When an athlete holds ten championships simultaneously, it certainly makes a statement about their status as the standard within their industry. For Yoshihiro Asai, the man known literally around the globe as Ultimo Dragon, he was one of the benchmarks and one of the most influential of the cruiser weight style that has become such a common fixture of the industry today. For over three decades, Ultimo Dragon has been one of the most respected figures in the sport, working for major promotions in Japan, the United States, and Mexico throughout his tenure in the business.
Aside from his in-ring ability that inspired a generation of athletes through television, Ultimo has trained several notable names both in Mexico and Japan. He also promoted events through various incarnations of his Toryumon group in various countries. Quite simply, Ultimo Dragon contributed to the genre in almost every way possible, earning a stellar reputation among his peers and fans. While most American fans might know him from his late 90s run in World Championship Wrestling, the creator of the Asai moonsault is undoubtedly a worldwide star in professional wrestling.
This Sunday, Ultimo Dragon will return to America for a very rare appearance at a very unique event. "Lucha Fiesta Pittsburgh" is set to bring several stars of lucha libre to Beechview, a cultural neighborhood located on the city's south side. Las Palmas, an authentic Mexican supermarket, will host the event under a festival style pavilion, creating a unique atmosphere for the special event.
Sam Adonis, brother of WWE's Corey Graves and a star in the CMLL promotion, one of the most storied wrestling organizations in the world, is a native of western Pennsylvania. Adonis, who also had several successful tours of England and a trip to All Japan in recent years, is very enthusiastic about his return to his hometown for what many expect to be a very memorable event.
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Friday, September 7, 2018
Why did Braun Strowman turn heel?
Almost six months ago, Braun Strowman was arguably the most over performer on the WWE roster. He had such a crowd response that many fans suggested that he, not Roman Reigns, should've worked the main event of Wrestlemania in April. Eventually, Braun tagged with Nicholas, a young fan from the audience to win the tag titles that were vacated, making the lame segment even more pointless than it was at the actual event. Quite simply, Braun, despite his popularity, was given nothing worthwhile for an angle at the biggest show of the year.
Since that time, Strowman continued his run as a popular monster on Raw, working with Kevin Owens in recent months, and the Canadian grappler made him look great in the process. Braun was able to maintain his aura as a monster while being a fan favorite, which is a credit to his ability to portray the character. Regardless of being overlooked for WM, it was great to see that he was booked for an angle that further established his character, and his money in the bank win gave fans hope of something fresh during the stale Brock Lesnar/Roman Reigns match-up at Summer Slam.
So, why did Braun, one of the most popular characters on WWE programming turn heel recently on Raw?
The scenario around the Lesnar/Reigns was booked very carefully, and the show went off the air directly after the conclusion of the match to reduce the perception of another Roman rejection. As I wrote in an article previously, management invested a hefty amount of cash and TV time into Brock Lesnar to get Roman Reigns over. More specifically, for a year prior to WM, nobody kicked out of the F5 so that "big dawg" Roman could be the one to kick out of it at the biggest event on the WWE calendar. As we saw, the build up for another Wrestlemania moment for Reigns still didn't get him over, and surprisingly, Lesnar pinned him, which I wrote was a mistake because that was the peak of the feud. The follow-up at the Saudi Arabia show and even the match at Summer Slam yielded diminished returns because the angle for the previous year was designed to peak at WM.
With the amount of money Brock was paid and the possible angles for championships on TV that were sacrificed because of his limited scheduled, there was no way that management wasn't going to book the moment they wanted for Roman Reigns. That win was the payoff to the Lesnar investment, regardless of if that return justified Lesnar's payoffs or not. Nobody else but Roman was going to be the one to dethrone Brock before his exit.
The sum total of that situation is also why Braun Strowman turned heel, he was in the position to take the spotlight away from Reigns, and if that happened, the entire build with the Lesnar payoff would be wasted. Vince McMahon didn't build up Brock for Roman to slay him just for Reigns to have a short run as the Universal champion so Braun was turned heel to keep the focus on Reigns. When the narrative is framed with Strowman as the heel, it gives an excuse as to why Reigns is the top baby face in the company.
I've said it before and I will say it again, Vince McMahon owns sports entertainment in the United States and if he says fans will watch Roman Reigns then they will watch it. I also mentioned before that Vince doesn't care if fans pay to cheer or pay to boo, as long as they buy tickets and network subscriptions. Vince wants Roman Reigns to be the top star so he will have that spot. It doesn't matter how many times the Roman push hinders the progress of other stars or the other options that might provide better TV on a weekly basis.
Keep in mind, it's no coincidence that The Shield was reunited right after Reigns won the championship because his time in the stable was the only time in his career that he was truly over with the audience. Obviously, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose get better crowd reactions so Roman won't get the hostile response when he makes an entrance with them. Quite frankly, both Rollins and Ambrose deserve better than playing second fiddle to Roman to camouflage the crowd's hostility toward him. Ambrose just returned from injury, a chance for him to get a fresh start away from the "sitcom crazy" persona that ultimately limited his character. Ambrose made a return with a more edgier presentation, but his time in the Shield attire again puts him back to square one in some ways. Seth Rollins is arguably the best in-ring performer on the WWE roster and could be used as one of the cornerstones of the Raw brand. Instead, this is the second time that the stable was reunited as a way to try to protect Roman from the crowd hostility. Should the potential of both of the other members of the Shield be sacrificed for Reigns?
Speaking of potential, what about Braun Strowman's status?
This heel turn halted his status as one of the top baby face characters on Raw so where does he go after this MITB cash-in? Either he wins the belt to justify the heel turn or he doesn't and won't have much direction after that. Again, this heel turn was done so that Braun didn't overshadow Reigns as the top baby face on Raw, which makes sense because management wants Roman at the top spot. On the flip side, is a performer really over if these type of decisions have to be made to avoid rejection from the audience. With as over as Braun was, there wasn't necessarily any reason to turn him heel other than WWE's corporate agenda. That being said, most of the criticism is moot because with TV deal worth a combined $2.5 billion in 2019, the company is playing with house money in many respects for the next five years. Still, it's somewhat disappointing that Braun's chance to be a top star as the champion will be traded for another Reigns title run.
Since that time, Strowman continued his run as a popular monster on Raw, working with Kevin Owens in recent months, and the Canadian grappler made him look great in the process. Braun was able to maintain his aura as a monster while being a fan favorite, which is a credit to his ability to portray the character. Regardless of being overlooked for WM, it was great to see that he was booked for an angle that further established his character, and his money in the bank win gave fans hope of something fresh during the stale Brock Lesnar/Roman Reigns match-up at Summer Slam.
So, why did Braun, one of the most popular characters on WWE programming turn heel recently on Raw?
The scenario around the Lesnar/Reigns was booked very carefully, and the show went off the air directly after the conclusion of the match to reduce the perception of another Roman rejection. As I wrote in an article previously, management invested a hefty amount of cash and TV time into Brock Lesnar to get Roman Reigns over. More specifically, for a year prior to WM, nobody kicked out of the F5 so that "big dawg" Roman could be the one to kick out of it at the biggest event on the WWE calendar. As we saw, the build up for another Wrestlemania moment for Reigns still didn't get him over, and surprisingly, Lesnar pinned him, which I wrote was a mistake because that was the peak of the feud. The follow-up at the Saudi Arabia show and even the match at Summer Slam yielded diminished returns because the angle for the previous year was designed to peak at WM.
With the amount of money Brock was paid and the possible angles for championships on TV that were sacrificed because of his limited scheduled, there was no way that management wasn't going to book the moment they wanted for Roman Reigns. That win was the payoff to the Lesnar investment, regardless of if that return justified Lesnar's payoffs or not. Nobody else but Roman was going to be the one to dethrone Brock before his exit.
