestling tone replaced with a settling reassurance as Miranda maneuvered the pedals.
Still, when 7-year-old Miranda saw her dad on local wrestling cards, she was totally invested in the Fabulous Freebird as the winner, frantically cheering for his victory and legitimately upset if a villain tried to break the rules against him.
Even after Terry's tragic and untimely passing from a heart attack in July of 2001, that passion for the sport never left Miranda, as she remained drawn and linked to the business that was so closely associated with her family name. After that initial exposure to the live audience at ringside in August 2018, she knew the sports entertainment path was something she wanted to fully pursue, opting to begin wrestling training the following month at the XCW Dojo in Denton, Texas under the guidance of seasoned pro, Nite Davis and Athena Palmer, known to fans as WWE's Ember Moon. Miranda also credits accomplished grappler, Tom Howard and veteran wrestler, Kraig Keesaman as helpful in her experience to learn the ring ropes. Just over a year ago, the second generation athlete made her official debut as an in-ring wrestler at a local event in Texas, an appropriate location for the Freebird decedent, on July 7,2019. After the final bell of her first contest, Miranda knew exactly who she should talk to, and a familiar voice answered the phone.
"I called my Uncle Michael Hayes for advice. He said 'get out there and learn to work.' I did just that and all of the pieces of training started to fall into place," Miranda explained.
Following the words of the founder of the Freebirds, she began to zig-zag her way across Texas, and in the past year has already expanded into neighbor states, honing her craft through the valuable experience of working with a variety of opponents in front of difference audiences on a regular basis.
"Being a second generation wrestler has its pros and cons. The name gets me noticed, however there are very high expectations to go along with that. When I decided to train, I also decided that I wanted to start just like everyone else so that I could build my own career and not just base it off my dad to get to the top faster," she commented.
Aside from her last name, Miranda was noticed more directly for her in-ring skills, as she brought a natural poise to the squared circle and performs at a level beyond her rookie year in the industry. To go along with pairs of wrestling boots that her dad wore when he cemented his legacy in the industry, she has added championship titles of her own to the collection. Although, that in-ring ability was put to the test just a few months into her tenure as a performer, as she was booked for her first tour of Japan in February of this year. While this would be the first trip to Japan for Miranda, the country was already very familiar with the Gordy name. After his stellar work with Gordy and Roberts in the United States, Terry also had a legendary stint in Japan, most notably teaming with the late, great "Dr. Death" Steve Williams to form the Miracle Violence Connection in All Japan Pro Wrestling, the organization that was founded by the iconic, Giant Baba.
"Its always been my dream to go there, but the fact that I got to wrestle there as well makes me very proud of the legacy my father built while he was there," Miranda remarked.
Always wanting to learn, Miranda often consults her brother, Ray for advice as well. Ray spent five years under WWE contract as Jesse and then Slam Master J before he retired from the ring in 2010. So, Miranda looks to continue the legacy and has discovered even more about her father's impact on the industry through her own ventures in wrestling.
"Growing up, I never realized the impact my dad had made on so many other wrestlers. There are legends who have told me stories of how my dad made an impact on their career, which goes above just being a good wrestler. He was also a good person. Obviously, he made an impact on countless fans as well. I study his matches a lot. I have gained a new understanding of the inner workings of the wrestling business. Its a lot different from what i grew up knowing. I have gained a new respect for it. I have also learned that I can accomplish a lot more than i ever dreamed," Miranda said.
So, the question, "If I leave here tomorrow, will you still remember me?"
Yes, the fans certainly remember the legacy of Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, and that legacy looks to continue on through his daughter Miranda each time she steps into the squared circle.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
AEW booking
There's two sides to every story, both in life and in professional wrestling.
The year of 2020 will probably have books written about it from each category, how society ramped up like an Ultimate Warrior promo, and how the professional wrestling business had to adapt to very different circumstances, navigating through the business obligations of television while COVID puts the entire world in an ankle lock. I penned an article just a few weeks ago and explained why I think it's time for sports entertainment to tap out. The nearly two dozen positive corona virus tests at the WWE Performance Center, where the company has filmed TV for months should've been the reason to shut down tapings until the pandemic doesn't have new cases reported. It sounds like a drastic decision, but as I've said before, is the scripted world of professional wrestling really worth the risks associated with the corona virus?
All Elite Wrestling is also in a very unique situation because they celebrated their first year as an organization in May, but are also running in Florida, a state that is currently reporting a record number of cases. From purely a business prospective, the pandemic halted much of the momentum that AEW was building as far as brand awareness because for the first time since WCW, an organization outside of the WWE was drawing major crowds on a weekly basis in different markets. The ability to draw that type of consistent live audience and how the stars of AEW used their popularity on social media and translated it to revenue are remarkable accomplishments that can't be understated. That being said, without the AEW name on the road, there's less exposure for the brand on a more general level because causal fans that might not know to look for it on TNT might recognize wrestling when they see advertisements for events in local markets. Speaking of things that can't be understated, the ability to get the name exposure on the road is key, which we saw with TNA, a group that took their show on the road and it was so poorly advertised that most fans within the area didn't know an event was taking place, leading to some embarrassing attendance figures. The point being, if you can get fans to invest in a ticket to a live event, aside from the revenue stream, it's an indication of if there's a market for the product and something that fans want to pay to watch.
Aside from the business perspective, I'd say the same thing about AEW that I said about WWE, it's time to tap out on live events until the pandemic doesn't have new cases, especially because of the risk of events. However, that point is moot because neither company will halt production so they will continue to try to make the best of the situation. While the WWE's "Eye for an Eye" match ironically has fans rolling their eyes at the lame stipulation, and the recent shake up among the writing team shows that WWE brass is attempting to find a better direction for the product, AEW hasn't been perfect either.
In fact, as much as I'm cheering for AEW to be successful, I think it's fair to say that there has been some questionable booking for the Khan-owned project as well. Tonight's edition of Fight for The Fallen brings Jon Moxley back from quarantine after his wife, Renee Young tested positive for the corona virus. Thankfully, Renee has recovered and Moxley didn't get the virus, but stayed home as a precaution. Moxley defends his title against Brain Cage, who won a title shot during the ladder match at Double or Nothing. As I said at the time, I'm not a fan of Cage, as he was injury prone in the past, and his matches are rather sloppy. Outside of the look, I don't know what Cage brings to the table that others already on the roster don't perform better than him. Truthfully, despite him winning the title shot at the pay-per-view, it seems like they are rushing him toward the match with Moxley, and unless he wins the belt, there's not really another direction he could go after the match. That being said, Taz has done very well as a spokesman for Cage, and the work he is doing with it is what should've happened with Samoa Joe in TNA if the booking of that particular angle wasn't fumbled.
