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.

A Year In Brief: World Wrestling Federation 1995

A Year in Brief

No. 1 World Wrestling Federation 1995

The long term significance
This year saw the launch of the In Your House pay per views, which saw the WWF broadcasting monthly pay per views for the first time, a legacy that continues to this day. WCW wouldn't begin promoting a monthly schedule until Souled Out debuted in January 1997, but then continued to until the companies demise in 2001. In 2004, the now WWE began adding more events to the calendar reaching a high of 16 in 2006. This has since been cut back down to 14.

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.