The sum total of that situation is also why Braun Strowman turned heel, he was in the position to take the spotlight away from Reigns, and if that happened, the entire build with the Lesnar payoff would be wasted. Vince McMahon didn't build up Brock for Roman to slay him just for Reigns to have a short run as the Universal champion so Braun was turned heel to keep the focus on Reigns. When the narrative is framed with Strowman as the heel, it gives an excuse as to why Reigns is the top baby face in the company.
I've said it before and I will say it again, Vince McMahon owns sports entertainment in the United States and if he says fans will watch Roman Reigns then they will watch it. I also mentioned before that Vince doesn't care if fans pay to cheer or pay to boo, as long as they buy tickets and network subscriptions. Vince wants Roman Reigns to be the top star so he will have that spot. It doesn't matter how many times the Roman push hinders the progress of other stars or the other options that might provide better TV on a weekly basis.
Keep in mind, it's no coincidence that The Shield was reunited right after Reigns won the championship because his time in the stable was the only time in his career that he was truly over with the audience. Obviously, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose get better crowd reactions so Roman won't get the hostile response when he makes an entrance with them. Quite frankly, both Rollins and Ambrose deserve better than playing second fiddle to Roman to camouflage the crowd's hostility toward him. Ambrose just returned from injury, a chance for him to get a fresh start away from the "sitcom crazy" persona that ultimately limited his character. Ambrose made a return with a more edgier presentation, but his time in the Shield attire again puts him back to square one in some ways. Seth Rollins is arguably the best in-ring performer on the WWE roster and could be used as one of the cornerstones of the Raw brand. Instead, this is the second time that the stable was reunited as a way to try to protect Roman from the crowd hostility. Should the potential of both of the other members of the Shield be sacrificed for Reigns?
Speaking of potential, what about Braun Strowman's status?
This heel turn halted his status as one of the top baby face characters on Raw so where does he go after this MITB cash-in? Either he wins the belt to justify the heel turn or he doesn't and won't have much direction after that. Again, this heel turn was done so that Braun didn't overshadow Reigns as the top baby face on Raw, which makes sense because management wants Roman at the top spot. On the flip side, is a performer really over if these type of decisions have to be made to avoid rejection from the audience. With as over as Braun was, there wasn't necessarily any reason to turn him heel other than WWE's corporate agenda. That being said, most of the criticism is moot because with TV deal worth a combined $2.5 billion in 2019, the company is playing with house money in many respects for the next five years. Still, it's somewhat disappointing that Braun's chance to be a top star as the champion will be traded for another Reigns title run.
Monday, September 3, 2018
UFC 228
This weekend's UFC 228 event will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas and despite featuring two championship bouts on the card, there's very little buzz ahead of this pay-per-view. The reasons for that seems to be a combination of factors around the show.
Tyron Woodley, the current UFC Welterweight champion, was scheduled to defend his title against former interim titleholder, Colby Covington, who defeated Rafel Dos Anjos just a few months ago for the belt at UFC 225. Covington, who does a cheap imitation of Conor McGregor to attempt to get attention, required nasal surgery and declined the unification contest. That prompted UFC officials to strip him of the interim status, making the entire title fight against Dos Anjos rather pointless.
The cancellation led to the announcement that undefeated British fighter, Darren Till will challenge Woodley for the championship in Dallas. So, why does this event lack hype?
Despite the unblemished record of 17-0-1, Till doesn't bring much name value to the table, fighting four of his six UFC bouts on their Fight Pass streaming service, which brings the least amount of exposure of the current broadcast formats of the organization. He also missed weight twice in his UFC run, including his most recent bout against Stephen Thompson in May, which saw him win a very controversial decision. The Thompson contest was broadcast on Fox Sports 1, an outlet that gave Till the most TV exposure of his career and he didn't necessarily deliver a thrilling performance that justifies a title shot.
Aside from a lack of mainstream exposure, even diehard fans know that this title fight won't be secure until Darren Till makes weight this Friday. Without much name value, the intrigue of an undefeated competitor challenging for the belt is the only major selling point of the main event for UFC 228. Assuming that Till can properly cut weight this week, the flip side of this scenario is that he has an opportunity to use this platform of a pay-per-view main event to truly make a name for himself. Keep in mind, the UFC inked a deal with ESPN for their next TV contract for next year so that outlet will cover the sport closely to build a foundation for the launch in 2019. If Till KOs the welterweight champion, the highlight could be used for him to become more well-known to casual fans.
On the other side of the cage, Tyron Woodley, even as the current Welterweight champion, has yet to really reach the level of notoriety of most UFC champions. Woodley was outspoken about his discontent with the lack of promotional efforts from the company, and he might have a point, depending on someone's perspective, but the fact remains that for whatever reasons, he doesn't have a level of popularity that sells a considerable amount of pay-per-views, which is still the most important revenue stream for the MMA league.
Woodley won the belt via first round KO against Robbie Lawler in mid-2016 before he fought the previously mentioned Thompson in a contest that went to a draw in November of that year. He went on to beat Thompson in the rematch just a few months later, and then defended his title against Damien Maia for a decision victory in July of last year. A shoulder injury from that bout required surgery and put him on the shelf for an extended period of time. Woodley hasn't fought in over a year, and competed only twice in 2016 and 2017 respectively. It's a harsh reality, but Woodley has simply been off the radar of MMA fans for much of the time that he has been the 170 LBS champion.
The outside factor of the scenario ahead of UFC 228 is the return of Conor McGregor to the octagon for the first time in nearly two years next month against the dangerous Lightweight champion, Khabib Murmagomedov. The brash Irishman won that championship the last time he was in the cage when he KO'ed Eddie Alvarez and then took his name value from the UFC's marketing plan to cash in to fight Floyd Mayweather for a rumored $100 million last year. McGregor was stopped in the 10th round, but it was about the payday, not the victory. The boxing venture and a lack of an indication of when he would defend either championship forced UFC management to strip him of both the featherweight and lightweight belts before he defended either title. Since his record-setting boxing match, Conor made headlines for all the wrong reasons in April when he threw a dolly at the window of a bus that transported fighters on the UFC 223 card. Supposedly, animosity between McGregor's fight team and Khabib caused the altercation. A few fighters on the bus were injured from the shattered glass and McGregor was arrested.
About a month ago, Conor's lawyer reached a plea agreement that ordered him to do community service and attend anger management. After the legal debacle was resolved, it was announced that he will fight Khabib for the 155 LBS championship at UFC 229 in October. Where this can affect the Woodley vs. Till event is that the audience might simply decide to wait a month to spend $65 for an MMA pay-per-view to see the return of the controversial McGregor to the octagon.
Again, it's a harsh reality, but does a main event with a lesser-known champion scheduled to fight a challenger that might not make weight really justify the price tag for the pay-per-view? Granted, not every event can be historic, but there should be a standard for what is considered a PPV quality card, and without a solid under card, UFC 228 just doesn't have the bouts to draw fans to spend the money order the event. If I had to guess, I'd say that UFC 228 will generate a buy rate of roughly 120,000 for the event, but more than anything, this scenario is a major example of the lack of star power for the product.
Tyron Woodley, the current UFC Welterweight champion, was scheduled to defend his title against former interim titleholder, Colby Covington, who defeated Rafel Dos Anjos just a few months ago for the belt at UFC 225. Covington, who does a cheap imitation of Conor McGregor to attempt to get attention, required nasal surgery and declined the unification contest. That prompted UFC officials to strip him of the interim status, making the entire title fight against Dos Anjos rather pointless.
