What's the status of Roman Reigns?

A few waves were made online when reports surfaced that Roman Reigns, the current WWE champion, is scheduled to work a fewer number of events going forward after he inked a new contract with the organization. Specifically, The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer noted that Reigns isn't advertised for a majority of the events that are scheduled within the next few months.

Could this be an indication that Roman might be winding down his full-time career?

I have to say, anything is possible, but I highly doubt that Roman Reigns is going anywhere, as far as a commodity for the WWE corporation. If that's the case then the majority of the speculation is moot. On the flip side, just considering the possibility of the company without Roman Reigns for an extended period of time does expose some of the potential flaws in company philosophy.

Again, to be clear, Roman isn't going anywhere. The guy was shoehorned into a role as the next John Cena instead of being allowed to become the first Roman Reigns, and now that he was able to evolve as a performer, he's doing the best work of his career. Roman is in the prime of his career and is in a position to continue to make top money for at least the next few years so it wouldn't make sense for him to leave the featured spot right now.

That said, the office, particularly during the forced baby face pushed, overlooked several key talents that were more over and at a peak in favor of Reigns. It might seems silly to say this now when Braun Strowman is controlling his narrative in front of fifty fans in a small venue, but in 2018, he was poised to be the most over star on the roster. At Wrestlemania that year, Brock Lesnar beat Roman in the main event. Braun won the tag titles with a fan from the audience. Bray Wyatt, who was still one of the top merchandise sellers despite the WWE's best efforts to minimize his status, was very popular, but was ultimately used to put Roman over during their feud a few years ago. Samoa Joe had a very brief tenure in the main event scene because regardless of how over a performer got with the audience, they were secondary to Reigns.

Ironically, but not surprisingly, when management turned Reigns heel to allow for a more organic presentation to his character, he became the top star that they tried to force toward the audience previously. So yes, after six years of a failed baby face push, the WWE finally has its corporate star as a top heel. Obviously, Roman checks all the boxes for the publicly traded company. He's an extremely talented performer, he's a good representative for the organization, and he's tailor-made for main stream media appearances.

The downside of all of that is that several very talented performers had their momentum sacrificed so that nobody shined brighter than Reigns during the baby face push that flopped. As a result, the company's level of legitimate star power is minimal. Without Roman Reigns as the center piece, who does the WWE have on the current roster that is a money-drawing star? Granted, the argument could be made that even the concept of drawing money is secondary in the modern WWE because of how much cash is guaranteed through its television deals, but the fact remains that those deals expire in a few years so the promotion will need the star power.

As I've said several times before, I really think that the vast majority of the WWE business plan was based on the short-end money that would sacrifice more potential revenue in the future. Again, outside of Roman Reigns, how many stars has the WWE made in the past five years? All the biggest names are either part-timers or stars from the past that draw based on nostalgia. Even as recent as this year in the WWE, the structure of the product made it very clear that if an angle didn't involve Roman or Brock, its importance to the product was rather minimal. Proof the the company's lack of legitimate money-drawing stars was that 57-year-old Stone Cold Steve Austin had to work the main event for one of the shows to boost ticket sales for the stadium.

The much bigger problem with all of this is, if Roman Reigns isn't on the show, who gives the fans a reason to tune in? More importantly, how does the WWE draw for these stadium shows in five years?

The total focus on Roman and Brock has already had an effect on the program because there aren't credible contenders for the championship. Drew was hindered by a feud with Jinder Mahal last year and then was booed for a Happy Corbin rivalry that was meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Sure, Drew is a very good competitor, but is there a demand for him in the title picture?

Truthfully, this is a wise move for Roman Reigns. If he has the leverage to get a better deal for himself then he should do it. If he can save the extra toll on his body by working less events and skip the travel then it's a smart decision for him. Maybe the company will present some of the athletes that are getting over with the audience in a better way in the future to allow for more depth on the roster. Assuming Roman isn't featured on some pay-per-views within the next few months, outside of ticket sales, the actual PPV aspect won't be affected. Keep in mind, the Peacock deal pays the WWE a guaranteed amount of money for each event regardless of the amount of people that actually watch it. In many ways, the company has a "safety net" as far as the "premium live events" during the duration of the Peacock deal.

Still, the scenario of the WWE product without Roman Reigns reveals how thin the roster is in terms of star power, which is also ironic because the argument could be made that the current roster might have the most in-ring talent in the history of the company. The concern is how does the WWE land a deal anywhere close to their current record-setting TV contract after their deal expires in 2024? The ratings are sluggish and quite frankly, Raw doesn't maintain its numbers against other sports competition.