Last week, Taz awarded the FTW title to Cage, which was a neat concept that got people talking, but it seems like they put the cart before the horse in some respects. Cage now goes into the title match with a belt, but if he's defeated, what's the point of still calling himself a champion? On the flip side, if he wins the AEW title, why would he continue to show up with an unofficial championship? If Cage lost the title match via DQ or something that was considered a fluke, the segment where he becomes the FTW titleholder afterward makes sense because the creation of the belt was originally meant as a way to rebel against a company. Cage didn't get a perceived fair shot at the AEW world so he will proclaim himself the FTW champion as a way to stick it to the promotion. But, the reveal last week sounded more like a segment that was simply booked as a way to give Taz and Cage a reason to cut a promo on TV than a way to truly build the storyline toward the title match. Either way, I don't think Cage wins and it probably wouldn't be a wise decision at this point anyway so I'm not sure where he goes after his run in the company more or less started near the main event scene. Brodie Less was somewhat rushed toward a title shot and lost considerable steam since that time so it's possible Cage in the main event picture could be a one-off angle.
Other than being less than thrilled about Cage in the title picture, I'm very disappointed with how FTR has been booked since their arrival in the organization. As I said after their debut, when FTR showed up in an AEW ring, there should've been a confrontation because there's no reason to tease the tension when the tension was built for the past four years on social media. Anyone watching Dynamite knows why it's a major moment for FTR to be in the same ring with The Young Bucks so there should've been an attack on The Bucks the night FTR showed up to allow for a stand out moment. Instead, their tenure in AEW so far has been middle of the road so to speak, which has completely diluted the perceived real-life tension between the teams.
The eight man tag team match last week was a dazzling spot fest and was entertaining from purely an in-ring perspective, but why would FTR agree to be on the same team as The Young Bucks? It's completely illogical and again, it dilutes the heat of the feud. For as much as WWE has fumbled stars and angles that were considered "can't miss" opportunities, AEW has really dropped the ball with FTR. Sure, Cash and Dax had great matches on Dynamite since their debut, but haven't done anything of substances as far as angles yet, which was exactly the problem they had in WWE. In some scenarios, the easiest path is the correct path, and a Young Bucks/FTR feud should be easy money. Perhaps, there will be a major segment sometime soon to kick start an actual feud between the two teams, but so far it's been disappointing, only because there's so much more that could be done between the two stellar teams.
In an effort not to be completely negative, there are a few intriguing aspects of Dynamite in recent weeks, most notably the depth being added to Orange Cassidy, which was important because the almost expressionless aspect to his persona can only take him so far, and he has the in-ring skills to be a major player so it makes sense for him to evolve on television. Obviously, the greatness of Chris Jericho continues to shine through with how he showcased Cassidy throughout their feud on TNT. I've said it before and I will say it again, all things considered, Chris Jericho has put himself in a league of his own in some ways with his work during the past few years. Also, the open challenge for the TNT title has been interesting, but it could be taken to a different level if non-AEW talent get a chance to appear on the show as well. All that being said, it will be very interesting to see what happens at Fight for the Fallen and the direction of the company.
The year of 2020 will probably have books written about it from each category, how society ramped up like an Ultimate Warrior promo, and how the professional wrestling business had to adapt to very different circumstances, navigating through the business obligations of television while COVID puts the entire world in an ankle lock. I penned an article just a few weeks ago and explained why I think it's time for sports entertainment to tap out. The nearly two dozen positive corona virus tests at the WWE Performance Center, where the company has filmed TV for months should've been the reason to shut down tapings until the pandemic doesn't have new cases reported. It sounds like a drastic decision, but as I've said before, is the scripted world of professional wrestling really worth the risks associated with the corona virus?
All Elite Wrestling is also in a very unique situation because they celebrated their first year as an organization in May, but are also running in Florida, a state that is currently reporting a record number of cases. From purely a business prospective, the pandemic halted much of the momentum that AEW was building as far as brand awareness because for the first time since WCW, an organization outside of the WWE was drawing major crowds on a weekly basis in different markets. The ability to draw that type of consistent live audience and how the stars of AEW used their popularity on social media and translated it to revenue are remarkable accomplishments that can't be understated. That being said, without the AEW name on the road, there's less exposure for the brand on a more general level because causal fans that might not know to look for it on TNT might recognize wrestling when they see advertisements for events in local markets. Speaking of things that can't be understated, the ability to get the name exposure on the road is key, which we saw with TNA, a group that took their show on the road and it was so poorly advertised that most fans within the area didn't know an event was taking place, leading to some embarrassing attendance figures. The point being, if you can get fans to invest in a ticket to a live event, aside from the revenue stream, it's an indication of if there's a market for the product and something that fans want to pay to watch.
Aside from the business perspective, I'd say the same thing about AEW that I said about WWE, it's time to tap out on live events until the pandemic doesn't have new cases, especially because of the risk of events. However, that point is moot because neither company will halt production so they will continue to try to make the best of the situation. While the WWE's "Eye for an Eye" match ironically has fans rolling their eyes at the lame stipulation, and the recent shake up among the writing team shows that WWE brass is attempting to find a better direction for the product, AEW hasn't been perfect either.
In fact, as much as I'm cheering for AEW to be successful, I think it's fair to say that there has been some questionable booking for the Khan-owned project as well. Tonight's edition of Fight for The Fallen brings Jon Moxley back from quarantine after his wife, Renee Young tested positive for the corona virus. Thankfully, Renee has recovered and Moxley didn't get the virus, but stayed home as a precaution. Moxley defends his title against Brain Cage, who won a title shot during the ladder match at Double or Nothing. As I said at the time, I'm not a fan of Cage, as he was injury prone in the past, and his matches are rather sloppy. Outside of the look, I don't know what Cage brings to the table that others already on the roster don't perform better than him. Truthfully, despite him winning the title shot at the pay-per-view, it seems like they are rushing him toward the match with Moxley, and unless he wins the belt, there's not really another direction he could go after the match. That being said, Taz has done very well as a spokesman for Cage, and the work he is doing with it is what should've happened with Samoa Joe in TNA if the booking of that particular angle wasn't fumbled.
Last week, Taz awarded the FTW title to Cage, which was a neat concept that got people talking, but it seems like they put the cart before the horse in some respects. Cage now goes into the title match with a belt, but if he's defeated, what's the point of still calling himself a champion? On the flip side, if he wins the AEW title, why would he continue to show up with an unofficial championship? If Cage lost the title match via DQ or something that was considered a fluke, the segment where he becomes the FTW titleholder afterward makes sense because the creation of the belt was originally meant as a way to rebel against a company. Cage didn't get a perceived fair shot at the AEW world so he will proclaim himself the FTW champion as a way to stick it to the promotion. But, the reveal last week sounded more like a segment that was simply booked as a way to give Taz and Cage a reason to cut a promo on TV than a way to truly build the storyline toward the title match. Either way, I don't think Cage wins and it probably wouldn't be a wise decision at this point anyway so I'm not sure where he goes after his run in the company more or less started near the main event scene. Brodie Less was somewhat rushed toward a title shot and lost considerable steam since that time so it's possible Cage in the main event picture could be a one-off angle.