The cancellation led to the announcement that undefeated British fighter, Darren Till will challenge Woodley for the championship in Dallas. So, why does this event lack hype?
Despite the unblemished record of 17-0-1, Till doesn't bring much name value to the table, fighting four of his six UFC bouts on their Fight Pass streaming service, which brings the least amount of exposure of the current broadcast formats of the organization. He also missed weight twice in his UFC run, including his most recent bout against Stephen Thompson in May, which saw him win a very controversial decision. The Thompson contest was broadcast on Fox Sports 1, an outlet that gave Till the most TV exposure of his career and he didn't necessarily deliver a thrilling performance that justifies a title shot.
Aside from a lack of mainstream exposure, even diehard fans know that this title fight won't be secure until Darren Till makes weight this Friday. Without much name value, the intrigue of an undefeated competitor challenging for the belt is the only major selling point of the main event for UFC 228. Assuming that Till can properly cut weight this week, the flip side of this scenario is that he has an opportunity to use this platform of a pay-per-view main event to truly make a name for himself. Keep in mind, the UFC inked a deal with ESPN for their next TV contract for next year so that outlet will cover the sport closely to build a foundation for the launch in 2019. If Till KOs the welterweight champion, the highlight could be used for him to become more well-known to casual fans.
On the other side of the cage, Tyron Woodley, even as the current Welterweight champion, has yet to really reach the level of notoriety of most UFC champions. Woodley was outspoken about his discontent with the lack of promotional efforts from the company, and he might have a point, depending on someone's perspective, but the fact remains that for whatever reasons, he doesn't have a level of popularity that sells a considerable amount of pay-per-views, which is still the most important revenue stream for the MMA league.
Woodley won the belt via first round KO against Robbie Lawler in mid-2016 before he fought the previously mentioned Thompson in a contest that went to a draw in November of that year. He went on to beat Thompson in the rematch just a few months later, and then defended his title against Damien Maia for a decision victory in July of last year. A shoulder injury from that bout required surgery and put him on the shelf for an extended period of time. Woodley hasn't fought in over a year, and competed only twice in 2016 and 2017 respectively. It's a harsh reality, but Woodley has simply been off the radar of MMA fans for much of the time that he has been the 170 LBS champion.
The outside factor of the scenario ahead of UFC 228 is the return of Conor McGregor to the octagon for the first time in nearly two years next month against the dangerous Lightweight champion, Khabib Murmagomedov. The brash Irishman won that championship the last time he was in the cage when he KO'ed Eddie Alvarez and then took his name value from the UFC's marketing plan to cash in to fight Floyd Mayweather for a rumored $100 million last year. McGregor was stopped in the 10th round, but it was about the payday, not the victory. The boxing venture and a lack of an indication of when he would defend either championship forced UFC management to strip him of both the featherweight and lightweight belts before he defended either title. Since his record-setting boxing match, Conor made headlines for all the wrong reasons in April when he threw a dolly at the window of a bus that transported fighters on the UFC 223 card. Supposedly, animosity between McGregor's fight team and Khabib caused the altercation. A few fighters on the bus were injured from the shattered glass and McGregor was arrested.
About a month ago, Conor's lawyer reached a plea agreement that ordered him to do community service and attend anger management. After the legal debacle was resolved, it was announced that he will fight Khabib for the 155 LBS championship at UFC 229 in October. Where this can affect the Woodley vs. Till event is that the audience might simply decide to wait a month to spend $65 for an MMA pay-per-view to see the return of the controversial McGregor to the octagon.
Again, it's a harsh reality, but does a main event with a lesser-known champion scheduled to fight a challenger that might not make weight really justify the price tag for the pay-per-view? Granted, not every event can be historic, but there should be a standard for what is considered a PPV quality card, and without a solid under card, UFC 228 just doesn't have the bouts to draw fans to spend the money order the event. If I had to guess, I'd say that UFC 228 will generate a buy rate of roughly 120,000 for the event, but more than anything, this scenario is a major example of the lack of star power for the product.
Monday, August 27, 2018
Impact goes to Mexico
Earlier this week, Impact Wrestling announced that it will hold its next set of TV tapings next month in Mexico City, Mexico. This latest announcement continues the organization's steady progress toward a more stable product since Executive Vice President Don Callis and Scott D'Amore were hired under the Anthem Sports Banner late last year. With the company based in Toronto, most of the recent production was filmed there, including the Slammiversary pay-per-view, an event that garnered generally favorable reviews.
This venture into Mexico isn't exactly a new concept, as TNA/Impact had a working agreement with various groups south of the border over the years, but a set of tapings, which will produce weeks of TV is an important step for the Anthem group. Instead of just a group of talent working Mexican shows, this announcement brings the Impact brand to Mexico, which has several benefits to the promotion. Most importantly, the optics of the tour give an indication that the company isn't just content with filming a show for a time slot in front of smaller crowds in Canada, but rather a truly international brand.
Keep in mind, perception is reality in many situations. When TNA taped dimly-lit TV with small crowds or ran house shows in mostly empty venues during the latter stages of the Dixie Carter era, it gave the impression that the product was minor league. Thankfully, the current management hasn't repeated those mistakes, and are wise enough not to attempt to rush the rebuilding process. As I said when I penned an article about Slammiversary, one of the few criticisms I had of the pay-per-view was the venue because it looked small and the lighting didn't suit a TV production at all. However, I also pointed out that it could've been a budget decision, and it's better to have a packed smaller venue than for the audience to look empty. Again, the optics can give an impression about the product.
While the new regime did tape some of the shows earlier this year in Orlando, the most recent TV was broadcast from Toronto, which brought a more energetic atmosphere for the show. I wrote it for years, when you tape a program in front of an audience with free admission, you might get people in the seats, but you don't necessarily get to truly gauge the value of the product. When fans have to buy tickets to attend an event, they must literally invest in the product so that is a more realistic look at the status of an entertainment project. Remember, the entire point of business is revenue and profit. The nearly nonexistent paying audiences during the Dixie era were an indication that her organization couldn't generate revenue or become profitable.
Anthem's Impact ran select shows in the United States this year, which is smart because again, they know it's a process to build their product. These Mexican shows will almost certainly draw a good crowd, considering the market and the lucha stars already on the Impact roster. This is another reason that Mexico City will draw more energetic crowds than the Orlando shows and thus, a better overall television product.
It goes without saying that the lucha influence is probably what made this set of tapings possible, and the introduction of various luchadors is a win-win situation for everyone involved. More specifically, Pentagon is one of the most charismatic and dynamic performers in the industry, and Impact has given him a national platform in the United States. I understand that Lucha Underground has a diehard following, but that product is strictly a TV venture on smaller network so that platform won't garner him the national exposure that his skills deserve. Fenix, Pentagon's real-life brother, is another great addition to the Impact roster that deserves more exposure than is realistically possible from LU. That's not a jab at Lucha Underground either, but rather a realistic view of the TV clearance they have on the El Rey network. For Anthem, the luchadors give them something unique to promote and will itself to the process to build a brand identity. One of the aspects of this that Callis and D'Amore deserves a lot of credit for is how simple promos and interviews with subtitles have allowed Pentagon to be used more effectively to build the angle with Sami Callihan. For years, the Hispanic market was talked about in the United States, but very few were able to capitalize on it because the lack of speaking English was a perceived hurdle. However, the use of Pentagon proves that if a performer is over with the audience then it will translate regardless of any language barrier.