Right now, this news amounts to Roman taking a few months off, and to be fair, the heel title reign has worked so well that there's no reason to rush anything. He's not stale as champion, but as mentioned, doesn't have any credible challengers so it might be better if a contender was pushed during his time away for a potential title bout at Summer Slam. Based on the direction of Raw, it looks like Cody might be the guy to dethrone Reigns, which could be the right decision, but that doesn't do much for the bigger picture. The modern era of WWE was built around Brock, Roman, and nostalgia. The biggest takeaway from the Roman Reigns hiatus might be that management should focus of how they present, Bron Breakker, Gable Stevenson, and Rhea Ripley for the future.

Ryse at Ringside 11

This Saturday, Ryse returns to its home base at the Uniontown Mall in Uniontown, PA to kickoff what should be a very compelling month for the organization, as its also scheduled to return to Baldwin in a few weeks as well. After so many challenges during the pandemic, 2022 looked to be a fresh start for the promotion, and many look to use a new chapter to make their mark on the Pittsburgh scene. Something that I've seen, particularly from my perspective as a broadcast journalist, is that every event has the potential to change the landscape of the entire organization.

As you'd expect, the card is stacked with talent that want to prove themselves and matches that will deliver quality action. I'm scheduled to be on the call for this broadcast and I'm looking forward to seeing this action from the desk, based on the potential of this event. It gives me a searing pain in the middle of my sternum, but "The Gavel" David Lawless is also scheduled to return to Ryse. As much as his presence gives me indigestion, there's no denying that Lawless is a top notch pro wrestler. For my money, "The Gavel" is as solid as anyone in Pittsburgh in terms of his ability inside the ring ropes, and despite all that his has accomplished inside and outside of Ryse, I think that only scratches the surface of what he's capable of in his career. The Gavel will square off against Cowpoke Paul, and it's great to see such an enthusiastic youngster grow each time he steps into the ring. That being said, the novelty of his debut and first victory in the sport were only relevant in the moment. If and how Paul expands upon that will determine is he's the future of the sport in Pittsburgh or simply a flash in the pan. While, his victory over Noir last month gives an indication that Cowpoke has the tenacity to establish himself as one of the stars of Ryse, I think it's fair to say that the returning Lawless with be the toughest test of Paul's career.

Layna Lennox, a young lady that was in the conversation of prospects to watch prior to the pandemic shutdown, will step into the ring against Laura Loveless. I had the chance to call one of Layna's matches in the formative stages of her path in the sport, and you could see the potential was there. Has she had enough experience and seasoning to combat the crafty Loveless? The evolving story between Laura Loveless and her new stablemate Scarlett is something to watch. I've said it since I first saw Scarlett compete a few years ago, it was just a matter of time before she translates to money in the wrestling business. As we know, Laura competed in Ryse early in her career before she ventured elsewhere for valuable experience. Perhaps, the most dangerous aspect of this new team is that we could be seeing the best version of both Laura and Scarlett at the same time. However, you have to wonder, what is the goal for them?

Tony Johnson vs. Colby Redd is a match on paper that might fly under the radar because of the depth of the card, but this one could be a potential show stealer after the final bell. Obviously, it goes without saying that The Iceman is a top-tier Ryse athlete, his previous run with the Grand Championship solidified that. Truth be told, if it wasn't for the previously mentioned pandemic, Johnson would've put himself in the conversation for the best champion in the history of the company. He couldn't wrestle the title away from PB Smooth in March, but one of the many reasons that Johnson is always in the championship discussion is because he keeps himself as a contender with victories against solid competition. On the other end of the spectrum is Colby Redd, someone that just needs the right opportunity to take his game to the next level. Colby is a guy with all the physical tools to be successful so his path is more of an issue of timing and guidance. Maybe his title shot in February was a little before he was truly ready for it, but the fact that he was competitive with someone the caliber of PB Smooth says a lot about his potential. We know that BC Steele provided insightful feedback for Coldy to make adjustments for the future. The result of this bout could determine the path of each of these athletes going forward in the organization.

Usually, I'm not a fan of politicians, but I'm even less of a fan of BC Steele, this conman makes Nixon sound credible. Granted, the mayor has zero in-ring experience so I have no idea what to expect from this six man tag match with Brandon K and Tad Jarvis against The Runway, but here's to hoping that someone gives BC Steele a knuckle sandwich.

Dr. Carl Martin made his shocking debut in Ryse last month and unleashed Geddy Cahoon onto the scene. We  still don't know why Dr. Carl chose Matt Conard, but with a mind like Martin, and a monster like Cahoon, we could see a drastic shift in the status of the organization if Dr. Carl continues this madness. Tyler Vox is a very good in-ring competitor, but I don't know how anyone could prepare for Geddy Cahoon.