Other than being less than thrilled about Cage in the title picture, I'm very disappointed with how FTR has been booked since their arrival in the organization. As I said after their debut, when FTR showed up in an AEW ring, there should've been a confrontation because there's no reason to tease the tension when the tension was built for the past four years on social media. Anyone watching Dynamite knows why it's a major moment for FTR to be in the same ring with The Young Bucks so there should've been an attack on The Bucks the night FTR showed up to allow for a stand out moment. Instead, their tenure in AEW so far has been middle of the road so to speak, which has completely diluted the perceived real-life tension between the teams.
The eight man tag team match last week was a dazzling spot fest and was entertaining from purely an in-ring perspective, but why would FTR agree to be on the same team as The Young Bucks? It's completely illogical and again, it dilutes the heat of the feud. For as much as WWE has fumbled stars and angles that were considered "can't miss" opportunities, AEW has really dropped the ball with FTR. Sure, Cash and Dax had great matches on Dynamite since their debut, but haven't done anything of substances as far as angles yet, which was exactly the problem they had in WWE. In some scenarios, the easiest path is the correct path, and a Young Bucks/FTR feud should be easy money. Perhaps, there will be a major segment sometime soon to kick start an actual feud between the two teams, but so far it's been disappointing, only because there's so much more that could be done between the two stellar teams.
In an effort not to be completely negative, there are a few intriguing aspects of Dynamite in recent weeks, most notably the depth being added to Orange Cassidy, which was important because the almost expressionless aspect to his persona can only take him so far, and he has the in-ring skills to be a major player so it makes sense for him to evolve on television. Obviously, the greatness of Chris Jericho continues to shine through with how he showcased Cassidy throughout their feud on TNT. I've said it before and I will say it again, all things considered, Chris Jericho has put himself in a league of his own in some ways with his work during the past few years. Also, the open challenge for the TNT title has been interesting, but it could be taken to a different level if non-AEW talent get a chance to appear on the show as well. All that being said, it will be very interesting to see what happens at Fight for the Fallen and the direction of the company.
Friday, July 10, 2020
UFC 251
This weekend's UFC 251 will be the highly anticipated debut of Dana
White's Fight Island, located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, where the
company is set to run four cards. While the octagon won't be on the sand
and in a structure suggested to look more like an airplane hanger, the
goal of the ambitious project was accomplished as the unique geography
allows the organization to dodge travel restrictions, transporting fighters
to the same place for the event. So far, ESPN reports that the strict
testing protocol and the fact that obviously nobody can just wander off
the island without travel arrangements has actually allowed for a bubble
that will make sure everyone on the island tests negative for COVID
before the start of the fights.
The overall promotion of the event, "Fight Island" is more of a novelty and something that you might see in a Bruce Lee film, but the card has more than enough substance to go along with the over-the-top sizzle of an island that sounds like something from the kumite. As is usually tradition for the MMA league in mid-July, an absolutely stacked card is scheduled with three championship fights signed for pay-per-view. The lack of traditional live sports provided somewhat of an opportunity for the UFC to be able to put a spotlight on itself, and you can bet the organization is banking on the chance to make some new stars in the process. Usually, the live gate for these events is one of the barometers of success, as some of its biggest shows reflect that status with the box office number. However, the lack of fans in the building is more than covered by the demand for live sports and thus the money to be made on pay-per-view buys on the ESPN+ streaming service. The recent events on the network have drawn solid numbers, and the potential for major revenue is there for PPV buys, as what might be seen as a typical card is elevated in its status because outside of Korean baseball or European soccer, there aren't many sports options for fans. Proof of this being, when Khabib Nurmagomedov was stranded in Russia because of the previously mentioned travel restrictions a few months ago, Justin Gaethje stepped in as a last-minute replacement to fight the eccentric Tony Ferguson. The two sluggers looked to be a potential dynamite brawl on paper, which definitely draws the diehard fans, but neither necessarily has the star power to bring in the general public, which isn't meant as a jab against either of them, as both deliver entertaining fights. Still, the thrown together main event drew over 700,000 buys on PPV, which simply wouldn't have been the case if the world wasn't shut down because of the pandemic. Regardless, with more positive COVID test among players across different sports leagues and spikes in cases in dozens of states, the prospect of a full-fledged return to sports looks bleak at best this year. However, that again opens the door for the UFC to cash-in on the void of live sports among the American landscape so you can expect a the UFC 251 card that would've done big numbers under any circumstance to be even more of a mega draw right now.
After Henry Cejudo abruptly retired following a successful title defense against Dominick Cruz and then vacated the Bantamweight championship in May, the UFC announced that talented Russian, Peter Yan would square off with the legendary Jose Aldo. Since the former Featherweight champion was dominate for so long, as far back as the days of the existence of the WEC, it's easy to overlook that Aldo is only 33, but undoubtedly already has a hall of fame resume. On the flip side, the 27-year-old Peter Yan, currently on a nine-fight win streak with only one blemish on his record prior to his UFC debut, has spent much of his tenure in the organization under the radar. Despite half a dozen fights under the UFC banner, some of which took place on the prelims, many didn't take notice of the striker until he defeated another WEC legend, Uriah Faber via head kick at UFC 245 in December of last year.
In truth, the result of this bout will probably be determined by what Jose Aldo shows up in the cage on Fight Island. An unimpressive 2-4 in his last six bouts, it's a harsh reality, but Aldo just hasn't been the same fight since he suffered the 14-second KO loss against Conor McGregor in 2015. Theoretically, this impromptu title shot is a chance for Aldo to rejuvenate his career, but his most recent defeat against a mostly average Marlon Moraes on the same card where Yan KO'ed Faber suggest that Fight Island won't be the return to prominence for the Brazilian legend. Still, Aldo is young enough and continues to have the skills to add a new chapter to his career if he's successful. That being said, I have to pick Yan to win the Bantamweight championship.
In a rematch from UFC 245, Alexander Volkanovski will defend the Featherweight belt against Max Holloway, who he beat via a close, but unanimous decision last year. In many ways, this one is a toss up because both athletes are in the prime of their respective careers and their prior bout showed that they are evenly matched in the octagon. If there's a specific key to victory in this contest, I would say it's Holloway's ability to defend against the aggressive striking offense of his opponent and his movement to avoid damage. Both are well-rounded so there's not necessarily a particular aspect of the fight that will be a determining factor, but again, based on their previous fight, how Holloway handles Volkanovski's volume of offense will be important. I will guess that Holloway wins a very close decision to set up for the eventual trilogy fight, but that's more of a guess than anything.
