What's the status of Dynamite?

Just a few weeks after AEW Dynasty aired on pay-per-view, an addition to the All Elite PPV calendar for 2024, the company looked to build toward its Memorial Day weekend tradition of Double or Nothing with this past week's edition of Dynamite. The monthly pay-per-view model in sports entertainment didn't become the standard until the surge in popularity of the late-90s, and the argument could be made that outside of when the business is in a hot period, the concept of a PPV event month can be counterproductive in the grand scheme of things. Keep in mind, the quarterly pay-per-views of the WWF prior to the Attitude era allowed for storylines to be built to a crescendo based on the amount of television time and importance that was invested in the angles to draw on pay-per-view.

Sure, when the business boomed in popularity, it was much easier to sell a premium event with names like Stone Cold, Bill Goldberg, The Rock, Sting, and Mankind on the marquee, but there simply isn't always that level of star power to motivate fans to spend a certain amount of money on wrestling every month. Does anyone remember how underwhelming some of those paint-by-the-numbers WWE events were in the mid-2000s? Generally, the same main event was booked on three PPVs before another title feud took its spot for another three months. The pay-per-views were being held because they were on the calendar, not because the storylines justified a major stage.

Without the level of Attitude era star power, it was a much tougher sell shows when there was the traditional PPV price tag, an aspect that was eliminated with the introduction of the streaming model, or more specifically, WWE brass was paid guaranteed money for the rights to the shows to be placed on a platform at a much cheaper price. It's a win-win since the guaranteed profits are key to the stock price, and more viewers have more access to the product, which is why the Netflix deal, as much as it might be uncharted territory to put Raw behind a paywall, globalizes the WWE product.

The factors into AEW because the organization looks to trend toward the monthly model, which might be an indication that perhaps their next TV deal with Warner Brothers Discovery could bring the pay-per-views to the HBO Max streaming service.

However, outside of the possible streaming platform in the future, it also puts the company in the position to have to build another PPV card that will sell at the traditional $50 price tag. As much as Tony Khan deserves some of the rightful criticism of his slapstick approach to booking shows, the bottom line is, it would be tough for any wrestling group to try to sell fans on the concept of spending $50 a month on wrestling PPVs in the modern era, especially in this economy.

One of the biggest hurdles, at least from what we saw on Dynamite, is that some of the angles have to be somewhat rushed to have the pieces of the puzzle put in place for the Double or Nothing event next weekend. One of the main examples of this is the Adam Copeland/House of Black rivalry. Maybe I'm missing something with this, but given that the premise is more or less Copeland trying to maintain his sanity against the brooding villains, it just seems like there should be more it to than only a month or so of a feud before a barbed wire steel cage match is booked between Copeland and Malakai Black. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a criticism of either performer, and if nothing else, it's good to see the former Edge involved in a storyline with some substance, but a barbed wire cage match should be the conclusion of an angle after months of hostility, particularly when other matches couldn't settle the feud. Yes, I understand the stipulation that if Copeland loses, it was implied that he must join the stable, but even if that happens, you'd think it sets up for his eventual revenge, and if it does, how do you settle something after a barbed wire cage match?

The other angle that was really rushed, and unfortunately this has more to do with the overall booking process than just the pay-per-view schedule, is the main storyline that has The Elite ys. Team AEW for Anarchy in the Arena. I'm still not thrilled that Tony Khan was involved as an on-screen character, and I'm not sure if The Young Bucks leaning into the notion that they are running the organization to promote themselves will improve the perception of the company, but the baby faces fighting on behalf of the promotion and thus for the fans is simple, effective storytelling that can work, depending on how it continues to unfold.

Given that the premise is an NWO style takeover, with a heel intro for the show, just like Nitro had back in its heyday, it's something that should have more build up behind it then just barely a month from the time that Tony Khan was attacked. That's not to say that Double or Nothing shouldn't have a major match, especially because it's an established AEW event, but rather to point out that the angle had to be rushed to get the players involved in the right roles before the PPV. Keep in mind, this angle was originally put into motion after CM Punk's appearence on the MMA Hour, prompting Tony to decide to air the Punk/Jack Perry backstage fight footage from Wembley Stadium, and that led to the former Jungle Boy's return to television from the suspension after the altercation. So, it's not as though the path of where this angle will go was mapped out with a specific plan of the destination. That's not to say that it can't be successful, as some of the most successful angles in pro wrestling were a matter of circumstance, not diligent planning, but it does make the decisions made on the direction of the angle more important. If there was a long-term plan of The Elite takeover, the destination might change based on crowd reaction or feedback, but since it's being booked on a more weekly basis, there's not necessarily enough time to change course. For example, Tony had to get the teams put in place for the pay-per-view, regardless of it was the right time for the baby faces to get an advantage over the heels so Darby Allin made his return to the show for a major reaction from the crowd.

It will be very interesting to see how this angle is booked and how much mileage AEW can get from it, particularly if there are peaks and valleys with the narrative in the next few months. It should definitely go beyond Double or Nothing, but the challenge is how to continue the storyline, while still giving enough action for the pay-per-view. Similar to the barbed wire cage, Anarchy in the Arena seems like a stipulation for the conclusion of an angle, but considering the talent involved, there will have to be more to unfold before the finale of the feud.