Primal Fear had a successful debut in the promotion last month, and happenings like this are make each event "can't miss" since this trio added a fresh dynamic. They are three talented athletes that are looking to make their mark in Pittsburgh, and with the influx of talent in recent months, Ryse is the place to do that. On the flip side, The Great Success, for as obnoxious as they might be, have emerged as key talent among the Ryse landscape. I've said it before and I will say it again, Joey Sunseri will be the next national breakout star in Pittsburgh. In a few years, we will be talking about Sunseri the way that we talk about Lee Moriarty now. Along the same lines, you might not know it yet, but a look at the recent bouts of Alexander and Jordan Styles will show you that they are collectively and individually as good as anyone in the ring. The question is, will these loud-mouthed athletes prove those traits when they are put to the test against such stellar talent as Primal Fear?

The main event is one that I'm really looking forward to, as PB Smooth defends against Victor Benjamin. We've seen and know the ability of the Ryse Grand Champion. Ironically, while Benjamin started in the Pittsburgh area several years ago, it was outside of the region that he really hit his stride as a competitor, wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance in a featured bout against Matt Cardona more recently. It's not often that someone gets a title shot based off of their reputation, but it's justify in Benjamin's case because he's that level of athlete. If Benjamin claims the title this weekend, he's a more than a qualified champion for Ryse Wrestling. Plus, if he can derail the reign of PB Smooth, it changes the trajectory of the entire company. If PB retains, is there another champion in Pittsburgh that has established this level of dominance? You have two top-tier athletes in the prime of their careers ready to square off for a championship, which is what makes this such a compelling main event.

The Ballad of The Briscoes

At last night's Impact Under Siege event, The Briscoes won the Impact tag team championships, their most high profile accomplishment since the stellar bout with FTR at Super card of Honor during Wrestlemania weekend.

However, the tag championship victory goes along with a trend throughout their career, The Briscoes are often big fish in a small pond.

Mark and Jay, the real-life brothers that are legitimately chicken farmers from Delaware, were a part of the fabric of Ring Of Honor, as they competed for the group almost since its inception. Within just a few years, Mark and Jay had such an incredible run with a series of high quality matches under the ROH banner that there was a legitimate argument to be made that they were the best tag team in the entire business.

In retrospect, it's somewhat puzzling that when TNA made its talent exclusive, and WWE began to sign a few key ROH talents around 2007 that for whatever reason, the Briscoes opted to stay on the Ring Of Honor roster. For several years afterwards, they continued to be the tag team of ROH, and the combination worked so well, and the matches were so consistent that there wasn't much reason for either of them to change their career paths. Even though the Sinclair purchase in 2011, when the company was on shaky ground with its presentation and the infamous iPPV mishaps, the Briscoes were quality talent that you could count on for a solid performance each time they stepped into the ring.

Eventually, Jay worked his way up the card to claim the ROH championship, a belt that at one time was probably the most prestigious title in the United States. Unfortunately, Jay posted some absolutely terrible and hateful slurs on social media. He apologized and donated a portion of his earnings to charity, but the damage was done in terms of the business perception of the Briscoes. 

Those ignorant and ill-advised tweets truly altered the career path of one of the best tag teams of the modern era.

Jay vacated the ROH title because his contract with the promotion wasn't going to be renewed in the aftermath of the bad publicity of the social media controversy, but he eventually re-signed and had another short reign with the belt before he dropped it again toward the conclusion of 2014. Since that time, the Briscoes more or less resumed their role as the tag team standard of Ring Of Honor and provided some consistency to a promotion that varied considerably over the years, depending on when Sinclair wanted to put money into the project.

Among the dream matches discussed online in recent years was the Briscoes vs. FTR, as the two tags were both a throwback to the golden age of the NWA tag wrestling of a previous era. When Tony Khan purchased ROH, the speculation only increased, with most fans assuming it only a matter of time before Mark and Jay showed up on Dynamite.

A few months ago, it was reported online that a TBS executive specifically told AEW that the Briscoes couldn't be featured on their networks because of Jay's hateful tweets in the past. There might've been some credibility to those reports because Jay addressed the past controversy again and apologized for a second time, explaining that he thought he was standing up for his religion at the time, but has since realized that he misrepresented his religion and himself. Jay acknowledged himself that his comments were stupid and misguided. If someone chooses to accept his apology or view it as sincere is their personal choice.

If I had to guess, and this is a total guess, I would say that Jay Briscoes is probably legitimately sorry for the terrible things he said, and maybe he shouldn't still face the consequences for what he said over a decade ago. Still, that doesn't mean that anyone, including the TBS executive, has to give Jay Briscoe a second chance. 