In the main event, a contest that was originally discussed before negotiations stalled, Jorge Masvidal stepped in to challenge Kamaru Usman for the Welterweight championship. Masvidal, who wanted more money to ink a contract for the fight initially, replaced Gilbert Burns, the original challenger that tested positive for the corona virus last week. The fight represents the difference between the pure sport and the fight business. The most skilled fighter isn't necessarily the competitor with the most star power. Masvidal, who made himself a star with a spectacular flying knee KO in a fight against Ben Askren last year, won the unofficial BMF championship via doctor stoppage in a match-up against Nate Diaz last November. The fight was hosted at Madison Square Garden and The Rock was there to present the title with the spectacle drawing an estimated 925,000 pay-per-view buys. Was it the most technical fight or the two most skilled fighters in the company? No, but it sold tickets and pay-per-views, which is the most important aspect of the fight business. For Masvidal, with a record of 35-13, he's a journeyman that has some entertaining fights, but still a mostly average brawler that brings a slick persona into the octagon. There's nothing wrong with that either because again, the fight business is about selling tickets. If Masvidal is able to generate some popularity for himself with more sizzle than actual skill and use it to get paid then good for him.
That's why it wasn't surprising that the unofficial BMF champion joined the list of fighters, including Jon Jones that recently expressed discontent with the money the UFC offers for fights. Masvidal is in the position to make the most money possible of his career because of his recent surge in popularity so obviously he's going to try to use that leverage to negotiate the best deal possible, which is completely understandable because that's capitalism. The fact that Burns tested positive for the corona virus and the company needed a quick replacement also gave him more of a bargaining chip so while payouts aren't revealed until after the event, Masvidal is probably getting the biggest payoff of his career at Fight Island. At the same time, he knows that he had to maximize the payday when he had the chance because a devastating defeat could tarnish his star power and he doesn't necessarily have the skill set to compete with the top-tier of the division. On the other hand, Kamaru Usman could cement himself as one of the top stars of the organization. With a record of 16-1, Usman brings a well-rounded skill set to the cage, with a wrestling base combined with precise striking skills. Currently on a 15-fight win streak, Usman claimed the Welterweight belt last December via TKO, fracturing Colby Covington's jaw during the fight. However, everyone has a puncher's chance and Masvidal's style is perfectly suited for the puncher's chance so I will pick Usman to retain the title, but anything can happen for a contest that will probably be an entertaining main event.
The overall promotion of the event, "Fight Island" is more of a novelty and something that you might see in a Bruce Lee film, but the card has more than enough substance to go along with the over-the-top sizzle of an island that sounds like something from the kumite. As is usually tradition for the MMA league in mid-July, an absolutely stacked card is scheduled with three championship fights signed for pay-per-view. The lack of traditional live sports provided somewhat of an opportunity for the UFC to be able to put a spotlight on itself, and you can bet the organization is banking on the chance to make some new stars in the process. Usually, the live gate for these events is one of the barometers of success, as some of its biggest shows reflect that status with the box office number. However, the lack of fans in the building is more than covered by the demand for live sports and thus the money to be made on pay-per-view buys on the ESPN+ streaming service. The recent events on the network have drawn solid numbers, and the potential for major revenue is there for PPV buys, as what might be seen as a typical card is elevated in its status because outside of Korean baseball or European soccer, there aren't many sports options for fans. Proof of this being, when Khabib Nurmagomedov was stranded in Russia because of the previously mentioned travel restrictions a few months ago, Justin Gaethje stepped in as a last-minute replacement to fight the eccentric Tony Ferguson. The two sluggers looked to be a potential dynamite brawl on paper, which definitely draws the diehard fans, but neither necessarily has the star power to bring in the general public, which isn't meant as a jab against either of them, as both deliver entertaining fights. Still, the thrown together main event drew over 700,000 buys on PPV, which simply wouldn't have been the case if the world wasn't shut down because of the pandemic. Regardless, with more positive COVID test among players across different sports leagues and spikes in cases in dozens of states, the prospect of a full-fledged return to sports looks bleak at best this year. However, that again opens the door for the UFC to cash-in on the void of live sports among the American landscape so you can expect a the UFC 251 card that would've done big numbers under any circumstance to be even more of a mega draw right now.
After Henry Cejudo abruptly retired following a successful title defense against Dominick Cruz and then vacated the Bantamweight championship in May, the UFC announced that talented Russian, Peter Yan would square off with the legendary Jose Aldo. Since the former Featherweight champion was dominate for so long, as far back as the days of the existence of the WEC, it's easy to overlook that Aldo is only 33, but undoubtedly already has a hall of fame resume. On the flip side, the 27-year-old Peter Yan, currently on a nine-fight win streak with only one blemish on his record prior to his UFC debut, has spent much of his tenure in the organization under the radar. Despite half a dozen fights under the UFC banner, some of which took place on the prelims, many didn't take notice of the striker until he defeated another WEC legend, Uriah Faber via head kick at UFC 245 in December of last year.
In truth, the result of this bout will probably be determined by what Jose Aldo shows up in the cage on Fight Island. An unimpressive 2-4 in his last six bouts, it's a harsh reality, but Aldo just hasn't been the same fight since he suffered the 14-second KO loss against Conor McGregor in 2015. Theoretically, this impromptu title shot is a chance for Aldo to rejuvenate his career, but his most recent defeat against a mostly average Marlon Moraes on the same card where Yan KO'ed Faber suggest that Fight Island won't be the return to prominence for the Brazilian legend. Still, Aldo is young enough and continues to have the skills to add a new chapter to his career if he's successful. That being said, I have to pick Yan to win the Bantamweight championship.
In a rematch from UFC 245, Alexander Volkanovski will defend the Featherweight belt against Max Holloway, who he beat via a close, but unanimous decision last year. In many ways, this one is a toss up because both athletes are in the prime of their respective careers and their prior bout showed that they are evenly matched in the octagon. If there's a specific key to victory in this contest, I would say it's Holloway's ability to defend against the aggressive striking offense of his opponent and his movement to avoid damage. Both are well-rounded so there's not necessarily a particular aspect of the fight that will be a determining factor, but again, based on their previous fight, how Holloway handles Volkanovski's volume of offense will be important. I will guess that Holloway wins a very close decision to set up for the eventual trilogy fight, but that's more of a guess than anything.
