Showing posts with label WWE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WWE. Show all posts
Father James Mitchell is one of the greatest heel managers in my opinion. His diabolical persona along with his Satanist character rivals that of WWE's Paul Bearer and other heel managers. What makes James Mitchell so evil and a great heel?

He doesn't care about the pro-wrestlers he manages and Abyss is a fine example of that. James Mitchell will do whatever it takes to get ahead at the expense of others. He's sick enough to abuse his own son for profits. He could care less about the fans or other heels. He cares only about himself and that's what being a heel is all about. Few heel managers are as sadistic, manipulative, and as wicked as James Mitchell.

If you were inspired by James Mitchell and want to learn some knowledge on how to come up with a villainous character then Click Here!



When i hear fans ask me "are you a WWE fan?" or "are you a TNA fan?" It bothers me because i have never defined myself by any particular promotion. I have always loved pro-wrestling as a child regardless of the promotion.

While i have watched mostly WWE as a kid, i have also watched other promotions such as TNA, WCW, ECW, and ROH. I've never restricted myself to just one promotion or even style of wrestling.

I have always opened up to new ideas and wrestling visions. I believe that every promotion has something to offer with each passing generation. I have kept in mind that new promotions rise and fall which gives me comfort knowing that pro-wrestling as a whole continues to thrive.

A product mark is someone who overzealously watches and defends a major wrestling promotion while ignoring all others that exist. This is the kind of fan that i never want to be. It's sad that fans restrict themselves to one product when there's so many incredible ones out there. Pro-wrestling comes in all shapes and sizes. I can't help but appreciate them all.




Many fans know Raven for his career at ECW, WCW, and the WWF/WWE but i have heard few fans talk about his time in TNA from 2003 to around 2010. I've enjoyed almost all of his runs but if i had to pick at least one company where he excelled most at, it would have to be TNA for several reasons.


* His character developed - From his promos and backstage segments, his character became more ruthless than ever before. Before, he was depressed and focused more on his traumatic past. In TNA,there was a mix of emotions and qualities - anger, ambition, arrogance, ruthlessness, aggression, sorrow, and so on. He set his sights on becoming the NWA world heavyweight champion and ensured that no one would stand in his way. His gimmick also looked darker and he didn't always wear the same outfit as he did in ECW.




* He invented his own hardcore match types - Raven introduced the Hangman's horror match where you have to hang your opponent from the ropes with a chain around his or her neck until he or she passes out. The other is the Clockwork Orange House of Fun match where weapons hang from a chain link wall for wrestlers to use until one gets pinned in a falls count anywhere rule. They were brutal during his time at TNA and continued to be used in other promotions.


* Hardcore wrestling evolved - During his time at ECW, fans were allowed to participate by tossing in weapons which was innovative especially during Raven's feud with Tommy Dreamer and the Sandman. In TNA however, Raven participated in the most brutal, darkest, and bloodiest hardcore matches of different types. He also used his signature moves far more creatively than ever before such as the drop toehold with a chair.


* The NWA World Heavyweight Championship - While it's true that there is no comparing the ECW Championship to the NWA Championship because of different eras, i thought the "Destiny" storyline was far more interesting than it was in ECW. He had so many obstacles to overcome such as Jeff Jarrett, AJ Styles, Larry Zbyszko, Monty Brown, Vince Russo, the list goes on. The way TNA created the storyline made the title meaningful and worth more. Raven himself has also said that the NWA World Heavyweight title was personally worth more and more important in an interview by SLAM! Wrestling (1).


* TNA gave him the freedom to use ring psychology - Raven is a hardcore legend because he is a master of ring psychology. Sadly, he didn't get the chance to use it to it's fullest potential as he did in TNA. This is what he said in an interview with the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast:


Raven: "What ECW did was show clips so you didn't see the whole thing. You didn't get all the over the top or the too much or lack of psychology because you didn't see it. Even a lot of the mat wrestling in ECW had really piss-poor psychology but Paul E. hid it. In the WWE you see everything because Vince doesn't show clips, he shows full matches. With that being said a lot of guys were over doing it but they never pushed it either. How can anything get over if it's not pushed. No matter how well it's performed if it's not pushed it is not getting over." (2)



Neither WCW or WWF/WWE pushed Raven to a higher card no matter how well he performed. TNA was the only company aside from ECW in my eyes that pushed Raven to a higher card in main events as he used ring psychology.


* Raven engaged in many quality feuds at TNA - While no one can deny that the storyline feuds with Tommy Dreamer and the Sandman were very memorable, he had the chance to feud with both old school wrestlers and the newer generation of wrestlers. For the first time in history, Sabu and Raven wrestled each other at TNA whereas before the idea never came up. He also feuded with Jeff Jarrett, AJ Styles, DDP, Abyss, James Mitchell, the list goes on while keeping some ECW overtones.