As mentioned, Impact management know enough to understand that building their brand is a process, and this trip to Mexico certainly helps add to the brand identity. I've said it before and I will say it again, it's quite remarkable that Impact Wrestling still exist, considering it was on the brink of collapse with Dixie Carter. It's even more remarkable that the group has made progress and it's a credit to the management team for the direction of the company.
This venture into Mexico isn't exactly a new concept, as TNA/Impact had a working agreement with various groups south of the border over the years, but a set of tapings, which will produce weeks of TV is an important step for the Anthem group. Instead of just a group of talent working Mexican shows, this announcement brings the Impact brand to Mexico, which has several benefits to the promotion. Most importantly, the optics of the tour give an indication that the company isn't just content with filming a show for a time slot in front of smaller crowds in Canada, but rather a truly international brand.
Keep in mind, perception is reality in many situations. When TNA taped dimly-lit TV with small crowds or ran house shows in mostly empty venues during the latter stages of the Dixie Carter era, it gave the impression that the product was minor league. Thankfully, the current management hasn't repeated those mistakes, and are wise enough not to attempt to rush the rebuilding process. As I said when I penned an article about Slammiversary, one of the few criticisms I had of the pay-per-view was the venue because it looked small and the lighting didn't suit a TV production at all. However, I also pointed out that it could've been a budget decision, and it's better to have a packed smaller venue than for the audience to look empty. Again, the optics can give an impression about the product.
While the new regime did tape some of the shows earlier this year in Orlando, the most recent TV was broadcast from Toronto, which brought a more energetic atmosphere for the show. I wrote it for years, when you tape a program in front of an audience with free admission, you might get people in the seats, but you don't necessarily get to truly gauge the value of the product. When fans have to buy tickets to attend an event, they must literally invest in the product so that is a more realistic look at the status of an entertainment project. Remember, the entire point of business is revenue and profit. The nearly nonexistent paying audiences during the Dixie era were an indication that her organization couldn't generate revenue or become profitable.
Anthem's Impact ran select shows in the United States this year, which is smart because again, they know it's a process to build their product. These Mexican shows will almost certainly draw a good crowd, considering the market and the lucha stars already on the Impact roster. This is another reason that Mexico City will draw more energetic crowds than the Orlando shows and thus, a better overall television product.
It goes without saying that the lucha influence is probably what made this set of tapings possible, and the introduction of various luchadors is a win-win situation for everyone involved. More specifically, Pentagon is one of the most charismatic and dynamic performers in the industry, and Impact has given him a national platform in the United States. I understand that Lucha Underground has a diehard following, but that product is strictly a TV venture on smaller network so that platform won't garner him the national exposure that his skills deserve. Fenix, Pentagon's real-life brother, is another great addition to the Impact roster that deserves more exposure than is realistically possible from LU. That's not a jab at Lucha Underground either, but rather a realistic view of the TV clearance they have on the El Rey network. For Anthem, the luchadors give them something unique to promote and will itself to the process to build a brand identity. One of the aspects of this that Callis and D'Amore deserves a lot of credit for is how simple promos and interviews with subtitles have allowed Pentagon to be used more effectively to build the angle with Sami Callihan. For years, the Hispanic market was talked about in the United States, but very few were able to capitalize on it because the lack of speaking English was a perceived hurdle. However, the use of Pentagon proves that if a performer is over with the audience then it will translate regardless of any language barrier.
As mentioned, Impact management know enough to understand that building their brand is a process, and this trip to Mexico certainly helps add to the brand identity. I've said it before and I will say it again, it's quite remarkable that Impact Wrestling still exist, considering it was on the brink of collapse with Dixie Carter. It's even more remarkable that the group has made progress and it's a credit to the management team for the direction of the company.
Monday, August 20, 2018
The Career of Colby Corino
When Steve Corino won the Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight title at the November To Remember in 2000 in front of nearly 5,000 fans in Chicago, and thousands of viewers on pay-per-view, he cemented himself as a legitimate main event star in the professional wrestling industry. Similar to one of his childhood favorites, Tommy Rich, Corino's bleached-blond hair was stained red as blood streamed down his face during his moment of triumph. Corino was a true workhorse for the Philadelphia-based promotion, spilling blood on his way to the title, as the organization stayed afloat against its competition of the WWF and WCW. Today, a roadmap of scars decorate his forehead, a reminder of that night in Chicago. As the pay-per-view went off the air and crimson still dripped from the fresh lacerations, Corino pointed to his blood-stained wrist tape where "COLBY" was written before pointed toward the camera. On one of the biggest nights of his career, a moment that he sacrificed much for, "The King of Old School" didn't think of himself, but rather that name written across his forearm.
The four-year-old that Steve dedicated his championship to was his son, Colby Corino. While it was the first time Colby was acknowledged to the television audience, he was a fixture at many ECW events, often jumping around the ring as a toddler before the doors of a venue opened for that night's mayhem.
"It wasn't until I started getting older that I realized that not everyone's parents go overseas for weeks at a time. I grew up in ECW and indy wrestling locker rooms, and seeing my dad in a blood bath wasn't uncommon for me at all. I was always in the ring from a young age. The ring was my playground, the ropes the monkey bars, and all the other wrestlers were my friends playing on the playground with me," Colby explained.
When ECW collapsed from the pressure of the industry, and WCW followed just months later, "The King of Old School" had notoriety, but knew he needed to evolve to continue the momentum he built as a heavyweight champion. Steve Corino didn't rest on nostalgic name value, opting instead to take a chance on a new style for him, the strong style of Japan. The late Shinya Hashimoto founded Zero-1 in 2001 after a very successful career in New Japan. That same year, Corino debuted for the group, working there nearly full-time for several years as a talent coordinator and in-ring talent.
The new venture for Steve provided new opportunities for Colby as well. The youngster had the chance to travel to Japan regularly and met legends such as Masato Tanaka, Hashimoto, and Shinjiro Otani. At 14, when most kids did book reports in middle school, Colby was greeted by Jr. Heavyweight legend, Jushin "Thunder" Liger. The exposure to the Japanese culture only fueled his passion for the industry.
"As I got older, I started realizing how cool some of the stuff I was doing and the people I was meeting were. I could appreciate who he was and what he did for wrestling, and I was star struck, but Liger is one of the nicest and most down to earth wrestlers I've ever met," Colby commented.
An amateur wrestler from the time he was in elementary school, the younger Corino always knew that he wanted to join the pro ranks, debuting at the age of just 12 in a special tag match with his dad. In the years that followed, he began a formal training from a variety of sources before he started wrestling regularly at 15, sometimes competing as the masked American Tiger persona.
"My main trainer when I was younger was Mike Kehner. He taught me fundamentals before every show that I could possibly be at, and then I would wrestle around and learn from whoever would step in the ring with me before a show. I ended up getting to learn a lot of stuff from people like Brutal Bob Evans, Cesaro, Kassius Ohno, Roderick Strong, and Davey Richards. Basically, whoever I could find at a Ring of Honor show that I could convince to wrestle with me"
For Steve Corino, he knew the risks of the physicality of the genre and had the scars to prove it, but saw his son's enthusiasm for the sport at an early age. The former champion also took an objective look at Colby ability and like many others, saw his potential to become a major star as he learned the craft.
"It was thrilling for me, yet scary. I’m sure every parent says that when their child plays any sport. But he loved pro wrestling from the time he was a small child, so I knew this is what he was going to do. I wish I could tell you I’ve directed him in the right direction, but when it comes to wrestling in the ring, he’s better at 19, 20, 21 than I ever was. Dusty told me once that Dustin Rhodes was a natural from day one. Colby is the same way. He took to the ring like a fish to water. The only advice I can give him is with little business things, like talking to promoters," Steve Corino explained.
