As an avid fan of professional wrestling, whether I’m watching WWE, TNA, ROH, or promotions outside of America, I try to see the entire picture. I see which companies are steaming hot, and which companies are trundling along like a turtle. I’m always looking for the next breakout star, wrestlers who you can look at .. and know they will be future legends. But lately, I’ve had a negative feeling in the back of my mind, and the feeling is concern. Every time I watch professional wrestling in 2015, the feeling of concern increases.
I remember writing an article the other week discussing the topic of superheroes in wrestling, and how fans can’t enjoy superheroes anymore. I was proven wrong this week, because there is room for superheroes, but I’ll get into that later. I would like to leave my thoughts surrounding several topics concerning the business.
Oversaturation – I’ve mentioned it before, and it’s not going away. How many times would you listen to the same song on the radio, in the same week, before you decided to switch to another station? How many times would you watch the same episode of your favourite program, week after week, year after year, until you finally got sick of it and turned the channel? It’s the same with professional wrestling.
Do you want to know what my wrestling viewing schedule looks like? There’s a long three hour Raw on Monday, then I’ll usually wait for torrents (because I’m English and I don’t have the networks, otherwise I won’t see the shows) of NXT, TNA, ROH, and Smackdown, so two one-hour shows, and two two-hour shows, and for the past two weeks I’ve watched NXT, TNA, ROH and Smackdown in one sitting .. and that’s not counting any WWE, NXT, or TNA PPVs on Sunday (with four-hour Wrestlemania/Summerslam), which is followed by another Raw. And then there’s WWE Network shows, if you have any interest in Tough Enough or Total Divas. Not only that, but I continue to write a series of articles reviewing my experiences with Wrestlemania’s, so I’ll watch one of those, normally on a Tuesday,.
While I’ve had anticipation for some events this year, the only time I felt legitimately excited to watch wrestling was the NJPW Wrestle Kingdom IX PPV, because it was different, and not full of the usual “sports-entertainment” stuff we always see. I had no expectations, and Jim Ross & Matt Striker managed to ease me into the world of Puroresu. It was like trying something you really enjoy for the first time, but then remembering you won’t be able to enjoy it again anytime soon because you already have prior arrangements.
There’s a lot of WWE fans out there who only have time for WWE, and I understand that, as I was originally a WWF/E fan. I only saw WCW and ECW briefly before the companies died, and it was a joyous time for fans, as there was an abundance of talent, and just the right amount of wrestling to want to come back and see more, from whichever companies you enjoyed. While the WWF and WCW fought each other, wrestling fans didn’t fight each other .. instead they enjoyed the entertainment, and kept others up-to-date, like how my friend who was strictly a WCW fan kept me in the loop. I was a WWF fan, but I didn’t want WCW to die, or ECW, it was more exciting to see them compete against each other.
Even if you’re strictly a WWE fan, oversaturation is an ongoing issue, and became worse with the introduction of the WWE Network. Why do you think they struggled to get subscriptions? Because wrestling fans already have enough to see without all the other shows and archive footage from the network. To many fans, Raw and Smackdown is enough, but you also have NXT gaining popularity, so that’s at least three shows for most. When you see something all the time, you begin to review and criticize, instead of enjoying it, and crowds get so bored they start entertaining themselves with hilarious chants and Mexican waves. How can wrestling reach another boom period if fans are burned out 24/7?
Evolution – Speaking of boom periods, if you look back on wrestling history, boom periods have always occurred after an evolution in the way wrestling is presented. The talent have always had an impact on boom periods, but they cannot maintain a boom period with talent alone; the booking and presentation play a more pivotal role. Wrestling fans have always criticized booking, and even more so after the internet made a platform where critiquing of wrestling booking could be learned; turning fans “smart” to the business.
Fans have criticized WWE for its predictable booking for years. Booking evolved in the Attitude Era, as it suited the times and the talent, until WWE backtracked on the edgy material, unpredictable matches, and inevitably made damaging mistakes with talent. Before the Attitude Era, the early 90’s proved that even with talent and two major promotions, if you don’t evolve with the times, the fans will demand change.