Mercedes Mone and Willow Nightingale had a contract signing for their title bout at Double or Nothing, and more than anything, this segment almost underscored that Mone doesn't have the same level of star power as Sasha Banks. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but she just doesn't bring the same level of charisma or presence to the show that you'd think of when the possibility of her signing with AEW made the rounds online previously. Unfortunately, none of her promos have really connected so far, and this segment was another example of that. In theory, Mone is still a baby face, but sounded like a heel, and very similar to her other mic in AEW, the promo during the contract segment sounded rather forced instead of the mic work of a star. Furthermore, the booking of the angle is making it a lot easier for the fans to sour on Mone, as she slapped Willow first, which justifies the power bomb through the table. When you take into account that Mercedes Mone was supposed to be one of the high profile signings along with Okada and Ospreay, her tenure in All Elite is very mediocre. I understand that she hasn't had a match yet, but is there really that much anticipated for her in-ring debut?

Finally, it was a good way to promote the champion with the countdown clock for Swerve's match with Brian Cage since it places an importance on the role he has in the company, but it was put about half way through the show, while The Elite had the main event segment. There wasn't anything wrong with the match with Cage, and the feud with Christian is a really wise decision because the former WWE star is such a pro that he will make Swerve look great at Double or Nothing. However, there still seems to be a lack of a spotlight for him as the champion, and this might only amount to him being used as a transitional champion for Will Ospreay to win the belt at Wembley. The biggest question is, does Swerve have enough of a promotional push behind him that there's enough steam for Strickland/ Christian to be booked as the main event of the pay-per-view or will Anarchy in the Arena finish the show?

Overall, this was a productive and useful episode of Dynamite, but it will be interesting to see if these specific angles will be a selling point for fans to order the pay-per-view.

Prospect Pro Wrestling

It's often said that the recruitment, development, and cultivation of young talent is the life blood of the professional wrestling industry, as it ensures the future of the business. Without a future of the sport, the past and even present seems almost moot since it would put a ceiling on everything that could be achieved. However, with the future solidified, the past will eventually be regarded as a golden era, and the present will be built into a legacy that will be remembered.

For Pittsburgh, a city known as almost as much for its wrestling as the steel it once produced, there's not only an extended history of sports entertainment that had an impact on the national scene, with a lineage that stretches back to Bruno Sammartino in the WWWF, but there's also a very storied history of the squared circle on the local circuit.

Bruno, Shane Douglas, Kurt Angle, and the late Brian Hildebrand are names from that past that emerged from the western Pennsylvania area to make a name for themselves on national television. Today, Corey Graves, Joaquin Wilde, and Lee Moriarty are just a few of the Pittsburgh natives that showcase themselves on USA, Fox, or TNT.

But, each of those names needed a platform and an opportunity to hone their skills to be prepared for the spotlight.

In 2024, the western Pennsylvania region has a potpourri of options for its fans, with live event cards running almost weekly from various organizations around the area, but that wasn't always the case. One longtime pro, Marshall Gambino, who is a tag team specialist that just entered his twentieth year of competition, noticed the lack of opportunities for new talent back in 2018. The harsh reality is, there are only so many spots on any given card, and nearly six years ago, there were simply more talented youngsters emerging from training centers than the spots open on cards for the rookie prospects to get that valuable live event experience. Again, it's a harsh aspect of the business side of the sport, promoters at that time, were only going to make limited space for rookies, as they banked their box office on more established local or sometimes national talent.

Marshall remembered that he was given a chance with his tag partner, Mickey back in 2004 when he broke into the sport under the IWC banner and that start is what allowed him to expanded his career throughout different promotions into the accomplished tenure that he has today. Marshall knew that the youngsters could not only be successful if given the chance, but also he could help forge the future of the storied Pittsburgh scene so by the end of 2018, he founded Prospect Pro Wrestling, an organization based on the aspiring talent that were determined to chase their dreams of pro wrestling glory.

"I started 2PW because at the time, I didn't feel that there were enough promotions in the area giving young talent opportunities to work on their craft.  The original concept was to take established guys and have them work with new faces coming out of the training schools in the area, with the ultimate goal being that they get big enough that they no longer need 2PW, they are established at other places," explained Marshall.

When other promoters were hesitant to invest their promotional dollars into new talent, Marshall was willing to run with the concept as the main selling point, establishing a new template on the Pittsburgh circuit and building a new audience for that product in the process. The new league zigzagged around the area during its first year of operation before settling on the Worthington Civic Center as its home base. 

The nondescript venue looks like an average events hall before the ring truck pulls into the parking lot on the day of an event. However, within just hours, the trusted team that Marshall put together, including ring crew and event staff, transform the building in a certified pro wrestling arena. In an effort to provide the most professional product possible, Marshall didn't just invest in fresh talent, he invested in the equipment necessary to give the fans in attendance a polished live event experience. A full entrance set, with a stage and banners illuminated by several LED panels, provide a layer of glamour to contrast with the gritty action of an authentic independent card.