As an in-ring athlete, Colby showed poise and ability beyond his years, working a precise technical style that impressed live audiences before he even reached high school. The general consensus was that he brought much potential to the table for his future. However, the second generation Corino's passion for the industry kept him motivated to prove himself on every level. Around the same time that his dad and Kevin Steen were involved in some of Ring of Honor's most compelling storylines, Colby worked as a member of the ring crew and other production roles in an attempt to learn every aspect of the business that he could.
"Around 2012, I started doing ring crew for ROH shows and eventually ended up becoming apart of the production team that traveled and prepared for PPVs and TV tapings. Around this time as well, I began doing as many ROH seminars as I possibly could just so I could soak up as much knowledge as I could. I learned a whole lot about wrestling on TV and what goes into the production of a TV show, which are skills that you can take to any company with TV"
In 2015, Colby debuted for Ring Of Honor and eventually became a pivotal part of his dad's rivalry with BJ Whitmer. At 18, Colby appeared on nationally syndicated television and his ability impressed enough that the following year, he was scheduled to join the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. Less than a month after he signed a contact with New Japan, one of the biggest promotions in the world, Colby's life took a very drastic turn down a very dangerous path. In late-2016, Colby Corino was found unresponsive on the floor of his home as a result of a heroin overdose. When he was revived, police found a large amount of drugs and arrested him.
Colby had used drugs for a few years previously to attempt to self-medicate mental health problems and opiates took over his life. After he overdosed, his life began to spiral out of control. His new Japan contract was terminated before he ever arrived and he no longer appeared for Ring Of Honor. The performances in the squared circle that garnered rave reviews were replaced with mugshots, as Colby was arrested two more times early last year. There was much concern for his well-being and his future was in doubt. The grappler known as "The Next Generation Ace" had to make a critical decision, would he overcome these obstacles or would he become a precautionary tale of wasted talent?
On October 27, 2017, Colby had to courage to check himself into an in-patient treatment center outside of Philadelphia to confront his drug problem and seek help for his mental health.
"It is no secret that I am a recovering addict. I started using opiates when I was 16 to deal with my underlying mental illness, and after not too long I switched to heroin. I let my demons grow bigger than I was at the time and ended up turning into an intravenous heroin and cocaine addict. While there, I got treated not only for my drug addiction, but for my underlying mental illness, and finally I was able to win a battle against my addiction. While I am currently in control of my life again and am not letting drugs dictate my life anymore, this is a battle I still have to fight every day," Colby said.
Just recently, a clean and healthy Colby Corino returned to his place of solace, inside the ropes of the squared circle. A renewed Colby is motivated to prove himself and wanted to use his second chance at sports entertainment as a source of positivity. On September 29th, he and Jamie Senegal will be running a "stunt party" in Hazelton, PA to celebrate their birthday, which is a project that he's looking forward to as a unique presentation for a live audience. Many are looking forward to see the next chapter of the story of Colby Corino and to see him reach his potential, including his dad.
"Now that has put away the personal demons, his future is unlimited. He’s only going to get better in the ring and grow as a man. I would love for an Evolve or even MLW to take a chance on him, because he truly is a future superstar. And one day, he will be at WrestleMania," Steve Corino said.
With his life and career back on the right track, Colby has aspirations to make a full-time living in professional wrestling, and has the talent to do just that. As he turns 22, Colby Corino has the opportunity to resume a career that has a tremendous amount of potential. More importantly, Colby Corino has the chance to make a stellar comeback and become an incredible success story.
The four-year-old that Steve dedicated his championship to was his son, Colby Corino. While it was the first time Colby was acknowledged to the television audience, he was a fixture at many ECW events, often jumping around the ring as a toddler before the doors of a venue opened for that night's mayhem.
"It wasn't until I started getting older that I realized that not everyone's parents go overseas for weeks at a time. I grew up in ECW and indy wrestling locker rooms, and seeing my dad in a blood bath wasn't uncommon for me at all. I was always in the ring from a young age. The ring was my playground, the ropes the monkey bars, and all the other wrestlers were my friends playing on the playground with me," Colby explained.
When ECW collapsed from the pressure of the industry, and WCW followed just months later, "The King of Old School" had notoriety, but knew he needed to evolve to continue the momentum he built as a heavyweight champion. Steve Corino didn't rest on nostalgic name value, opting instead to take a chance on a new style for him, the strong style of Japan. The late Shinya Hashimoto founded Zero-1 in 2001 after a very successful career in New Japan. That same year, Corino debuted for the group, working there nearly full-time for several years as a talent coordinator and in-ring talent.
The new venture for Steve provided new opportunities for Colby as well. The youngster had the chance to travel to Japan regularly and met legends such as Masato Tanaka, Hashimoto, and Shinjiro Otani. At 14, when most kids did book reports in middle school, Colby was greeted by Jr. Heavyweight legend, Jushin "Thunder" Liger. The exposure to the Japanese culture only fueled his passion for the industry.
"As I got older, I started realizing how cool some of the stuff I was doing and the people I was meeting were. I could appreciate who he was and what he did for wrestling, and I was star struck, but Liger is one of the nicest and most down to earth wrestlers I've ever met," Colby commented.
An amateur wrestler from the time he was in elementary school, the younger Corino always knew that he wanted to join the pro ranks, debuting at the age of just 12 in a special tag match with his dad. In the years that followed, he began a formal training from a variety of sources before he started wrestling regularly at 15, sometimes competing as the masked American Tiger persona.
"My main trainer when I was younger was Mike Kehner. He taught me fundamentals before every show that I could possibly be at, and then I would wrestle around and learn from whoever would step in the ring with me before a show. I ended up getting to learn a lot of stuff from people like Brutal Bob Evans, Cesaro, Kassius Ohno, Roderick Strong, and Davey Richards. Basically, whoever I could find at a Ring of Honor show that I could convince to wrestle with me"
For Steve Corino, he knew the risks of the physicality of the genre and had the scars to prove it, but saw his son's enthusiasm for the sport at an early age. The former champion also took an objective look at Colby ability and like many others, saw his potential to become a major star as he learned the craft.
"It was thrilling for me, yet scary. I’m sure every parent says that when their child plays any sport. But he loved pro wrestling from the time he was a small child, so I knew this is what he was going to do. I wish I could tell you I’ve directed him in the right direction, but when it comes to wrestling in the ring, he’s better at 19, 20, 21 than I ever was. Dusty told me once that Dustin Rhodes was a natural from day one. Colby is the same way. He took to the ring like a fish to water. The only advice I can give him is with little business things, like talking to promoters," Steve Corino explained.
As an in-ring athlete, Colby showed poise and ability beyond his years, working a precise technical style that impressed live audiences before he even reached high school. The general consensus was that he brought much potential to the table for his future. However, the second generation Corino's passion for the industry kept him motivated to prove himself on every level. Around the same time that his dad and Kevin Steen were involved in some of Ring of Honor's most compelling storylines, Colby worked as a member of the ring crew and other production roles in an attempt to learn every aspect of the business that he could.
"Around 2012, I started doing ring crew for ROH shows and eventually ended up becoming apart of the production team that traveled and prepared for PPVs and TV tapings. Around this time as well, I began doing as many ROH seminars as I possibly could just so I could soak up as much knowledge as I could. I learned a whole lot about wrestling on TV and what goes into the production of a TV show, which are skills that you can take to any company with TV"
In 2015, Colby debuted for Ring Of Honor and eventually became a pivotal part of his dad's rivalry with BJ Whitmer. At 18, Colby appeared on nationally syndicated television and his ability impressed enough that the following year, he was scheduled to join the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. Less than a month after he signed a contact with New Japan, one of the biggest promotions in the world, Colby's life took a very drastic turn down a very dangerous path. In late-2016, Colby Corino was found unresponsive on the floor of his home as a result of a heroin overdose. When he was revived, police found a large amount of drugs and arrested him.
