THE MANY FACES OF...

Mick Foley wasn't and isn't the only wrestler to have many "faces", or characters/gimmicks as their called in wrestling. It was almost the norm back in the day for almost everyone to have more than one persona. Some were lucky and/or good enough to basically remain the same through out their careers, Hulk Hogan is slightly an example of this, having only made small changes to his character with the exception of his Hollywood Hogan days (which was more of just a basic heel turn). But, most had to have multiple looks and persona's. It kept them fresh when things ran stale, and that was key as the territories began to finally die out leaving only WWE and at the time WCW, now there is TNA and ROH.

For some it was really a matter of going through failed attempts before finally finding something that works. Look at The Undertaker, there was Mean Mark Calloway before there was The Deadman. Here are some others who had many faces through out their careers...

Stone Cold Steve Austin

He will forever known as The Texas Rattlesnake. However, before there was "What?", there was The Ringmaster. And even before that, he was Stunning Steve Austin. Which was pretty successful with runs with the WCW United States championship, and Tag Team Championship with the late Brian Pillman as the Hollywood Blondes. Austin just wasn't able to break the glass ceiling with it.

Kevin Nash

Most will remember him as himself, Kevin Nash. The rest will remember him as Diesel. Very few will remember the persona's that preceded these two. Vinnie Vegas wasn't too bad considering that era. Plus it was a taste of the future when Nash was part of the stable, The Diamond Mine, which included Scott Hall. Master Blaster member Steel and Oz? Not so much.

Bray Wyatt

The Easter Of Worlds may have found the gimmick that he will use the rest of his career. It is really too early to say, but it is one that has been really working well (understatement). His real name is Widham Rotunda, and although his career is still in the early stages, he has had persona's that came before Bray Wyatt. Axel Mulligan, Duke Rotunda. He even went by Husky Harris during the initial NXT. Which was actually getting over with fans before a punt to the head from Randy Orton wrote the character off.

JBL

From rough and tough Texan cowboy, followed by beer swilling brawler, to Wall Street tycoon. That pretty much sums up all of JBL's gimmicks over the years, and has had many names, but he made them work. As Blackjack Bradshaw it was hard to believe that he wasn't the stereotypical Texas tough guy cowboy. When teamed with Ron "Farooq" Simmons to form The Acolytes/A.P.A. he was able to get over with the fans at times as a beer drinking, cigar smoking, professional butt-kicker. He followed up and ended with his money maker (pun intended), JBL. Taking from real life, a Wall Street tycoon and even won the WWE Championship. Which he holds the record for longest run as WWE Champ in Smackdown! history.

It will be interesting to see if the days of someone having multiple persona's will continue on or cease to exist. With WWE attempting to build their own wrestlers through their system (training facility to NXT to main roster), will they take those who fail character wise and rebrand them until something works given their investment? Or will we see a one-and-done way of things?

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BASH AT THE...SURVIVOR SERIES

This idea or theory will likely end up in the "beating a dead horse" pile, along with all the other theories and opinions of those who want John Cena to finally turn heel. However, there is always that small chance that it could come to fruition. Didn't have social media in the late 80's and early to mid-90's, so not too sure how people viewed the "Hogan Era". Hulk Hogan as a baby face did run dry, and eventually lead to one of the greatest moments in wrestling history, when the Hulkster turned heel, and formed the n.W.o. with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.

Survivor Series is the next WWE pay per view, and they will have a classic Survivor Series match with Team Cena facing off against Team Authority. First, there is the obvious Hogan comparison. Started as a heel, then turned into a baby face, and hasn't looked back despite how dry the character is becoming. Cena has said that all the fans would simply start cheering him, and he is right. Same thing really happened with Hogan when he turned. Sure he got his share of boo's as heels do, but like the rest of the n.W.o. he became "cool" again (for a period of time) and rejuvenated his career. John Cena needs to do this, and take things to another level, or at least in another direction. Number one money maker in WWE, but imagine the profits if he were popular with the majority again. Also, Cena has been sporting a lot of red and yellow (before Breast Cancer Awareness effort in October).
Second, they have hinted at a Cena heel turn on a few occasions. Most notably, joining The Authority. Who is whom Team Cena will be facing at Survivor Series. It's almost a perfect setting, more so if remaining similar to Hogan. Of course it doesn't all have to be the same as Hulksters turn, but most of wrestling is reused, but updated and tweaked story lines, etc. At least it will add something new for the next Cena vs Orton feud, which we all know will eventually happen again one day (it's their new Rock/HHH from back in the day).
Lastly, like Hogan, Cena is often accused of holding people back or not allowing others to break the proverbial glass ceiling. Mostly by the IWC, but regardless, it would be an opportunity to help squash those comments and put over new baby faces, instead of crushing heels which include those who turned in order to fit into the main event picture. Goldberg was over, but became "the man" after Hollywood Hulk Hogan did the honors. Dolph Ziggler? Kofi Kingston? The list long regardless of who should be on it.

It has been shot down over and over, but with the WWE Network being rumored as the reason for The Streak ending makes it a possibility. Even if just a very small one. Survivor Series would be a great place and time to do so. A sure way for him to continue to receive boo's from the crowd would be to have his relationship with Nikki Bella part of the storyline.

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WHAT HAPPENED?

Thanks to social media, we are usually able to find out why certain wrestlers had their "pushes" halted, or were released from the company. A more recent example would be Jack Swagger, who was riding high after winning the WWE World Championship a couple of years ago. And that was exactly the problem, Swagger was driving, was pulled over, and then it was discovered that he had been smoking marijuana and was driving under the influence. He wasn't "future endeavored" like other stars have had happen. The WWE simply ended his run with the title, and ceased his push. Swagger worked hard, and now has something better than a title, he has fans who chant on command "We The People!".

Some of these wrestlers, or sports entertainers if you will, may have had the reasons already stated and I missed it. Feel free to post comments below if you have the legitimate reason. Most of these performers will be more recent, as it is hard to think of anybody from the Attitude Era and back. As those eras consisted on Hulk Hogan who rarely went without the WWE Championship or being in the main event picture. Attitude Era there was Stone Cold, and when he was down, it was The Rock and Triple H (there were others, but they were the main go to guys).