The bottom line is, the partnership with TBS is exponentially more important than any one talent or tag team on the roster so if Turner management says no then there just won't be a place for the Briscoes on AEW programming. All things considered, it's an extremely disappointing situation from almost every perspective. The Briscoe brothers have an authenticity that very few others have in the modern era, and ultimately, that's what draws money in the wrestling business. Mark and Jay would be tremendous assets for All Elite, and they have the skills to be on national television. It would add another great team to the promotion that's at least trying to put a proper spotlight on tag wrestling. If Jay is legitimately sorry and remorseful for the things he said, it's unfortunate that his real-life character remains tainted for stupid things that he said more than ten years ago. It's definitely possible for someone to evolve and have a better understand of others in society, but only Jay Briscoe truly knows if he learned that.

I think it's fair to say that The Briscoes would've done very well in AEW, and proof of the possibilities of an All Elite run was the previously mentioned showcase match against FTR. Personally, I don't think labeling someone as a terrible person for something they said years earlier honestly helps anyone if they are legitimately apologetic for it. Everyone should at least have a chance to learn from their flawed ideology. There's no place for hate in the world, but there's definitely a place for forgiveness so maybe the Briscoes should be given a chance?

However, the reality of the situation is that those past comments will keep the Briscoes away from AEW, and you can't necessarily call it unfair because they were truly awful remarks. That being said, Impact Wrestling landed a quality tag team, something that they will needed, specifically with some of the recent departures in the company, including The Good Brothers since they look like they will return to New Japan on a full-rime basis. Still, the Briscoes winning the Impact tag titles is rather moot in the grand scheme of things. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that Impact gives more wrestlers a place to make a full-time living in the sport, and obviously the economics of the company work for Anthem, the group that bought the promotion to keep it on the Fight Network in Canada. At the same time, the vast majority of the Impact product, specifically since the conclusion of the Kenny Omega angle last year, is irrelevant among the wrestling landscape since the focus of the industry is on the WWE and AEW competition.

Where's the hype for Backlash?

Tomorrow night, Backlash will be live on Peacock, but the show lacks any substance and underscores a much bigger problem for the company.

In years prior, Backlash was often the event that showcased rematches from Wrestlemania or had some type of follow-up on the biggest event of the year. This was necessary because fans just paid an increased pay-per-view price for Wrestlemania the previous month, and WWE brass had to give the audience a reason to spend the usual $34.95 for another PPV just a few weeks later.

There was an incentive to sell the show because there was a time when pay-per-view money was the biggest revenue stream for the organization.

In more recent years, particularly since WWE landed their guaranteed television deals, and even more specifically since the organization signed the mega Peacock deal for rights to the WWE Network, Backlash was booked as total cannon fodder because there wasn't enough substance from a storyline perspective after the peak of Wrestlemania. Almost two decades ago, the rematch of The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan, based on a prior WM bout, was promoted as the main event of Backlash. In more recent years, Backlash featured the championship win for Jinder Mahal, and last year was the absolutely horrendous zombie segment. The zombies were unanimously panned as one of the worst segments of the modern era. The fact that Jinder currently has as much exposure as someone in the witness protection program tells you how successful his title reign was a few years ago.

The trend for a cannon fodder pay-per-view continues for Backlash. With just six matches on the card and only one championship bout, regardless of the quality of the matches, the broadcast is easily skippable based on the fact that no major progress will be made with the product.

Omos is an impressive visual and has some entertainment value as a giant, but similar to other giants in wrestling history, he has such limited mobility that there isn't much he can do in the ring. By definition, the act doesn't have longevity, and the argument could be made that Omos' effectiveness might've already peaked on Raw. The five-minute match at Wrestlemania last month wasn't anything spectacular, and it's not as though fans are clamoring for a rematch. In many ways, it seems like the office is trying to shoehorn this angle into the product to attempt to get some mileage from the Omos experiment. Perhaps, WWE brass could get more from him back in the bodyguard role, but the harsh reality is that Omos as an in-ring wrestler just isn't going to get over. Plus, Bobby Lashley already defeated him so most of his aura was already diminished. More than anything, you have to ask, what's the point? If Lashley wins again, it's unquestionably an indication that management doesn't see potential with what Omos will do in the future. If Omos gets the victory, does anyone want to see the rubber match?

Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss should be a fine standard WWE match, but all things considered, this is another one of those, "does anybody care?" bouts on the card. Sure, Moss looks like he might have the potential to be a star one day, and there's a reason that Crobin is a fixture of WWE programming since he can do anything they ask of him, but after the mid-card comedy team dissolves, does it matter in the big picture? These guys could have a great match, but because of their presentation and status on Smackdown, it will be forgettable.