Colby had used drugs for a few years previously to attempt to self-medicate mental health problems and opiates took over his life. After he overdosed, his life began to spiral out of control. His new Japan contract was terminated before he ever arrived and he no longer appeared for Ring Of Honor. The performances in the squared circle that garnered rave reviews were replaced with mugshots, as Colby was arrested two more times early last year. There was much concern for his well-being and his future was in doubt. The grappler known as "The Next Generation Ace" had to make a critical decision, would he overcome these obstacles or would he become a precautionary tale of wasted talent?
On October 27, 2017, Colby had to courage to check himself into an in-patient treatment center outside of Philadelphia to confront his drug problem and seek help for his mental health.
"It is no secret that I am a recovering addict. I started using opiates when I was 16 to deal with my underlying mental illness, and after not too long I switched to heroin. I let my demons grow bigger than I was at the time and ended up turning into an intravenous heroin and cocaine addict. While there, I got treated not only for my drug addiction, but for my underlying mental illness, and finally I was able to win a battle against my addiction. While I am currently in control of my life again and am not letting drugs dictate my life anymore, this is a battle I still have to fight every day," Colby said.
Just recently, a clean and healthy Colby Corino returned to his place of solace, inside the ropes of the squared circle. A renewed Colby is motivated to prove himself and wanted to use his second chance at sports entertainment as a source of positivity. On September 29th, he and Jamie Senegal will be running a "stunt party" in Hazelton, PA to celebrate their birthday, which is a project that he's looking forward to as a unique presentation for a live audience. Many are looking forward to see the next chapter of the story of Colby Corino and to see him reach his potential, including his dad.
"Now that has put away the personal demons, his future is unlimited. He’s only going to get better in the ring and grow as a man. I would love for an Evolve or even MLW to take a chance on him, because he truly is a future superstar. And one day, he will be at WrestleMania," Steve Corino said.
With his life and career back on the right track, Colby has aspirations to make a full-time living in professional wrestling, and has the talent to do just that. As he turns 22, Colby Corino has the opportunity to resume a career that has a tremendous amount of potential. More importantly, Colby Corino has the chance to make a stellar comeback and become an incredible success story.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
ROH event sold out
Last week, Ring Of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling made history, selling out Madison Square Garden within just days for the G1 Super Card, which is scheduled for Wrestlemania weekend next April. The co-promoted event will not only be the largest ROH/NJPW show in the United States, but also the first non-WWE professional wrestling event held in the legendary venue in decades.
What that exactly translates to depends on how you approach the subject, but it's undoubtedly a tremendous success story for Ring of Honor, an organization that started as a fledgling independent in 2002. All things considered, the story of ROH is quite remarkable, both for the path it took to the MSG sellout and it's undeniable influence on the industry.
When you rewind to mid-2001, the Monday Night War was over and Vince McMahon claimed victory. The collapse of Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling, a saga that still remains a topic of discussion today, allowed for McMahon to buy his competition for pennies on the dollar. Again, the reasons for WCW's downfall vary and involve a number of factors. Some point to Vince Russo's twilight zone writing, while others contend that the AOL/Time Warner merger ultimately doomed pro wrestling within the corporate structure. Regardless of the reasons behind it, the shutdown of WCW changed the direction of the business and that impact can still be seen today. Just a few months later, Paul Heyman's Extreme Championship Wrestling, the renegade group that inspired much of the wild Attitude Era of the 90s, filed for bankruptcy. The then-WWF began the process to buy the assets of ECW, a legal preceding that actually took a few years because Heyman sold shares of the company in its latter years in an attempt to keep it afloat. The point being, as with the wrestling boom of the 80s, the wrestling war of the 90s had its share of causalities and thus a down slide in business. Vince McMahon secured his empire and had a monopoly over the industry, which prompted the demand for a new product.
In early 2002, Gabe Sapolsky and the late Doug Gentry, both of whom worked for the original ECW, filming house show matches when they weren't involved with office work, knew that there was a demand for an alternative product in the industry. Much like Extreme Championship Wrestling itself, when Ring of Honor was founded in February of that year, it began as a small independent group that ran events from a dingy building in Philadelphia, the Murphy Rec Center. Also similar to ECW, the ROH concept of pure competition as opposed to the sports entertainment genre on main stream TV allowed for talented athletes to be discovered. Names like Low Ki, Bryan Danielson, Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, and AJ Styles found notoriety in the promotion before they went on to become major stars on a national platform.
Through the ups and downs that any league will endure, ROH managed to survive, often running on a shoestring budget, and attempting different ventures, such as the HD Net television show to garner more exposure for the brand. From the time that Sapolsky cleverly booked the Combat Zone Wrestling feud in 2006 to the numerous occasions that ROH saw top talent depart for either WWE or TNA over the years, the group managed to stay above water, a credit to Cary Silkin, who bought the organization in 2004. In the mid-2000s, there was a legitimate argument to be made that Ring of Honor delivered the best in-ring product in the world, which is quite an accomplishment, considering that the promotion was still an independent group at the time. When the economics of the industry put Ring Of Honor on the brink of collapse, Jim Cornette, the legendary former manager that worked in a variety of roles for ROH, put together a plan for Silkin to sell to Sinclair Broadcasting, a network that looked to add original programming to its syndicated channels in 2011.
The first few years of the corporate-owned ROH were rocky, a sign that Sinclair bought the wrestling company for a source of original programming that was relatively cheap to produce, not necessarily to compete in the sports entertainment genre. Early attempts at iPPV were disastrous and for the first time in its history, some saw the once innovate organization as a stagnant product. After a few key figures in management were shuffled around, the brand began to generate some buzz again, mostly from a working agreement with the previously mentioned New Japan in 2014.
As with most successful scenarios in wrestling, the ROH/NJPW partnership was a matter of timing, as the Bullet Club, a spinoff of the New World Order that featured a stable of mostly foreign stars to challenge the native competitors, became extremely popular and shined a renewed spotlight on the Japanese product. At the same time the Bullet Club brought a new generation of fans to the New Japan radar, stars like Okada, Tanahashi, Suzuki, and others had some incredible matches that further solidified the status of the promotion. As a result, when Ring Of Honor brought those Japanese stars to the United States, American fans packed venues for a chance to see them perform live. With the exposure that the Japanese stars received in America on ROH events, it allowed New Japan to expand their product more directly into the United States. The most important aspect of this is that it's a win-win situation for everyone involved, and it's great to see to promotions work together to built their respective brands.
In recent years, a diversified roster allowed Ring of Honor to add more variety to events and progress the company. Solid talent like Jay Lethal, Shane Taylor, Punishment Martinez, and others each brought a different dynamic to the product. However, the wild popularity of Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Marty Scurll fueled much of the hype around the current ROH product.
But, what does this MSG sellout truly say about the state of the industry?
In my opinion, the most important piece of the puzzle is that there are undoubtedly opportunities for athletes to become legitimate, money-drawing stars outside of the WWE, which is something that benefits the entire business. In fact, that scenario hasn't been a reality since the Monday Night Wars mentioned earlier. Does that mean ROH is going to compete with the WWE? No, but the fact that a promotion can draw that type of hype outside of Vince McMahon's global product speaks well to the potential of the industry in the future. More specifically, the paradigm shifted for what determines success within the genre. Granted, anything is possible in the unique world of pro wrestling, but realistically the goal for a sport entertainment company should be to establish itself as a profitable business venture, not direct competition to the WWE. In many ways, an attempt to compete with a global brand would be too risky because of the investment it would require so finding a profitable niche could be a much more successful path for other organizations. Again, the bottom line is profitability so that's ultimately the determining factor of success.