* Raven expressed his sense of accomplishment in the company - In an interview with SLAM! Wrestling, Raven had this to say after he won the NWA title:



Raven: "I have been in this business so long I am jaded and cynical, and this is validation that the company has that kind of belief and faith in me...I think if I am not wearing the belt it needs to be on Jeff or AJ Styles. I don't think anyone has stepped up to the plate to be the kind of performer that will be in the main event picture. I think someday Monty Brown will. Just because you feel like you deserve something doesn't mean you will get it. I and a lot of people felt I was misused in WWF but that doesn’t negate the fact that I never proved that I was as good as I thought I was. This is a validation..."Honestly, I am probably happiest in TNA because I am happiest with me as a person. I have faced most of my demons, financially I am making more money then I ever was, I am happier as a person and my life is more together."

* Tag team stables - Raven formed his own tag team stables, the most notable one was "the Gathering" consisting of Julio Dinero and CM Punk.

Overall, Raven is a very underrated pro-wrestler but the only company that saw potential in him and pushed him as one of the top heels of their company was TNA.


1. http://www.theraveneffect.com/site/info/interviews/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1247009877&archive=&start_from=&ucat=10&


2. http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2016/0617/612751/raven-talks-about-psychology-in-hardcore-wrestling/
There's a confusion between pro-wrestling being a sport and sport's entertainment in this generation of fans that seems to changing the wrestling business at least in WWE for the worst. Learning the history of pro-wrestling and how it transitioned from a sport to sports entertainment will not only help fans understand where it came from but also potentially help companies understand how to succeed.

Pro-wrestling began in the post Civil War period in the late 1860's where wrestlers were trained in amateur wrestling to compete in carnivals. Gradually, pro-wrestling became entertainment orientated and drifted away from scientific based wrestling to keep the interest of fans. Because of the media's refusal to write on pro-wrestling's athleticism, three wrestlers - Ed Lewis, Billy Sandow, and Toots Mondt formed the Gold Dust Trio promotion to modify the product using flashy moves in an attempt along with tag team wrestling in an attempt to make pro-wrestling more interesting. They also introduced the concept of feuds and storylines by having pro-wrestlers in cards as opposed to having them travel around. 

After pro-wrestling became televised, Gorgeous George was the biggest star to use a charismatic and narcissistic character.
Since then, pro-wrestling has thrived on Kayfabe and entertainment. As a sport, it died off. 

What does this mean for pro-wrestling today? What does this teach us about pro-wrestling today? Everyone should know pro-wrestling is entertainment rather than a sport although there is athleticism involved. If pro-wrestling is to survive, it must adapt to each generation. It must continually reinvent itself and become far more entertaining than it was in earlier generations while refusing to abandon the foundations it was built on.



Ever since Roman Reigns began getting pushed as the top face of the WWE, many fans have been hating on him for various reasons. They include - he's a talentless wrestler, has no character, has no charisma, he's shoved down our throats, the list goes on.


I think Roman Reigns is getting hated by the fans because of those reasons. What the WWE and pro-wrestlers don't seem to understand is that fans are human. You can't realistically expect fans to just blindly cheer for a pro-wrestler who is forced down on them unless a relationship is built. You can never force anyone to love you. You must always give love to yourself first and foremost before you are ready to give it to the fans. 

The problem that i see with Roman Reigns is not just that he's being shoved down our throats, it's that his responses to boo chants makes fans hate him even more. The biggest reason of why Roman Reigns isn't over is because he doesn't understand the wrestling business. He may have training in wrestling but he doesn't understand how to utilize his skills to the fullest. He lashes out at his haters by saying "Sometimes, as a former football player, we have to go into that away game and silence the crowd... And just let them know I am the man. I'm going to be here for a long time" which is counter-productive to his career. He tries throwing up the sign of the cross before he wrestles, roaring loudly to get fan reactions with little to no effect. He doesn't understand ring psychology let alone story-telling. He's not investing himself in his overall gimmick when he comes to the ring which comes off as insincere to the fans. 

Recently, the WWE gave up on pushing Roman Reigns. While this might not make Roman Reigns the top star in the WWE, it's a start. 
I hear about several fans and how they long for Abyss being inducted into the "big leagues" namely the WWE. After he rejected their offer to book him against the Undertaker at Wrestlemania, we can clearly see why he doesn't belong in the WWE.

Abyss has been a die-hard loyal TNA worker since NWA/TNA. He has helped it TNA grow as a company and continues to do so despite all of it's shortcomings. Abyss is an underground pro-wrestler who is one of the icons of hardcore wrestling in TNA for the new generation of wrestling fans. WWE has nothing to offer him as far as his wrestling abilities and gimmick goes. They already have Kane as their monster and very technical wrestling matches for main events. The days of hardcore in the WWE are over. Pro-wrestlers like Mankind were only successful during the Attitude Era because hardcore wrestling at the time was popular in the WWF. In later eras, hardcore matches became more and more rare due to Vince McMahon's decision as many pro-wrestlers were getting injured.