In the main event, a contest that was originally discussed before negotiations stalled, Jorge Masvidal stepped in to challenge Kamaru Usman for the Welterweight championship. Masvidal, who wanted more money to ink a contract for the fight initially, replaced Gilbert Burns, the original challenger that tested positive for the corona virus last week. The fight represents the difference between the pure sport and the fight business. The most skilled fighter isn't necessarily the competitor with the most star power. Masvidal, who made himself a star with a spectacular flying knee KO in a fight against Ben Askren last year, won the unofficial BMF championship via doctor stoppage in a match-up against Nate Diaz last November. The fight was hosted at Madison Square Garden and The Rock was there to present the title with the spectacle drawing an estimated 925,000 pay-per-view buys. Was it the most technical fight or the two most skilled fighters in the company? No, but it sold tickets and pay-per-views, which is the most important aspect of the fight business. For Masvidal, with a record of 35-13, he's a journeyman that has some entertaining fights, but still a mostly average brawler that brings a slick persona into the octagon. There's nothing wrong with that either because again, the fight business is about selling tickets. If Masvidal is able to generate some popularity for himself with more sizzle than actual skill and use it to get paid then good for him.
That's why it wasn't surprising that the unofficial BMF champion joined the list of fighters, including Jon Jones that recently expressed discontent with the money the UFC offers for fights. Masvidal is in the position to make the most money possible of his career because of his recent surge in popularity so obviously he's going to try to use that leverage to negotiate the best deal possible, which is completely understandable because that's capitalism. The fact that Burns tested positive for the corona virus and the company needed a quick replacement also gave him more of a bargaining chip so while payouts aren't revealed until after the event, Masvidal is probably getting the biggest payoff of his career at Fight Island. At the same time, he knows that he had to maximize the payday when he had the chance because a devastating defeat could tarnish his star power and he doesn't necessarily have the skill set to compete with the top-tier of the division. On the other hand, Kamaru Usman could cement himself as one of the top stars of the organization. With a record of 16-1, Usman brings a well-rounded skill set to the cage, with a wrestling base combined with precise striking skills. Currently on a 15-fight win streak, Usman claimed the Welterweight belt last December via TKO, fracturing Colby Covington's jaw during the fight. However, everyone has a puncher's chance and Masvidal's style is perfectly suited for the puncher's chance so I will pick Usman to retain the title, but anything can happen for a contest that will probably be an entertaining main event.
Sunday, July 5, 2020
The career of Boomer Payne
Boomer Payne, a seasoned veteran with ties up and down the east coast, gingerly walked into the Fight Underground closed set taping that was filmed at a studio a few weeks ago, his most recent involvement in a new organization in the Pittsburgh area, a region where he made his name over two decades ago. A lengthy scar decorates his right knee, a reminder of the procedure that repaired a torn ACL and MCL, but that was only one of the eleven surgeries on his resume from a risky style that garnered him a cult following on the independent circuit.
The gritty grappler broke into the business in 1995, training at a rundown warehouse in Houston, Pennsylvania, a borough so small and almost unknown that even Google Maps would have difficulty finding it today. The no-frills introduction to professional wrestling saw Boomer complete the tedious process of landing on the dirt-stained canvas to learn the safest way to hit the stiff mat, as well as the in-ring maneuvers that are considered the building blocks of wrestling lessons for aspiring hopefuls. The dusty building saw Boomer and a few other rookies repeat these courses three times a week for nearly six months until he was ready to lace his boots for his professional wrestling debut. However, that chilly afternoon on October 11, 1995 didn't have any of the glitz of the Great American Bash or the glamor of Wrestlemania. The Woody Williams Armory in Fairmont, West Virginia was about as far away from the big stage as he could be, but for Boomer, it was a chance to live a dream that some told him wasn't possible, and he was going to make the most of the opportunity.
"I was like a sponge, soaking up information and retaining it. I wanted to learn every aspect of this business from in ring to backstage. I remember within six months of my debut we were filming television shows. I realized that you must always keep working and keep learning," Boomer explained.
During those first few formative years, Boomer began to hone his craft anywhere he could, logging hundreds of miles on weekend trips to small cards in various states just to get a chance to gain the experience needed to take his game to the next level. The meager payoffs paled in comparison to the knowledge that he earned during those trips, learning as much from feedback after the show as he did in the ring. As time went on, the professional wrestling industry, similar to the rest of society, began to get edgier and push the envelope. Explicit music became more main stream, Howard Stern had millions of listeners, and Jerry Springer had pay-per-view specials. When sports entertainment began to reflect society, the well-known wrestling boom of the late-90s saw a surge at every level of the business. Pittsburgh, a city almost as well known for its extensive wrestling history as the steel it once produced, was no exception, as a cast of local grapplers ushered in one of the peak periods for the sport in the area, drawing hundreds of fans in a variety of locations, and a few different spinoffs of local TV broadcasts accompanied other blocks of wrestling programming in an era when that local TV clearance actually gave organizations more exposure than early internet access.
Obviously, Extreme Championship Wrestling, the South Philadelphia based group that saw its influence quite literally bleed over onto the national scene, was very popular in the north east, with the Iron City as one of its mainstays, including when the November to Remember pay-per-view was held at The Golden Dome in Monica, PA where hometown favorite, Shane Douglas beat Bam Bam Bigelow for the heavyweight championship. The rise of the hardcore style opened the door for Boomer Payne to capitalize on its popularity in the region and use it as a way to stand out from the pack of a very talented crew.
"There is a golden rule that I live by in wrestling, stand out and be different. I wasn’t a giant Like Leviathan, T.Rantula or Gator. I wasn’t a flyer like JB Destiny. I wasn’t a heart throb like Brian Anthony or Brandon K. I was an average wrestler with an average size. I didn’t have an outlandish gimmick. I didn’t have a flashy catch phrase. So for me to stand out I had to take high risk bumps. Bumps that nobody else was willing to take. It was perfect timing because fans were becoming more blood thirsty," Boomer said.
On the surface, Boomer might've looked like the average grappler, but a slick combination of passion and charisma made him a cult favorite around Pittsburgh. His willingness to take risks and dedication to give the blue collar fans of the area their money's worth led to jam-packed crowds under the Pro Wrestling Express banner, the now-defunct league that was the city's premiere group in the late-90s. Chairs, tables, and blood were all a regular part of Boomer's presentation during his initial run with PWX. Those same elements are also why he had nine confirmed concussions during the course of his 25-year career. Blood and guts were en vogue at the time, and Boomer was willing to indulge that demand, playing a critical role in one of the most legendary feuds in Pittsburgh wrestling lore. 987, a trio consisting of JB Destiny, Boomer Payne, and Big Poppa Gator vs. Rage, a stable of Quinn Magnum, Mad Mike, and Headshrinker Samu was the top-drawing rivalry of the late-90s in Pittsburgh, with weapons matches at its signature attraction for several sellout cards. All six men continued their careers to varying degrees, with Quinn becoming one of the most well-respected bookers in the area, while JB Destiny, who was known as the top light heavyweight of the region, is a producer in the film industry. Samu, a member of the legendary Samoan Dynasty, is based on the other side of the state in Allentown, the site of many WWF tapings of the 80s and where the Wild Samoan training center still runs a school today.
