CURRENT OPINION

I'm trying hard to be more "positive" in life. Take moments to stop and think. But, it is getting hard to do at tmes in regards to professional wrestling aka sports entertainment. There is plenty of "good", but just appears as though the balls are being dropped most of the time. One of the first to point out how smart and good Vince McMahon is at all of this, but am starting to wonder if it is time to start a future without him. And lets be honest, Vince allowed the Attitude Era but didn't come up with it and was literally forced to make a change. If WCW hadn't of stepped up, who's to say we wouldn't still see his favorite gimmicks in that ring.

It isn't just Vince either. Crowds on televised events can also "ruin" things. This past Sunday we witnessed females compete within the dubious "Hell In A Cell". Vince made the mistake of hyping things up using Mick Foley's infamous match with The Undertaker. A match that would not, and simply should not happen again. The problem here is that during segments on RAW, it seemed to become more about Mick and how he feels physically and mentally now. Understandable, adding to the hype of how dangerous it is, but at same time bad in that it raises expectations. The crowd was for the most part behind Charlotte and Sasha, but there were moments that there was boos due to not seeing something and not because there is a heel involved.
The match felt "less" after that. Unjustifiably at that, as there were some decent spots in the match. Cringed when Charlotte put Banks through the announce table, and other chair and table moments.
There are other things too. One would be current situation with Goldberg and Lesner. Reports have Vince loosing his cool a couple weeks ago when the crowd was pro-Lesner and anti-Goldberg. I get the story aspect of everything, what did anyone expect to happen in Brock's hometown? And if Paul Heyman can't turn the tide, it truly shows that the people were doing as they should and doing as THEY please. What happened to being able to adjust and do things on the fly? And am I the only one intrigued as to how this plays out? The match was both guys leaving, with less of a payoff, so the poor performance at Wrestlemania XX was understandable. Now it is different. Both are likely paid way more, but also styles and the people involved are different. Brock is all MMA now, and Goldberg has been keeping up with MMA (think it most notably Muay Thai but may be wrong). So now we have that "what if...?" situation. Will this be better or possibly worse than before? The fighting style and even chance of egos escalating things. But, then there is also Brock being known to be lazy in the creative sense. Goldberg is also mainly doing this for his own kid. Others too, but his own is at the top of the list. That runs the risk of "protecting" egos could ruin the match...again.
I like that it appeared as though they were listening about Roman Reigns. After failing a drug test, he was dropped to the midcard, like many of said should happen. But, the "push" is still very evident. The US title is now apparently on par with the WWE Universal title, or at least has been presented that way. Why? Only because of who wears it. But, not going any further. It is already new-age Hogan and Cena. So, just accept it I guess. Meaning ignore him or stop watching the product as that is really the only option until Vince steps down or passes.

Another day perhaps I will touch on other areas. Like how the Cruiserweight Division is still being promoted as high flying, when real fans know that it is so much more than that. But, not covering that right now. So until next time.....Stay Nerdy!


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CURRENT OPINION

Since the brand split, RAW has felt like the "A" show but Smackdown! Live has felt superior in the creative department. Which is similar to what it felt like in the first brand extension in the early 2000's.
The feud between Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles for the WWE World Championship has been quite entertaining. The inclusion of "jobber", James Ellsworth, has been great. The downside to all of this is that John Cena is also involved in the title picture, and has been "absent" as of late. Having Cena be the winner will make this feel pointless. Unless of course, WWE is thinking that Cena can turn heel with his 16th World title. It wouldn't be far fetched to think that it's possible. There are a lot of members of the Cenation, but there's all the haters which could grow to include those simply against Ric Flair's record being tied and/or broken.
Or it happens and everything basically stays the same. I am not against Cena winning, and has understood why he doesn't turn, I just don't see how it fits and works at this point in time. Ratings are mentioned a lot, and if you want those to climb, you have to do something new or something old with a new age twist. Hulk Hogan had the same reservations, and things worked out. Business exploded and he was able to return to the old and work with the kids and whatnot. But, like mentioned, the reason is understandable and valid. Rather a child have their wishes answered than entertain me. I can always find something else, or simply follow the opposite brand.

Guess we'll see how things play out. Opinion could change once John is more involved, but at this moment it would be horrible to have Cena win unless a turn is coming. Ambrose and Styles would almost lose value otherwise.