For those reasons, Abyss would not survive in the WWE/WWF simply because he isn't cut out to trump out stars pushed for the big stage. Personally, i feel he is better off in TNA as he can continue to help the company grow to it's uttermost potential and that is much more rewarding than taking WWE's offer.

As i worryingly pondered about growing old as my youthfulness fades, i thought about pro-wrestling. From the crowds to the pro-wrestlers themselves and i noticed something very peculiar - they all love pro-wrestling regardless of their age. You would think that pro-wrestlers like Stone Cold whom after suffering a knee injury would settle down and quit pro-wrestling period but no. He's still going to WWE events and doing podcasts. Even the fans (some who are around 91 years old) still attend WWE shows. In fact, it seems he wants to wrestle in the ring despite doctor's orders. I've met someone in a nursing home who still regularly watches pro-wrestling. 

As long as you do what you love, age doesn't matter at all. Beauty fades eventually but it's your passions that keep you youthful and alive. 

Randy Orton is one of the best heels in the WWE because of his arrogant posture, treacherous attitude, and flat out cowardly cheap shots at his opponents. What made his heel run as "the Legend Killer" was his catch phrase, nickname, pose, and mindset. He took the light which is a symbol of hope and goodness then made it a perversion of vanity and self glorification. His "Burn in my Light" theme was a great representation of his egotistical mentality. Randy Orton plays his heel role outstandingly well because he makes you love to hate him. Your not supposed to love villains. Your supposed to hate them and Randy Orton is a heel that many people hate. He is extremely disrespectful to the greatest legends in pro-wrestling namely Eddie Guerrero after he passed away. He spit in the face of Mick Foley and others.

He tried to kill the Undertaker during their feud and did so many other terrible deeds. He got his father to step and help him in certain attacks.

Randy Orton is a snake and intelligently cheats his way into becoming champion. Most of all, he tried to cheat his way into ending the Undertaker's streak at Wrestlemania. Randy Orton is a great opportunist in the ring and willing to partake in hardcore matches against his opponents. This is what great heels do.

There will never be another heel like Randy Orton in the WWE. He played the villain role well and like no other.

From the reports i've heard, big companies such as WWE and TNA are removing their copyrighted material from the Internet in attempts to prevent copyright infringement and piracy. If they could file at least one lawsuit, they'd win a court case and cash as a recompensation for it.

I think this hurts their businesses and could be using Youtube for more profitable means rather than restrict content to viewers. This is my argument for why piracy is beneficial to the pro-wrestling business. 

From experience, i became a TNA fan when i freely watched copyrighted material through YouTube and later a fan of many pro-wrestling promotions. This however did not mean that i was not willing to pay for any pro-wrestling products as i ended up buying merchandise as i got older. Had it not been for piracy, i would not have been exposed to big promotions like TNA. 

Financially speaking, how does piracy end up helping pro-wrestling? Here are some pros and cons: 

* It can get pro-wrestling more exposure - Websites allowing free access to pro-wrestling content are more likely to generate a vast audience than if they didn't do it at all. This is because users rely on file-sharing through social media and torrent sites. If people can get freely watch PPV's through the internet, what's the point in having them? This brings me to my next point. 

* Pro-wrestling strengthens consumer relationships - If people enjoy PPV's and other main events, they are more likely to attend house shows (non-televised events). The advantages of house shows is that they are not aired on T.V, they cannot be found online so easily. From personal experience, i have found that promotions put fancam matches in their DVD's which could boost sales for diehard fans making collections. Fans are more likely to buy Merch, DVD's, T-shirts, action figures, and so forth. This is how according to Vince Russo, TNA initially gained fame by doing house shows and selling their products at each one. To gain the people's favor, you must gain their trust.

According to a study done by the Swiss government (link posted below), it was found that the entertainment business overall wasn't losing money from pirating. Plus, people who illegally download products end up spending more money on them than those who legally purchased them. If only Vince McMahon would realize this, he could possibly allowing YouTube users upload WWE content on the condition that they'd advertise his products. Piracy would ultimately help his company flourish than diminish it.

http://disinfo.com/2011/12/swiss-government-study-online-piracy-benefits-artists/
New Jack is notorious for his violent and often dangerous style of hardcore wrestling. He has been known as a former bounty hunter and convicted of several crimes. While i don't agree with everything he does, i do consider him a hardcore legend for the following reasons:

* He represented pro-wrestling - New Jack was trained by no one. Wrestling promotions hired him because he was a violent entertainer and this is what pro-wrestling is about. Go read about Sports Entertainment and you'll find that WWE was established as Sports Entertainment, not an athletic competitive sport. Pro-wrestling is not about winning or losing, but about entertaining fans with violence. Pro-wrestling is about drama, not reality t.v. New Jack accurately reflects the foundation of the Pro-wrestling business. He doesn't have wrestling skills and he doesn't care. He knows how to get paid and that's why promotions hire him.