Along the same lines, the AJ Styles/Edge feud just seems to lack any heat or steam to get the audience invested in its result. Maybe it was because the angle was thrown together merely for something for them both to do for WM, but Edge's heel turn out of left field appeared to be forced and unnatural. Keep in mind, the best heel turns are based on the reasoning behind them because there's a cohesive story for the audience to follow and connect with, which gives them a reason to rally the baby face in the angle. I'm not sure that AJ/Edge truly has any of those elements. Obviously, AJ and Edge are two of the best of their generation so there will be a quality bout, but at a time when solid in-ring action is more common, where's the motivation or progress that was made from this storyline? Again, you can't build a lot of steam when the heel turn to kickoff the rivalry was so flat on Raw. Damian Priest is a guy that has potential with a unique look and charisma so the association with Edge should theoretically be a bigger spotlight on him. However, at almost 40, Priest must at least be given the chance to do something of importance during his tenure alongside Edge or the peak of his WWE run might be as just a sidekick to a bigger star.

The Bloodline vs. RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre sounds like the main event of a random episode of Smackdown, not something that should technically be the top bout on a PPV. Similar to how Edge and AJ Styles were thrown together for WM last month, I would guess that this six man tag was booked because there aren't suitable challengers for Roman Reigns more than anything else. That speaks volumes about the lack of strong baby faces across the board in the company. At one point, the Usos vs. RK-Bro was a title match with speculation that it might unify the tag belts, which would be a wise decision, but that was changed to the six man tag instead. So, nothing is on the line, despite some of the top guys in the company involved in the match. If you skip this, will you really miss anything? How many six man tag matches are used as a time waste on television that prove the lack of importance? It appears that this might set the foundation for a Drew/Roman feud. Besides the fact that the match has already been done, McIntyre was involved with the previously mentioned Corbin and Moss last month so if he currently a legitimate title contender?

As far as match quality and something at stake, Backlash might be a one-match show. After the incredible return to the WWE and some of the follow-up promos on Raw, Cody Rhodes might be poised to be the competitor that eventually topples Roman Reigns to claim the championship in honor of his late father, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. The story writes itself and the dynamics of the angle will provide for a compelling narrative. We've discussed how logic and motivation are what give the audience a reason to rally the baby face. Obviously, Roman is the dominate champion so Cody will have to overcome the odds if he wants to win the championship, which is something that the audience can connect with on the show. Similar to their initial bout, I would guess that Cody and Seth Rollins will deliver another stellar contest, but the intrigue is based on if Cody can win again because that will give an indication of how serious management is about his path to the main event. If Rhodes does the job so early in his comeback, it hinders some of the momentum of his return. So, there's a reason to watch because there's something at stake for the characters involved in the match.

I will keep the discussion about the Smackdown Women's title match short because the logistics of the angle are rather simple. Ronda Rousey doesn't have the star power now that she had during her original WWE tenure, and her bitterness toward the fans after that might've tainted the audience's view of her. The promos are bland and it sounds like Ronda is repeating the script to get the paycheck rather than trying to generate hype for a title match. I'm guessing the ref bump finish at WM was done to be able to extend the feud to Backlash so this is probably where Ronda wins the belt, but I don't think that will translate into much of a payoff for the company in terms of viewership. There was speculation that Ronda's current deal with the company will take her through Wrestlemania next year to finally promote a match against Becky Lynch based on their prior history, but I honestly don't think that Ronda's level of star power would have the type of longevity that a potential Rousey/Lynch contest would seem like a major bout next year.

Basically, Backlash seems like it was a show that the office booked because there was a pay-per-view on the calendar, not because angles were build toward a PPV. Outside of Cody/Rollins, this show seems very skippable. In truth, management probably doesn't care if you skip this show because they are paid the same amount of money from Peacock regardless of how many people actually tune in for Backlash. The WWE has guaranteed money that will provide record-setting profits for the next few years so the vast majority of the criticism of the current WWE product is moot because from strictly a business prospective, it's a very successful company.

UFC 274

This weekend, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to pay-per-view at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona for a card that will be headlined by two championship bouts. Ironically, despite the two belts on the line and a card that looks like it will deliver quality action, this event isn't quite as main stream as other pay-per-views with multiple championship bouts on the card.