Bray Wyatt
It feels as though things were purposely toned down. Bray Wyatt literally had "the whole world, in his hands", and packed arenas supporting and signing along. Then nothing. Sure the WWE Universe still provides the "fireflies", lighting up the arenas and adding to an already cool entrance. The speeches are still strange yet amazing, but they aren't fan inclusion type of thing he was doing before. Is the WWE trying to maintain Bray as a top heel, in a talent pool slightly heavy on the baby face side of things? Wyatt had a pretty good feud with the legendary Chris Jericho, but what really came from it? A feud perhaps that was better left for Wrestlemania. Like I said, the crowd is still there, smartphones lighting the crowd, just waiting for their chance to be involved again. When will we finally get to follow the buzzards that are hovering around championship gold?


Sheamus
Yes, he got injured and the titles are now unified making mid-card titles just as good in a sense. However, Sheamus seems to be completely out of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture. He's in the beginning phase of a feud with Cesaro, something I hope culminates at Wrestlemania 31, because it should be very good. But, with Brock Lesner holding the WWE WHC and Sheamus currently being a face, wouldn't it make sense for the two of them to square off at some point? It would be fresh, and interesting to see. Rumored to be a "Triple H guy" in the beginning, what happened?


Fandango
What started as a cheesy gimmick, actually began to work. With some crowd support, mainly during his entrance mind you, but support was there. He had a beautiful valet in Summer Ray. And then, he slowly seemed to just disappear from television. Was there an injury? Another issue like a failed drug test or scuffle backstage? Summer Ray seemed to actually progress her career further since the dance duo split up. What happened to Fandango?


Adam Rose
Almost everything about this character is geared for fan love, and fan involvement. His entrance doesn't get much more catchier. He had a catch phrase that the audience joined in on, "Don't Be A Lemon! Be A Rose Bud!". Rumors state that it was a simple case of Vince McMahon getting bored with the character, similar to how he supposedly feels about the Bo Dallas character. Whether or not this is true, not sure.


Damian Sandow
This is a situation that is similar to Triple H after the MSG Send-Off with fellow Kliq members Shawn Michaels, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash. When he was "punished" and dropped to the bottom of the card to work his way up. Damian Sandow was a Money In The Bank winner, and a really good heal. Then, in an instant it was all gone. He became Santino Marella's replacement in a sense, filling he comedic role on the card. What makes him similar to Triple H, is that he hasn't let this stop him. Making the various characters, including his current role as The Miz's stunt double, quite entertaining. If he keeps this up, it will only be a matter of time before he is back in the mix at the top of the card. I just can't help but wonder what caused the sudden stop. It was
n't something bad enough to fire him over, but at times it feels as though it is intentionally trying to break him. Then again, WWE creative has had moments of "wtf" without being provoked before.

Zack Ryder
Not even a fan of The Long Island Iced-Z other than his "Woo, Woo, Woo! You Know It!", but one can't argue that he has quite the following. A fan base larger than some main eventers. And that was without any real push of any kind from the WWE. It appeared as though it was going to happen. Getting the main event "rub" from Cena. Mick Foley claims it was the lame storyline involving Ryder, Kelly Kelly (I think) and Kane. Regardless, the fans didn't really falter, yet he never appears in PPV's, doesn't even appear on Raw or Smackdown! And when he does, it on the losing end of things. Will he ever get another shot at glory?

Perhaps the reasons for these staled pushes have already been stated, but if not, it would be nice to know. Although it is a business where only hard facts (drug tests, crimes, etc) tell us the truth with both WWE and pro-wrestlers having a habit of bending and molding the truth.

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WRESTLEMANIA SEED PLANTED, OR ONE AND DONE?

If you caught Raw last night, then you are most likely aware of The Great One making a surprise appearance. If not, you missed out on what was one of the more exiting moments as of late. You missed out on the goose bumps from being electrified. Not even sure if the "dirt sheets" knew the The Rock would be making an appearance.

It wasn't a pure verbal segment either, although it was vintage Rock owning the mic. There was a nice small, one-sided exchange with The Rock layin' the smackdown on Rusev. It was short, yet made an impact. Now that is over, I can't help but wonder, "was that it?". It is almost a throw-back to have a legend make an appearance, run through the current monster heel, and then leave. However, The Rock himself has said he wants to be a part of Wrestlemania 31, after missing out on action for Wrestlemania 30 (other than the opening segment with Hogan and Stone Cold). It was apparently going to be Brock Lesner and Rock at 'Mania XXX, but that all fell through due to scheduling, and now The Streak is over. Anyway, with the rumor still being that it will be Roman Reigns squaring off with Lesner for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 31. Who does that leave for The Rock?

If I were in charge of booking, I would have Rusev continue to mow through the competition, even Big Show. With Lana boasting the Russian propaganda. The once we hit the Royal Rumble aka The Road To Wrestlemania, we have Rusev and Lana begin to call out The Rock. The one man to get one on Rusev and go unpunished. It would be USA versus Russia with no real worries about the WWE pulling the plug like they did with Jack Swagger. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a full-blown patriot, and if there were "issues" regarding the story, after match at Mania The Rock can simply leave again and return when the heat has died down. I don't see what the problem was with Swagger, but this is how I would go about it since it is how it is. Guess we will see once we do reach the Road To Wrestlemania at the start of 2015.

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RETURNING TO GLORY

Randomly caught an episode of Global Supercard Wrestling. Seeing a list of superstars before the Attitude Era/Monday Night Wars. Guys like Booker T and his brother, Stevie Ray. Which made me think, we're all waiting on Sting to finally step foot into a WWE ring. Whether it for a match, or a simple interview segment, it will be historic. But, what about all the stars of yesteryear? Sure we had Booker T, and he is now a WWE Hall Of Famer, but what about his brother? More notably, their Harlem Heat tag team? After Vince McMahon and WWE bought out WCW back in 2001, we were provided with an opportunity for all the stars WCW made to make their mark on WWE. There were a variety of reasons for their absences. Some opted to take time off and finish collecting the guaranteed money form their WCW contracts. Some simply weren't offered a spot, while some refused to go to the WWE. Regardless of the reasons, we were denied.

With us now over a decade removed from the demise of WCW, and age being the proverbial biatch when it comes to athletics, it becomes less and less likely that we will ever see these stars make a WWE debut. Sure, we now have the WWE Network now so that we can watch all of our favorite moments from the past. And all the new found attention some of the wrestlers will get, could earn them an induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame. That would be great, for both the performers and fans alike. The "Legends Contracts" and deserved props from the fans for the wrestlers, and a final chance to say "thank-you" for the dedication and sacrafice simply to entertain us for us fans. However, as we have seen in some cases, although time is running out, some of these veterans can "still go". Remember Steamboat after he was inducted into the HOF, facing off with Chris Jericho. And the "You Still Got It" chant was extremely apt. Or even more recently with the New Age Outlaws, or the resurgence of Goldust keeping up and tagging up with his younger bro Cody (Stardust).