WANT MORE GOLD

I am well aware that the second coming of the brand extension is bringing a few new titles into the picture. Smackdown! Womens Championship, some tag titles, and likely will see a return of the Cruiserweight title. Too many titles can water things down I know, but with a slight focus on the former WWE Hardcore Championship on the WWE Network, I am left wanting just one more.

No, not the Hardcore title necessarily, but similar in how it was defended. What I would like to see is a hybrid of what was the Television mixed with the Hardcore. The T.V. title meant title matches on television, and the Hardcore meant it was up for grabs 24/7. Combined it would simply be a WWE Television Championship defended around the clock. In and out of the ring. Nothing really "hardcore", but more of a "Falls Count Anywhere" type of thing. The brand new WWE 24/7 Championship.
That or I would consider changing the Intercontinental and United States titles into something similar. The build up to special events/pay pr views can be dry at times given you almost know for sure that there is nothing of actual importance is going to happen around the titles. Not asking for endless title changes, but there should be a lot more title defending on the mid-card level and below.

Might not be enough room right now, but if the split ever ends I would go this route. Even go as far as unifying the IC and US titles to make room for it.

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OLD BUT NEW AGAIN?

There has been moments as of late, mainly on the mic. But, when words like "ass" are used, one can't help but think of the Attitude Era. There have even been some innuendoes too, reminiscent of back in the day, with The New Day and Enzo & Cass' on the mic. But, that era is long gone and never coming back. Never, a word said not to use in this industry. In this case, it can be, but at the same time still not hold as much power as it is meant to.

The catalyst for the Attitude Era was of course the Monday Night Wars with WWE and WCW battling for ratings supremacy. Vince McMahon was forced to go places that the kid friendly WWF (WWE) hadn't really gone before. We all know the story, whether we lived through it or have been caught up via the web or WWE Network. WWE won, had zero competition, and eventually went the PG route. The competition may be gone, and likely not to be replaced, but there is now a standard in the ratings department. After breaking and setting records, TV companies likely expect something at least similar to the glory days. So, now we have RAW and Smackdown! Live battling each other for top spot. Which is good, competition is good even when within the same team. The bad is that they aren't head-to-head like they were with WCW, and the star power isn't there like it was in the late 90's or late 00's.
This has me wondering, if the ratings don't reach the levels that are expected will we see Vince once again push the envelope? This is how that "never" comes into play, not the same as the Attitude Era but very similar to it. Given that the majority seem to agree that the injury bugs have been from the faster paced work being done. Perhaps slowing that down while heightening the attention done in the story lines. The attention, not the focus. The focus should be on the matches, but slower more meaningful pace. It is weird to say, but even bring back Vince Russo. Before you flip, remember that he would have that filter he needs aka Vincent K. McMahon.

It was just a thought, that the more I think about is actually possible. Ratings still equal money. Money that is lost while perusing sponsors who still didn't hop on board while playing in a PG environment. Unless we actually see the day RAW and Smackdown! Live are on the WWE Network.

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WHO'S NEXT?

We've seen Rhino return (even though he's been in NXT off and on) to Smackdown! Live, Jinder Mahal returned to RAW. I am happy to hear that both Shelton Benjamin and MVP are set to make their returns soon as well. Which of course leaves the question of "Who's Next?". No, that wasn't necessarily a hint at Goldberg making a his way back into the WWE. Although he could be good for one last short run leading into Wrestlemania for a Hall Of Fame induction and a final match. But, who else would be able to reemerge in the WWE Universe? Or at least, who would I like to see make an attempt. They would be...

Kurt Angle

How much longer does the Olympic gold medalist have in a squared circle? I would like to see him finish up in the WWE, where he belongs. Similar to that of Goldberg, I would go with a short run leading into a Wrestlemania. But, I would like to see him mentor American Alpha before and/or after he's finished in the ring. The amateur wrestling is the obvious connection, but I also see the same slight quirkiness in them that Kurt had when he debuted.

Victoria, Gail Kim, and/or Mickie James

Rumor mills have Melina making a comeback, which is gross imo, especially when former stars like Victoria, Gail, and Mickie are still around and able to go. Better wrestlers and way less baggage backstage. Not only that, but they can help out the ladies who still aren't as good as the rest (Eva Marie, Alicia Fox, etc).

Ken Kennedy (Ken Anderson)

Like many, Ken had some bad things to say about his former employer but that is borderline cliche anymore so it can be overlooked. Personally, I would like to see his make his return. There would be a huge pop after the lights cut out, spotlight shines, mic drops as we see Mr. Kennedy standing there about to introduce himself. A match with Randy Orton would be likely given he was part of the focus in Ken's tirades. Could book it similar to that of Edge and Matt Hardy when Lita made the "switch".