Charles Oliveira will defend his lightweight title against dangerous striker, Justin Gaethje, an intriguing main event that should shape the direction of the division. During the heyday of the UFC's surge in popularity in the mid-2000s, the 155 LBS division might've been the weight class with the most depth, with the counter argument being the completely stacked stacked 205 LBS division at the time. Clay Guida, who amazingly still competes after such an extensive career in the company, was featured in many of the opening fights on pay-per-views because it always got the show started with some fireworks. Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian, and Anthony Pettis were also fixtures of the formula. Unfortunately, when Conor McGregor was shoehorned into the spot as double champion, belts that he never defended before he was forced to vacate them because he fought Floyd Mayweather for $100 million instead, the light weight division hasn't been very disorganized. Khabib Nurmagomedov emerged as a dominate champion, but his retirement led to the title being vacated again and thus there aren't nearly as many stars made based on championship victories. Don't get me wrong, Oliveira, who is on a 10-fight win streak ahead of this title defense, is absolutely a quality fighter, but he's not someone that you would automatically assume is a major draw on pay-per-view.

In many ways, Oliveira flew under the radar during the majority of his tenure in the UFC because while he competed in the company for over a decade before he won a title, he was always a contender. A few losses in the middle of his career might've hampered his chances at a title shot so that's probably why he was in the promotion for ten years before he became a champion. He wasn't a guy that skyrocketed to the top, but rather evolved over the course of his tenure to become one of the top fights in his weight class. Again, it might go under the radar, but  Oliveira has a very compelling success story.

On the flip side, his opponent, Justin Gaethje made a splash in the UFC with his KO victories that made the rest of the division take notice. He defeated Michael Chandler via decision last November to put himself in line for a title shot, but I'd say that his best chance against Oliveira would be to try to finish the fight with strikes within three rounds. At 32 and 33 respectively, Olivera and Gaethje are in the theoretical prime of their careers, but the approach to the fight is much more simplistic than that. Gaethje is the striker, and while Oliveira can punch, the champion has the record for the most submission wins in UFC history so where the contest takes place will determine the winner. Gaethje challenged Khabib for the title in October 2020 and lost via submission so it goes without saying that the challenger has to keep the contest standing to have a realistic chance of winning the fight. This is why I think he has the best chance to win in the early rounds because if the champion gets the chance to grappler, I wouldn't be surprised if Oliveira adds to his submission record. That being said, I have to pick Oliveira to get the win because he's the more well-rounded fighter.

The co-main event will actually be a rematch from nearly eight years ago, as Rose Namajunas defends her Straw Weight title against Carla Esparza. Esparza won their initial bout in 2014, but considering how much these two have evolved as athletes, it's doubtful the prior contest has any effect on the rematch. Rose is bringing a lot of momentum into UFC 274 after two stellar victories against the very talented Zhang Weili in her last two fights. Before that she defeated Jessica Andrade to avenge a previous loss and reclaim the championship. She also has a pair of victories over future Hall of Famer Joanna Jędrzejczyk, and a win against Michelle Waterson. Quite simply, when Rose Namajunas has her mind on the fight, there are very few athletes that could put her title reign in jeopardy. Esparza is on a five-fight win streak, but she hasn't fought the level of competition as the champion so it makes sense that Rose is about a 2-to-1 favorite on most sports books. Anything can happen, which is what makes mixed martial arts so intriguing, but I have to pick Rose Namajunas to retain the championship.

Elsewhere on the card is Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson and this might be a bout that determines the future of both athletes in the promotion. Chandler was known as one of the better fighters outside of the UFC and seemed to live up to the hype when he knocked out Dan Hooker in his UFC debut in January of last year. However, since that time, he went on a two-fight skid with losses to the previously mentioned Oliveira and Gaethje. Much of his momentum has faded and at 36, Chandler's tenure in the company might be brief if he doesn't reestablish himself as a contender. Tony Ferguson lost his last three fights and hasn't competed in a year so if he's going to keep himself relevant in the division, he has to get a decisive win at UFC 274. This might be a scenario where the wild fighting style and injuries finally took their toll on Ferguson because he isn't nearly as competitive of a fighter as he was when he was in the championship conversation a few years ago. I will pick Chandler to get the win because I think the injuries put Ferguson past his prime, but that's more of a guess than anything else.

AEW reality show

When Cody Rhodes left AEW a few months ago and went on to return to WWE at Wrestlemania in a stellar match with Seth Rollins, it put a brand new coat of paint on the American Nightmare after the core All Elite audience began to reject him after it seemed that being a TV star became more important than being a pro wrestler. Granted, Cody quite literally lit himself on fire for the AEW audience, and it goes without saying that the launch of the company as a whole wouldn't have been possible without Rhodes' role as the "leader of the revolution" of the promotion at its start. Still, the narrative among the diehard fan base was that Cody's propriety wasn't the revolution any longer, but rather to establish himself and Brandi as television stars.