So, the point of all of this is to name off some guys who I wouldn't mind seeing making their debut, or return to a WWE ring. Guys from WCW's glory days, or even recently from TNA. Whether it be for one last run on the main stage, or a simple one match and done type situation. Even if that comes in the form of say a 6-man tag team match. Here are those I want to see debut or return to a WWE ring and eventually be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame...

Harlem Heat
Not too sure about Stevie Ray's status, and although Booker takes on more of a promoter/commentator/general manager type role, I would like to see a reunion of the brother tag team. A reunion that is also a WWE debut for the team and for Stevie Ray, as well as a return to in ring action for Booker. As far as I know, this tandem hasn't been in a WWE ring together. It wouldn't have to be a run like NAO had, or Goldust is currently on. Would hate for the world to see Stevie Ray's main stage career end with is part in the mock WCW at the end of the company. And I want this tag team in the WWE Hall Of Fame. Which could never happen with Booker having a successful WWE career on his own. What about you? Can you dig it?


Scott Steiner
Although we aren't supposed to say "never" in this business, this return is very unlikely. Which would be a shame really. I was ecstatic about Big Poppa Pump being in the WWE, I wasn't too keen on how they utilized him. And given the now near PG level of product (at least not full blown PG anymore), Freakzilla wouldn't quite fit into the scheme of things. Scott Steiner teamed with his brother, Rick, worked in years prior to the Attitude Era. But, the awesomeness that he became on his own unfortunately does not. Would be nice to see a proper run, even with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship since he was denied back when Triple H was playing the new age heel (his run with the World title was almost to peeve off the haters who said it was because of Stephanie). If not though, hopefully there is a spot for him in the WWE Hall Of Fame at least. Both for himself, as well as with his Dog Faced Gremlin bro Rick as the Steiner Brothers.


TNA Wrestlers (Past & Present)
Sure they aren't really who I was referring to, but for some of them, their careers are winding down or could possibly end at any moment given the high risk in this business. And lets be honest, as good as the performers are at TNA, the company itself has turned into somewhat of a joke. And if they don't get into the WWE now, then we could "lose them" forever in regards to main stages. Which can be important in developing stories that add to the matches. Gives them "reason". Who would I want to see? AJ Styles would be top of the list. The other guys would be Robert Roode and Eric Young. EY could be utilized as the WWE's mix of Santino Marella and Daniel Bryan. Comedy or underdog. I would say Samoa Joe, but would be fearful of how the WWE would use him. Especially with "Joe's Gonna Kill You" chant not fitting under the current format. Too many changes at the moment.


Jeff Jarrett
Yes, I still spell his name "J-E-Double F, J-A-Double R-E-Double T" in my head while writing/typing his name.And I didn't mention him in the TNA crew as he is a special case in comparison to those mentioned. Jarrett went to the WWE a somewhat established name, had a decent run in the WWE (although with a mid-card and tag team peak). He put over Chyna before he left for WCW, where he rose to the main event in a company with that proverbial glass ceiling. After WCW folded, instead of returning to the WWE Jarrett created  TNA. And too many out there, the company was a legit contender when he was in charge of things. Now, he is building another wrestling company. Add the fact that he has never really had a good relationship with the WWE, it makes this one of the most unlikely returns. Perhaps a HOF induction could happen one day, but even that seems unlikely. Never say never though right?


Bully Ray
More than any of the other "WWE Guys" on the TNA roster, I would want Bully Ray to return to the WWE. Not saying I don't want Devon to ever join him, I just appreciate how Bubba Ray has become Bully Ray. He would be a perfect heel, especially with an anti-bully campaign. And likely willing to take the heat for his role. A solo run, possibly with the WWE Wolrd Heavyweight Championship, ending with a Dudley Boys reunion. Capped off with an induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame. Yes, they just did this in TNA. This would be better, no?


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REIGNS IS OUT, WHO IS IN?

Rumors were rampant, and it was somewhat obvious that WWE has been giving former Shield member, Roman Reigns, the proverbial "push". Which was to culminate at Wrestlemania 31, with the young Samoan beating "The Beast" Brock Lesner for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. That was the supposed plan, but plans change, especially in pro-wrestling. Roman Reigns recently underwent emergency surgery on a hernia, that will take a long period of time to fully heal.

So, let's assume that Reigns is out of the main event picture, now we are left with the question of "Who's Next?" No, that wasn't a set up for a Goldberg return. Although his match with Lesner at Wrestlemania XX needs to be revisited (if not, erased). Who should WWE get behind and give a push? Should the person be a new superstar looking for his first shot? An established star that is waiting for their first real push? Or one of already established main event players? Opinions will vary on what type and most definetly in regards to who. But, here are some examples of who we think should step into Reigns boots....

Cesaro
Someone who could fill the void quite easily. Although it isn't a straight to the top type of push, Cesaro has been getting primed for one. Having won the initial Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at Wrestlemania XXX, and being in the mix for the mid-card titles he has shown he is ready for WWE to at least see where he can go. Also, add the fact that he is another powerhouse, as well as a former Heyman Guy, it would make sense for him to face off against Brock Lesner for the strap.


Dean Ambrose
Still waiting to see just how well he does on his own, but for storyline purposes, he would possibly be a great choice. Also a former member of The Shield, he could either have Seth Rollins cash in on him the moment he wins the title, or begin a feud with a returning Roman Reigns. Although at the moment, I see Ambrose being more of a top mid-carder.


Randy Orton
I can't remember ever seeing this before. Orton vs Lesner. I can remember Lesner vs Cena back when they were all main roster rookies. I would be on the fence though as to whether I think Orton would be the right choice. Randall is an amazing performer, and perhaps under rated in some ways, however, with Lesner being the "heel", Orton would have to try and go "face". Something he doesn't like, and is clearly better when playing the villain. It would present him as the legend killing badass that he hasn't been portraying as of late.


Damian Sandow
Probably not the first name to pop into your head. And hard to blame you given how WWE has chosen to use him. However, Sandow has been over achieving with the crap hand he has been dealt. Although they are meant to be comedic, he is taking all these different roles and making them entertaining. His current work as stunt double for The Miz has been top notch. It would actually be nice to see him rewarded for it. He is similar to Triple H, when he was being punished for the MSG Kliq Send-Off.


