Tuesday, March 19, 2024
EditorialAnother Failed Promise -- Should We Expect Any Less?

Another Failed Promise — Should We Expect Any Less?

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Ever since WWE launched the WWE Network and decided to initially run with six-month subscriptions, we were told on a pretty consistent basis that the Night Of Champions pay-per-view in September would be damn near WrestleMania-level. Why? Well, simply put, to hook those who signed up for six-month subscriptions into signing back up once their existing subscription expired.

It seemed like a pretty basic, albeit brilliant idea. Sure, SummerSlam is generally one of the “big four” pay-per-views and as far as WWE is concerned, has been treated like the number two annual event. “The WrestleMania of the Summer.”

This year was supposed to be different. This year SummerSlam was supposed to be a show to set things in motion for the big pay off at Night Of Champions.

It didn’t quite turn out that way, did it?

That wasn’t exactly shocking to me. I’ve been a pro wrestling fan long enough to realize that the pay off doesn’t always match the hype.

But my god.

This show is the textbook definition of a “one match show.” Outside of Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, there is almost nothing on the current lineup for Night Of Champions that has me jacked with anticipation.

Night Of Champions is just another B-show, hell, maybe even C-show, for that matter. Put it this way — Bray Wyatt isn’t even on the card!

The build-up for matches such as Chris Jericho vs. Randy Orton, Sheamus vs. Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz, just to name a few, have been absolutely atrocious.

I’m assuming the reason plans to build Night Of Champions as a monstrous show changed because of the international roll-out of the WWE Network. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t believe WWE has to announce both domestic and international subscription numbers for the WWE Network at their quarterly conference calls. I believe they just have to announce the total number of subscriptions. With the international expansion of the Network service, obviously the number will be up a considerable amount when the next conference call is held.

As a result, Night Of Champions is this Sunday — and I couldn’t care less. I was legitimately more excited for NXT Takeover 2 last week than I am for this Sunday’s pay-per-view.

And that’s a damn shame.

The only thing that could make all of this worse is if the unthinkable happens and John Cena regains the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Brock Lesnar this Sunday night. I don’t even want to consider that a possibility and while I personally don’t expect it to happen, the more I hear, the more it sounds like a very realistic possibility.

Yup, Undertaker’s streak ended and WWE’s biggest star was squashed at one of the big-four pay-per-views, all to build up a guy who loses the title in his first defense. If that happens, well, I don’t know. I’m not going to really do anything. I can’t boycott the product because A. it’s my job and B. I don’t really care enough to make that much of a fuss. I’ll just shake my head and turn my TV off, write my next article, go to bed and wait for the next big disappointment from the leader in sports entertainment.

While watching shows on the WWE Network, especially The Monday Night War documentary series — my new favorite weekly pro wrestling show — I am reminded of how awesome pro wrestling used to be. How it really only took one or two things going a certain way to change the entire momentum of the war and the entire direction of the sport in general.

With that being said, when Daniel Bryan heals, if he’s used the right way and WWE were to say, re-sign CM Punk and treat him like a legitimate star, I honestly feel that we could enter another era that could at least be on par with the excitement-level that the “Attitude Era” generated. Maybe switch WWE and NXT around? Have WWE serve as the farm system to the NXT big leagues? There’s another idea. Something needs to be done because pro wrestling is really becoming total garbage these days.

Need proof? Go re-watch Monday’s RAW. As “Good Ole’ JR” would say, “for the love of god!”

What do you guys think? Leave your feedback in the “Comments” section below, or hit me up on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR and/or on Twitter @MBoone420.

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