Sound familiar? The early 90’s is exactly how it is today, and it’s because no one is willing, or able, to force change, and spark worldwide excitement. You only find a Hogan or a Steve Austin once in a generation, and this generation looks back “on the good times”, because no one’s managed to grab the world by the scruff, and let it be known that a new age has dawned.
There’s not enough risk, and it’s because the decision makers know the wrestling world, and major media outlets, have the product under a microscope, just waiting for the moment they go too far, and then it will be blown up into a massive deal just so they have the latest news to post on Twitter or Facebook.
WWE – I have a love/hate relationship with WWE nowadays, and it’s largely because of the restrictions on the main roster. NXT is a perfect example of what the main roster should be, and any other American promotion. The storytelling is crisp, the promos are spot on, the talent have chemistry, and you often see new talent working matches, so even if they are there to job, it’s someone new. You don’t always know what to expect with NXT, but you know what to expect with Raw, and even more so with Smackdown.
You know what makes me angry? Smackdown was one of my favourite shows every week for many years, but it’s been the Raw recap show for way too long, with the same matches, replays of Raw, and no buzz whatsoever. What made me sad this week? When the Smackdown fans started chanting “WE WANT STING!”, knowing that WWE planned NOTHING for Sting after his previous appearances on Raw. Out of all the wrestling shows I see, Smackdown is the most passable, and I hate that because you used to have to see Smackdown to know what’s happening on the following Raw.
I love what WWE has done with Seth Rollins, but they have failed to produce a new babyface to rival him. You would have thought Ambrose would be a thorn in his side, but it seems WWE is delaying his main event push so he can help Reigns and The Wyatts get over. Sadly, when I look at the WWE talent, I don’t see anyone breaking through, and it’s because Vince doesn’t see anyone who can sell tickets like The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, or The Rock. Also, it’s difficult when The Authority continues to soak up airtime every week on Raw,; another act which needs to go.
Don’t get me wrong, this generation has an amazing amount of talent who can work 5-star matches, but none of them are getting mainstream exposure outside the wrestling world, and that’s just one problem. WWE is a corporate powerhouse, and they don’t need to risk anything; they are playing it smart by aiming for profits, not for pushing the envelope.
The corporate structure and production methods give WWE the advantage over any other wrestling company for years to come, it’s an unbreakable fortress, monopolizing the industry and ensuring the vast majority of people know it exists. WWE has the brand recognition, and the history, how can anyone compete with that? It can’t be broken, not by TNA, ROH, or any other, not unless something drastic happens.
Before I move on to the next topic, I want to talk about Bayley, who is essentially a superhero to young kids. I have a daughter, so it pleases me to see what Bayley is doing, and hopefully it will get her to the main roster quicker; she could be a real asset in the Divas division. It’s rare to find a wrestler who can make it work as a genuine person nowadays. I’m also looking forward to the first Iron Woman match … it’s rare, but sometimes WWE does produce the goods, and NXT is producing the goods better than the main roster. Could you imagine the main roster with NXT mentality?
TNA – Oh no! I’m talking about TNA again. So let me begin by saying TNA is going to die every year, just like it died last year, and the year before that. Again, another article claims TNA is going to die a slow painful death because their TV contract is up with Destination America at the end of the year. Just like all the other times news sites reported TNA was going to die because their TV contract was expiring, it’s going to be bogus, because TNA will sign a new contract or find a new network.
If they don’t find a new network, TNA airs shows globally, so if they can’t find a deal in the American market right away, it doesn’t stop them from producing shows and airing them on the website for American audiences, like they recently did for Canadian fans. TNA aired a live PPV in the UK for the first time (showing how strong they are in the UK market), and Dixie commented on how they struggle in the American market.
So if TNA has issues with the American market, the company still has revenue from other sources. They would lose money from not having a network deal, but TNA was operational in their early days using online PPVs, it would take a lot more than losing a network deal to kill the company.