Daniel Bryan
Like with Orton, this would be more of a run than a push. In Daniel Bryan's case, it would be a continuation of the run he was having with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before also being taken down by injury. The lack of "YES!" chants is all due to him not being on television, as crowds do tend to light up with that chant whenever his wife, Brie Bella, is on. Like with Roman, we aren't sure of DB's return date, but would it not be perfect for a Royal Rumble return and once again capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in Wrestlemania's main event? Especially after last years lack of Bryan in the Rumble.


The list is endless, and really a matter of opinion. Guys like Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, amongst many others are all due for a push to the top. With Roman Reigns out of action, and with no time table set up for his return, WWE may be best to at least try and start pushing any and all of their stars. The Rock and Triple H really shined through after Austin and Undertaker were on the shelf back in 1999/2000. And they're in the same situation right now without names like Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, etc on the active roster (or under contract in regards to Punk).

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GREAT MOMENTS THAT KIND OF RUINED WRESTLING

Perhaps "ruined" isn't the proper word to use, but on at least a miniscule level they have. Most of them weren't even really "the first", with them being regularly used story arcs and scenarios that simply turned into greatness based on the performers, the era, etc. None the less, here they are...


The Rockers Split-Up:
Even back then, it wasn't very rare for a tag-team to break-up, have their feud, and then either go their separate ways or reunite at some point. However, with The Rockers it was different. Namely due to the birth of HBK and the heights Shawn Michaels reached, combined with Marty Jannetty really going nowhere after their feud. Shawn putting Marty through the Barber Shop window is still one of the best moments in sports entertainment. However, ever since then it has been a foray of tag-teams that have done well together only for them to be split-up. The problem here is that we now immediately look for who will be the HBK and who will be the Jannetty. At times it seems as though WWE does it simply to try and find their next Heart Break Kid, while their tag-team division flounders. Of course there have been exceptions over the years, where the tag-team division is as big as the WWE title picture (ie Attitude Era), but it doesn't seem to last. Even with the Uso's and Goldust/Stardust, I find we wait for them to split and have a feud, both would be epic mind you, but why keep them all together and rebuild the division to a more stable manner?


Hollywood Hulk Hogan:
Possibly one of the biggest moments of not just the Monday Night Wars, but wrestling history. The immortal Hulk Hogan turned heel and joined Hall & Nash to form the n.W.o. It wasn't even the first time the Hulkster was a heel, having been one near the start of his career. How did this ruin wrestling? I can't help but wonder if we all wouldn't be craving a John Cena heel turn if this hadn't had happened. Sure, Cena's rise to the top came from a heel with great ability on the mic (rapping and not) that got over with fans. But, now Cena's face run has run its course with the mass majority (kids aren't as loud anymore), similar to Hogan right before his turn. John has said himself how all of those who boo now, will simply cheer when he turns. He's not wrong, but we did the same for Hogan at times during his Hollywood days, but for the most part we played along and booed him for his actions as a heel. Heck, the boos started to outweigh the cheers when the n.W.o. was beginning to be played out past its prime. To add to the internet speculation, all the red & yellow Cena has been wearing gives the Black & White's coming vibe.


Trish Stratus From Valet to Wrestler:
How could she have possibly ruined wrestling? Well, she didn't. Her greatness is what's caused WWE to ruin it. They seem to think they can turn any pretty model into a professional wrestler/sports entertainer. Now of course there are obvious exceptions to this conversation, with ladies being able to "go" in the squared circle. But, there always seem to be a few who don't belong, or at least don't belong on television at the time. Right now would namely be Eva Marie. She could turn out to be an amazing wrestler one day, but why is she in actual matches, especially televised ones right now? Couldn't her role on Divas be of a person training to becoming a wrestler? Perhaps acting as a valet, while she learns the in-ring. Womens matches can be botchy at times with inexperienced wrestlers like that. Not their fault, but their being green makes the division look bad. And one can't help but wonder if this would be the case if not for the success of Trish (and some others) making the transition so well.


Monday Night Wars:

Thanks to Eric Bischoff and Ted Turners money, WCW was whooping Vince McMahon and WWE's butts. To the point where Vince and company weren't far from going out of business. Sure there were countless moments during this time, but again Vince McMahon almost "lost". Not something he likes to do, I am sure. And because of this he's learned from his mistakes. Say goodbye to straight ship jumping between companies. All contracts are laced with no compete clauses, and law suit that would ensue likely would be a horrible business decision in the end. And lets face it, the usual 90 days doesn't cause as much impact upon a performers debut elsewhere. Say goodbye to wrestlers really being themselves or using own names (in most cases). WWE has everything on lock, with trademarks, etc. And kind of say goodbye to any chance of someone going head to head with WWE again. WCW eventually folded due to being to focused on what WWE was doing and trying to crush them. TNA showed that it wasn't ready, and perhaps a sign that nobody should really ever attempt to go head to head with WWE. At least, not until your truly at par with them. (and yes the pic is of Russo, looks good to me lol)


Like stated in the opening line, "ruined" is an improper word to use really. But, it seems as though they have had an impact on the wrestling world in some fashion. With every reaction there is an negative one, just in these cases they are truly small.

WHY LESNER ENDING STREAK WILL PAY OFF

First off, I am in the group that believes that the Undertaker's Undefeated Streak at Wrestlemania should never have ended. Now, it's happened, and it is past due that we all deal with it.
Now, I am in the group that thinks that there wasn't anyone else better suited to be "the 1 in 21-1" than Brock Lesner. Undertaker as a man, loves and respects the sport of MMA. He has said that if the sport was as big as it was when he started wrestling, he would've went a different route. Add the fact that the amateur wrestlers that have been in pro-wrestling have had a natural respect for being "legit" and for being legit tough guys too. Brock is one of the very few who could likely beat the Deadman in an actual fight. Add Taker's striking ability, it would make for a great one too possibly. Lesner is a former UFC Heavyweight Champ, amongst other accolades. Pretty legit.

A lot of people are in the group who believe it should have been an up and comer, or someone in the midst of a massive push. And you wouldn't be wrong in thinking this. However, the things I see wrong with this idea is that we don't know what the future holds. So many things could happen that could have turned the massive achievement a waste. Injuries (frequent or career ending), lack of interests from fans, real life situations (hate to say it but, Benoit). And who's to say who could handle that kind of heat? First, no matter the choice, the fans will be split on whether it was right or not. Secondly, breaking the Undertaker's streak at Mania would/could bring "Heel 4 Life" type of heat. Is that something an upcoming star needs? This is where Brock makes the better choice. He doesn't care. I am sure a part of the real Brock Lesner is honored, but knows professionally he is unaffected. He can be the heel and bask in the heat, and like he is soon to do, bath in Cena's blood and the cheers that will come with it.

