CM Punk Has Left The Building

Over the course of the last week it’s been revealed that CM Punk has walked out of WWE. The most commonly cited reasons are that he wasn’t pleased with the direction of his character, that he was burnt out (wrestling speak for exhausted), and that he wasn’t happy with his planned WrestleMania match (most commonly cited as being against Triple H). Reasons one and three are similar but distinct. The former pertains to the use he’s seen over the last few months, things that have happened. The latter pertains to the biggest show of the year and something that can still, theoretically, be changed.

The first thing that should be addressed when discussing this subject is whether or not it’s a work (that is, something fabricated by WWE as part of storylines but presented as being legitimate1). That this even needs mentioning does not reflect well on WWE’s current product. Wrestling fans are always going to have an interest in what’s going on behind the scenes, but right now that’s the primary focus for many people following WWE. Punk and the perceived burial of Daniel Bryan are of more interest than the supposed lead plot that is the return of Batista. WWE have been getting a lot of things right for the last year or so but presenting compelling lead storylines has not always been among them.

Personally I think the Punk situation is real. It could be a plot but then you’d have to ask who would benefit from it. And the answer to that would be nobody. Punk’s character is already well established as someone who’ll speak his mind and stand up for what he believes in. Pretending he’s walked out would do nothing to enhance that. In fact he noted (when he returned from his mishandled worked walkout in 2011) that he couldn’t change WWE from his couch. Storyline Punk is someone who wants to be a part of the show because he wants to make a difference.

WWE wouldn’t benefit from the worked shoot approach either. It’s not a question of having done it before: repetition never stops them doing anything. It’s more the fact that the period between January and late March-early April is the time of year at which they enjoy they’re highest viewing figures thanks to WrestleMania. A storyline walkout is something that would generally be held off for a quieter time of year when it could be more of a talking point on TV with more time dedicated to it. The addition of Batista and Brock Lesnar to RAW, and the imminent return of The Undertaker and possibly Hulk Hogan, will make RAW a packed weekly show and there won’t be the time to present the story of a man quitting in the way it needs to be to have the desired impact.

So, yeah, I think it’s real. Which makes the next question how will WWE address Punk’s absence? To get an answer to that we could try looking to ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin’s walkout in 2002 because on the surface it’s a similar situation. WWE’s response was to have The Rock cut a scathing promo about Austin “taking his ball” and going home. That could indicate that WWE will have someone acknowledge Punk’s absence in a promo. The frontrunners there would probably be Triple H, as lead antagonist, Kane, as the man who was seemingly going to face Punk at Elimination Chamber, and Batista, if WWE decided to do what could be considered the sensible thing and turn him into a bad guy, aligning him with the crowd’s reactions to him. Randy Orton is said to have made a comment along the lines of “If at first you don’t succeed… quit” over the last week so perhaps he’ll do the honours. That would seem unlikely though. The preference has been to present ‘The Viper’ as generally ineffective over the last several months.

In actuality I don’t think the Punk and Austin situations are that similar. Austin had a very specific reason for going home: he didn’t want to lose a match to Brock Lesnar on RAW with no build-up to it (a stance I completely understand). If we are to believe the rumours Punk has no such gripe, he’s just generally fed up. There’s also WrestleMania on the horizon now, something which was around ten months away when Austin left. As troublesome and irritating to deal with as he probably is CM Punk is one of the biggest names WWE has under contract. Those in charge would want to work out differences with him to ensure he appears on the card. They may not have planned to have him wrestle in a top match, but that’s how WWE, and wrestling in general operates. There are only so many slots available on even the biggest of events and not everyone can be in a huge match. Having all the big names on the bill and omitting lesser regulars creates the feeling that a show’s special, and that’s something WWE are always very keen to do with ‘Mania.

If I had to guess (which I don’t, but I will) I’d say Punk’s absence will be acknowledged on RAW before Elimination Chamber, because it would be strange for a major name to simply stop appearing. I’d expect some generally heelish, snarky remarks, especially if it’s Triple H delivering the “news”, but an undisguised burial of Punk would surprise me. If they want to re-sign him to a contract in the summer, and they absolutely will want that, and have him appear at WrestleMania they won’t be able to trash him. That would risk making the situation worse and, in theory, devalue him. Why do that to someone you’re hoping to rely on to attract viewers to an important, landmark event?