And why do reports surface surrounding the intricate details of the business deals of a private company? Because it’s a slow news day. You cannot decide the state of a company through third-party information. The reports never reference credible sources, there’s no one in the company agreeing to any of the reports, but yet, fans believe every word like it’s fact? I don’t get it personally, why would anyone want to believe a third-hand report of the state of a private company?
I’ve seen fans hate TNA like it’s the black plague, like it’s a disease on the wrestling business and should be stamped out. Is that really what wrestling fans should be doing? TNA has made mistakes, but which company hasn’t? Why is it always TNA getting the hate? I’ll keep trying to understand it, but probably never will. I’m not a “TNA fan”, I’m a wrestling fan, and a fan of sports-entertainment when it’s done right.
Speaking on the product itself, TNA has disappointed me lately. The story telling is way off, the TNA vs GFW war was a disaster, but it was likely thrown together because of the sudden dissolution of the BDC and The Rising. What I am happy about is EC3, who is arguably the most entertaining heel champion in the business today, but just like Seth Rollins, does not have a nemesis to rival him.
TNA has been showcasing their Knockouts much more, including bringing back The Beautiful People to feud with The Dollhouse, and Gail Kim getting back to what she does best. Awesome Kong is back in the company, but has yet to claim dominance, but it’s only a matter of time.
Women’s wrestling is going through a boom period, not just in WWE, but in TNA as well, and I’m probably the only one to notice this, but I hear the words “This is my house!”, and “Playtime is over”, in WWE and TNA almost every week, like the women of each company are stepping it up and stealing each others lines as they do it.
TNA has taken a step back in other areas, as it’s still failing to deliver a decent X-Division and Tag Team division. EC3 is the man in TNA, but if you take him and the Knockouts away, there’s not much left. TNA should be producing good shows consistently. And the answer to their problems is not to sign AJ Styles, Sabin, Austin Aries, Daniels, or Kazarian back, as those guys already did everything in TNA. What they need is to take notes from NXT and produce young talent no one’s ever seen before, while also using veterans like Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle to sell tickets.
TNA has always taken in (since 2002) wrestlers who fans refer to as “WWE rejects”, but the fact is, if you are the #2 company, then why wouldn’t you use talent who were good enough to make it in WWE? Why wouldn’t you take a wrestler who already has a following and give him a job? And you know, the Hardys, the Dudleys, Sting (and many more) worked in TNA for years. The wrestlers are going to work wherever the money is, or where the schedule suits. No one should demand Kurt Angle to work a full-time global schedule, just like no one should expect The Undertaker to wrestle on TV every week.
There’s a lot of double standards among fans, especially when it pertains to wrestlers like Sting, Kurt Angle, or Jeff Hardy working for TNA when they could be working for WWE. If you enjoy those wrestlers so much, watch TNA for them, it’s not going to hurt you to watch TNA just so you can see Hardy or Angle. I can assure you, it’s not Hornswoggle vs Chavo Guerrero bad, the product usually delivers in wrestling quality, so that should be enough for a company like TNA.
And it’s not hard to find the show on the internet. If I can find a HD quality torrent of Impact Wrestling every week, I’m sure anyone who wants to see their favourite wrestlers perform can manage to put in the effort to find a way to watch. It’s 2015, If you don’t have Destination America, find a laptop and download it in five minutes or less. If you don’t know how to do that, find someone who knows computers to download it for you. Now I’m sounding like I work for TNA .. plugging their show and all that .. but it’s not as bad as some claim. With that said, I’m moving on.
ROH – I’ve seen classic ROH matches with Bryan Danielson, Austin Aries, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Kenta Kobashi, Nigel McGuinness and many others, but I’m still relatively new to ROH in 2015. Started watching after the show began airing on DA (someone started uploading it too), and I have mixed feelings. Just like TNA, it’s inconsistent, but it can produce great matches. ROH isn’t about honour as much as it should be though, and I see a lot of cheating going on, and not enough respect. I know all about the code of honour, but it’s as inconsistent as the wrestling. I also don’t see enough selling, too many high spots, not enough selling.