Now, if Brock wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, it will add to the ending of the streak. How? Well, the fact that its justifies/makes sense what happened at Mania. Ending the Streak should translate into a title shot whomever ended it. So, take into consideration that the Undertaker is getting up there in age, and that his Wrestlemania matches were sooo good mainly due to the months of preparation that the old school professional put into his yearly appearances. So now, we would have a legit beast of a champ in Lesner who could "put over" an up and comer in the midst of a massive push. A push that would culminate in possibly an amazing match with not only the champ, but the man who conquered the Undertaker at Wrestlemania. Which would now go "un-tarnished" regardless of the up and comers future. Imagine Daniel Bryan finally coming back and knocking Lesner out with a knee to the chin and the win? Or of course the rumored, Roman Reigns would work too despite the Spear reminding me of Wrestlemania 20.

Although I would love to see the Undertaker come back one more time to face Sting at Wrestlemania 31, I will understand if 30 was the last we see of him (until HOF time). Once again, enter Brock Lesner. Once the financials work themselves out, and the pay day is there, Lesner could be the new "premiere" part-timer to take 'Takers spot. Rock is busy doing movies, Sting is looking for his "one more match aka first WWE match". Batista...we'll see how his next return goes. The entire situation worked against him at the Royal Rumble. Admit I was in the group of "Bootista Haters". Revenge on Evolution should be proper and almost a throw back to when I last liked him. Back to the point, not really anyone else to fill this spot.

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DID VINCE RUSSO JUST KILL HIS 2ND WRESTLING COMPANY?

It is possible. Very possible. It is being reported that Spike TV informed Dixie Carter and TNA Wrestling that they not be renewing their contract come October. Supposed reason? Vince Russo's "under the table" involvement with TNA. Something Spike TV apparently was very clear about. No Russo.
If all of this is true, and let's say that Dixie can't find the company another television deal? And TNA folds? It will mean that Vince Russo has killed another wrestling promotion. What's impressive about this feat, is that this time around it was by pure association. That, is hilarious.

What is ironic, is that as of late TNA has been on a pretty good run. True, Impact has been "stacked" lately because of TNA Wrestling's attempt to woo the Spike TV execs. But, it has been good. And will admit, there are moments where Russo's work is good, or it appears to be for a moment, I think he just needs a McMahon to keep him inline. If anything, give him credit for helping Booker T get his first of 5x WCW titles.


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AND JUST LIKE THAT, THE TIDE CHANGED

The beginning of 2014 was looking to be amazing, despite the backlash of Batista winning the Royal Rumble. Even with the walk-out by CM Punk, everything was looking to be on the upswing. Things looked so bright, some were claiming this was the second coming of the Attitude Era. There were signs showing that they weren't wrong. Daniel Bryan was white hot, and receiving the same build-up as Stone Cold did when he first caught fire back in the day. The Shield and Wyatts, although not D-X, were definitely giving that same faction vibe that was occurring during the Monday Night Wars. There was even a slight Attitude Era resurgence with stars like Goldust, The New Age Outlaws, and others making appearances and in some cases performing well (most notably Goldie).
Fast forward to now. Daniel Bryan required neck surgery, was striped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and now appears to need more surgery. The "YES!" chants still exist, but only when his name is rarely mentioned. The Shield broke up. So far, things are going very well for each former member. Only downside, is Roman Reigns is getting his push, while he's still finding his groove. Will he be ready for his rumored culmination at Wrestlemania 31 remains to be seen. After Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose finish their feud with each other, it will be interesting to see how both do on their own. Undertaker's Wrestlemania Streak was ended, and it is possible that we've seen the last of the Deadman, but Bray Wyatt is filling that void quite nicely. In his own unique way at that. Speaking of which, the man who conquered The Undertakers Undefeated Streak at Wrestlemania, Brock Lesner is likely about to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Summerslam. Which will help those still in shock over the events of Wrestlemania 30, as it "makes sense" having Brock get a title shot for accomplishing what he did.

There are positives, as noted with former Shield members, and The Wyatts. Goldust is still here, and given us Cody Rhodes in a role he seems very comfortable in with Stardust. There's even a possible new faction very reminisant of The Nation Of Domination. But, the negatives just keep piling up. Daniel Bryan, will he be as over as he was before whenever he returns? CM Punk is officially finished with the WWE. Rey Mysterio seems to in process of being finished as well. There were quite a few cuts, and rumors of more coming to cover the WWE's losses this year. And although Reigns is rumored to be the guy come Wrestlemania 31, with Brock as Champ, who is he going to face? We've already seen him run through the roster, or at least the main event performers. Will we see Rusev, Big E, or Cesaro get a chance to shine with the Beast? Can they?
Always the hopeful fan, hoping that things will start to look like they did at the start of the year, and we see a new epic era in wrestling. With the recent Sting "activity" within the WWE, that hope is amplified.

ARE WE APPROACHING A BRAND SPLIT IN WWE?

Flashback to 2002. Vince McMahon and the WWE was just a year removed from the purchasing of rival WCW in 2001. The WWE and the World titles were unified and "The Next Big Thing" Brock Lesner was fresh on the scene and wrecking havoc through the WWE roster. Vinnie Mac decided it was time to "shake things up", proceeded to split the roster into Raw and Smackdown!, with the two brands almost competing with each other. First it was 50/50 owners Vince McMahon and Ric Flair, with later, General Managers being named. Stephanie McMahon being in charge of Smackdown!, and the newly hired and former rival, Eric Bischoff being the GM of Raw. In the beginning, the WWE Undisputed Champion was to appear on both brands, until Brock Lesner beat The Rock for the belt. Then, Stephanie McMahon proceeded to sign Lesner to a contract making him exclusive to Smackdown!, which led to Bischoff handing Triple H the WWE World Championship so Raw would have a champion. For awhile, both brands were equal, and in some cases Smackdown! was considered the superior brand based on some opinions. With stars like Brock Lesner, Kurt Angle, Big Show (with Paul Heyman), amongst others helped with that. Of course, every year Vince McMahon would appear to announce that it was "time to shake things up again!", and we would see a draft lottery. At times it was pretty boring, but there were moments when there was some shock value, and meant good things for your preferred brand. Remember when Michael Cole was drafted to Raw, and Jim Ross to Smackdown!? Or like he referenced recently, when John Cena was drafted to Raw and unveiled the new WWE title? He was right, we were all pretty stoked about it all. Which also signaled the beginning of Raw becoming the "stacked" roster, and then later the brands coming back together.