* He's hardcore - With the introduction of the staple gun, he was known for making pro-wrestling more violent than it was before. He's did elbow drops 40 feet off a balcony, hit people in the privates with trash cans, lamps, knives, and many other dangerous weapons. He's suffered many scars in the ring. New Jack isn't afraid of anyone, not even the Undertaker.

* He's real 24/7 - Many pro-wrestlers use Kayfabe then go back to being themselves when they come home, New Jack doesn't. The person you see in the ring is New Jack all the time. He gives intense promos full of killer threats. New Jack is self-centered, natural, and violent which is what makes him blend in so easily into the roster while keeping his uniqueness.

* He's honest - New Jack is very open about speaking the Truth about the pro-wrestling industry at the expense of the business. This is why he's not a fan favorite of many fans and promotions. If just one promotion would listen to his advice on how matches ought to be run, they'd be just a little bit more successful in that respect.

While TNA accepted him, WWE and other big promotions rejected him because of these reasons. Nevertheless, New Jack deserves a spot distinguishing him from other hardcore wrestlers.

While this may never be possible now that the Undertaker has retired, these are some of my biggest fantasy matches in which if i were a booker - i would plan them immediately. It's unfortunate that WWE could not plan these official matches. I thought some of the Undertaker's matches were unnecessary like a second Kane match or a second Triple H. If the Undertaker still had his undefeated streak, this is how i would've written his legendary match cards.





The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle - If i were a storyline writer, i'd have Kurt Angle taunt the Undertaker, flaunt his win at No Way Out, put him through the ankle lock again, then finally take his Athleticism to the next level - end the Undertaker's undefeated streak. Both are very competitive fighters as Kurt Angle has experience in legit amateur wrestling while the Undertaker is experienced in MMA. Both have devastating submission holds but which one would dominate the ring - the Ankle Lock or Hell's Gate?




The Undertaker vs. John Cena - Both have legendary careers. John Cena has had more titles than the Undertaker and equally devastating moves. John Cena has enormous strength and great story-telling abilities. He's been in several main events like the Undertaker has. They only wrestled a couple of times ending usually in a no-contest. I would've written an ambitious rivalry between the two for a shot for a WWE title at Wrestlemania. Perhaps making an "I quit" match would be more suitable.

The Undertaker vs. Stone Cold - This would've made a huge main event during the Attitude Era since Stone Cold and Vince McMahon were feuding at the time. If Vince unfairly booked Stone Cold to face the Undertaker in a streak vs. career match, it would've gained so much potential. Both are brutal in their approaches to wrestling in the ring. Stone Cold is a brutal legendary brawler when it comes to a detested opponent. He would be the ideal candidate for the Undertaker seeing how their championship matches went.




The Undertaker vs. Goldberg - From the matches i've seen from Goldberg, he's a devastating wrestler in the ring. His finisher is ridiculously painful from the looks of it. Goldberg is a dominant athlete and an aggressor. Goldberg is very strategic in his approach like the Undertaker.







The Undertaker vs. Sting - Rather than feud with the Authority, i'd have Sting feud with the Undertaker for a match at Wrestlemania. To make things more interesting, i'd book it at Hell in a Cell match. Both are similar in stature, signature moves, submission holds, appearance, and legacies. After all, both men probably wanted to have a match together before Wrestlemania 32.



I'll reiterate, t's a shame that these matches never occurred for whatever reason. Nevertheless it's nice to dream about what could've been differently.



































Most WWE fans may not know or care about ex-superstar Heidenreich. While i thought his signature moves weren't at all impressive, i thought he was brutal as a heel.

What made him a potentially great character was the time when he was introduced by Paul Heyman to the WWE on Smackdown. He starts by intimidating an official and then flat out attacks him! I was surprised because rather than tombstone him like the Undertaker would or simply chokeslam him through a table, he continues to attack him for what? The word "hype"?








Remember the time when Heidenreich attacked several fans after they refused to allow him to read his poem? Had we not known Kayfabe is scripted, we would've probably filed charges against WWE for letting something like this happen. Whether we know Kayfabe is scripted or not, this still shocked me because of how believable Heidenreich made it out to be.

This is what an old school original heel is - a bully who intimidates others including fans and Heidenreich does it very well.






Or how about the time when Heidenreich kidnapped Michael Cole then raped him? What i loved about hearing Heidenreich's poem is that it sums up a philosophical and scientific dilemma of what causes people to do evil. What torment caused Heidenreich to be evil? We don't know. Heidenreich is simply hellbent on making others pay. Heidenreich is someone who does what he wants and what he wants is power over others. He's intimidated by no one, not even the likes of the Undertaker.




It's a shame that WWE couldn't take the opportunity to push Heidenreich a push due to him leaving the company and other issues. Nevertheless, Heidenreich was a heel who ought to deserve more respect.