2PW found its audience, as fans were eager to see the new faces get their chance to excel, but even the longtime veteran was surprised with the level of juggling he had to do as the boss compared to just a performer on the card.

"There is so much more to deal with on the promoter side, whereas being a wrestler you just have to show up, do what is asked of you, get paid and go home. Being a promoter is a full-time job, from dealing with talent almost every day to budgets, locations, storylines, maintenance on equipment, set up, tear down, and the athletic commission. It seems sometimes to never end, but  I have a great team that works with me.  If not for them, I couldn't do what I"m doing today," said Marshall.

"I go around and place labels on every chair in the venue so fans can easily find their seats once they arrive if they pre-ordered their tickets. I am also on as lead ringside videographer, by that time the production team has arrived and we run cords ringside to the back to live stream the events. After that, it's time to test run to be sure all is working just in time for the show to start. After the show is over, I quickly finish ringside just in time to film all post-show promos with the guys before helping with tear down," commented Emily Doyle, who joined the production staff in 2020 and in her four years on the crew works on everything from social media design to live event set up.

Just as 2PW began to truly pick up momentum, the COVID pandemic shuttered the entire world for several months, but the staff stayed the course of their original vision and it paid off, as the organization has often sold out its events this year.

The mixture of establish veterans like Super Hentai, Troy Lords, Glenn Spectre, and John McChesney with young talent like Jami Jameson, Anthony Young, and Felix Koz provide a unique product that fans can only see at 2PW. The organization brings its fans everything from technical showcases to wild brawls during the course of live events.

"Honestly, the toughest is dealing with all the personalities,  everyone has the next greatest idea.  The most rewarding thing is seeing the young guys get better every month, making what we do worth it," Marshall commented about the roster.

"Every 2PW show or event that we do is another highlight for me. The team at 2PW has given me higher goals and higher motivation to reach my true potential. They believe in me, value me, and have truly appreciated me from the very start . I'll never be able to thank Marshall enough, he's always taking the time to answer all of my questions and taking me under his wing to teach me more about so many aspects in this business," Doyle said of her tenure in the organization.

The entire crew will come together for another event this Friday for "Jami's Birthday Bash," as a night of action will be held to celebrate the 2PW champion's birthday. The champion will square off against longtime rival Elijah Dean in the main event. At 1 PM, Emily and the staff will be there putting the ring together, but by 8 PM that night, grapplers will collide with the canvas after the opening bell in front of a few hundred fans at the Worthington Civic Center.

Jami Jameson has already expressed his gratitude and excitement to get to spend his birthday inside the ring on social media.

So, as 2PW will celebrate its sixth anniversary later this year, it will be a milestone of a new concept that not only got off the ground, but built its own audience with the future of the sport in mind. Marshall Gambino believed in the new blood of the industry and given the success of his promotion, the future of Pittsburgh wrestling is bright for the business.

Lance Archer debuts for RWA

All Elite Wrestling superstar, Lance Archer is set for a rare independent appearence this Saturday for the Renegade Wrestling Alliance, the blue collar organization, based in West Newton, Pennsylvania.

"The Murder Hawk Monster" appearence for the promotion is the latest in a series of guest stars this year that have made the company a place to watch among the Pittsburgh circuit. Gangrel, Tommy Dreamer, and The Sandman have all made their way through the doors of the West Newton gym in 2024.

"This is huge and exciting for RWA, our company for 15 years has strived to entertain and make a great product for the fans. Archer is a huge addition to what we already have in our locker room," said Doc Daugherty, the lead play-by-play announcer for the organization.

Archer, who inked a contract with All Elite Wrestling in early-2020, has nearly 25 years of experience, working for every major promotion of the modern era during his accomplished career. Some might recall during the formative years of NWA-TNA, the youngster known as Dallas was aligned with one of the early X-Division stars, Kid Kash. He worked in another tag team role alongside the late Jimmy Rave years later in TNA before he had a nearly two-year stint in the WWE.

"Bringing in an AEW star like Lance archer to RWA and having a matchup against one of the most unpredictable and best big men on the Indies today in the Beastman, makes this a main event that could be featured anywhere in the country. RWA is very excited to present a match of this caliber," said Quinn Magnum, a former ring veteran with more than 25 years of experience that has worked behind the scenes as a head organizer for the past several years for a variety of promotions.

It was after he gained experience in the United States that Archer truly found himself on the other side of the world when he landed in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2011. He joined the Suzuki gun faction alongside the legendary Minoru Suzuki, and stacked up several career highlights during his nine-year run in the country, with two tenures in New Japan, and even a stint in Pro Wrestling NOAH during that time. Among his many accomplishments during that stage of his career were two reigns as the GHC Tag Team champions and three reigns as IWGP Tag Team champions with his longtime tag partner Davey Boy Smith Jr. across the two organizations. He found success in the singles division as well, winning the IWGP United States championship in 2019.

Archer's remarkable athleticism for a wrestler his size always kept him in the conversation of the major leagues, and given his extensive resume in Japan, it was no surprise that he was offered a deal with All Elite Wrestling in early-2020. Considering that the company had just launched full-time a few months earlier, the addition of Lance Archer to the roster brought more depth to the company. Since that time, he has continued to appear on television and pay-per-view for AEW, as well as matches for Ring Of Honor, which is a project under the All Elite banner.

