As of today, I am proud to call myself a fan of pro wrestling again, more so I am proud to call myself a fan of World Wrestling Entertainment, aka WWE. Since CM Punk became WWE champion in his latest reign, business has just picked up (Hey JR, how you doing?). We finally have two WRESTLERS representing WWE’s biggest brands as you know them as RAW and Smackdown, they are CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. Both former world champions from Ring of Honor. Two great wrestlers and can perform about the same as Shawn Michaels, it’ll be interesting to see what they’re like on the grandest stage of them all; Wrestlemania. WWE is interesting again! They’re doing the right things and the smart things, well in most cases.
They’re pushing young stars again like what the mid 90’s provided us with in the likes of Jericho, Edge, Christian. Hart, HHH etc. In modern day, all the rising stars of the 90’s are now either veterans or legends….well the ones who made it of course like Bret Hart, like HBK, like Triple H and so on and so forth. WWE now have a collection of rising stars such as Ziggler, Rhodes, Ryder, Kingston, Bourne. You could add Bryan to that list but since he is the world heavyweight champion he’s considered as a main eventer, lets just hope he won’t be one of those superstars that was given the belt only to lose it a month later. Vince does this often and Seth Mates reminded us from his twitter, the examples were – To borrow a holiday metaphor, this is the time of year (betw SSeries & Rumble) when Vince “tries on” his new clothes, or new main eventers… Foley (99), Jericho (01), Evolution (03), Edge (06), Sheamus (09), Miz (10) and Bryan (11) among those elevated during this stretch of year. And to continue with the bad holiday metaphor, Vince has til RRumble undercard to return them if they don’t fit just right. Also Jeff Hardy in 08- almost forgot him.
So hopefully this is not the case but we’ll have to just wait and see. Anyway, I’m going to get back on topic where ”The Future Awaits A New Era”. This is aligned to those up and coming stars such as Punk, Bryan and Ryder, and yes…I am serious bro! For an example of how they’re doing this is the last PPV, no Cena on the card, Orton wasn’t in the main event title picture, Ryder won the US title, Bryan won WHC and Punk defeated ADR, the main event and the structure of the card for TLC was all fresh. These guys were simply the highlight of the PPV. Orton as I said was on the card, he won and I think people liked seeing him not in the main event picture and saw new people in Punk and Bryan. Punk has been in main event last couple of months but this PPV it was sold solely around him. He was given the chance and he aced it! The show was fine without Cena for that matter, that goes to show the PPV can deliver without him and he doesn’t have to be over booked EVERY FUCKING SHOW AND EVERY PPV! Excuse the improper use of the English language but just showing the tone I was using that in.
Kane returning and the cryptic vignettes. These vignettes are something we’ve not seen in years, it’s got me thinking and baffled like I don’t know what and it could be a very important x-factor for the future of WWE depending who it is. The possibilties are as follows, well for me they are anyway.
Online wrestling fans have been speculating that it is the return of either Chris Jericho, Undertaker and a few have been saying Sting. The video is connected with each of these wrestlers in some way. For Jericho it’s connected with the date to his initials of Y2J.
Year = Y
Two = 2
January=j
For Sting, it’s connected with the letters as: IT BEGINS –> I BE STING.
For Undertaker, well the cryptic video itself reflects to his character. It’s at Wrestlemania time to build a feud so it makes sense to why it could be him. Also, it could be Undertaker announced as the 1st inductee into the HOF 2012 with 20th WM win intact the following night at WM (Claiming what is his) “end of the world as you know it” as in end of the old WWE with a new WWE being born without Taker.
People have also been saying Skip Sheffield but I think this has to be a more of a wrestler that’s already over, could be Kharma too but since their is a boy and a girl in there I don’t think it’ll be a girl, don’t really know why for some reason. So again, whoever it is it could determine the upcoming future of the WWE.
The following was reported on many wrestling dirt sheets…
-WWE’s longterm plans for the new Network is to help eventually brand the company as more of a lifestyle instead of just a “sports entertainment and pro wrestling company.” This is something that Vince McMahon has been pushing for years. WWE is looking to completely re-invent the wheel over the next few years and the Network will lead the way.
– WWE has been doing a lot of internal work on a physical Hall of Fame over the past few weeks. Currently they are looking at buildings in Florida as well as the Northeast United States and trying to secure historical pieces for the Hall.
Which brings me to my next point which is the WWE network. I’m really excited about this, I’m not sure if it’ll be airing on UK TV right away but if it’s a success in the US then it’ll defiantly come here quicker than what it would. Some people are very critical on their opinions about the network but I think it’ll be good anyway. It’s a more of an ”in depth” role for wrestlers that we’ll get to see and we could understand better. What I do like most about it is that WWE will be offering the four biggest PPV’s (Rumble, WM, Survivor Series and Summerslam) for free if you purchase the network. Imagine/if you are an on/off sort of wrestling fan, these are the four PPV’s you are going to make sure you see the most so with that deal offered you would be inclined to purchase it, while you have it at a reasonable price it’ll probably get you back watching it full time. Once the views go up the more WWE will have to work their socks off to keep YOU interested, therefore the product will get more interesting than whatever the then current state will be.
Wrestlemania 28.