"Obviously, the top of the list is being involved in one of the most memorable and violent feuds, Rage vs 987. The opportunities to work with Headshrinker Samu and to learn from him. Meeting and working with my brother for life Dylan Dean. Having a promotion have enough faith in me to be the face of the company not once, but twice," Boomer said.
" Boomer Payne is one of the toughest hardcore fighters I’ve ever faced in the ring. He’s deserving of all the accolades he’s obtained," said Paul Atlas, a grizzled thirty-year veteran of the ring.
Not long after the start of the new millennium, Boomer relocated to South Carolina, a place he hadn't been previously, but geography that he was certainly familiar with. Vividly remembering the coincidence of holding an elevator door for the legendary Tully Blanchard at the age of 11, Boomer identified the Carolinas as the home base of Jim Crockett Promotions, the flagship organization of the National Wrestling Alliance in the 80s. Transitioning from one wrestling city to another might've been a culture shock to some, given the differences in the southern style, but Boomer's eagerness to gain more diverse knowledge saw this as a chance to learn even more about the sport he has such dedication for.
"It wasn't so much of an adjustment, but an expansion of my repertoire. I came from Pittsburgh, where hardcore wrestling was prominent, but I already had a love for southern style wrestling. I've had amazing opportunities to learn from some of the best in the business like Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson, Bobby Eaton, and Buddy Landell. They allowed me to train with them and pass on this wealth of knowledge within Southern wrestling. While it took years to gain this insight and put it into use, I learned how to control a crowd and tell a story, which is probably two of the most difficult things you can," he said.
In the two decades since he traded hammer locks and tips for crisp punches with the legendary Bobby Eaton, Boomer Payne became a mainstay of the Carolina circuit, zig-zagging across the region to perform as a wrestler, as well as promoting events, drawing solid crowds with a mixture of established veterans and talented young prospects. Wanting to keep pace with an evolving sports entertainment industry and even faster evolution of technology, Boomer added merchandise and a streaming video network to his duties as a promoter. While t-shirts, trading cards, and memorabilia are produced for the merchandise tables at live events, independent matches, interviews, and a myriad of original programming can be found online through his streaming network.
So, while his previous ankle reconstruction leaves him with a slumped posture, Boomer still enjoys the adrenaline rush to perform, lacing up his boots with a slightly more cautious approach today than he took nearly 25 years ago, still maintaining the original goals he set for himself in that dusty warehouse during training sessions, the opportunity to pursue his passion for professional wrestling, as well as entertaining the audience the same way his wrestling idols thrilled him in the years previously. The drive that Boomer Payne had put him on the path of professional wrestling that has taken him several places, made him several friends, and the chance to entertain for several years. If that was his payoff for all the surgeries, scars, and bumps, Boomer is reassured that his journey was worth it.
"I don’t spend too much time with regret as I feel it is a wasted emotion. I feel very fortunate to be closing in on 25 years this October. There have been hundreds of guys that were only fortunate enough to make it ten years. Going out in the ring and being able to still entertain the paying customers is all the motivation I need to keep going. Although I have adopted a completely different style than my earlier years, The crazy bumps come out for special occasions."
The gritty grappler broke into the business in 1995, training at a rundown warehouse in Houston, Pennsylvania, a borough so small and almost unknown that even Google Maps would have difficulty finding it today. The no-frills introduction to professional wrestling saw Boomer complete the tedious process of landing on the dirt-stained canvas to learn the safest way to hit the stiff mat, as well as the in-ring maneuvers that are considered the building blocks of wrestling lessons for aspiring hopefuls. The dusty building saw Boomer and a few other rookies repeat these courses three times a week for nearly six months until he was ready to lace his boots for his professional wrestling debut. However, that chilly afternoon on October 11, 1995 didn't have any of the glitz of the Great American Bash or the glamor of Wrestlemania. The Woody Williams Armory in Fairmont, West Virginia was about as far away from the big stage as he could be, but for Boomer, it was a chance to live a dream that some told him wasn't possible, and he was going to make the most of the opportunity.
"I was like a sponge, soaking up information and retaining it. I wanted to learn every aspect of this business from in ring to backstage. I remember within six months of my debut we were filming television shows. I realized that you must always keep working and keep learning," Boomer explained.
During those first few formative years, Boomer began to hone his craft anywhere he could, logging hundreds of miles on weekend trips to small cards in various states just to get a chance to gain the experience needed to take his game to the next level. The meager payoffs paled in comparison to the knowledge that he earned during those trips, learning as much from feedback after the show as he did in the ring. As time went on, the professional wrestling industry, similar to the rest of society, began to get edgier and push the envelope. Explicit music became more main stream, Howard Stern had millions of listeners, and Jerry Springer had pay-per-view specials. When sports entertainment began to reflect society, the well-known wrestling boom of the late-90s saw a surge at every level of the business. Pittsburgh, a city almost as well known for its extensive wrestling history as the steel it once produced, was no exception, as a cast of local grapplers ushered in one of the peak periods for the sport in the area, drawing hundreds of fans in a variety of locations, and a few different spinoffs of local TV broadcasts accompanied other blocks of wrestling programming in an era when that local TV clearance actually gave organizations more exposure than early internet access.
Obviously, Extreme Championship Wrestling, the South Philadelphia based group that saw its influence quite literally bleed over onto the national scene, was very popular in the north east, with the Iron City as one of its mainstays, including when the November to Remember pay-per-view was held at The Golden Dome in Monica, PA where hometown favorite, Shane Douglas beat Bam Bam Bigelow for the heavyweight championship. The rise of the hardcore style opened the door for Boomer Payne to capitalize on its popularity in the region and use it as a way to stand out from the pack of a very talented crew.
"There is a golden rule that I live by in wrestling, stand out and be different. I wasn’t a giant Like Leviathan, T.Rantula or Gator. I wasn’t a flyer like JB Destiny. I wasn’t a heart throb like Brian Anthony or Brandon K. I was an average wrestler with an average size. I didn’t have an outlandish gimmick. I didn’t have a flashy catch phrase. So for me to stand out I had to take high risk bumps. Bumps that nobody else was willing to take. It was perfect timing because fans were becoming more blood thirsty," Boomer said.