Clearly, this co-promoted MSG event has a winning formula, and it's truly a remarkable accomplishment, something wouldn't even be considered possible just a few years ago. At the same time, this is just one event and it certainly doesn't indicate that either ROH or New Japan could duplicate these numbers on a regular basis. For example, running on Wrestlemania weekend is probably the best chance they had for a sellout because of the amount of fans that travel to the area. That being said, this sellout eight months in advance speaks to the value of the Ring Of Honor and New Japan brand, which proves that there's definitely the possibility of further expansion. More than anything, it will be extremely interesting to see the direction of ROH in the future.
What that exactly translates to depends on how you approach the subject, but it's undoubtedly a tremendous success story for Ring of Honor, an organization that started as a fledgling independent in 2002. All things considered, the story of ROH is quite remarkable, both for the path it took to the MSG sellout and it's undeniable influence on the industry.
When you rewind to mid-2001, the Monday Night War was over and Vince McMahon claimed victory. The collapse of Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling, a saga that still remains a topic of discussion today, allowed for McMahon to buy his competition for pennies on the dollar. Again, the reasons for WCW's downfall vary and involve a number of factors. Some point to Vince Russo's twilight zone writing, while others contend that the AOL/Time Warner merger ultimately doomed pro wrestling within the corporate structure. Regardless of the reasons behind it, the shutdown of WCW changed the direction of the business and that impact can still be seen today. Just a few months later, Paul Heyman's Extreme Championship Wrestling, the renegade group that inspired much of the wild Attitude Era of the 90s, filed for bankruptcy. The then-WWF began the process to buy the assets of ECW, a legal preceding that actually took a few years because Heyman sold shares of the company in its latter years in an attempt to keep it afloat. The point being, as with the wrestling boom of the 80s, the wrestling war of the 90s had its share of causalities and thus a down slide in business. Vince McMahon secured his empire and had a monopoly over the industry, which prompted the demand for a new product.
In early 2002, Gabe Sapolsky and the late Doug Gentry, both of whom worked for the original ECW, filming house show matches when they weren't involved with office work, knew that there was a demand for an alternative product in the industry. Much like Extreme Championship Wrestling itself, when Ring of Honor was founded in February of that year, it began as a small independent group that ran events from a dingy building in Philadelphia, the Murphy Rec Center. Also similar to ECW, the ROH concept of pure competition as opposed to the sports entertainment genre on main stream TV allowed for talented athletes to be discovered. Names like Low Ki, Bryan Danielson, Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, and AJ Styles found notoriety in the promotion before they went on to become major stars on a national platform.
Through the ups and downs that any league will endure, ROH managed to survive, often running on a shoestring budget, and attempting different ventures, such as the HD Net television show to garner more exposure for the brand. From the time that Sapolsky cleverly booked the Combat Zone Wrestling feud in 2006 to the numerous occasions that ROH saw top talent depart for either WWE or TNA over the years, the group managed to stay above water, a credit to Cary Silkin, who bought the organization in 2004. In the mid-2000s, there was a legitimate argument to be made that Ring of Honor delivered the best in-ring product in the world, which is quite an accomplishment, considering that the promotion was still an independent group at the time. When the economics of the industry put Ring Of Honor on the brink of collapse, Jim Cornette, the legendary former manager that worked in a variety of roles for ROH, put together a plan for Silkin to sell to Sinclair Broadcasting, a network that looked to add original programming to its syndicated channels in 2011.
The first few years of the corporate-owned ROH were rocky, a sign that Sinclair bought the wrestling company for a source of original programming that was relatively cheap to produce, not necessarily to compete in the sports entertainment genre. Early attempts at iPPV were disastrous and for the first time in its history, some saw the once innovate organization as a stagnant product. After a few key figures in management were shuffled around, the brand began to generate some buzz again, mostly from a working agreement with the previously mentioned New Japan in 2014.
As with most successful scenarios in wrestling, the ROH/NJPW partnership was a matter of timing, as the Bullet Club, a spinoff of the New World Order that featured a stable of mostly foreign stars to challenge the native competitors, became extremely popular and shined a renewed spotlight on the Japanese product. At the same time the Bullet Club brought a new generation of fans to the New Japan radar, stars like Okada, Tanahashi, Suzuki, and others had some incredible matches that further solidified the status of the promotion. As a result, when Ring Of Honor brought those Japanese stars to the United States, American fans packed venues for a chance to see them perform live. With the exposure that the Japanese stars received in America on ROH events, it allowed New Japan to expand their product more directly into the United States. The most important aspect of this is that it's a win-win situation for everyone involved, and it's great to see to promotions work together to built their respective brands.
In recent years, a diversified roster allowed Ring of Honor to add more variety to events and progress the company. Solid talent like Jay Lethal, Shane Taylor, Punishment Martinez, and others each brought a different dynamic to the product. However, the wild popularity of Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Marty Scurll fueled much of the hype around the current ROH product.
But, what does this MSG sellout truly say about the state of the industry?
In my opinion, the most important piece of the puzzle is that there are undoubtedly opportunities for athletes to become legitimate, money-drawing stars outside of the WWE, which is something that benefits the entire business. In fact, that scenario hasn't been a reality since the Monday Night Wars mentioned earlier. Does that mean ROH is going to compete with the WWE? No, but the fact that a promotion can draw that type of hype outside of Vince McMahon's global product speaks well to the potential of the industry in the future. More specifically, the paradigm shifted for what determines success within the genre. Granted, anything is possible in the unique world of pro wrestling, but realistically the goal for a sport entertainment company should be to establish itself as a profitable business venture, not direct competition to the WWE. In many ways, an attempt to compete with a global brand would be too risky because of the investment it would require so finding a profitable niche could be a much more successful path for other organizations. Again, the bottom line is profitability so that's ultimately the determining factor of success.
Clearly, this co-promoted MSG event has a winning formula, and it's truly a remarkable accomplishment, something wouldn't even be considered possible just a few years ago. At the same time, this is just one event and it certainly doesn't indicate that either ROH or New Japan could duplicate these numbers on a regular basis. For example, running on Wrestlemania weekend is probably the best chance they had for a sellout because of the amount of fans that travel to the area. That being said, this sellout eight months in advance speaks to the value of the Ring Of Honor and New Japan brand, which proves that there's definitely the possibility of further expansion. More than anything, it will be extremely interesting to see the direction of ROH in the future.
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Should Rousey win the title?
Ronda Rousey, the former UFC Women's Bantamweight champion, made the transition from mixed martial arts to sports entertainment earlier this year, debuting in a solid showing at Wrestlemania in April. Prior her in-ring start, there were questions about her promos and ability to sell, but she surpassed expectations and delivered dynamic performances in both of her matches on pay-per-view so far.
All things considered, at this point, the Rousey jump to WWE is very successful. The newly-inducted UFC Hall of Famer was put in a tough spot because the same thing that allowed her to spring board into a featured spot in a new venture is also the reason there will be a microscope on her. Granted, management protects her to minimize the exposure of her inexperience, but that's smart business because they have an investment, both financially and promotional, with the Rousey project.