What is the point of all of this? Look at the current WWE landscape. The titles are unified, making the holder the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. They haven't even opted to make them into one belt yet, which could mean they are looking to split them in the future. Include the overall size of the current WWE rosters, both the main roster as well as the NXT roster containing the rookies who will be looking for a place to land. Although it has been nice having the story lines carry over, and Smackdown! leading into a PPV, it is understandable that they would split the brands. Gives a platform to "push" more guys without displacing the current main event or mid-carders. Would we have ever seen guys like the late Eddie Guerrero or Bradshaw win the title if the brands weren't split? Who's to say if the JBL gimmick would have even worked as well as it did if not for being a Smackdown! product. Could help guys like Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler and many others find their way (gimmick or simply a place to shine) with a brand split. Could even help Roman Reigns move away from Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose if they decide to split up The Shield (which has been rumored since before Wrestlemania XXX). Oh, and then there is Brock Lesner. This isn't the rookie from 2002, this is the new Brock Lesner. Thanks to the popularity of MMA, we all now have an appreciation for just how legit this guy is. Plus, in case you haven't been listening to Paul Heyman's constant reminders, he's the guy who ended The Undertaker's undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. Brock may be in part time mode nowadays, but very few argue that he will be winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at some point. Perhaps he goes Raw exclusive this time around.

Only time will tell I guess. It does seem to be heading that way, and like mentioned above there are good things that could stem from this. There are some bad as well, but as long as they stay true to the original brand extension and keep the shows equal, it will be less likely to be so one-sided. The drafts were often better then not, and made for better shows then some of those celebrity guest Raw's with only a few exceptions.

WWE HALL OF FAME: THE ECW WING

Even if you weren't a direct fan of Paul Heyman's extreme vision, you should respect it enough to realize how crucial ECW was to the industry, most notably, during the infamous Monday Night Wars. It was ECW that truly planted the seeds for WWE's "Attitude Era". Both WCW and WWE ripped ECW off of both direction/story lines as well as its stars. Only difference was, Vince McMahon compensated Paul Heyman by putting him on his payroll before eventually one day buying the hardcore company. Vince also tried and succeeded in making Heyman's guys into stars, where Eric Bischoff did things like buying out ECW Champion Mike Awesome to jump ship, only to then bury the late superstar with lame character and story lines.
That's the past, and many have enjoyed what Paul Heyman has done within the WWE with his various stints with WWE. Superstars like Rob Van Dam, Tazz, and others are future WWE Hall Of Famers just based on their runs in the WWE alone. Some didn't really have much of a career within the WWE, for various reasons didn't quite make it in WWE, but were superstars in the original ECW. However, as great as some have been, they tend to get lost in the sea that is the WWE roster over the years, so to bring them back to the forefront, we'll imagine that there is an ECW Wing in the WWE Hall Of Fame. Here are a list of ECW Legends who deserve to be a part of the WWE Hall Of Fame: ECW Wing;

Rob Van Dam

Mr. Monday Night is probably the one wrestler who made the best transition from ECW to WWE. After years of seemingly being stuck at mid-card winning countless WWE Intercontinental Championships, RVD became the first person to hold both the WWE and ECW Championships at the same time. In a business where we never say never, who knows, perhaps The Whole F'n Show will be hitting a Five-Star Frog Splash for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before he closes out his career.

Tazz

The Human Suplex Machine may be sitting behind the announce booth, and currently doing so in TNA, there is no doubt that Tazz deserves to be in the WWE Hall Of Fame. Especially if we were to see an ECW Wing. His in ring career may be over, but Tazz still has some value in the world of wrestling outside of commentary. Who better to manage or simply endorse a new age version of himself? He did so with Samoa Joe, and although made sense, Joe was already an established name in TNA. WWE has loads of new guys who could use this to propel themselves. Alexander Rusev looks like a giant version of Tazz.

The Dudley Boys

"Devon! Get the tables!" are words the crowd would still scream along with Bubba Ray (now Bully) and Devon if they re-entered a WWE ring. And of course would be followed by a massive pop from the crowd as someone went through the table. Bubba is doing his own thing in TNA right now, but a Dudley Boys reunion in the WWE could happen one day. If only briefly like the New Age Outlaws did recently. Other than RVD, the Dudley's transitioned from ECW to WWE very nicely. Even being one of the three teams to pioneer Tables, Ladders, and Chairs (TLC) match, and being synonymous with both Tables and Tag-Team wrestling in pro-wrestling. And that screams Hall Of Fame worthy.

Sabu

Sabu was never really cut out to make it in the WWE, and that isn't a knock on him. It is the constraints of the WWE tend to hinder some performers from doing what they do in the ring. It is out of safety that they do this of course, but this is the Houdini Of Hardcore, and his legend was built on leaving safety in the dressing room. Plus, remember how Chris Benoit's nickname was The Crippler? It was Sabu's neck that broke to create that one. So if there is to be an ECW Wing or even just an ECW Class within WWE's Hall Of Fame, The Modern Day Kamikaze known as Sabu is a front runner in being the top of that class.

Tommy Dreamer

The one ECW Original who made the best out of WWE's attempt at relaunching ECW. It was there, which Tommy Dreamer dropped the WWE mid-card status and returned to mirroring his glory days in the original ECW, being at the top. If ever a resurgence of hardcore or within the WWE, don't be surprised to see Dreamer leading a new group of extreme talent into the forefront. Also, wouldn't be surprised to hear he became a trainer at the new WWE Developmental Facility preparing the next generation of talent. May only be a Dream, but Tommy is Hall Of Fame worthy.

Terry Funk

Yes, he is already in the WWE Hall Of Fame, but Flair has two rings, and we are talking about an ECW wing here. He should have pehaps walked away from the business or found a different way to be a part of it all, but regardless, Funk had some of his greatest matches under extreme rules. Both in ECW and even WWE as Chainsaw Charlie. Pretty sure guys like Mick Foley and even the next guy on this list would agree that Terry Funk is very much worthy on being inducted a second time based on his Hardcore accomplishments, which include winning the ECW Championship.

Paul Heyman

His client, Brock Lesner, is the 1 in 21-1. His client, Brock Lesner, conquered The Streak. Oh, and he was the brains behind ECW. Was Paul the greatest business man? No, but he was so good that the Top 2 companies copied and stole from him. Both ideas and talent. Only difference is that Bischoff had no respect for Heyman, where as Vince put Paul on his payroll before buying ECW from him. And then has has Paul Heyman working for the WWE on multiple occasions both on and off screen roles. Promoter, Manager/Agent, behind the scenes stuff which all add up to a Hall Of Fame induction for Heyman. Preferably with the men who truly gave their all for him and ECW.