Truthfully, only Cody knows what his true intentions were with appearances on the Go Big Show competition show or the ill-rated Rhodes To the Top reality project. Was Cody there to expand the exposure for the All Elite brand? Establish himself as a reality star outside of wrestling? The answer is probably both, but the bottom line is, his exit from AEW came at the right time because the All Elite crowds weren't going to embrace the rally promos anymore.

That's why options and competition in the industry remain the most important aspect of success for everyone. Instead of an athlete without a direction and stalled momentum in AEW, Cody returned to WWE and looks to be on the path to the main event level that he always thought he had the ability to reach. As Jim Cornette often cites when discussing exits in the history of the business, "how can we miss you if you won't go away?" Cody's time away from WWE allowed for a truly national organization to emerge among the wrestling landscape, and it ultimately set the stage for his  return to the WWE as a much bigger star than he was before.

However, you have to wonder, would the trajectory of all that have changed if Cody had kept his focus strictly on wrestling instead of a reality show with Brandi?

When Rhodes left, there was a void in the AEW brand. How big of a void depends on who you ask, but a spot on the roster wasn't the only aspect of All Elite programming left blank after his departure. When Cody's renegotiation of a new contract didn't materialize and Tony Khan decided not to exercise the option of his deal for an additional year, it allowed Rhodes to leave on rather short notice. For whatever reason, TBS executives already renewed Rhodes To the Top for a second season, despite its sluggish numbers.

There's a place for AEW programming on the TBS line-up, and The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that the slot will be used for a reality show based around All Elite Wrestling as a promotion instead. I can't say this enough, this is a completely misguided concept with very little benefit and a major downside as far as the perception of the company.

First and most importantly, while it's blatantly exposed that professional wrestling is a scripted performance, that doesn't mean that any major organization should throw it in the viewer's face that everything they've seen is based on manipulation. In fact, the counter argument could be made that at a time when fans think they know everything, it might be just a little easy to keep them guessing as to where the line of reality is at any given point during a show. Is MJF really that much of a jerk in real life? Surely, he can't be because heels aren't actually mean people, right? Or maybe he is that much of a jerk because he knows that people pay money to see him perform without knowing where the con ends. Truthfully, isn't it more fun not knowing? If you see a video of Max helping an elderly lady across the street, would his work as a villain still have the same impact?

The problem with another wrestling reality show is two-fold. As mentioned, the first time viewers see something behind the scenes that doesn't gel with the presentation of what they've seen on Dynamite or pay-per-view, it dilutes the effectiveness of the segment. CM Punk and MJF might've hugged after their dog collar match, but after the master piece of a contest, where the gritty baby face defeated the dastardly heel, do you really want to see complete confirmation that these guys were really friends all along?

Don't get me wrong, the horse is out of the barn, you can't make an American audience believe that everything they see at a pro wrestling show is real, but you can definitely make them believe that something is real. QT Marshall probably had coffee with Serpentico before one of their matches on the Youtube shows and it wouldn't hinder either of them if the fans saw a picture of that online before a broadcast, but if the fans believe that Eddie Kingston has legitimate animosity toward CM Punk then they will be willing to order the show to watch their match on pay-per-view. There's a completely different atmosphere around a storyline or a match-up when there's some level of believability involved. There's a reason everyone shook their head when WWE tried to portray that Randy Orton burned Bray Wyatt alive or that actual zombies attacked during a pay-per-view. On the flip side, Roman Reigns as the dominate Samoan champion is a much more logical presentation for the audience.

Regardless of if it's a sports entertainment approach or a pro wrestling show, logic is always key to how something can connect with an audience.

This is where an AEW reality show has many more pitfalls than benefits. Aside from diluting its own angles, the company has to be very careful with how it presents itself to its core audience. When it appeared that Cody's focus wasn't on the revolution anymore, it created a level of hostility. Tony Khan also has to make sure that this reality show doesn't seem like simply a vanity project to either put himself on television or put himself over because it could have a similar effect to the Rhodes' situation. Obviously, there are already critics of Tony Khan that will claim that he started a wrestling company to mark out for himself, but there was always going to be some level of that chatter based on how All Elite started. Plus, even Vince McMahon booked himself as WWF champion once so having fun with your own company is one of the perks of the job. That being said, because the existence of All Elite sparked the industry with the previously mentioned competition, the organization has a certain level of good will with the fans. The other side of the coin is that for whatever reason, WWE has often portrayed the representatives of the company as heels. So, it's wise for Tony to build upon that good will with the rally speeches before live tapings, but there's a fine line between passion for the industry and someone trying to play the next Vince McMahon.