Taking into account the demands of the schedule of a full-time national contract, Archer's appearances for the independent circuit can be sparse, but thanks to Norm Connors, regarded by many as the godfather of the Pittsburgh scene, he will bring the Murder Hawk Monster with him to the West Newton gym in the continuing rivalry the former promoter has with the villainous J-Rocc and Chris Taylor, two longtime pros of the tri-state area. The notorious J-Rocc enlisted the help of the equally shady Tony Kincaid, often a member of the broadcast team, but current manager of the massive Beastman. J-Rocc has paid Kincaid well to have his mammoth client take on Archer.

"While Lance Archer and I have never worked together, we share mutual friends during his time with AEW, and prior to that, TNA. I consider it a high honor to have the chance to work with a talent of his caliber, and am grateful he'll be appearing for the fans of Western Pennsylvania," commented Connors.

"Lance Archer is a staple and a measuring stick when it comes to professional wrestling. The man has a resume and a career that many strive for. Archer will have his hands full, not only with the brute strength of the Beastman, but also the tactics of manager Tony Kincaid," added Daugherty.

A true Godzilla vs. King Kong showdown seems to be set for this weekend at the RWA gym.

Beastman, a 350 LBS brute, has made his name over the course of an 18-year career, emerging from obscurity to become one of the true forces in independent wrestling over the past several years. His remarkable agility for such a big man sets him apart from many on the scene. He has zigzagged across several states in recent years, which led to Kincaid signing him to a contract to appear for RWA regularly as a spectacle of a performer. Beastman has left an impact across Tennessee, Florida, West Virginia, and will be in West Newton for the Renegade Wrestling Alliance this weekend.  Kincaid knows that a lot of cash and bragging rights on are the line if he can manage his client to victory against an AEW superstar.

"Look, Lance Archer is destruction personified. Look at the guy, he beat some of the best in our business to a pulp. But, those were just normal men, not beasts. Beastman is another force entirely. He doesn't feel fear, he doesn't feel stress, and he just destroys. That's what's going to happen Saturday," Kincaid said frantically when he was reached via phone.

As mentioned, with as busy as Archer is as a national talent with the schedule of national television tapings, this showdown with The Beastman allows for a rare chance to see him on the independent circuit. The RWA has built itself a rabid and dedicated fan base over the course of its 15-year existence so many pundits of the local scene are anticipating an electric atmosphere when the two big men collide for the special attraction bout this Saturday. A full night of action is scheduled with many local standouts ready to compete on the card alongside the All Elite star. The Gambino Brothers square off with The Runway, Shadow Man Eli continues his rivalry with Gianni Emricko, "The Rev" Ron Hunt will collide with Mike Law, and other bouts will complete the full line-up for the event.

Victory Championship Wrestling

On a brisk Sunday afternoon in February, I found myself in the passenger seat, as George Ross, one of the premier referees on the independent circuit, recounted his work on a card in Michigan the night before. The bleary-eyed road warrior official had just stopped for at a gas station to refuel and grab a coffee to energize himself for his assignments that day, specifically maintaining the order in the winner-take-all steel cage War Games match in just a few hours.

The event that brought such  circumstances together was the second anniversary spectacular for Victory Championship Wrestling, an upstart league that was launched by Wes Fetty, known in the squared circle as the gigantic Beastman, in an effort to bring pro wrestling to his hometown of McMechen, West Virginia.

Despite the conflicts that play out in the squared circle between the heroes and villains, the action that entertains the fans in the small town that hosts the dramatic displays of sports entertainment, is very much a team effort from everyone involved.

"It’s been an honor and a privilege to help Wes and his amazing staff launching VCW and helping with its growth. I was humbled that Wes asked me for any help I could offer in regards to promotion, creativity, and helping guide an amazingly talented and hungry locker room," remarked Wilbur Whitlock, a longtime veteran of the tri-state area that is an organizer behind-the-scenes when he's not battling the villains inside the ring for VCW.

In an almost comical display of comradery, the former Bishop Donahue high school, a building that now serves as a venue for office work to be done for the township, saw an array of unique individuals come together to work toward a common goal of quality professional wrestling that afternoon. Ref George, awake after his caffeinated beverage,  diligently steamed the aprons around the ring frame to keep them looking as crisp as possible for the live event presentation. Wes, the wild caveman at showtime, was in promoter mode, as he was laser-focused on the printed line-up that was taped to the wall to double check details before the doors opened for the audience. Fetty's wife, Anna, a co-owner of the venture, jotted down names on ticket reservations while that night's steel cage was being constructed around the ring as a "dress rehearsal" of sorts to ensure that not only would it be built efficiently during the live event, but also allowed for the production crew to frame their shots properly for the anticipated mayhem that would unfold that night.

"VCW has been one of the most consistently surprising and entertaining promotions we've had the fortune to produce video for. Creating moments that have gone viral," said Mike Sorg, the director of the Sidekick Media Services group, a Pittsburgh-based production crew that distributes content for several grappling leagues around the tri-state area, while working coast-to-coast on a myriad of outside the ring projects.