If the situation is genuine and Punk doesn’t return I don’t think we’ll see him wrestle elsewhere. He’s stated in interviews that he’s financially secure and the rumour that he’s claimed to be burnt out would indicate that he wants to step away from the grind of working matches for a while. Should this prove incorrect I think matches in New Japan, the second biggest wrestling company in the world, or EVOLVE, where his old boss Gabe Sapolsky works are likeliest (and even EVOLVE seems far-fetched). Ring of Honor’s a possibility but there have been a lot of changes in the nine years since Punk last worked there. Anyone saying that Punk wants to leave WWE to go to TNA has been smoking funny cigarettes.

For the most part I agree with Punk’s walkout, assuming the rumoured reasons for it are true. But I say this as much because I’ve been bored with his character since last summer as for anything else. Although that’s not to say he’s earned time off, because he has. Punk hasn’t been used well since his programme with Undertaker ended (his stuff with Heyman didn’t reach its full potential in my view) and the best thing the Punk character, and Punk the man, can do is take an extended break, returning when there are new people for him to face. His absence at WrestleMania would be noticeable but his participation isn’t necessary for the show’s success. There will be enough big names on offer with or without his involvement. He absolutely deserves to wrestle on the show, but WWE aren’t denying him that chance. He’s denying it to himself, and for reasons I can understand. But his absence will give WWE and other wrestlers the chance to raise some statuses. If I had the choice of that action being taken or watching CM Punk wrestle I’d pick the new names every single time. WWE’s future requires new marketable stars, not nicely wrestled matches featuring CM Punk.

***

1 It would be more accurate to say “worked shoot” but, honestly, who cares?

Written By Dave Hatton of That Wrestling Blog

Dave Hattons Royal Rumble Preview

This year's Royal Rumble is being sponsored by Jackson Hewitt. That’s a tax company. This has nothing to do with the show but I think it's something that should be brought to people's attention. WWE pay-per-views are being sponsored by tax companies now. It's a long way from Castrol GTX. 

The show also feels a long way from last year's version. Headlined by CM Punk defending the WWE championship against The Rock it was clear in advance that the 2013 edition of the Rumble would be a financial success. It ended up being watched by 498,000 homes. While lower than the expected 500,000 it was still the most financially successful Rumble since 2002. This year's event will probably exceed the 400,000 mark, because it's WWE's second biggest annual show these days, but it's not likely to crack the half million barrier.

The reason for this is the absence of The Rock. Without him it's just another Rumble with no reasons to tune in beside the obvious. Brock Lesnar has a certain appeal and carries a big fight feel on to any show he appears on but he's not The Rock. He attracts a different sort of crowd, one not as large as the Attitude Era faithful that tune in to see 'The Great One'.

Fantasy Booker: WrestleMania Season 2014

Wondering how I’d book WrestleMania XXX if I wound up in charge of WWE tomorrow? Of course you are. You’re only human. As a special treat I’m going to detail exactly what I’d do. Within reason, of course. I’m not going to detail every episode of RAW, for example. Because life’s too short, isn’t it?

I’ll start with Royal Rumble. With that show still a few weeks away I obviously have to make some assumptions about who’ll be feuding with who. Brock Lesnar will be clashing with Big Show at the show, while Batista will be gunning for Alberto Del Rio. I’ll ignore the former match because it’s boring. The Rumble’s a starting point, both for this post and in reality.

There are a lot of maybes and possiblys below. That’s because WWE is set up to have input from various backstage minds. I wouldn’t want to ignore those guys, so anytime there’s a maybe or a half-thought assume that it’s because it’s a detail that I’d ask for input on. What I’m detailing is a outline, not minutia.

Back On Track

Last year produced mixed results for Ring of Honor. The first six months were generally very enjoyable. The SCUM invasion storyline was something different (for ROH if not wrestling in general), the tease of the Adam Cole heel turn began, the American Wolves were sensibly placed back together, and there was new talent present on a string of very enjoyable events. The second half of the year was characterised by the mostly poor world title tournament, a lack of new talent (Homicide and Eddie Kingston didn’t count for two reasons: they’d been around before and nobody cared when they showed back up), and Michael Elgin becoming just another member of the roster.

Mr Retirement

March 28th 2010. WrestleMania XXVI. Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker faced each other in a career versus Streak match. Michaels lost. He hasn't wrestled since.