Of course there are countless others who would deserve a WWE Hall Of Fame induction, especially if there were to an ECW Wing or classes. Guys like Sandman, Lance Storm, Justin Credible, among several others. Even guys who had runs in WWE before going to the land of extreme in ECW, like the late Bam Bam Bigelow who had legendary moments in ECW, and was also in the Wrestlemania XI (11) main event against L.T. Taylor, deserves to be in the WWE Hall Of Fame.

THE DEADMAN WILL RISE AGAIN!

Was Wrestlemania XXX the last we will see of The Undertaker? It could have been. However, there is a good chance that we haven't seen the last of The Phenom. The Streak may have ended, and he only returned the last few years to perform at Wrestlemania, but isn't he "more" than just The Streak? A character, and more importantly, a man who deserves a better send off as well? Even if we were to say that he is too banged up to go on his own anymore, there are ways to work around this. One would think an Undertaker after a broken streak would be a dangerous Undertaker. His level of respect with both the fans and boys in the back is high enough for him to go on a rampage through the roster without taking any bumps, or light ones if need be. Culminating with a worthy send off at the event in which The Undertaker was born, Survivor Series.
With Kane dropping the corporate gimmick and returning to the mask, included with the recent Attitude Era resurgence, even a Brothers Of Destruction reunion could help Taker get to again, Survivor Series. Personally, would start this reunion/farewell tour off with The Brothers Of Destruction double choke slamming Brock Lesner through the ring. Either that, or the imploding ring gimmick, which occurred when Brock superplexed Big Show back in the day. Would Kane also not make sense to be the one to send Undertaker off? Lesner may have been most worthy to end The Streak, then perhaps his "brother" is most worthy to turn and send him off in style. Buried Alive. Lightening and smoke effects. Black light. Classic Undertaker stuff.

Or this was it. The Undertaker's career ended with The Streak. With the shock of Brock Lesner conquering The Streak, the crowd response at Wrestlemania 30 wasn't at the level it could, and should have been. Something which again could be corrected with at least something similar to what was mentioned above, or anything really. It would be nice to see, but am okay being content anticipating the obvious WWE Hall Of Fame induction, but hearing Mark Calloway's speech could be epic. Simple but has impact in his words. Typical Undertaker.

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WWE GANG WARFARE

Factions are beginning to pick up some steam in the WWE again. The Shield and The Wyatt Family are white hot, and just getting started. There were rumors of The Shield splitting up, and could still happen in the future or the WWE has seen an opportunity to add a little gang warfare to the mix of things for awhile. With the short lived Corporate Attitude (Corporate Kane and the Corporate Outlaws) and now the rebirth of Evolution (minus Ric Flair seemingly) it seems they are, at least until Extreme Rules. Can't blame them really given the success of The Wyatt's squaring off against The Shield. An angle that was over with the crowd, with them all slowly getting into the ring, and not even throwing a punch until they squared off a few weeks later.

With quite a full roster, that now includes a NXT roster as well as the developmental/training facility recently established, it wouldn't be far fetched to see other factions or trios emerge. A new group, or a returning group, or a mixture of the two, not too hard to envision. Even the recent resurgence of the "Attitude Era" adds to the wonder (despite of The Streak ending). Here's some example of possible choices...

Legacy

Triple H is eventually returning to a part-time in ring career while Batista returns to Hollywood for a bit. This leaves Randy Orton all alone. True he could venture back into a solo run, but again with the current success of trios and factions, why not bring back Legacy? Or an updated version with Orton as the usual center piece, Cody Rhodes after turning on his brother, and then possibly Curtis Axel after he gets out of that ridiculous tag-team with Ryback. Even Bo Dallas could join Legacy if the current Bo-lieve gimmick tanks.

L.W.O. (Latino World Order)

Okay perhaps a better name than the n.W.o. spin-off from the good old WCW days. Alberto Del Rio of course would be the leader of this squad being the man with the money. Who to surround him with is a bit harder to decide. Would love to see a Rey Mysterio heel turn, but likely not going to ever happen. So, perhaps a heel turn for Los Matadores (also perhaps matching lucha libre masks). Del Rio has done everything else so far as a heel, and is limited as it seems to be able to go face, so perhaps building a group around him would add a freshness to the character.

The Job Squad

Although unaware of the outcome of house show matches, on television however, certain wrestlers are coming across as a new age jabroni or enhancement wrestler. Nothing against them, it is just that the WWE has presented them this way as of late. Even top guys like The Miz and Dolph Ziggler find themselves sliding down the proverbial ladder. Strong work ethics and fan bases have stopped them from falling off the radar completely. So why not group them together and have not only great matches, but also possibly some great promos that are in a worked shoot type manner. The Miz, Zack Ryder and Dolph Ziggler. Or any of your favorite wrestlers who've received the jobber treatment as of late or whole WWE careers. There is another key name that could fit here but he's being saved for this...

The Nation Of Domination

Kofi Kingston needs this. Or something in the ballpark of this idea. Kofi is an unbelievably talented performer, but has been relegated to being the dreadlocks version of Shelton Benjamin. Why choose The Nation or something similar? Remember what this format did for Rocky Maivia, or The Rock as we now know him thanks to that. With Kofi Kingston we will include Big E as he still needs more mic work, and this could provide a platform to allow him to find his niche. Plus his singlet very reminiscent of The Nation wardrobe. Then we add the Worlds Strongest Man, Mark Henry. Similar to giving us The Rock, The Nation introduced us more to Henry. And at the tail end of his career, what better way to go out then to help launch the next generation of The Nation Of Domination.

Nexus

Perhaps not a direct rip-off of the sudden impact squad that had consisted of WWE rookies that included Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett, and Husky Harris (aka Bray Wyatt), and others. With NXT being relatively successful, as well as the launching pad to the main roster, why not have a NXT trio or faction enter the gang warfare brewing in WWE.

3MB

Don't laugh, this could have worked, and still can. Heath Slater was a part of Nexus and wasn't the "weak link" in the crew. Plus, he likely couldn't fit any other role, plus he is quite capable in the ring. As is the very talents, but under utilizes Drew McIntyre. He has been pretty much buried since being Vince McMahon's handpicked "guy". He truly looks the part and makes a perfect fit into this group and their gimmick. That is also why he would move to the front man position in the trio, while Slater takes lead guitar so to speak. Jinder Mahal would either need to make himself a better fit as he stands out. It is easy to tell he's not believing in the role, and his mic work comes off as very awkward. Perhaps a chance for someone like Curt Hawkins to make his presence known. regardless, a more serious tone and this group could enter the war and come out looking like Rock Stars. If Y2J wasn't at the part-time phase of his career, this would have been the perfect faction platform for the Ayatollah Of Rock And Rollah!