On the surface, Boomer might've looked like the average grappler, but a slick combination of passion and charisma made him a cult favorite around Pittsburgh. His willingness to take risks and dedication to give the blue collar fans of the area their money's worth led to jam-packed crowds under the Pro Wrestling Express banner, the now-defunct league that was the city's premiere group in the late-90s. Chairs, tables, and blood were all a regular part of Boomer's presentation during his initial run with PWX. Those same elements are also why he had nine confirmed concussions during the course of his 25-year career. Blood and guts were en vogue at the time, and Boomer was willing to indulge that demand, playing a critical role in one of the most legendary feuds in Pittsburgh wrestling lore. 987, a trio consisting of JB Destiny, Boomer Payne, and Big Poppa Gator vs. Rage, a stable of Quinn Magnum, Mad Mike, and Headshrinker Samu was the top-drawing rivalry of the late-90s in Pittsburgh, with weapons matches at its signature attraction for several sellout cards. All six men continued their careers to varying degrees, with Quinn becoming one of the most well-respected bookers in the area, while JB Destiny, who was known as the top light heavyweight of the region, is a producer in the film industry. Samu, a member of the legendary Samoan Dynasty, is based on the other side of the state in Allentown, the site of many WWF tapings of the 80s and where the Wild Samoan training center still runs a school today.
"Obviously, the top of the list is being involved in one of the most memorable and violent feuds, Rage vs 987. The opportunities to work with Headshrinker Samu and to learn from him. Meeting and working with my brother for life Dylan Dean. Having a promotion have enough faith in me to be the face of the company not once, but twice," Boomer said.
" Boomer Payne is one of the toughest hardcore fighters I’ve ever faced in the ring. He’s deserving of all the accolades he’s obtained," said Paul Atlas, a grizzled thirty-year veteran of the ring.
Not long after the start of the new millennium, Boomer relocated to South Carolina, a place he hadn't been previously, but geography that he was certainly familiar with. Vividly remembering the coincidence of holding an elevator door for the legendary Tully Blanchard at the age of 11, Boomer identified the Carolinas as the home base of Jim Crockett Promotions, the flagship organization of the National Wrestling Alliance in the 80s. Transitioning from one wrestling city to another might've been a culture shock to some, given the differences in the southern style, but Boomer's eagerness to gain more diverse knowledge saw this as a chance to learn even more about the sport he has such dedication for.
"It wasn't so much of an adjustment, but an expansion of my repertoire. I came from Pittsburgh, where hardcore wrestling was prominent, but I already had a love for southern style wrestling. I've had amazing opportunities to learn from some of the best in the business like Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson, Bobby Eaton, and Buddy Landell. They allowed me to train with them and pass on this wealth of knowledge within Southern wrestling. While it took years to gain this insight and put it into use, I learned how to control a crowd and tell a story, which is probably two of the most difficult things you can," he said.
In the two decades since he traded hammer locks and tips for crisp punches with the legendary Bobby Eaton, Boomer Payne became a mainstay of the Carolina circuit, zig-zagging across the region to perform as a wrestler, as well as promoting events, drawing solid crowds with a mixture of established veterans and talented young prospects. Wanting to keep pace with an evolving sports entertainment industry and even faster evolution of technology, Boomer added merchandise and a streaming video network to his duties as a promoter. While t-shirts, trading cards, and memorabilia are produced for the merchandise tables at live events, independent matches, interviews, and a myriad of original programming can be found online through his streaming network.
So, while his previous ankle reconstruction leaves him with a slumped posture, Boomer still enjoys the adrenaline rush to perform, lacing up his boots with a slightly more cautious approach today than he took nearly 25 years ago, still maintaining the original goals he set for himself in that dusty warehouse during training sessions, the opportunity to pursue his passion for professional wrestling, as well as entertaining the audience the same way his wrestling idols thrilled him in the years previously. The drive that Boomer Payne had put him on the path of professional wrestling that has taken him several places, made him several friends, and the chance to entertain for several years. If that was his payoff for all the surgeries, scars, and bumps, Boomer is reassured that his journey was worth it.
"I don’t spend too much time with regret as I feel it is a wasted emotion. I feel very fortunate to be closing in on 25 years this October. There have been hundreds of guys that were only fortunate enough to make it ten years. Going out in the ring and being able to still entertain the paying customers is all the motivation I need to keep going. Although I have adopted a completely different style than my earlier years, The crazy bumps come out for special occasions."
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
The status of CM Punk
I saw "Pipe Bomb" trending on Twitter, and in a prime example of the cesspool that usually is social media, assumed it was either a reference to a weapon found in the mail or to the wrestling promo. Ironically, last week marked nine years since CM Punk dropped the infamous "pipe bomb" promo on Monday night Raw, generating more main stream press in six and a half minutes on the mic than the industry had in nearly the previous decade. Just a few weeks later, one of the very few legendary nights of the modern era took place when he defeated John Cena in front of a raid hometown crowd of Chicago to win the WWE title.
So, what happened?
It's easy to say that CM Punk got over despite the office's best efforts and then management did basically everything they could to squash his momentum. But, a closer examination of "The Summer of Punk" shows just how much WWE dropped the ball in 2011, and more importantly, why they did it.
I've written about it many times, but pro wrestling, similar to most things in life, is about timing. The concepts and angles that get over the most do so because the right things happen at the right time because the climate of the industry allowed it to happen organically. The fact is, you can't manufacture a boom period, and if you could, the industry would've never seen it's more notorious slumps. Prime example, what truly set the stage for Extreme Championship Wrestling to revolutionize the presentation of the industry in the late-90s? The answer is the demand for an alternative based on the cartoonish product in the business of the earlier years of the decade. Fans that shook their head at Norman The Lunatic, TL Hopper, and The Goon, were happy to embrace The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, and Raven. Ted Turner decided he wanted to go head-to-head with Vince McMahon so the creation of Nitro and the eventual arrival of The Outsiders pushed the WWF toward edgier programming to be able to compete with the rival promotion, and the competition led to the biggest boom in the history of the industry. Again, you can't manufacture a boom period.
Make no mistake about it, despite any stereotype about his stature or unconventional look, there was a time in the sport that CM Punk was the guy, until he wasn't. The WWE had spent the few years prior to the pipe bomb as a PG product because of Linda's unsuccessful bids to get a senate seat. Who knew it only took a six million donation to the Trump campaign to buy her a spot in his cabinet? Similar to the discontent with the product today, the PG era consisted of mostly flat and stale programming. Punk was the spark to shift the direction of the product, generating a more unpredictable atmosphere for the Raw show that utilized a paint-by-numbers approach that lacked any major compelling elements.
The same statement can be made about the product today, but it certainly applied to the status of the organization in 2011 as well. The WWE got too comfortable with their dominate portion of the market and a level of complacency developed within the product. The launch of the WWE Network a few years later further cemented a level of mediocrity because the writing team was no longer pushed to attempt to sell a show that was worth $40 on pay-per-view, but rather the WWE machine could churn out events that only had to meet the standard of the $10 price tag for a subscription, which also included access to thousands of hours of classic footage. With as comfortable as the WWE was with it's position in 2011, they have even more of a safety net today, as their mega TV deals that started last year will provide them with record-setting revenue for the next five years.