This is an incredibly rare example of a wrestler honouring a retirement stipulation after losing. The norm is for the retirement stip to be used as a way of writing people off of television to undergo operations or to take a break. It’s also not unknown for retirement angles to be tacked on to lengthy feuds to heighten drama and tension with no intention of either party genuinely retiring. See Mick Foley, Ric Flair, Terry Funk and some of the ludicrous stipulations implemented by Vince Russo in WCW for all the examples you could need on wrestlers and retirement.

Who Can Win The 2014 Royal Rumble?

The most important match on the WWE calendar.

Judging by the last few episodes of RAW and the recent TLC pay-per-view WWE seem to be setting themselves up for a very interesting WrestleMania Season. There are seemingly dozens of directions storylines could go in to give us numerous different cards at WrestleMania XXX. One of those will be revealed on January 26th. On that day we’ll see someone win the Royal Rumble and become the number one contender to the WWE championship.

Well, possibly. Since The Streak became such an important part of WrestleMania many people have floated the idea that the Rumble winner could forego the usual title match and instead use the Rumble victory to challenge ‘The Dead Man’ on the big show. I’m not a huge fan of the idea, mainly because I like the tradition of the Rumble winner challenging for the biggest prize in the sport, but it’s something I could imagine WWE doing.

Evolution Of The Wolf

Future challenger to the Freedom Gate title?

Davey Richards' future gets more interesting by the day. A few weeks ago it was revealed that he was to be part of an extended WWE tryout, wrestling on NXT and SmackDown, alongside his tag partner Eddie Edwards. This in itself was peculiar as it hinted at a new way for wrestlers to potentially enter the company or, at the very least, that WWE were showing uncharacteristic flexibility.

But WWE's hiring policies have been dwarfed by the news that Davey Richards and Ring of Honor have parted ways. The reason for the split is an interview given by Richards to British wrestling magazine-website Total Wrestling (never 'eard of 'em). 'The Lone Wolf' trashed the current direction of the promotion he's called home for seven years, stating that the tag titles "don't mean anything anymore", that the booking of the world title has been "substandard and screwy" leading to the championship's devaluation, and that he doesn't care about the promotion's much discussed iPPV woes.

Unification!?

is this belt near retirement?

 The big news on last Mondays RAW was that WWE champion Randy Orton and World Heavyweight champion John Cena will face off at TLC. In a tables, ladders and chairs match. And both titles belts will be hanging above the ring.

Cena v Orton may be one of the most played out matches on the roster but this match still manages to be of interest. On a basic level the two men have never clashed in a TLC setting, so there's something fresh there. There's obviously the far more noteworthy title versus title aspect too. While WWE have so far refrained from referring to this as a unification match (going out of their way to avoid that specific word) it's hard to see it as anything else. It's hard to see one man leaving the pay-per-view with both titles and defending them separately, although the option of the belts being switched (Orton taking the WHC and Cena becoming WWE champ) remains an option. A depressing one too.

A Year of Belief

These three would tear it up in the King of Trios

This weekend's Survivor Series marks one year of The Shield. Well, sort of. The trio debuted at the 2012 edition of the event and the anniversary for that was actually on Monday. The Survivor Series event feels like the more natural time to mention their first year on the roster though, even if it's not entirely accurate.

Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose had a remarkable first few months on the roster. They started off strong by sharing screen time with John Cena, CM Punk and Ryback. The first two were the company's biggest names and at that point 'The Big Guy' looked like he was going to amount to something.

Mexico's Greatest Export

I’ve not always been the biggest fan of Alberto Del Rio but I’ve really enjoyed his work this year. When he turned babyface at the end of 2012 I wasn’t convinced that it would work, mainly because his character didn’t seem capable of being altered to receive cheers. I was wrong. ADR did manage to garner cheers and made numerous changes to his promo and wrestling style to reflect his new role. Ricardo Rodriguez being such a sympathetic individual helped matters but Del Rio did his share of the work too.

Stylin' Worldwide

During the Summer of Punk II CM Punk “left” WWE as champion and a new champion was crowned in his absence. That set up a champion versus champion unification match. The entire thing was horribly rushed (Punk was gone less than a month) but the objective was achieved: Punk gained another win over John Cena and became not only the company’s undisputed champ but its number two star.