As flurries began to swirl, I popped a can tab on an energy drink and put my headset on for commentary sound checks before I would call the action with the rest of the broadcast team, Eamon Paton and Jason Heat, while Missy Sorg, the head organizer of the production team, called cues into a head set for the videographers to find their positions around the previously mentioned steel cage set up.

At the same time, scattered among the hallways of Bishop Donahue were the energetic crowd favorites, the brooding villains, a mad dog persona, an implied cult leader, an Oprah-inspired character,  hillbillies, and of course, the caveman all getting prepared for their performances that evening.

There's no doubt that Victory Championship Wrestling stands out on the independent circuit with a truly unique potpourri of talent on its roster.

"Without a doubt, the VCW roster has become one of the most competitive, creative and hungry I have had the privilege to witness and work with. Each and every event, the matches get better and the excitement tangibly grows with the audience. And it’s thanks to a combination of top notch talent pushing themselves, along with rivalries and storytelling that excite the fan base to keep coming back for more,” said Eamon Payton, the lead play-by-play announcer for the organization.

One of the biggest aspects of the Victory Championship Wrestling project is the diverse collection of talent that Fetty and his staff bring together for events to offer something truly unique for the fan base that attend events on a near monthly basis at the Bishop Donahue gym. At the end of last year, Big Japan death match legend, Shadow WX and independent death match wrestling icon Madman Pondo battled Fetty and talented upstart, Cowpoke Paul in a wild tag team brawl that concluded when Shadow WX spit a fire ball at Beastman. Aerial artist, Jason Kincaid is also a semi-regular for VCW, wrestling a bout last year that is still talked about today against the youngster Zeke Mercer. Former TNA star Chase Stevens competed in a tag bout alongside the caveman against the notorious duo of DD Vice and Marcus Twist, collectively known as Saturday Night Special just last month. Super Oprah, an eccentric and entertaining performer, will get a chance at the VCW Heavyweight title when Patrick Hayes defends the belt at their next event on May 24th in McMechen.

"Now entering their third year of operation; I believe VCW will continue to grow and expand and continue to provide amazing action for the fans, and a fun professional work environment for everyone involved behind the curtain," explained Wilbur Whitlock.

Fetty, who wrestles a full schedule outside of his own promotion, looks to juggle the roles of promoter and performer. Different from the stereotypical independent promoter, Fetty makes it a priority to not only treat his roster well, but also make every effort he can to give the fans their money's worth when they make the decision to support Victory Championship Wrestling with their ticket purchases.

In an effort to continue to accomplish that goal, Fetty has put together a special Friday night showcase for the Bishop Donahue crowd on May 24th when all tickets will be just $5 for the fans. As a way to thank the fans, Fetty brings a stacked line-up to the table for the discounted admission. International lucha libre star, Sam Adonis, will be on the card to compete against Beastman. Adonis, a more than 15-year pro, has wrestled quite literally around the globe with tenures in England, Japan, and Mexico. Currently, Adonis works full-time for AAA in Mexico, but will make a rare northeast appearence for VCW. A myriad of other well-known independent names such as Low Rider, Super Beast, and others are also scheduled to compete for the event.

Make no mistake about it, as spectacular as the glitz and glamour is of the national organizations with pryo, gigantic stages, and bright lights, there's still something very charming about the authentic nature of a well-organized independent card. The performers that lace up their boots aren't there for the millions of dollars of a television contract, but rather the chance to entertain the paying audience and pursuit their own goals of the sport.

That is possibly the biggest takeaway from Victory Championship Wrestling, especially if you peel the curtain back just slightly to see the level of dedication and team work that goes into each live presentation. In an example of how professional wrestling can bring not only fans, but those involved in the sport together, the two and a half year history of VCW has brought performers and staff from different backgrounds, ethnics, and associations together to work toward the common goal of quality independent professional wrestling.

The overwhelming consensus is that VCW consistently accomplishes its goal of giving the fans their money's worth with quality action and look to do so again on May 24th for their Five Day Friday event.

Gable Steveson released

Last week, former Olympic gold medalist, Gable Steveson was released from the WWE,ending a nearly three-year tenure with the company. After Steveson won the gold on the amateur mat in 2020, he signed a developmental deal with the organization the following year. Given his outstanding collegiate record and Olympic achievements, there was a lot of hype around the recruitment of Steveson as a pro wrestler, specifically because he was only the second gold medalist to ink a contract with the sports entertainment corporation behind Kurt Angle.

There's only one Kurt Angle, and the lack of overall progress in Steveson's pro career proves that, but even if it was unintentionally unfair, he drew comparisons to Angle since they both won amatuer gold before they transitioned to the pro ranks.

To say that Steveson's career was undistinguished would be an understatement.

There was a promotional push for his arrival, with a handful of appearances on WWE programming, including a spot at Wrestlemania a few years ago and he was even drafted to the Raw brand, but never officially made it to the main roster.