It might sound like an odd comparison, but Khan's acquisition of ROH and a seemingly endless list of wrestlers is somewhat comparable to when McMahon bought WCW over two decades ago. If Tony Khan is perceived to be on an ego trip on this reality show, even if that's not the actual reality of the situation, it could damage the level of good will the company has with the audience.

The Discovery merger

Too often, those in the wrestling bumble don't see the bigger picture, and mosr of All Elite Wrestling's diehard fan base will fall into that category, but the business of sports entertainment yields much more cache in the corporate world than who had a seven-star match at the Tokyo Dome.

Without getting stuck in the muck of the corporate landscape, Discovery plans to merger with Turner Media, and as of now, it looks like only a matter of time before all the approval hurdles are cleared to consolidate more main stream media entities. Truthfully, the "work" of the media business in how it can spin or construct narratives for mass consumption is almost as notorious as those in the pro wrestling industry, but that's another discussion for another time. The point being, the executives in the suits have more power over the wrestling project than the dirt sheets online.

It's a natural comparison for the term "media merger" to be made to the AOL/Time Warner deal that eventually saw WCW fold, but the assumption that this Discovery merger would impact All Elite is misguided. Of course, over the years we've heard countless opinions about what saw World Championship Wrestling sold to Vince McMahon for pennies on the dollar, and those opinions are usually shaped by how much responsibility someone wants to deflect for the fact that WCW went from the biggest wrestling company in the world to out of business in the span of just over three years. Eric Bischoff, the guy that signed a lot of talent to unrealistic contracts to get them to WCW, puts the blame on  Jamie Kellner, the executive that ultimately made the decision to cancel World Championship Wrestling from the Turner line-up. Sure, Kellner was the guy that made the call, but he wasn't responsible for the collapse of WCW as a national entity has enough blame to go around for several key figures. The bottom line is, Kellner canceled World Championship Wrestling because the organization infamously lost $60 million in 2000. The bottom line is, if WCW was making a profit, it would've stayed on the air.

The television business is a very unique industry and there are times that the dynamic of that particularly business helps and hinders the sports entertainment industry.

As much as some might be concerned about a repeat of WCW, with a network executive that just doesn't want wrestling on its channels, the comparison to AEW is almost apples to oranges. Sure, if a corporate suit is willing to sacrifice revenue and ratings, which are key to the entire television business model then All Elite might theoretically be in danger.

Just like anything else in the business world, cash is king.

As of now, All Elite Wrestling draws consistent ratings and ad revenue that makes it a profitable entity for Turner Media. Until AEW isn't making the network money with commercials and ad revenue, most of the speculation is moot. Again, if WCW made a profit in 2000, Kellner wouldn't have cancelled it just a few months later. Keep ind mind, outside of the wrestling bubble, the media business is evolving with the numerous streaming platforms that can distribute more content cheaper with the newer technology, and that can ultimately garner a bigger profit margin for the networks. Instead of the requirement of a certain level of a cable package to be able to subscribe to HBO, technically anyone with an internet connection can subscribe to HBO Max for the streaming content. We've seen in recent years that the technological advancements can also be a hurdle for networks as well, particularly with the use of DVR and other on-demand content that could allow viewers to fast forward through the commercials. That ad revenue is the primary way the networks make a profit, which is why there was such an emphasis on live sports content in recent years, and one of the reasons the WWE landed their major TV contracts.

One of the many reasons that professional wrestling was a staple of early television is that it's relatively cheap to produce compared to other shows. All Elite Wrestling has a live show every week and averages around a million viewers for each episode of Dynamite. The consistent ratings along with the fact that it's live sports programming, something that Turner added to its line-up before the merger with the addition of NHL games, makes AEW a priority regardless of what corporation owns the Turner networks.

Just for the discussion, if Discovery didn't want to re-sign All Elite when the TV contract expires in 2024, there are a lot of options for them. Considering the amount of TV series that get cancelled every year for a lack of ratings, there are several networks that would want to air a show that would consistently draw a million viewers each week. The Paramount Network, formerly the channel that was Spike TV, might be an option for AEW.

On a brighter note, assuming that Discovery will want to re-sign All Elite as a long-term commodity, it would pave the way for the AEW streaming service since the network already has the platform. As I've said before, the most valuable entity from the Ring Of Honor purchase was the video library because there are hundreds of full-length events and episodes of television that can be used as the foundation of a streaming service. The bottom line is, as long as All Elite Wrestling can generated ratings and thus ad revenue for the Turner networks then the company isn't in any realistic danger. However, it will be very interesting to see how the Discovery merger affects the networks and if new management will have any effect on the content of the AEW shows.