Vampiro is notoriously known for his feud with Sting at WCW but other than that, he wasn't given much of a push for stardom. In fact, he stated he was mistreated in WCW. He also tried applying for WWE but was turned down.









Before his career, he worked setting up rings and training with wrestlers. He was trained by Abdullah the Butcher and at age 16, became a pro-wrestler. The inspiration behind his character was based on the character "Dracula" who was misunderstood by all and alternative music.

He began his early career as a jobber at CMLL but the promotion didn't take him seriously due to his look. Surprisingly, he became popular among fans despite his limited moves. He soon participated in hair vs. hair matches.

Realizing his popularity would not last long unless his ring performance improved, he combined his martial arts with Lucha Libre style wrestling.

At WCW, he was known for his memorable feud with Sting, the Great Muta, Konnan, the Demon, and Eddie Guerrero. Due to WCW going out of business, Vampiro returned to CMLL then traveled to many other promotions worldwide.

Why did Vampiro need a major push in american promotions like WCW and WWE? Because of his ring performance, mic skills, unique appearance, and charisma. He has excellent balance and his maneuvers are impressive. Vampiro may have looked skinny but he was just as strong as any other wrestler like Hulk Hogan. He also had unpredictability and played mind games like Sting.

More importantly, he participated in many hardcore matches namely in AAA. He was one of the few pro-wrestlers willing to take pro-wrestling to the extreme. He had his back hit with fluorescent lamps and was legitimately set on fire.

Most recently, he's been successful in a new wrestling promotion: Lucha Underground when he was booked to face Pentagon Jr. in place of another wrestler who backed out. He also serves as a color commentator for both the English and Spanish airings of Lucha Underground.

Vampiro could have been a major legend in mainstream american promotions like WWE and TNA if they booked him properly. In my opinion, he wasn't pushed because of his "scrawny" and unprofessional appearance compared to other "professional" wrestlers. For whatever the reason was, we cannot deny his uniqueness as a talented pro-wrestler. Despite the opportunities lost, my hope is that new ones will arise during his time in Lucha Underground.
Although the Undertaker is one of the most dominant and legendary pro-wrestlers in the WWF/WWE history, he has met his match against formidable opponents. Here are some of his best feuds in my opinion.

The Undertaker and Mankind: 

As the Undertaker rose to popularity, Mankind viciously attacked him during his Casket match with Goldust. At King of the Ring 1996, Mankind beat the Undertaker and later cost him a match against Goldust. The reason? Mankind wanted to dominate the Undertaker. At Summerslam, Paul Bearer turned on the Undertaker and sided with Mankind. This led to a Buried Alive Match which Mankind won. However the Undertaker rose again, refusing to stay dead. At Survivor series, Mankind tired burning the Undertaker alive. Ultimately, the Undertaker faced Mankind at Hell in a Cell (voted as one of the most memorable matches in WWF history.) This feud was one of the best as it showed not everyone feared the Undertaker. Mankind was unaffected by the Undertaker's mind games and brutality because he himself was brutal as well as deranged. In addition, it gave Mankind a push.


The Undertake and Kane: 

As children, The Undertaker burned his house and killed his family by accident. Little did he know that his brother Kane survived though completely traumatized and locked in a mental institution. Kane vowed revenge by ruining his brother's career. Kane attacked the Undertaker and surprisingly, Paul Bearer betrayed the Undertaker yet again to side with Kane. The Undertaker swore he would never fight his own flesh and blood. Kane repeatedly kept pushing his brother to a brink's end by costing his match with Shawn Michaels and others. For the first and maybe the last time, we see the Undertaker's emotional weaknesses. Paul Bearer made the Undertaker feel guilty for creating the Big Red Machine, Kane. For a while, it would seem as if the Undertaker succumbs to guilt and despair until he sees that he didn't create Kane. Kane buried him alive but the Undertaker supernaturally rises up again. He confesses that some promises must be broken before his parent's grave. He swears that if he is guilty, his punishment would be hellfire. After that, the Undertaker becomes refined and more powerful than before. No longer haunted by the past, he promises fury and vengeance to be struck down on Kane as both wage a supernatural battle of mind games. The feud between the Undertaker and Kane ended at Wrestlemania 14..until it was reopened in later years.

What made this feud so great aside from classic matches was that the brothers of destruction will never be fully reconciled. The Undertaker and Kane may partner up to face their adversaries but they could utterly destroy each other at any given moment. They are two of the most dominant wrestlers in the WWF/WWE but in their minds, there is only room for one.

The Undertaker and the Great Khali:

The Undertaker's match was interrupted by the first arrival of the Great Khali who demolished the Undertaker, leaving him gasping for air. The Undertaker retaliated by facing the Great Khali at Judgement day with no success in winning. It ended with the two facing at "Last Man Standing." The feud was great because it was one of the rare times when someone bigger than the Undertaker ran a terrifying reign over Smackdown and put up a challenge for him.