It goes without saying that the heavyweight wrestler is a tremendous athlete and will be known as one of the best US amateurs in Olympic history, but for whatever reason, that just didn't translate to sports entertainment. That's not to say that he didn't put in the effort or that the coaches at the performance center didn't give him a worthwhile sports entertainment education. In fact, it was probably a combination of factors that prevented him from making the progress required to either stay in the developmental system or remain under contract.

Keep in mind, while the terms of the contract weren't public, you can safely assume that the company offered him a decent amount of cash to pursue pro wrestling. Remember, he had a lot of publicity after winning gold so the WWE would've had to offer at least comparable money to what other projects could've offered him at the time.

Of course, it made sense for management to recruit Steveson because best case scenario, they could've found the next Kurt Angle, and Chad Gable is another example of Olympic wrestlers that became stellar pros. Granted, Chad Gable is really only getting the chance to truly showcase his talent in the past few years, but the point being, there's enough of a track record of success in the WWE from the Olympics that you can see why Steveson was offered a deal.

As trivial as it might sound, sports entertainment goes against everything that Steveson would've learned his entire career as an amateur. The intricacies of the amateur style, aspects that are emphasized exponentially at the highest levels of Olympic competition, are designed to prevent an opponent from completing any offensive maneuver. The basis of Steveson's tremendous athleticism and years of training honed his skills to naturally prevent what his opponent tried to accomplish on the mat. At the Olympic level, the reaction time for that is instant and becomes second nature in competition. 

On the flip side, sports entertainment utilizes working directly with an opponent to complete a maneuver. It's quite literally competition opposed to cooperation. The muscle memory of how to react to someone's movements is ingrained in the reaction type of such athletes so in many ways, the coaches at the Performance Center not only had to "deprogram" Steveson's amateur instincts, but also try to teach him the proper techniques of sports entertainment. Furthermore, it wasn't simply the task of Matt Bloom, Norman Smiley, and Robbie Brookside to train Steveson to become a pro, but also get him to a level of being ready for national television in a relatively short time. Don't forget, the office wasn't paying him that hefty cash to be a preliminary wrestler in a dark match before a TV taping, they invested that money to develop a marketable superstar that would theoretically draw money for a return on the investment of the contract.

On one hand, trying to take someone with zero pro experience and get them to the point of being ready for the main stage of WWE is a tough task. On the other hand, you could reasonably expect that if Steveson will have an aptitude for sports entertainment then his incredible athletic ability would be able to compensate for at least some of the inexperience. Infamously, he worked a match against Baron Corbin on an NXT special last year, and the performance was so subpar that the live audience, diehard WWE fans, turned on him about halfway through the contest, jeering loudly throughout the duration of the segment. For as much as Corbin was portrayed as a goof during most of his WWE tenure, make no mistake about it, the guy can go in the ring and there was a reason that he was chosen to to work with Steveson for his first live match. Steveson looked a little overwhelmed with the moment, moving rather deliberately as if you could see him trying to run through the sequences in his mind before the next spot in the match. His selling exposure a lot of his inexperience, and the overall presentation was just flat. Considering that this was about two years after he had the chance to train within the WWE system full-time, it wasn't a good indication for his potential in the WWE.

Following the flop on television, he worked almost a dozen more matches on the NXT live event circuit last year. He actually had another five dark matches at Smackdown tapings earlier this year, but hadn't made any appearances in the past few months. Clearly, if the office had seen enough progress, they would've done more with him than just the dark matches, but it almost looks like they knew that his time on the roster was limited since he hasn't worked any matches in recent months. He was under contract for three years, and obviously, he wasn't at a level that justified keeping him on the payroll. It could've been that he didn't have the chance to work enough matches in front of a live crowd, less than twenty bouts is hardly enough to judge the potential of someone's entire career, or it could be that perhaps Gable Steveson just isn't suited for pro wrestling. Again, with less than twenty matches, there's not a way to determine if sports entertainment isn't for him, but again, the company paid him for three years so there had to be some type of results to justify the contract.

Steveson's manager, Dave Martin sent a statement to the MMA Hour show after the news of his WWE release, saying that a few NFL teams had contracted him and that the former Olympic wrestler had started training in MMA. Taking into account that his release just happened, if he was already training in MMA, perhaps his exit from the WWE was decided a few months ago and the official release was just a formality since it appears that he already decided to pursue other ventures. I'm not shocked to hear that the NFL might try to recruit him since there's nothing to lose on either side to give him a tryout, but to my knowledge, Steveson has no prior football experience so it's doubtful that he would make an NFL team. Sure, there might be an opportunity on a practice squad somewhere, but he'd probably have other options to make significantly more money than the league minimum of a practice squad player.

If I had to guess, I'd say that he will probably pursue MMA on a full-time basis since his Olympic wrestling background can directly translate to the sport. If he will be successful in mixed martial arts remains to be seen because possibly getting punched in the face is a tough gig. At the same time, it wouldn't be entirely shocking if he eventually returns to the WWE system at some point in the future. At 23, Steveson still has his athletic prime ahead of him and perhaps other ventures outside of pro wrestling will generate some hype for him and then he can return to the company for a fresh start in a few years. 