I saw Jushin Liger have a match against Dalton Castle, which was before his appearance on NXT, so ROH beat them to the punch. Aside from that I only get interested when I see The Bullet Club members, AJ Styles, Young Bucks etc. Also a fan of Cheeseburger, and I have no idea why, maybe because he’s not bad considering how small and scrawny he is. Dalton Castle is my favourite though, you could put him on the WWE roster right away and he would soak the heat right into his peacock wings. He simply must become a star, sooner rather than later..
As far as Jay Lethal goes, I’m finding it difficult to believe him as Undisputed Champ, as i last saw him working the X-DIvision in TNA, but his wrestling ability and mic work; top-notch. I’m not surprised he is the man in ROH, but it will take me some time to truly believe it. Again, just like Rollins and EC3, he has no nemesis. Roderick Strong doesn’t cut it, or Jay Briscoe, so Jay Lethal is in a class of his own, and I’m just waiting for someone to appear a real threat to his titles. The biggest thing about ROH, which I know puts casual wrestling fans off .. is the overall presentation. You can tell its an indy show, and ROH will never expand if they market themselves like an indy promotion.
Competition – Major wrestling companies are so against teaming together that it hurts the business. Unlike sports, or in the business world, collaboration should be encouraged as it gets more eyes on the wrestling business. Only when all the best talent culminate on one card can you produce a super-show which would trend time and space and become something must-see. The problem is, there’s no third-party regulator to ensure fairness in the booking and on the money side, like the NWA did with territories back in the day. WWE will not team with anyone, and the war with WCW gave Vince and anyone below him the mentality that all competition, no matter how small, should never be referenced.
The only company which WWE has referenced is ROH, which is largely down to mutual respect as ROH was responsible for the Daniel Bryan’s, CM Punk’s, Kevin Owens’, Cesaro’s, and Samoa Joe’s of the world, but I could never see WWE and ROH working together on a card. Wouldn’t that be cool though? For one night, have WWE guys and ROH guys fighting with, and against each other? This is what I mean when WWE refuses to take a little risk. Better yet, what about a NXT vs ROH PPV? How sick would that be? ROH guys would get some spotlight, and the NXT guys would get to work with traveled wrestlers.
But then you got to think outside WWE. What would happen if TNA, ROH and NJPW worked together to produce a super-show every year? At least by combining all the talent in the three companies, you have many opportunities to put on an excellent PPV, and it would be refreshing to see. But yeah .. wrestling companies are scared of other wrestling companies, when they should be scared of all the other TV shows and sports which produce ratings on a scale WWE could only dream of.
Conclusion – I realize there’s a lot said here, and it’s a lot to take in, so I will try to summarize. WWE, TNA, and ROH have their weak points, and all three could be doing more to excite, but the business has become so regulated, it’s become second nature to everyone, and there’s nothing we haven’t seen before. There’s no solid answer to what they can do, but all I can say is it’s going to take a few individuals to break in and shake it up. Until then, wrestling fans have to decide whether they have the patience to watch every week, while hoping something memorable happens.
Evolution is the key. Fitting the booking around the talent, ensuring they have the characters to grip the audience. Friendly competition would be unprecedented, but unlikely, and it means WWE will continue to pit Randy Orton against Sheamus for the 1000th time, because there’s no possibility of crossovers spicing it up. TNA is going to promise their new way of doing things will be better than the last, but until they find the right talent and creative writers, no authority regime will save them, so Dixie will continue to apologize for going down the wrong path. And finally, while ROH continues to focus on what it does, Lucha Underground is gaining popularity, so the company should try to fill bigger venues, and find someone to feud with Lethal.
I would like to thank everyone who gave praise for my previous articles. Hopefully it was as thought-provoking as the superheroes piece. It’s late, so I’m clocking out. Good night.