Mid-Card: The Next Generation

These guys are two of the many WWE could be doing more with

When writing about the last few WWE pay-per-views I've said the company needs to work harder on the booking of its filler material. Generally speaking the big feuds, such as CM Punk versus Paul Heyman and Bryan versus Orton and The Authority, provide people with enough reasons to tune into shows. I don't enjoy every aspect of either programme but as main event rivalries go they are mostly doing what they're meant to. 

But what WWE seems to be overlooking is that people aren't as willing to pay for shows just to see one or two matches out of eight as they used to be. There are so many ways for people to fritter away disposable income and time that big shows need to have a lot to offer in order to be of interest to people who aren’t obsessed with watching every WWE show. Even here in Britain, where we get some PPVs for free on Sky Sports, WWE has to offer more than just a handful of enticing matches because people simply don’t have the time to sit through subpar shows. They can just watch the key moments on a recording.

Creating a worthwhile undercard is not beyond WWE. They have demonstrated many times in the past that they know how to put together a cracking card and they currently have the talent to do it. They just don't seem too bothered about putting the work in. All of the writing team's effort is focused on the top of the card and so mid-card disputes are tossed together at the last minute. It's not unusual for a pay-per-view to feature previously unannounced alleged "bonus" matches, basically WWE’s way of skirting around bothering to create a reason for the combatants to meet.

 

The answer, fairly obviously, is to dedicate more TV time to feuds between guys outside of the main event. They've got plenty of time to do it, what with a three hour RAW and a SmackDown best thought of as supplementary to the Monday show. And while the exactitudes of the writing team are kept secret I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that there are probably enough guys involved to have two or three dedicated to working exclusively on the middle and lower portions of the card. 

It would be a nice place to start new additions to the team: they could get a feel for the process without being involved in something the promotion relies on to draw viewers. In an ideal world each writer would specialise in writing for a group of wrestlers, getting to know their strengths and weaknesses and overseeing their plots as they travel up and down the card. But in reality this will never happen in WWE.

Survivor Series being WWE's next show could help WWE reenergise its mid-card. Over the course of the next few weeks a handful of guys could be selected to enter into programmes with one another with the aim being to have a traditional ten man elimination tag match at the big show. Not only would this, if prepped correctly, add a match to the card that people may care about but it would get guys onto a show they may otherwise miss, providing them a chance to do something memorable. And it would give us a break from the forgettable filler matches that have been clogging up cards and are the problem to begin with.

WWE is not likely to get its next batch of top stars without a worthwhile mid-card scene. Nor are they going to see the amount of people watching their pay-per-views improve without a greater number of substantial matches being offered. Sooner or later they're going to have to change their approach.

Written by Dave Hatton of That Wrestling Blog

Hell In A Cell Preview

Another month, another guy on the 

poster not booked in an advertised match

In previous years I've written extensively about why gimmick pay-per-view names are not - ahem - good for business. I'm not going to repeat the argument at length here. The thrust of it is that gimmick matches should be employed on shows throughout the year as and when feuds require them. By tying them to a particular show it imposes constraints on an already uninspiring creative process. In previous years it's led to feuding wrestlers being put into the Cell when their disputes don't really feel serious enough for it. Happily that's been bypassed this year by two rivalries which have been running since the summer and feel natural being put into the structure.

When I was writing my preview of Battleground I completely forgot what show was following it. Had I remembered I would have altered my predictions accordingly. With hindsight it seems obvious that Bryan and Orton were going to wrestle to a no contest to set up another match in the series inside WWE's premier gimmick. With their programme stretching back to SummerSlam it makes sense to have the final showdown occur in the Hell in a Cell.

There are arguments to be made in favour of both as far as winning's concerned. 'The Viper' could become a eight time champion and head into a dispute with Big Show. That wouldn't be anyone's favourite feud but it would at least make sense and follow on from the last few months of story. Bryan could win and continue his rivalry with Triple H. The championship has been central to the animosity between them, Bryan wanting it and Tripper wanting to keep a tight control on who gets it. Casting Bryan as the renegade champ might not be the best fit but it would at least follow from what’s already happened.

When thinking about who'll win this match I've not paid much attention to Shawn Michaels being on referee duty. The likelihood is that he'll call the match fairly. I can't see him turning heel, there would be little point as there's no match that could come directly from it. I could see him giving Sweet Chin Music to 'The Viper' though, after bring sufficiently provoked. That would provide a storyline clause for 'The Game' to keep up his campaign of hatred against Bryan: he won because if the actions of HBK. Alternatively Orton could win after an errant kick floors Bryan, although that would serve only to prolong a programme I think is wrapping up.