Carlito

Given his brother and cousin are no longer Matadors, it would make for a good fit as a trio to face the likes of The New Day, The Wyatts, etc. Not sure of his situation, like many wellness policy stuff was his downfall, but if all clean like to see some apple being spit into the face of people who don't want to be cool.

A.J. Lee

A long shot, but given the current state of the WWE Womens Division she would fit in perfectly with an abundance of actual talent in the ring. And of course it would mean there is a person in the company to make it appealing for CM Punk coming back...likely never, but one can dream.

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WHERE'S THE REST OF THE GOLD?

We're going to crown a WWE Universal Champion at Summerslam, giving RAW a champion to rival Smackdown! Live and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Which I am happy to see as I don't like the champion being "shared", and if the World title was brought back it would automatically be number two. The Universal Championship is fresh, and new. It fits with the WWE Universe. So, far so good until we see what it looks like of course. It could be an atrocity and will be placed below the WWE Championship (World Heavyweight Championship).

So, what about the other divisions? We have the WWE Womens Championship and WWE Tag Team Championship on RAW, but nothing on Smackdown! Live. With the cruiserweight division coming to RAW as well, there will likely be a title to win. The Intercontinental and US Championships are evenly dispersed, but there is a lot more gold on RAW than Smackdown! Live.
It could be not wanting to overshadow the WWE Universal Championship, or that the WWE Womens Championship changed hands on the RAW re-debut. But, things need to be at least hinted at, otherwise are we looking at waiting until after Summerslam? In regards to the womens division on Smackdown! Live, I am hoping that there is a new title and not them bringing the WWE Divas Championship back. That would definitely be a step backwards. I would like to think that their will be tag team championships on Smackdown! Live, otherwise what are they all fighting for?
It would be easy to have the titles also christened Universal, but then would seem weird having the one title on the opposite brand. Although having Dean Ambrose be the winner at Battleground gave strength to Smackdown!, but perhaps having all the titles follow to the former B-Show, giving RAW the clean slate.

Only two weeks into this new era, so it is of course all wait and see. I was just hoping for more direction on this topic since again it would add to why people are  involved in some feuds.

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SIZE MEANS NOTHING

The WWE started their new era making some changes in the typical main event picture, now pictures. On Smackdown! Live we have Dean Ambrose as Champ, with Dolph Ziggler getting another long over due push. Then on RAW, when it appeared we would see Roman Reigns immediately back in the main title scene, we saw Finn Balor get the win and the right to face Seth Rollins at Summerslam for the new WWE Universal Championship.

Then things got ridiculous, and not even on WWE's part. The IWC, writers, legends, etc are all whining about Finn Balor being "too small". After years of seeing Vince McMahon's preference in bigger than life stars, we see a continuation of lessons learned a couple of years ago. And what does everyone do, sorry to those not doing this, they start to whine that Balor isn't big enough to be on top.
Sure, Finn is only 5'10" and 190 lbs. However, we've seen more than enough times, size doesn't mean anything. Not in sports entertainment. The obvious example is Rey Mysterio. How about Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, or the lost in history, Chris Benoit? This is professional wrestling, not MMA. If someone is taller and has a reach advantage? It means nothing. If size meant anything in this industry, then Andre would have died undefeated champion, Big Show, Mark Henry, Kane would still be champions to this day.
Finn is an amazing inring talent. His style can work with anyone else. It is quick, but carries quite the impact. There is even limited high risk to his aerial offense, which again has a lot of oomph to it. Add to that, his ability to entertain as well. The Demon stays dormant until special events, but it is quite the site to see. Rumor has it that The Undertaker helped him out when he came to NXT, to tell you how cool it can be. All of this equals to a top star within the WWE. So, why the immediate negativity? Is it simply a case of new fame, new haters? One person made a comment somewhere referring to Finn Balor as looking average or out of shape. I don't see how that matters as in all forms of sports and entertainment is that they are normal people with exceptional ability in either athletics or acting. It's just how it is. In regards to "looks", that is always a matter of opinion.

I guess we will see how all of this plays out. Obviously, I am "pro-Balor" so I would like to see him become the first ever WWE Universal Championship. Seth Rollins is just as good though, and not a "big guy". We are in for a hell of a match at Summerslam. A match better than Ambrose/Ziggler imo, and Ziggler is flawless in that ring.

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