Backlash review

With the domestic success that the WWE had the past few years, albeit not main stream in terms of pop culture, but serving its audience to a higher degree than in the past, the TKO corporation has continued to expand the opportunities for the company on a global basis. The Backlash pay-per-view was held in Puerto Rico last year and was known for its rabid live audience, and much of the same could be said for this past weekend's event in France. The crowd was hot throughout the PPV, despite not being as invested in the heels and baby faces, but rather the live event experience itself. It's definitely a different dynamic since there isn't the same type of emotional investment in the characters, but given the arena gate record for the event, it speaks volumes to the drawing power of the brand when there's a specific focus on tailoring the product to the fan base rather than a personal or corporate agenda.

Granted, Vince McMahon already ruined his legacy when he resigned in disgrace after the horrendous accusations in the lawsuit earlier this year, but from strictly a presentation perspective, since the sale of WCW, there was always an impression that the WWE was Vince McMahon's agenda, and if the fans wanted to watch pro wrestling in the United States then they would settle for what he was willing to give them. Vince was the king of the hill and became a billionaire from the stock price so the core audience that wanted to watch the genre more or less allowed him to maintain the status quo as to what he wanted to present from the company since there weren't true alternatives to WWE. Sure, TNA existed, but they were never able to capture enough of the market share by any metric to make enough of a dent in Vince's business that he had to change direction on anything.

Obviously, the WWE is always going to run the standard playbook since their primary objective will and should continue to be to draw in as many casual fans as possible, but there's no doubt that the product under the direct of Triple H is much more flexible. That dynamic has allowed the events to be much more organic, which is one of the key reasons why the product connects with the audience.

The show opened with The Bloodline vs. Kevin Owens and Randy Orton, and while it was the usual brawl with a few highlight reel bumps, this segment accomplished a lot for the angle going forward. The addition of Tama Tonga to the stable is a fresh aspect and gives the storyline more mileage for this year, particularly for a potential Samoan war games match at Survivor Series after the return of Roman Reigns. Considering the historic run that Roman had as a heel, it opens the door for him to be embraced as a baby face, specifically with The Rock working as a heel since his return to the organization. However, Tama Tonga isn't just there to be a piece of the puzzle in the angle. Make no mistake about it, he's a very solid worker that can do anything that the WWE needs him to do, and that adaptability is why he will be a valuable asset to the promotion. Owens and Orton are such quality performers that this segment had the ingredients to be a great way to kickoff the event. Solo Sikoa was cast in a secondary role prior to this, and there's nothing wrong with that, as that was what was needed for the Tribal Chief storyline. The biggest takeaway from this segment was that Solo looks like he's evolving in the new role to be able to be a more prominent figure in the storyline so it was a very productive performance. Toma Tonga had some nasty welts on his back from the kendo stick shot and took a major bump onto the chairs from a suplex from Kevin Owens off the top rope.

Tanga Loa made his debut to be the newest member of The Bloodline and it adds another layer of depth to the angle. He had a prior undistingished stint in the WWE years ago so this is basically a completely new run in the organization. The brother of Tama probably isn't quite as well-rounded in the ring, but the run that they had as a tag team in New Japan proved that they are a quality tag team. There's more potential for Tama in WWE, but Tanga is a good addition to add to the eventual Samoan showdown. The Bloodline got the win.

Bayley retained the Women's championship in a triple threat match with Naomi and Tiffany Stratton. Since Bayley just started the baby face run as champion, there wasn't a point in the bout where it looked like there was going to be a title switch, but at the same time, triple threat matches can be difficult to structure. That being said, this was a solid and entertaining match. Tiffany Stratton still looks relatively inexperienced in the ring, but the potential is there for her to become one of the stars of the division. Obviously, she's not nearly as solid as her opponets, but she didn't look completely out of place either.

Damian Priest beat Jey Uso to retain the championship. Again, in a theme that was clear throughout the show, the newly-crowned champions at Wrestlemania weren't going to drop the belts a month later. Jey Uso remains very popular and the crowd reaction for him was spectacular. The downside was that this was a very average match, there wasn't anything wrong with it, but it wasn't anything great or something that you'd typically expect from a world heavyweight title match either. Unfortunately, this almost reinforced that Priest is the secondary champion in the company. All things considered, this might be an indication that Preist will ultimately be a transitional champion.

It was no surprise that Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill defeated The Kabuki Warriors to win the Women's tag team championships. Asuka and Kari Sane are such stellar talents that they don't need the belts to maintain their level in the organization. Bianca Belair is such a tremendous performer and pairing her with Jade is a very wise decision to help develop her into a more well-rounded performer. This match was structured to showcase Jade and it accomplished that. The set up for Jade's finisher at the conclusion of the match was a really cool moment. The match itself was okay, but you can still see Jade's inexperience at certain points so the next few months will be key to see how she can continue to evolve as a performer. There aren't any guarantees for success in sports entertainment, Gable Stevenson is an example of that, but given Jade's ability and the talent that she's getting the chance to work with, it's fair to say that management is giveing her the best chance possible to be successful.

Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles was a quality main event bout and a great example of how well Cody will work in the role of champion. Of course, AJ is one of the best workers of his generation and there's an arguement to be made that he's one of the best of all time when you take into account his impact on the business with a style that influenced much of the modern era. Everything during the 30-minute match was crisp and smooth, and the momentum of the contest built well toward the conclusion. AJ was booked for this to give Rhodes a quality opponet and he did exactly what he had to do for this segment. Cody retaining the title was obvious, but this was a great match that added a lot of substance to the card. Overall, this was a very solid event and it had a runtime of just under three hours so this was a much easier viewing experience than the usual extended pay-per-view.

The WWE draft

The WWE draft, coinciding with the NFL draft, has come and gone. A few names were shuffled around, but very similar to years prior, this will all translate to very little difference in the grand scheme of things. In truth, the WWE draft was cannon fodder, and outside of the original concept, which didn't get over either, it more or less always has been rather moot in the big picture of WWE. That becomes more apparent under the TKO umbrella when draft picks will be ignored when the cash dictates a different decision. Similar to almost anytime in the past, the talent will go where the angles or the company needs them to go, and when that happens, as it always does, that renders the concept of the draft pointless.

In some ways, the concept of brand exclusive talent, with several rounds to keep track of as far as what talent goes where, dilutes the presentation of the product and makes things too "inside baseball" for the general public. When the casual fan asks, "who's the champion?" they want to know who the top guy is, not a convoluted explanation of what champion for what show. Again, the viewer from the general public isn't invested enough to find out the rules and regulations of the draft or watch consistently enough to know what talent is on what show. They just want to know who the top guy is, or what the top talent is doing on the show.

In this case, and this isn't a knock on Damien Priest at all, the answer is Cody Rhodes. He's the top guy, he beat Roman Reigns, The Rock's cousin, and his dad is Dusty Rhodes.

That's the answer for the guy that occasionally "puts wrestling on" to see who's on the show and what's going on with the product. Who got drafted to Raw in the second round or Smackdown in the third round is irrelevant to the general public.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the premise of the original brand extension in 2002, as the rosters were flooded with dozens of wrestlers from WCW and ECW so creating brand exclusivity allowed for more talent to be featured across the specific hours of television the company had at the time. That being said, I always thought the concept was too convoluted and not something that would get over with the main stream audience, and it didn't. If anything, the initial brand extension in the early-2000s exposed the fact that the organization didn't have enough true star power, especially in the post-Attitude era industry to split the rosters. Furthermore, because pro wrestling had a natural decline after such a hot period a few years earlier, it made the task of trying to get such a concept of split rosters over with the audience more difficult. Some of those early brand exclusive pay-per-views aren't exactly classic events.

In a pattern that was repeated throughout the years, when the brand exclusive product began to struggle, the draft was ignored and talent appeared on both shows anyway. Among the few major reasons that brand exclusive "competition" didn't get over with the audience is because the fans knew that it was the same company so the idea that two commodities under the same umbrella are competing is silly.

While it is completely understandable that the company had to pivot to bring in more star power when needed, especially in the era of traditional pay-per-view with the $40 price tag, the lack of staying the course with the rules of the draft didn't allow for the fans to truly invest in the concept. If the audience was going to buy into the angle at all is debatable, but after the company exposed that they were willing to bend the rules when the angles needed it, the audience knew that exclusivity was temporary at best.

Ironically, the current WWE product is probably the most suitable for the draft concept, given the level of depth the company has in terms of star power and work rate.

That being said, I will still stay the concept of a draft won't connect with the main stream audience and will eventually be a footnote, especially after Raw moves to Netflix at the start of next year. As I wrote about when the blockbuster deal was announced earlier this year, putting the television show that was on free TV for more than thirty years behind a paywall is uncharted territory for the company. That's not to say that it won't work, but rather that it's an unproven concept so it wouldn't be surprising if there was an "all hands on deck" approach to the start of the Netflix era.

In short, the draft provided a slight ratings boost for Raw, but the brand exclusivity will eventually be a moot point when stars appear on different brands anyway.

That said, there were a few noteworthy appearances on Raw, which are amplified in importance with the current amount of injuries. Braun Strowman made his return to the company after being sidelined for several months following neck surgery last year. Strowman's WWE career has been a mixed bag for a variety of reasons, and despite the big man look that the company often recruits for talent in the WWE system, he hasn't reached the next level to truly being solidified as a top guy. In fact, Strowman was released from the organization in 2021 before he controlled his narrative for a year and was then re-signed to the WWE.

At 40, Strowman is probably near the latter stages of his career, but definitely still has some money years left in his pro wrestling tenure. If WWE can maximize that remains to be seen, but this return is the chance at a fresh start for him. Taking into account that Seth Rollins is on the shelf with a knee injury, and CM Punk will be out of action for several months, there's an opportunity for Strowman to claim one of the top baby face spots on Raw. If nothing else, Strowman back into the fold on Monday creates some intriguing possibilities after Backlash in France this weekend.

Ilja Dragunov was drafted to Raw after a very successful stint as NXT champion and he's a very unique talent that has the potential to translate that success to the Monday night show. Dragunov had an incredibly stiff match with Gunther during the pandemic, and it would make sense for them to reignite the rivalry on a bigger platform, especially because that could give Gunther a solid opponent to work with after he dropped the IC title at Wrestlemania last month.