The minutia of the match layout is impossible to predict and so I'm not going to bother trying. What I will predict is a win for Daniel Bryan and a title defence in the not too distant future against Triple H. That ‘The Cerebral Assassin’ went out of his way to say that he would not face Daniel Bryan during the October 21st RAW can be taken as a pretty clear indication that the match will happen. Or at least that it's being considered.

The other world championship will also be defended, though in a regular match as opposed to inside the Cell. In one corner will be Alberto Del Rio. No surprise there: he's been wearing or challenging for the WHC all year.

In the other corner will be John Cena. Which is surprising for a couple of reasons. Firstly Cena underwent surgery shortly after SummerSlam and we were told he'd be gone until early next year. Having seen him return quickly from injuries before, thanks to his Wolverine-like ability to heal, I wouldn't have been surprised to see him in a match at TLC. But to cut back his recuperation time from five months to two verges on witchcraft.

The second reason Cena's involvement is surprising is that the World Heavyweight championship has been beneath Cena for years now. That the company's top star shows no interest in it is part of the reason the title is now considered to be the second tier prize. Cena has concerned himself exclusively with the WWE title, cementing that belt's reputation as the more prestigious.

It's not impossible Cena will win as part of a long-term title unification plot. But don't get your hopes up. I think the title is likelier to stay with ADR. It would be a hindrance to Cena at this point and any argument that him winning it could enhance is stature is invalid: if Cena won the WHC it would clearly be to give him something to do and, more to the point, championships increase in credibility over time as opposed to overnight by being slapped around the waist of one man (even if that one is the biggest active name in wrestling). If anything the title would be harmed being on someone clearly viewing it as something to do until more important business comes their way.

I'll be amazed if the match doesn't see 'The Essence of Excellence' focusing on Cena's arm. Cena is returning from surgery on his elbow and Del Rio's finisher, the cross arm breaker, has been built up over the years as a legitimate hold that consistently gets wins. It's too good an opportunity to miss. ADR may beat Cena clean with it, setting up the story of Cena returning too soon. Where that would lead is anyone's guess but it would be nice to have that element of fallibility introduced to the currently nigh invincible Cena character.

The other option is that Del Rio gets disqualified for shenanigans. That would protect Cena, always of importance, and would also keep the strap on Del Rio. It's the safe, and boring, option and the one I suspect they'll go with. Whatever the result I expect ADR to leave with the gold.

Another month, another guy on the poster not booked in an advertised match

If we follow the progression of WWE titles the next in line is either the Intercontinental or the tag team. At the moment I think the doubles belts just clinch it due to a combination of disinterest in the IC strap and the focus brought to teams over the last few months.

The tag team titles were won by Cody Rhodes and Goldust in a very good match on the October 14th RAW. That the titles changed hands wasn't surprising: Cody 'n' Goldy have been amazingly popular over the last month or so, to the extent that WWE practically had to capitalise on it. Not only that but The Shield had been the champions since May 19th. It was time for a change.

WWE are not presenting a straight rematch. The reason is probably that we've seen Rollins and Reigns versus the Rhodes boys twice in the last three weeks. As good as a third bout would be it would not be able to offer anything new. Unless of course a gimmick had been added, which for some reason seems to be off limits at this year's HIAC show.

To keep things from getting monotonous the Uso brothers have been added to the match. Someone in WWE, quite possibly Triple H, seems determined to have the public accept Jimmy and Jey. They're a perfectly serviceable unit but I don't think they can progress much further than where they are now. I get the feeling they're in this match to protect the more important teams by taking the loss. 'The Hounds of Justice' could regain the titles to keep the rivalry alive and ensure they remain hot but I think a successful defence for the new champions is a better bet.

Meanwhile the Intercontinental championship will be defended on the pre-show. Paul Heyman Guy Curtis Axel will defend against Big E Langston. Think Big E's a heel? Think again! He became a good guy out of nowhere on Monday's RAW, in a move that makes the breakup of the Langston-Ziggler-AJ unit even more depressing. There was clearly no long term plan for any of them (beyond having AJ "save" the Divas division) so there was no reason they had to be parted.

I think we'll see 'The Perfect One' win with help from Heyman. That would reinforce the image of Heyman being an effective agent and someone wrestlers would want to have at ringside. It'd create reason for a rematch too. I think Big E will get the gold at some point, just not this Sunday.