This PPV will be probably the biggest example of WWE changing era. It will be set for John Cena to become a legit legend, by defeating The Rock, basically that’s what it should be, for Rock to put Cena over as a legend. Hopefully they can have a few matches after this and continue the feud, have Rock win a few but as long as Cena wins the big one, it’ll be decisive for the changing era, if Cena wins he could turn heel as he is that legend. Another example is what I was talking about, well sort of which was with CM Punk at Wrestlemania. Punk could very well face Triple H for the WWE championship and if Punk were to win it would put him in the star power Cena is currently in. So I really believe that Wrestlemania 28 will be the sinking of the ship that changes the WWE. I’m pretty excited and proud as Iv’e said to be a wrestling fan and it’s all due for my excitement that Wrestlemania 28 should be. We’ve anticipated it long enough so if it’s a success like the network SHOULD and HAS to be for it all to work, then the era will have been changed from fruity pebbles (no offence) to more attitude, hopefully.
That’s all I have for this week, sorry it’s late it just took a little longer to write, read over, edit etc….. because it’s a little longer than usual. I would love to know what you think of all this, do you think WWE is changing and will it be as good as what I’m hoping it’ll be?
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What is it going to take to finally convince you the Network is going to fail like the XFL? Come on, man, we’ve been through this multiple times, and with every new “headline” that comes out, and every new video promo, it only gets worse.
Which is now sad in a whole new way. All these young stars, are rising at a time when WWE is about to commit suicide…ok, maybe not quite that bad, but still it’s going to be pretty dang ugly.
Regardless, nice article you have here. I’m really hoping that this new era isn’t having to wait long.
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But that’s what you think, they certainly have the fan base…even if the ratings don’t show it, we’re now living in an age with DVR’s and the likes of YT etc. There is probably around 500,000 fans between UK/Ireland, I’d say 80% of them record it on their DVR, it’s 2AM when RAW stars here. Just as an example, god knows how many Americans are doing that.
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Usually, between 300,000-350,000,or around 10% of viewership.
(am I a god for knowing that lol)
And I follow Seth Mates too. 😛
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The WWE really is in a good place right now.
They have big names ending their careers: Taker, HHH, Rey, Show, Henry, Kane
They have a slew of lead guys who can have good matches with anybody: Cena, Orton, Punk, Christian
They have the soon-to-be-established-top-guys: Miz, DB, Ziggler, Cody, Sheamus, Del Rio
They have a great midcard with tons of potential: Wade, Ryder, Kofi, Swagger, Ted Jr.
They have youngsters more than able to step up: Gabriel, Kidd, Drew, Usos, Colons
And that doesn’t even include the NXT/FCW crowd!
For as much bitching as we see online, it’s pretty damn great what we’re seeing now.
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The roster isn’t the problem (well, except Divas and lack of tag teams); it’s the booking/creative.
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It’s the fans who crap on everything that isn’t on their “playlist”.
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Yea, the lack of interesting stories is the problem.
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No, picky fans who don’t get exactly want they want in a storyline.
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Hopefully WM 28 has a tremendous card. With World Champs, like Punk & DB, I’m sure it will be. Hopefully I can get the network 🙂
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Now with Show and Shaq rumored to be on the card, it may help bring in some new fans.
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That’ll be interesting!
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Another reason for a Show heel turn.
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regarding the 1/2/12 stuff, I read that the WWE might make them for someone other than Jericho and then have Jericho return shortly afterwards.
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That would make sense.
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Yea Tony I read that someplace too, it would make sense and would be better that way IMO.
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Off topic, but what do you all think of the idea that Rock is behind Kane’s attacks on Cena? I doubt that’s the case, but if anybody has it in for Cena, it’s The Rock.
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It would make sense, I would love to see how that plays out but I doubt it, Rock vs. Cena doesn’t need to be hyped up with other wrestlers. The best way to build WM up is get Cena to show how great Rock is and vice versa, they build each other up.
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I wanna see Cena show up in a cameo in one of Rock’s “Fast” movies.
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@J…….Shit xD lol
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I think you have hit the nail on the head with this article mate. This is the time of year that WWE usualy tests the water for its up and coming stars, before the road to mania, but this year they have went all out with the new guys and from where I’m sitting it sounds like the fans (sorry…universe) are loving it.
Good article pal.
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Thanks Richard 🙂
Yea, that fans are loving it so much, this picture just makes you proud to be a wrestling fan….I should of included it in my column: http://p.twimg.com/AhEjpnVCQAIFL4T.jpg:large
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What cracks me up about that photo is the only one really showing any charisma is Ryder. With the others, it just looks like a photo.
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Yea, that’s a good point, it really just looks like the type of photo that’s taken at a family occasion or something.
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Moore High School: Class of 1998 Reunion!
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This post was all over the place but I agree with most things said. As for the WWE Network, fail or not I will be watching that shit 24/7.
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I kind of feel that way too, JCITY. It’s the same with MUFC (Man United channel), half their programming is bullshit but I watch it anyway because I am a fan.
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Yeal, it would be unrealistic to expect 24/7 viewing of the same channel.
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Right on! They’re def. headed into a new direction. Finally no more Orton/Batista/HHH/Cena title changes back to back.
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Don’t worry, the smarks will get tired of this new crew in no time.
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I don’t think they will Capt., then again they might…fucking smarks!
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They already were the day Punk came back with the title. Many said his act was “tired”.
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