Wrestling Rumblings #107
January 21, 2011
By: Jose Marrero of Wrestleview.com
One of the coolest things about doing this kind of work is that you get to interact and answer a lot of email. Sure you don’t always get the smartest or the politest of emails but for the most part I get a ton of respectful email on a wide variety of topics. For the past few weeks while I have been dedicated to doing year end awards I have received email on a bunch of topics and although I do my best to answer each and every email it has occurred to me that some of these topics are best addressed here. So here it is mailbag time…You’re reading “Wrestling Rumblings.”
Thoughts on CM Punk as the leader of Nexus as well as Wade Barrett’s new Corre faction.
To tell you the truth I think it is too soon to really rush to judgment either way on both groups. My initial feeling towards the CM Punk Nexus is that I really don’t like it. Don’t get me wrong, I am a big CM Punk fan and for a time was intrigued by the Nexus storyline but I’m not sure I like the combination. I was a big advocate of the Nexus being a group for just new wrestlers and well having them as flunkies for CM Punk was really not what I had in mind. It’s still young and could still go somewhere and if it ended with CM Punk possibly winning the Royal Rumble and main eventing Wrestlemania maybe I won’t have that much of a problem with it but I really think it’s gearing towards a Nexus vs. Corre feud. Speaking of Corre, I always thought from day one that the best way to help get the Nexus angle over was to get the Nexus to invade Smackdown. I think I would’ve liked this Wade Barrett faction more if it was in fact still a part of the Nexus and not just a bunch of Nexus castoffs and Ezekiel Jackson. Wade Barrett has been so badly mishandled that at this point he feels like a second tier bad guy which makes the Corre a second tier faction and I don’t know how this helps anyone.
Thoughts on Matt Hardy in TNA.
Ever since I started “Wrestling Rumblings” Matt Hardy has been the closest thing to a personal punching bag in this column. I’ll be honest with you all; once upon a time I was a Matt Hardy fan as I felt the guy was a good worker who wasn’t getting his due. That was great until he took to becoming the biggest whiner on the internet. Whether it was him losing his girlfriend, his job, wanting to quit or just plain throwing a tantrum over the fact that he is no longer the darling of the internet. I find it really sad to see how low he has sunk. I think when at his best Matt Hardy is a talent and has a mind for the business that could have taken him past his wrestling days. Right now? I’m not sure and to be honest as much as I have ripped the guy over the years am somewhat scared for his health and safety. I can say whatever I want about the guy as a performer but as a person I really don’t know him beyond anything I see and read publicly and well I don’t wish him any harm. If he does in fact have other issues (he didn’t exactly look coherent in some of his videos) I hope he gets them taken care of. While he hasn’t exactly had a stellar beginning in TNA I hope that he can make a believer out of me. I doubt that he will but rather than be negative I am going to try to be optimistic for once with Matt Hardy. He has had so many excuses for so long and well now he is in the company he wants to be in so there are no more excuses. Good luck Matt, you’re going to need it.
Thoughts on the WWE Hall of Fame.
I have to say that while I am looking forward to the induction of Shawn Micheals I just felt it was too soon. I understand WWE using the Hall of Fame specifically to sell tickets but I wish it was more structured and fans had time to get used to the idea of some guys being retired before we inducted them. Still it is what it is and I have to once again say having seen Shawn’s last match live and in person, it will be a pleasure to be there live and in person to see him inducted in the Hall of Fame. As for the rest of the Hall of Fame I have heard the usual names of The Freebirds, Arn Anderson, The Road Warriors and Ron Simmons. All of these names are good and worthy of induction but none of them are exactly setting my world on fire either, plus I have heard rumors that Bob Barker may be getting inducted as well. It definitely looks as if it is a one man show but I can’t think of a Hall of Fame speech more anticipated than Shawn Micheals. One thing that no one has stressed is who is doing the induction? Everyone immediately assumes HHH but I remember an interview Shawn did years ago saying how he would love for Bret Hart to induct him and well with things being better between them I think that would be an awesome idea for Bret Hart to induct him into the Hall of Fame. Provided you don’t time either of their speeches that would be one of the most memorable inductions ever.
Thoughts on Lucha Libre USA signing talent.
Anytime a group comes up and signs talent it’s a good thing for wrestling but I just don’t see Lucha Libre USA as something that is long term to be honest I am very surprised that it is in fact coming back for season 2 but I’m pretty sure that this will be it as I don’t see ratings for Lucha Libre USA being any higher than they were for season 1 and if that is the case I can see MTV pulling the plug on this project. I hope I am wrong and Lucha Libre USA can show improvement from season 1 and give wrestling fans a product worth watching and continue to step up and sign talent and be competive with other promotions.
Thoughts on ROH’s future.
It’s really sad that just when it seems as if more and more fans are catching onto Ring of Honor the HD Net show doesn’t get renewed when it’s contract is up in April. I think creatively the ROH product has improved leaps and bounds from where it was a few years ago and the HD Net show has helped them in large part slow things down. Without it I am not sure where it puts anything else. Sure the IPPV’s have done well but I wonder how strong those IPPV sales will be without any kind of TV to properly build them? I think that the best thing for ROH to do is look for another outlet but doing so is easier said than done. Most outlets are not exactly enthusiastic about wrestling shows and a still unknown promotion like ROH is a hard sell. I still think an outlet like Versus or even MTV if they want wrestling on their networks that is not going to cost them an arm and a leg like I am sure Lucha Libre USA is would be more than a good fit. Without TV I am not sure what the future holds for ROH. I have always been of the belief that you can only take steps forward in wrestling and steps backward are a sign of weakness and ultimately lead to doom. In saying that though I thought it was a big mistake for ROH to promote regular PPV’s and the TV show and both of those have been met with some level of success so maybe I am mistaken in that belief and ROH can go back to resuming its old model and not lose any momentum.
OK on that note I am going to wrap this column up but not before I give you guys something to do. This Saturday is WSU’s The Final Chapter show which will be shown on iPPV on Gofightlive.tv. Although I failed to attend the first IPPV I was told that it was a very successful show on gofightlive and although the second iPPV was supposed to be a taped show it will in fact be a live show that will be streamed this Saturday from the ACE arena in New Jersey. Although things are still up in the air for me at the moment I am planning on attending and reporting the show as well as reviewing WSU DVD releases in the future but if you are in the Tri State area and want to see a solid women’s wrestling show check it out. If you are not in the area it is being streamed live for only 10 bucks.
Of course if you want to email me about anything you can do so at wrestlingrumblings@hotmail.com and well that’s it. Next time I will try to do better, and until then, I am out.