On the subject of Heyman, he'll compete in his second pay-per-view match of the year at Hell in a Cell. Like his Night of Champions outing it will be a handicap match against CM Punk, only this time he'll team with Ryback as opposed to the rather less effective Curtis Axel. And, to really push the boat out, this match will also be fought inside the Hell in a Cell.

As I've already noted the addition of the Cell to this match makes sense: Heyman and Punk have been at each other's throats since July. I still think it's been a mostly tedious affair but it’s still one that lends itself to the Hell in a Cell and the importance that comes with it.

Traditionally Hell in a Cell marks the end of a feud in WWE. It’s a fittingly epic environment for a feud-ender and generally produces matches that can’t be topped, so why bother trying? I’ve a feeling Punk v Heyman and co will continue until Survivor Series (at least) and take in an elimination match: Team Punk v Team Heyman.

‘The Second City Saint’ has lain down for Heyman clients and Heyman himself at the last three pay-per-views. While wins and losses at the level Punk is at don’t usually matter too much within WWE there does come a point where a wrestler has to get a win to retain credibility. That’s the point I think Punk’s at here. A loss won’t see him fall down the card or lose the backing of people who already support him but it will send the message that he’s doomed to failure battling Heyman. I don’t think that’s a message WWE wants to give and so I’m predicting a Punk win.

AJ Lee defending the Divas championship against Brie Bella is the final match announced. This is the third straight supershow on which they’ll face each other. That’s not as bad as other matches on this card but it is strange when you consider that WWE has a not insignificant number of women that could be pitted against Ms Lee. The constant title shots for Brie are desperate attempts to establish her as a babyface.

The Total Divas star has guaranteed victory. I don’t think that’s something we should focus on. That’s not to say Brie definitely won’t become the new champion, but I don’t think it’s anywhere close to a certainty. I’d like to see AJ retain the title and move on to defences against some of the other ladies on the roster (and for some NXT Divas to be called up). Even if she remains champion I don’t think I’ll get my wish.

If we take the rumours that WWE wants to make Hell in a Cell a top quality show to make up for their recent offerings to be true the card we have is a little surprising. Yes, they're wheeling out the premier gimmick. Yes, John Cena is making a comeback (after missing a grand total of two pay-per-views). Yes, they've roped in Shawn Michaels to add interest to the main event storyline. But that's it. The show was going to feature the cage no matter what. Cena may attract a few extra buys but he by no means ensures the show will be a classic. 'The Heartbreak Kid's' involvement could and should be worthwhile, which is something, but not much by itself.

Ultimately though there's nothing about the card which makes me think it will be significantly better than Battleground or Night of Champions. WWE has misunderstood what was lacking from those shows: it wasn't Cena or focus on the major matches, it was an enticing undercard. If WWE wanted HIAC to appeal to fans irritated by the previous two supershows they should have spent more time working on matches outside of their central plots.

On paper I don't think Hell in a Cell looks bad. Both of the cage bouts should be enjoyable and the tag title affair has the potential to be memorable. But nothing's been announced that makes me think this show will reach the heights WWE apparently wants. The show could reach those heights but it's going to take numerous excellent performances and surprises. And those are disappointingly light on the ground in WWE at the moment.

Predictions summary:
Daniel Bryan to defeat Randy Orton
CM Punk to defeat Ryback and Paul Heyman
Alberto Del Rio to retain the World Heavyweight championship
Cody Rhodes and Goldust to retain the tag team championship
AJ Lee to defeat Brie Bella
Curtis Axel to defeat Big E Langston

Written by Dave Hatton of That Wrestling Blog

Ascension (to the Top?)

This sums up the nonsense that is The Ascension nicely

Stop and think about The Ascension for a moment. If you're not familiar with them take this opportunity to look them up. Pay particular attention to the results of an image search.

Bound For Glory Preview

Somebody in TNA has finally taken notice of the fans. Free of the constraints of Hulk Hogan's contract AJ Styles is at last getting the opportunity he deserves to headline a pay-per-view for the world title, and to step up and be ‘The Man’. It’s what they’ve needed to do all along!

I'm being facetious of course. Styles has had chances to be the megastar TNA has always needed many times before. This latest shove, modelled on WWE's use of CM Punk in 2011, is simply the latest in a long line of attempts to turn Styles into something special. It won't work. I know this because it's never worked before and AJ has not changed significantly since the last time. If he had it in him to be that guy he'd have done it by now.