With only two televised matches to gauge her progress, it's tough to say if she will find her own in-ring style. Keep in mind, Ronda is a draw because of her dominating skills in the cage, and if she's made to look weak or her opponents are made too look to strong, it could diminish her aura, which is really the key to her long-term success. Maintaining her credibility can be a difficult balancing act because if she mows down her opponents in two minutes, there isn't much of a show for the audience, but at the same time, if everyone can counter the arm bar, how "dangerous" is Ronda in the ring?
Aside from the in-ring presentation, the writing team can't put her into some of the silly scenarios that others in the division were stuck with recently. Again, a lame segment dilutes Ronda's legitimate background, which is the reason why there's a tremendous amount of intrigue to watch her perform in the squared circle. Anyone that assumes that Rousey might be safe from the wrath of sub par writing is too optimistic about scripted promos. Look at the level that both Sasha and Bayley started when they left NXT to where they are now. Balyley went from one of the most organically over baby faces in the entire company to an athlete that had her star power exponentially diminished through a series of cringe worthy segments during her run on Raw. Bayley was thought to be destined to be a major star and a "can't miss" competitor before she arrived on the main roster. Terrible writing made her look silly and she has yet to reach her initial level on Raw, despite her tremendous talent. Much of the same can be said for Sasha Banks, who has the "it factor" and projects being a star. The lame storyline with Bayley hindered Sasha's progress, again despite the fact she's without question an extremely talented performer. As far as legitimate ability, Asuka had a similar mystic to Rousey before her debut on the main roster, and sup par booking made Asuka just another competitor on the roster. Don't get me wrong, there's a place for the "sports entertainment" aspect of the combination of Carmella and James Ellsworth, but should Asuka's credibility be sacrificed to cover for Carmella's lack of in-ring ability?
For Ronda, she's booked for a Raw Women's title match at Summer Slam, but should she really be in the title picture already?
Usually, the answer to rushing anyone to a title shot is no because a championship victory is theoretically the destination, not the starting point. However, the Rousey situation is a unique scenario, and since she's already in a more prominent spot then the usual women's title match, it makes sense for her to win the belt to maximize the spotlight on the women's division. Plus, much of her notoriety was based on the fact that she was the first UFC Women's champion. How she's presented as champion on a weekly basis is the question. She must be on TV often enough to be considered a continuous persona, but at the same time, to keep her mystic and avoid exposing her inexperience, she probably shouldn't wrestle every week. That said, Ronda is scheduled for a match against Alicia Fox next week, and as well as Fox does with her persona to maximize her minutes on TV, this should be a squash match. Ronda shouldn't be put in a situation where she would sell for Fox, simply because she should be perceived as a threat to the championship at Summer Slam.
But, is it fair that Ronda gets to leapfrog the rest of the division based on her accomplishments outside of the WWE?
If something is "fair" or not doesn't matter, it's a business and the wise business decision is to use Ronda Rousey as the centerpiece of the marketing strategy for women's empowerment. Don't get me wrong, the athletes in the division absolutely deserve and have the skills for a mainstream platform. But, you must remember that WWE's emphasis on women empowerment is as much about a PR spin as it is to give talented female competitors an equal stage. In fact, when WWE has these "historic" announcements every few months about the women's division, they almost try to highlight the company's "accomplishments" so often that it starts to sound disingenuous. Make no mistake, the females on the roster deserve the spotlight because they are talented athletes that can perform to entertain a global audience, they don't need the PR spin. That being said, the best way for WWE to maximize the press that the all women's pay-per-view in October gets is to feature Ronda Rousey in the main event so as a business decision, it's the right call for her to win the title at Summer Slam. If she's booked correctly as champion remains to be seen, but as of now, the Ronda Rousey stint in sports entertainment is successful.
All things considered, at this point, the Rousey jump to WWE is very successful. The newly-inducted UFC Hall of Famer was put in a tough spot because the same thing that allowed her to spring board into a featured spot in a new venture is also the reason there will be a microscope on her. Granted, management protects her to minimize the exposure of her inexperience, but that's smart business because they have an investment, both financially and promotional, with the Rousey project.
With only two televised matches to gauge her progress, it's tough to say if she will find her own in-ring style. Keep in mind, Ronda is a draw because of her dominating skills in the cage, and if she's made to look weak or her opponents are made too look to strong, it could diminish her aura, which is really the key to her long-term success. Maintaining her credibility can be a difficult balancing act because if she mows down her opponents in two minutes, there isn't much of a show for the audience, but at the same time, if everyone can counter the arm bar, how "dangerous" is Ronda in the ring?
Aside from the in-ring presentation, the writing team can't put her into some of the silly scenarios that others in the division were stuck with recently. Again, a lame segment dilutes Ronda's legitimate background, which is the reason why there's a tremendous amount of intrigue to watch her perform in the squared circle. Anyone that assumes that Rousey might be safe from the wrath of sub par writing is too optimistic about scripted promos. Look at the level that both Sasha and Bayley started when they left NXT to where they are now. Balyley went from one of the most organically over baby faces in the entire company to an athlete that had her star power exponentially diminished through a series of cringe worthy segments during her run on Raw. Bayley was thought to be destined to be a major star and a "can't miss" competitor before she arrived on the main roster. Terrible writing made her look silly and she has yet to reach her initial level on Raw, despite her tremendous talent. Much of the same can be said for Sasha Banks, who has the "it factor" and projects being a star. The lame storyline with Bayley hindered Sasha's progress, again despite the fact she's without question an extremely talented performer. As far as legitimate ability, Asuka had a similar mystic to Rousey before her debut on the main roster, and sup par booking made Asuka just another competitor on the roster. Don't get me wrong, there's a place for the "sports entertainment" aspect of the combination of Carmella and James Ellsworth, but should Asuka's credibility be sacrificed to cover for Carmella's lack of in-ring ability?
For Ronda, she's booked for a Raw Women's title match at Summer Slam, but should she really be in the title picture already?
Usually, the answer to rushing anyone to a title shot is no because a championship victory is theoretically the destination, not the starting point. However, the Rousey situation is a unique scenario, and since she's already in a more prominent spot then the usual women's title match, it makes sense for her to win the belt to maximize the spotlight on the women's division. Plus, much of her notoriety was based on the fact that she was the first UFC Women's champion. How she's presented as champion on a weekly basis is the question. She must be on TV often enough to be considered a continuous persona, but at the same time, to keep her mystic and avoid exposing her inexperience, she probably shouldn't wrestle every week. That said, Ronda is scheduled for a match against Alicia Fox next week, and as well as Fox does with her persona to maximize her minutes on TV, this should be a squash match. Ronda shouldn't be put in a situation where she would sell for Fox, simply because she should be perceived as a threat to the championship at Summer Slam.
But, is it fair that Ronda gets to leapfrog the rest of the division based on her accomplishments outside of the WWE?
If something is "fair" or not doesn't matter, it's a business and the wise business decision is to use Ronda Rousey as the centerpiece of the marketing strategy for women's empowerment. Don't get me wrong, the athletes in the division absolutely deserve and have the skills for a mainstream platform. But, you must remember that WWE's emphasis on women empowerment is as much about a PR spin as it is to give talented female competitors an equal stage. In fact, when WWE has these "historic" announcements every few months about the women's division, they almost try to highlight the company's "accomplishments" so often that it starts to sound disingenuous. Make no mistake, the females on the roster deserve the spotlight because they are talented athletes that can perform to entertain a global audience, they don't need the PR spin. That being said, the best way for WWE to maximize the press that the all women's pay-per-view in October gets is to feature Ronda Rousey in the main event so as a business decision, it's the right call for her to win the title at Summer Slam. If she's booked correctly as champion remains to be seen, but as of now, the Ronda Rousey stint in sports entertainment is successful.
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