The Undertaker and Kurt Angle: 

Though a short feud, the Undertaker (Deadman) and Kurt Angle put an intense couple of matches. It began when Kurt Angle successfully defended the title against Mark Henry at a Royal Rumble before the Undertaker returned. Since then, the Undertaker played mind games on him before they ultimately faced each other at "No Way Out." What made this feud so great? Both are very competitive and professional athletes with epic careers. Kurt Angle is an Olympic Gold Medalist and an amateur wrestler before transitioning to pro-wrestling. The Undertaker is an MMA fighter with an undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. The two clashed like no other athlete in the WWF/WWE.





The Undertaner and Batista: 

This intense feud began when Batista betrayed his partner the Undertaker in a tag team match. After the Undertaker beat Shawn Michaels at a Royal Rumble to win a chance to win the World Heavyweight Championship. The Undertaker looked at Batista, John Cena, and Bobby Lashley but ultimately picked Batista out of a personal vendetta. The two engaged in a series of dangerous and epic matches most notably at Backlash, Hell in a Cell, TLC, and Wrestlemania.


These unforgettable feuds will forever be a testament to the Undertaker's grand legacy. They also helped give each of these wrestlers a push in their careers as well. Each of these epic clashes demonstrated just how powerful the Undertaker really is in the face of adversity.

The Phenom, the Undertaker vs. The Icon Sting at Wrestlemania 32 is a highly anticipated match though not as wanted as others. Both are on the verge of retirement and i deeply wish that WWE would book these two to come face to face in the ring. Here is my analysis behind this fantasy match: 

* Both have similar wrestling styles: 

Both are known for fighting off multiple foes, for their high flying moves, submission holds, high stamina, in-ring psychology, and speed. Both are also unpredictable when it comes to fierce competition.

* Both have wrestled in classic matches: 

The Undertaker faced the most popular wrestlers such as Kurt Angle, John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Mankind, Kane, the Rock, Stone Cold, British Bulldog, Psycho Sid, and his greatest Wrestlemania matches against Shawn Michaels followed by Triple H. Sting has also made very memorable matches against Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Jeff Jarrett, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, DDP, and so on. The Undertaker and Sting have wrestled at main events countless times.

* Both have phenomenal in-ring psychology: 

The Undertaker is known for glaring at his opponents with cold and emotionless eyes, showing no pain in his face. He never backs down from any of his foes in the ring. Sting fights in a similar fashion only that he roars into his opponent's faces and beats his chest to show his dominance when fired up. Sting and the Undertaker intimidate their opponents well.

I will now discuss the differences in their careers in which they directly rival:

* Both are masters of mind games - Sting's mind games are focused on confusing his foes with bizarre tactics. The Undertaker's mind games are very theatrically impressive and often frightening as well as bewildering. The only difference is that Sting relies less on visual effects and more on his tampering of the psyche.

* Sting has won more titles - The Undertaker is an 8-time world champion (4-time WWF championship title, once a USWA United World Heavyweight Champion, and 3-time World Heavy Champion). Sting has won 25 championships holding the NWA World T.V title, NWA Heavyweight title, WCW International World Heavyweight title, WCW USA Heavyweight title, WCW World Heavyweight title, World Tag Team title, and others.

* The Scorpion deathlock could devastate the Undertaker - The Undertaker has tapped out before due to Bret Hart's Sharpshooter thus he has to protect his legs at all costs. If Sting can wear down the Undertaker if not make him tap, he has a slight advantage over the Undertaker. However, Hell's Gate may put Sting to rest once locked in.

* The Undertaker is stronger, but Sting is faster - There's no denying that the Undertaker is superior to Sting in terms of size and strength. However Sting despite being tall moves quicker than the Undertaker. Speed is a great equalizer to supreme power.

* Would Vince book Sting to win? - If Sting is willing to work with the WWE after he recovers from his injury. It seems that Sting still has much potential in the WWE world and doesn't intend on retiring just yet. Judging from a friendly interaction Sting and the Undertaker had off the record, it would seem the Undertaker may be willing to give Sting a push.

This match should absolutely happen and i truly hope WWE doesn't give up on the idea. Both are formidable opponents who would provide an epic challenge to each other. If it were to happen, it would bring back old WWE fans thus boosting ratings. It also has the potential under the right circumstances to be the most memorable match in Sting's career and a fitting end to the Undertaker's.  
With WWE being a major long-standing promotion, it would seem to put smaller promotions like TNA out of business. I beg to differ. TNA though being a small company with a small audience is still a solid promotion. TNA is one of the most entertaining and prestigious promotions in american pro-wrestling. Why should you watch TNA? I'll give you several reasons.






The roster - TNA has developed their own unique and new generation of pro-wrestlers. Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Sting, Raven, Sabu, Rhino, Abyss, and Monty Brown just to name a few. WWF/WWE has the greatest living legends of all time no doubt however there's no guarantee they'll make it to the next generation.