Yet a Styles push is something fans constantly call for. Make Impact the AJ Styles show, give him the championship and let him show his wrestling ability and the ratings will pour in, or so the logic goes. I won't argue that having Styles in a more prominent spot than he's typically been in for the last two years, and wrestling lengthy matches, would be the best use of him but it's not enough to save TNA. Styles has been used as well as a company like TNA can use him at various times in the past. It didn't make TNA into a global juggernaut or worthwhile number two wrestling promotion then. It won't do so now.

The Management Meme

TNA's idea of compelling television

The success of the Mr McMahon character had an incredible effect on pro wrestling. It created arguably the greatest heel of the nineties, certainly one of the greatest heels ever. It helped to turn the WWF’s fortunes around and shape the Attitude Era. And of course it gave ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin his definitive feud.

There were many factors in the success of this character. One of them was that it sprung from a real life situation. People knew McMahon was the real life owner of the company had “screwed” Bret Hart1, which presented the company with the opportunity to present storyline developments as equally real. It was a perfect blurring of the lines, cloaking plot with reality. This is often where wrestling excels.

Perhaps an even greater reason for the character’s success was Vince himself. Nobody but him could have achieved such success with the character. It went beyond him being the genuine, honest-to-goodness boss of the company. Vince was and is an incredible wrestling personality and performer, so good at making his character easy to understand and relate to (both as a face and a heel).He understand how to carry himself in any given situation on a wrestling show because he’d been promoting them for close to twenty years when he became the lead bad guy, and had been around them since he was a boy.

Beating Cole

Back in June ROH vacated their world championship due to the storyline injuries and real life contract negotiations of reigning champion Jay Briscoe. The tournament held to crown a new champion was a disappointment. Instead of using it as an opportunity to present itself as a company that scours the world for the best wrestlers and matches to give to its fans, and making its world title look genuinely desirable to the wrestling world into the bargain, ROH opted to enter most of its headliners into the brackets plus some mid-card guys everyone knew wouldn’t win. They then put out calls to some indy guys, with guys seemingly being chosen based on whether or not they were under contract elsewhere as opposed to whether they’d make the tournament special.

Realest Guys in the Room

Traditionally WWE is a company that promotes big men as its top stars. There are plenty of examples from the place several decades that could be pointed to, the approach is not a secret. It was, for a long time, the single most important criteria WWE looked for in its top performers.

The last few years has seen the likes of Heidenreich, Vladimir Koslov, Ezekiel Jackson and Snitsky pushed ahead of their means. Meanwhile Mark Henry and Big Show have been given the chance to make something of themselves time and time again long after smaller men would have been given up on. More talented but smaller men like Daniel Bryan and CM Punk have had to patiently wait their turn for a crack at headlining.

Cabanarama

Despite not working for any wrestling promotion with a meaningful television deal Colt Cabana is known to a lot of wrestling fans. His notoriety can be explained by his stints in ROH and (as Scotty Goldman) WWE. In the former he gained a reputation for being a well-rounded performer, someone who could brawl, wrestle technically, do comedy or cut a promo with spirited proficiency. Fans appreciated him for his versatility as much as anything else. He was little more than enhancement talent in WWE but he brought something even to that lowly role.

Since parting ways with Ring of Honor in 2011 Cabana has maintained a high profile, thanks largely to his Art of Wrestling podcast. You've probably heard of it. If not I suggest listening to an episode. The general idea is that Colt speaks to fellow wrestlers about their personal lives, wrestling careers and feelings on the business. It provides a fascinating insight into wrestling and usually makes you appreciate wrestlers who appear in a new light.

The Summer Event

Over the last several years WWE has gotten into the habit of promoting a large-scale, "game-changing" storylines during the summer months, in a fashion not entirely dissimilar to comic book crossovers that hit the shelves annually. 2009 saw Donald Trump “buy” RAW from Vince for a week before selling it back at an inflated price. It achieved nothing and didn’t fit with the pattern that established itself over the following years of the Big Event being something that would change WWE’s creative direction in the long term. It was more of a learning curve, as was the exploding limo stunt of 2007.

2010 gave us the massively promising but ultimately disappointing Nexus invasion. The next year CM Punk cut that memorable worked shoot promo of his and rocketed up to the top of the card. They followed that last year by having him assault The Rock, turning him into a bad guy.