When CM Punk sat on the stage in 2011, he said what many fans were thinking, too often the corporate agenda, not fan demand, dictated the direction of the company. Unfortunately, the same thing can be said today because the WWE corporation serves its stockholders ahead of its fan base. The narrative that saw Punk claim the WWE championship cast him as an updated version of the anti-hero, where he didn't need to reflect the shock TV that was popular in the late-90s the way that Stone Cold did when he pummeled Vince on a weekly basis, but rather took a rebellion approach to stand up for what he thought was right. It was the same narrative with a different presentation and it worked because wrestling psychology, similar to many other forms of entertainment, is based on human psychology.
In truth, the decline of the summer of Punk was almost as fast as its rise. I've said this before on several occasions, when a performer is over, management has to run with it at the right time to get the most out of it, and delaying that decision could miss the boat on making that competitor the biggest star possible. For example, if the WWE decided to wait an extra year to make Stone Cold the top guy during the Attitude era, would he still have been as big of a star? Granted, he still would've drawn money, but letting him run with it at the right time was the difference between good business and record-setting business. CM Punk won the WWE title in July and dropped it the next month at Summer Slam when Alberto Del Rio cashed in the money in the bank contract. The month after that Triple H returned to the ring, pinned CM Punk, and hung up his boots again. Sure, Punk won the title again and had a lengthy run with it as a heel in the years that followed, but the point is, the WWE missed the boat to run with him as the top guy that would've drawn the main stream to the product again.
Punk's momentum was squashed for the same reason Daniel Bryan wasn't given a chance a few years later, because it wasn't what the office wanted to present at the press conferences for sponsors and stockholders. When you consider the lack of another wrestling boom in the past two decades, both Punk and Daniel Bryan could've gotten over with the general public, especially after the "Yes!" chant became popular at sporting events. But, the lack of competition doesn't push the organization to go with the most over performers so instead the direction of the company is often used to craft its corporate image, which seems to be the top priority for the company. Still, if CM Punk could've walked out of WWE in 2011 and onto Nitro, you can bet the WWE actually would've ran with him as the top guy because of how he connected with the audience at the time. The fans identified with him and they rallied behind him, which is the key for a main event star. Even nine years later, it's disappointing to think how management wasted the opportunity and what could've happened if Punk truly had the chance to run as the top star, as well as the ripple effect it might've had on the industry.
So, what happened?
It's easy to say that CM Punk got over despite the office's best efforts and then management did basically everything they could to squash his momentum. But, a closer examination of "The Summer of Punk" shows just how much WWE dropped the ball in 2011, and more importantly, why they did it.
I've written about it many times, but pro wrestling, similar to most things in life, is about timing. The concepts and angles that get over the most do so because the right things happen at the right time because the climate of the industry allowed it to happen organically. The fact is, you can't manufacture a boom period, and if you could, the industry would've never seen it's more notorious slumps. Prime example, what truly set the stage for Extreme Championship Wrestling to revolutionize the presentation of the industry in the late-90s? The answer is the demand for an alternative based on the cartoonish product in the business of the earlier years of the decade. Fans that shook their head at Norman The Lunatic, TL Hopper, and The Goon, were happy to embrace The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, and Raven. Ted Turner decided he wanted to go head-to-head with Vince McMahon so the creation of Nitro and the eventual arrival of The Outsiders pushed the WWF toward edgier programming to be able to compete with the rival promotion, and the competition led to the biggest boom in the history of the industry. Again, you can't manufacture a boom period.
Make no mistake about it, despite any stereotype about his stature or unconventional look, there was a time in the sport that CM Punk was the guy, until he wasn't. The WWE had spent the few years prior to the pipe bomb as a PG product because of Linda's unsuccessful bids to get a senate seat. Who knew it only took a six million donation to the Trump campaign to buy her a spot in his cabinet? Similar to the discontent with the product today, the PG era consisted of mostly flat and stale programming. Punk was the spark to shift the direction of the product, generating a more unpredictable atmosphere for the Raw show that utilized a paint-by-numbers approach that lacked any major compelling elements.
The same statement can be made about the product today, but it certainly applied to the status of the organization in 2011 as well. The WWE got too comfortable with their dominate portion of the market and a level of complacency developed within the product. The launch of the WWE Network a few years later further cemented a level of mediocrity because the writing team was no longer pushed to attempt to sell a show that was worth $40 on pay-per-view, but rather the WWE machine could churn out events that only had to meet the standard of the $10 price tag for a subscription, which also included access to thousands of hours of classic footage. With as comfortable as the WWE was with it's position in 2011, they have even more of a safety net today, as their mega TV deals that started last year will provide them with record-setting revenue for the next five years.
When CM Punk sat on the stage in 2011, he said what many fans were thinking, too often the corporate agenda, not fan demand, dictated the direction of the company. Unfortunately, the same thing can be said today because the WWE corporation serves its stockholders ahead of its fan base. The narrative that saw Punk claim the WWE championship cast him as an updated version of the anti-hero, where he didn't need to reflect the shock TV that was popular in the late-90s the way that Stone Cold did when he pummeled Vince on a weekly basis, but rather took a rebellion approach to stand up for what he thought was right. It was the same narrative with a different presentation and it worked because wrestling psychology, similar to many other forms of entertainment, is based on human psychology.
In truth, the decline of the summer of Punk was almost as fast as its rise. I've said this before on several occasions, when a performer is over, management has to run with it at the right time to get the most out of it, and delaying that decision could miss the boat on making that competitor the biggest star possible. For example, if the WWE decided to wait an extra year to make Stone Cold the top guy during the Attitude era, would he still have been as big of a star? Granted, he still would've drawn money, but letting him run with it at the right time was the difference between good business and record-setting business. CM Punk won the WWE title in July and dropped it the next month at Summer Slam when Alberto Del Rio cashed in the money in the bank contract. The month after that Triple H returned to the ring, pinned CM Punk, and hung up his boots again. Sure, Punk won the title again and had a lengthy run with it as a heel in the years that followed, but the point is, the WWE missed the boat to run with him as the top guy that would've drawn the main stream to the product again.
Punk's momentum was squashed for the same reason Daniel Bryan wasn't given a chance a few years later, because it wasn't what the office wanted to present at the press conferences for sponsors and stockholders. When you consider the lack of another wrestling boom in the past two decades, both Punk and Daniel Bryan could've gotten over with the general public, especially after the "Yes!" chant became popular at sporting events. But, the lack of competition doesn't push the organization to go with the most over performers so instead the direction of the company is often used to craft its corporate image, which seems to be the top priority for the company. Still, if CM Punk could've walked out of WWE in 2011 and onto Nitro, you can bet the WWE actually would've ran with him as the top guy because of how he connected with the audience at the time. The fans identified with him and they rallied behind him, which is the key for a main event star. Even nine years later, it's disappointing to think how management wasted the opportunity and what could've happened if Punk truly had the chance to run as the top star, as well as the ripple effect it might've had on the industry.
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