TNA officials - TNA has some notable officials within their company's management team.


Mike Tenay - He started one of the country's first wrestling newsletters, Matt News. He's interviewed pro-wrestlers, wrote for wrestling magazines, and other programs. He's won an award for being the best television announcer and has the nickname "professor Vegas" for his vast knowledge of the pro-wrestling business.












Don West - He has majored in Sports Broadcasting when he attended Purdue University. He is known for his loud and energetic commentaries during matches.

















With Mike Tenay's expert analysis combined with Don West's energy, both make any TNA match exciting to watch.

TNA's unique look - TNA's 6-sided ring is what made TNA stand out from other wrestling promotion that use a 4-sided ring. There are many different angles to view the action from and many turnbuckles for wrestlers to use. TNA's appearance is partially why it's been successful.








Let's not forget TNA's tunnel entrance. It serves a multi-purpose, as a way to enter the IMPACT zone but also a battleground.








TNA's women division - TNA is one of the few promotions with a highly developed women's division. WWE calls their women "divas" and in later years reserved them for eye candy with restricted match time. TNA took their women wrestlers seriously since day one and have put them at equal standing with the men. The women participate in title, main event, and hardcore matches as much as the men do.

TNA'S creative storylines - TNA has almost always delivered interesting storylines, entertaining promos, intense feuds, and booked highly anticipated matches. TNA has never ceased to put up a grand performance.

Fan interaction - TNA is one of the few promotions with strong wrestler-crowd interactions. TNA strives to create an environment where fans are apart of the action. Almost all of the time, you see wrestlers fighting through the crowd. TNA builds a solid relationship with fans which is essential to the company's success.

Non-stop action - TNA wastes no time in petty drama, beer drinking contests, and other things that WWE does on the side. This is why the promotion is called Total Non-stop Action! Almost every minute of the show is devoted to wrestling.

Prestigious title belts -  TNA has held a partnership with NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) in the creation of championship titles. They are memorable due to it's design but also to the matches.

Main events - TNA has a variety of creativity in matches. Promotions like WWE usually have wrestlers deliver chair shots and crash through tables but they keep it professional for the most part. TNA puts more weapons to use in addition to other outrageous stunts in their main events.

Although TNA is not as successful as it was originally, it has not failed as a brand. For these reasons and more, you should tune in every Thursday for TNA impact wrestling.
Pro-wrestling is unlike any other sport because it can be appreciated by those with an understanding of kayfabe. If you want to appreciate and learn more about a wrestler, you should study their matches. Yes, matches can be studied. By making certain observations, you can determine whether or not a pro-wrestler is "good" in your eyes.

A pro-wrestler's salary is determined by how well he or she is able to entertain the audience. The more popularity a wrestler has, the more a particular promotions will book him or her to win matches for the best interests of the business (WWE, TNA, ECW, etc.) How much control do pro-wrestlers have? They decide which moves they want to use and how. They also decide how they want to work with their opponents during matches. They decide how the matches are to be ended being the loser or the winner. This way, we can still critique their wrestling skills based on how entertaining they are:

 

1. The first set of observations you want to make is the entrances. How is your favorite wrestler's mood being expressed? Confident? Arrogant? Energetic? Aggressive?

2. How is the pace of the match? Fast? Slow? A combination of both? What types of attacks are both wrestlers doing? Punches? Kicks? Signature moves? Submission holds?

3. How strong is your favorite pro-wrestler? How agile is him or her? What signature moves does he or she perform? What moves has he or she invented and/or made popular? How well is he or she able to time attacks and counters? How well is your favorite pro-wrestler to make wrestling look realistic?

4. Take some time to read about the match in the news. Did the pro-wrestler make any mistakes during the match? If so, what were they? How effective are their finishers and submission holds?

As you watch a match, take notes until you've compiled enough information to review it all. From then on, you'll be able to discuss what you liked and disliked about a match.
The match between the Undertaker and Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania was the most shocking match in the WWE universe. When Brock Lesnar broke the Undertaker's undefeated streak, it was perhaps the biggest upset among WWE fans. The crowd was left speechless and disbelief. It has been lingering in some of the fans minds including my own: "Was this pre-determined or was this an accident?"

Vince McMahon stated that it was his decision to book the Undertaker to lose against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania. This was due to a lack of potential candidates available for a main event. It's rumored that the Undertaker himself agreed for Brock Lesnar to end his undefeated streak. Others say that it was Brock Lesnar himself who changed the script. What is the verdict? Who should've been the one to defeat the Undertaker at Wrestlemania? Was Brock Lesnar the right choice for the Undertaker? Why or why not?