Add Divas

Slow down, don't get ahead of yourself. Only select ladies, and only for short times. Tamina Snuka looks like she could a perfect member of The Shield if the WWE went this route. Natalya Neidhart often mentions her families Legacy. Come on, the division could use something big, plus it is better than the possible couples war that is available. Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella, John Cena & Nikki Bella, Jimmy Uso & Naomi, amongst others. Even CM Punk & AJ Lee are together. All those big names, it wouldn't be to hard to envision happening at some point.


Why possibly expand or keep factions around? Can you say War Games? Vince McMahon may have shot down the idea all of these years, but Triple H is almost a mark in sense that he watched the same wrestling we did, and also keeps his eyes and ears on social media. So it could happen in the future. There is of course a spin-off of The Heenan Family with The Heyman Family, but who the heck could beat a team with Cesaro, CM Punk and Brock Lesner? Okay, other than Super-Cena, who could?

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OH CANADA! WHO IS CANADA'S NEXT TOP WWE STAR?

Some of the greatest wrestlers of all time have come from Canada. Legends like Killer Kowalski, Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Edge, the list goes on. Even some of the American greats have been trained by Canadians. The aforementioned Kowalski trained stars like Triple H. Stu Hart had trained his sons of course, but also legends like Superstar Bill Graham. Canucks have always been an intricate part of things in wrestling, both as stars and for being generally known as the workhorses of the profession. Guys like Chris Benoit who as wrestlers epitomized this.Technically speaking, Canada was first to hijack shows. Coming to be known as Bizzaro Land as Canadian fans cheered and booed against the grain when they saw fit. Canada is also known for being one of the more supportive fan bases, as well as for having elephant like memories and holding grudges ("You screwed Bret!" has finally died out for the most part within last few years).

Most may not have noticed this, but this past Wrestlemania XXX (30), signaled the first ten year mark Mania in which a Canadian did not win the WWE's top title. Bret "Hitman" Hart won the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania X (10), and Chris Benoit won the WWE World Championship at Wrestlemania XX (20). Which leads to the question; Who is the next Canadian to be a star in the WWE? Sure there is Captain Charisma, Christian. However he seems to be possibly on his way out, after years of sacrificing his body, the injuries are piling up. He was a dark horse to be the Canadian to carry on the Wrestlemania tradition. There is Tyson Kidd, but what have they done with him? True, he was out for awhile due to injury, but the company hasn't really done much with him since the Hart Dynasty spot with wife Natalya Neidhart and D.H. Smith. With the WWE finally allowing "smaller" more athletic wrestlers into the main event spotlight with guy like CM Punk and now Daniel Bryan. Smaller as in, not the usual body builder or super tall types.

With Christian nearing the end of his career and under utilizes Tyson Kidd, who else is there? Chris Jericho has endeavors outside the ring with his band Fozzy and other areas of entertainment, and is likely not going to be a full-timer again. TNA Wrestling has Bobby Roode and current TNA Champion Eric Young representing Canada, but when asked, Triple H had said that although great workers, he already has a bunch of great workers. He knew who they were though, so he is keeping his eye on the competition (even if they are failing, TNA is the competition). Roode is basically ready to make the jump, after showing that he can work in the main event. And although his run seems to be simply as "do as the WWE does", Eric Young's reign as TNA Champion is over-due and well deserved. Possibly, could show him in a light that catches the WWE's eye. Nothing against Natalya Neidhart, but other than carrying on the Hart Family legacy, not much can be expected from her. It would be nice to see a nice, solid Divas division for her to be a big part of. Other than that, can't see her being more than a part of Tyson Kidd's push to the next level.

So for now it all seems to fall on the shoulders of Tyson Kidd to carry the weight of the country. Unless the WWE finds the next big Canuck, or starts giving TNA guys like Eric Young and Bobby Roode a chance. Of course for the time being (although it may be short), there is Christian and the whole "One More Match!".

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WRESTLING IS FAKE? REALLY? THINK AGAIN

Think it is fake and easy? Here is a basic way to find out if maybe you could. Find a wooden floor, put the carpet over it. Now fall flat on your back. Got that down? Okay, not do that continuously for 3minutes straight. When you are done, ask yourself how you feel. Now ask yourself if you could do what you just did, but also from great heights that vary from 3-10ft. Still on board? Now ask yourself if you could do that for more than 3 minutes at a time. Some times for even an hour straight. From anywhere between 300-365 days a year.
That is just the basics for falling in the ring. Bare minimum in the art that is professional wrestling. This is also nowhere near the hardest part of the craft. The level of confidence that is required not only in oneself, but in the capabilities of your "opponent" are extremely high. Even for the more basic moves in wrestling require both wrestlers to be on top of their game, or else risk one of them being severely injured. Once again, ask yourself something. Ask if you would trust any co-worker to do something like this. Sure, some may say "yes" to that question, but likely forgot one key component; they are humans, and with that comes human error. Mistakes and accidents can happen. Add to that, in general humans are typically fragile in comparison to other species. We break.
No real point to this article other than a small rant about wrestling not being as fake as the non-fans say it is. Ironically, those who tend to question the physicality of wrestling, are usually the ones who refer to the sport of MMA (mixed martial arts) as UFC, not realizing that it is a promotion and not the name of the sport. There are quite a few wrestlers out there trained in some form or mixed martial arts, from Muay Thai to Boxing to Jujitsu. Even then though, in a street/bar fight scenario even a pro-MMA person is vulnerable to the unknown variables that may or may not play into things. There is a reason they train for fights, and even when taken at short notice, they usually have a basic idea of what to expect. I should also add, that this is in no way meant to take away from the sport of MMA or the top company that promotes it UFC. Love and respect the sport, and am happy to see that it was able to rise above and legitimize itself. Meaning both the sport and the UFC as well. Similar to what wrestling companies had to do after the Attitude Era and namely the ECW-wanna-be promotions that tarnished things.
In closing, the haters will always hate. However, notice how Dana doesn't knock Vince McMahon or professional wrestling. Also remember that your favorite fighters have a chance to prolong their careers within the WWE (preferably, there is TNA too). Just sayin'.

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