Bad Edits

Since this is only going to be less relevant as time goes on, It should probably go up now if it's ever going to. Hopefully future episodes will feature some lovely artwork rather than the photos.

That's also the reason for the offset title card. There should be an image on the right.

Ryder or Riot? Hopefully, It Won't Come To That.

The apparent refusal of WWE management to put Zack Ryder on television is mystifying many, and it's not just fans. After the 3 hour Allstars episode of Raw in Long Island, a multitude of current and former WWE Superstars took to Twitter to voice their support for Ryder, and their disapproval of his lack of use.

The only mention public of Ryder from within the walls of WWE has come from Jim Ross, who posted the following on his blog:

Dropped Titles and Missed Opportunities

At a time when the WWE has so few new stars that it relies on The Rock and Steve Austin to pull in the numbers at WrestleMania XXVII and is looking once more to the old guard next year, it seems a strange decision to take the WWE title off The Miz and give it to John Cena for the tenth time, and the World Heavyweight Championship from Christian just days after he first claimed it, to award the belt to Randy Orton, for the eighth time.

The case of The Miz makes a little more sense though. He had after all been champion for 160 days – longer than any of Brock Lesner’s reigns – and he lost the title in the main event of a pay per view. He also had beaten pretty much everyone, and the draft left few potential opponents for him to feud with.

For The Benefit Of Those With Flash Photography

Whilst this post will be a break from the usual commentary style of things, and break a more personal note, It’s something that had to be done.

So, the biggest news of the wrestling year, and it involves none of John Cena, The Rock, or Stone Cold. After 19 glorious years Edge has retired from professional wrestling. I’m not going to get too deep into this, as our own Mr Hardcore is preparing that particular piece, but I do have to pass comment on it.

Wrestling is fake, reality TV is faker.

The comment “wrestling is fake, why do you watch it?” is one that most wrestling fans have thrown at them on a regular basis. Like most TV, it has been long established that sports entertainment is written by a team of writers before being acted out in the ring. So why is that any different to your average soap or film?

Lets be honest here, it’s probably safe to say that outside of perhaps people under the age of 12, anyone reading this knows the truth about how real or fake professional wrestling is. So why am I bringing this long discussed and worn out topic up? Well that’s because I just watched the first episode of the new series of Tough Enough, the vehicle in which USA hopes they will be able to find the next WWE superstar, something that might surprise those watching NXT for that exact purpose.

On the Legitimacy of External Criticism

"You're not in the business, kid."

When conversing with anyone within the wrestling business, no matter how tenuously connected, this phrase is likely to ring out with all of the predictability of a bowel movement. Whether it is the terribly dim and thoroughly mediocre talent Al Snow, mouthing off on an internet radio show, or the otherwise intelligent Kevin Nash using false analogies - "Would you tell a chef how to cook his meals?" - this will surely be the go-to retort to any perceived criticism. This storyline makes no sense. "You're not in the business, kid." This promo is boring and unfunny. "You're not in the business kid." This is offensive on every conceivable level; to my intellect, to my emotional substance, to my support of professional wrestling for two decades. "You're not in the business, kid." I'm here to suggest, not only why this is a childish, babyish response to descent, but how it is keeping professional wrestling from genuine progression.

Wrestling's Modern Heel Problem

The run-up to WrestleMania, and the spotlight taken by a half in/ half out, Dwayne Johnson has been highly entertaining. His interaction with WWE's biggest star of the last decade, John Cena, and their great hope for turnaround, The Miz, has shown the potential of the roster, as much as it has their limitations. John Cena has been motivated in a way not seen since 2006's classic One Night Stand 2, and it has been good television to watch him verbally lock horns with the Brahma Bull. The Miz has clearly modelled himself on the kind of egotism that defined The Rock's success as both a heel and a babyface and anywhere in between, as well as somewhat unfortunately adopting the suited up, soft spoken act of Chris Jericho. Is this the only option for a modern day heel? To play off of the hope that the crowd is turned off by your egotism?

Jeff Hardy: Where does TNA go from here?

The Jeff Hardy situation at Victory Road has thrown a spotlight on TNA, and it's hardly the one they would have hoped for. With WWE currently engaging Twitter fans with a war of words between The Rock, John Cena and The Miz, the only thing being discussed about TNA is how Jeff Hardy ever made it to the ring.

To be frank, that the decision to cut short the match appeared to take place only after both Hardy and Sting had made their way to the ring was nothing short of ludicrous, showing a stark contrast in levels of professionalism between TNA and the WWE. Does anyone believe that if Jerry Lawler had turned up clearly unfit to compete that he would ever have made it out for his match against The Miz at Elimination Chamber last month? It's unthinkable. Chances are he'd never have left the dressing room. Yet when this situation occurs in TNA, it took until Hardy's entrance music hitting for anyone to realise there was a serious problem.

Falling: The Shameful Tragedy of Jeff Hardy

This past Sunday saw the latest in a long stretch of incidents of Jeff Hardy's personal life conflicting with his professional one. Seeing that Jeff Hardy was in no state to work a main event match, Eric Bischoff altered the finish, live on Pay Per View, leading to a disgraceful ninety second long conclusion to TNA's Victory Road. One would be tempted to suggest that this is a failure that should not be laid on TNA's slender shoulders - Jeff Hardy failed to meet his most basic obligations, after all - until of course the realisation that it was TNA's limp reaction to substance abuse within professional wrestling that was key in luring Hardy from WWE. That Hardy is facing the  impending fallout from his plea bargain, following charges of drug trafficking, and that he has proven yet again that he is incapable of keeping his self-destruction in check, shows how much we and Hardy have lost.