I used to believe that Brock Lesnar was a terrible candidate for the job as he seemed no where near the Phenom's level. The Undertaker deserved to face someone who was at the top of a major wrestling promotion. Nevertheless, i have come to realize that Brock Lesnar was the ideal wrestler to break the Undertaker's undefeated streak. In recent matches, i've watched the Undertaker grow old and sluggish. He began making more mistakes and became easily exhausted. During his match with Triple H at Wrestlemania, he suffered a concussion and injuries to his lower back. According to the storyline, he suffered humiliation despite gaining a victory. I would imagine that the Undertaker reflected on his age and retiring long before Brock Lesnar. If he made a huge mistake losing against a superstar that most fans despise at Wrestlemania, there would be a huge uproar. His entire career would end in disaster and his streak being broken by the most unfavorable superstar would cause such a great disappointment. The Undertaker could not let all of his fans down which is why he chose to take action. What set Brock Lesnar apart from the other superstars? He wasn't boastful. He was humble and didn't act as if he was better than the Undertaker like others. He didn't do any promos emphasizing the ending of the Undertaker's streak. Brock Lesnar faced the Undertaker as any other competitor.


Both the Undertaker and Brock Lesnar are MMA fighters. Both are aggressive, ruthless, and dominant in the ring. Brock Lesnar has defeated the Undertaker before under his American Big Evil gimmick and badly. Brock Lesnar is the beast incarnate and for good reasons. Both had an epic clash at Wrestlemania and when the Undertaker performed Hell's Gate on Brock Lesnar - He performed one of the most amazing counters. Brock Lesnar rather than tap out, picked up the Undertaker and slammed him against the canvas. Hell's Gate became the Undertaker's destructive finisher next to tombstone piledriver and favored in later years. Most wrestlers who faced the Undertaker would pass out, tap out, or go for the ropes. Brock Lesnar was demolishing the Undertaker already delivering three F-5's in a row.

By the time Brock Lesnar finally pinned the Undertaker, the referee counted "1! 2! 3!" and it was over. Paul Heyman was so shocked along with everyone in the room. Brock Lesnar had beaten the Undertaker and barely broke a sweat in doing so. Some booed the Undertaker but most fans nevertheless cheered him on as he exited the ring.

Brock Lesnar has caused many injuries in MMA and pro-wrestling alike. He has shown to be a ferocious opponent time and time again. Brock Lesnar is a 5-time world champion and one of the best paid athletes in history. It's finally time for the Undertaker to push a new pro-wrestler unlike pro-wrestlers such as CM Punk and John Cena. Brock Lesnar was the best candidate for the job being a pro-wrestler who reflects the new face of a revolutionary era in WWE and UFC entertainment.
I am a huge fan of WWE and it's energetic, action-packed, and thrilling matches that it advertises through it's promos. While the promos are intense and often entertaining, they have one problem - they're repetitive. WWE has simply rehashed previous incidents and merged them into one clip. WWE has failed to create innovative and promos with their own uniqueness. This has always been a problem despite WWE's greatest success.


Other promotions have managed to create better promos with their own independence. Take a look at TNA's promo on a match between Raven and Jeff Jarrett at Clockwork Orange House of Fun:


Notice that it had it's own independent setting as Raven was on the mic. Shortly after, he is attacked by Jeff Jarrett. It's all in one promo. No clips are being reused. No attempts to enhance visuals or audio like WWE does in their promos. It's simple and straight-forward.

Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that WWE sucks at making promos. My only wish is that they would find ways to build up an intense anticipation for their matches. Writing exciting and highly anticipating promos take great craftsmanship. WWE has nearly mastered this by creating interesting feuds and merging history. Now all that is left is for them to bring it all together and creating something fresh for a match.
I hear alot of WWE fans say that John Cena is overrated, choking out new talent using corny gimmicks for children and that's more than enough reason to hate him. While this is true for him in modern WWE, it was not always so.

John Cena was a jobber in his early career once upon a time. He didn't intend on being famous. He only wrestled to push other wrestlers. It was only when the fans took an interest in him that WWE made the decision to push him. Because of this, John Cena was born and he won match after match, title after title, etc. Originally, he was geared to older audiences when he adopted the vulgar rap battle and later the soldier gimmick.

Now does he deserve all of the fame and championships? Yes. John Cena is main event material because he's a great entertainer in the ring and on the mic. He has an array of simple but powerfully devastating moves such as the FU and the submission STFU. He knows how to build up fierce emotional anticipation especially when he wrestled with the Undertaker in 2006. He was agile, aggressive, and about the same level of competition as the Undertaker. He knows how to build momentum when wrestling. He's also humorous in his promos. What the Undertaker and John Cena have in common is that both have faced popular superstars which contributed to the success of their careers.

His golden age began in the ruthless aggression era as he was somewhat equally balanced compared to other popular superstars. Do i believe he's hugely overrated now? Yes. The arrival of the PG era has pushed him unnecessarily and made him appeal to family friendly audiences. WWE simply pushed him to the point where he became the backbone. I would not blame John Cena, i would blame the PG era and WWE's putting him on the spotlight far too often.
 

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