Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Royal Rumblings: The Jumpstart Towards Wrestlemania

Now that we are in 2013, specifically January, it's a revival of sorts. People begin to conquer their resolutions and try to be better than they were last year. Well....until they give up and realize last year wasn't so bad, and that it was the same person they were two or three years ago. January also marks a revival for  World Wrestling Entertainment ( aka WWE) and their "Road to Wrestlemania", jumpstarted with this month's  pay-per-view Royal Rumble.

"Oh great, Sean. Wrestling....really? You are going to write about wrestling?"

First of all, yes- yes I am. Secondly, we live in a different time. This is no sideshow anymore. The WWE is a publicly traded business. It is a corporation which involves live entertainment, rakes in millions upon millions of dollars a year and has tie in campaigns with various charities/organizations (Make A Wish, Susan G. Komen, B. A. Star - an anti bullying campaign).

Wrestlemania is WWE's over-the-top culmination of the calendar year's storylines displayed on the national stage for  a mainstream audience. The super show is ingrained in the figurative fabric of Americana such as the Super Bowl, big S.U.V.'s,  baseball games, etc. Big time venues which put the show on a grander scale have become prevalent since the days of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III in Detroit. That year they managed to seat 93,000 fans. People from all over the world come to see the "grandest show of them all" as billed by WWE chairman Vince McMahon.  It's the one time of year your friends who used to watch wrestling and are now too cool for it come back, if for one night only, to try and relive the good ol' days. They'll pepper you with questions to get them brought up to speed and to help sort out the "Spandex Jungle", also known as the WWE. Mainstream media outlets pick up on the happenings, whether celebrities (such as athletes, musicians or actors) get involved.

'Mania is commonly known as  "The SuperBowl of Wrestling" such as when you compare someone's expertise in their respective field to that of Michael Jordan's in basketball - and with great cause too. Wrestlemania can consistently garner well over one million world wide buys on pay-per-view, as well as generate millions of dollars for the host city's economy, as evidenced below:

Wrestlemania 28 (Miami, April 2012) - 102.7 million dollars
Wrestlemania 27 (Atlanta, April 2011) - 62.1 million dollars
Wrestlemania 26 (Phoenix, April 2010) - 45.1 million dollars

That's a sixty percent jump from 2010 to 2011, and a forty percent jump on top of that the following year. This isn't your grandpa's wrestling at the local armory.  There's a reason the location is announced well over a year ahead of time, and is similar on a small scale to how countries bid to host the Olympics.

Now you can see why they begin to prepare for it months out in order to have more time to build up storylines and increase the stakes which hopefully leads to bigger profits for the company after the dust is settled. This is where  we are now.

Currently there are two world titles, one held by C.M Punk (the WWE Champion) and the other held by Spanish-born wrestler Alberto Del Rio (the World Heavyweight Champion).

The often controversial Punk has broken all sorts of records, holding his title for an impressive four hundred-plus day title reign, almost unheard of in this day and age. Last summer during the company's 1000th edition of their flagship show, Monday Night RAW, Punk came out and did the only thing he could at the time to be perceived as bad, or "heelish"- he blindsided long time fan favorite The Rock (also known  as Dwayne Johnson- the prodigal son of the WWE Universe, returned from Hollywood- if only for an occasional cameo or match). Now that he has The Rock's attention, the two are on a collision course at the Rumble, with the WWE Title on the line. Punk has made  quips here and there  about Rock's actual devotion to wrestling, questioning if the spotlight should be placed on him after so many years away from the ring. He makes a valid point.

Sources have been saying that the company is looking to set up a rematch from last year's 'Mania which pitted the Rock against John Cena. Except this time it would include the title on the line. This means two things: The Rock would have to beat Punk at Rumble, and Cena would almost have  to win the thirty man over-the-top Rumble to have the guaranteed shot against Rock. This is a match to my knowledge which no one was really clamoring for. But the WWE sees dollar signs, and if that's the match Vince wants, Vince gets it.

This would almost assuredly bounce Punk from defending his title on the national stage -a title which he worked so hard to get- on the road for months at a time, wrestling through injury after injury, surgery after surgery. Most of you feel that you bust your butt at work, and do not get the desired appreciation for it. As Rodney Dangerfield once made famous the line, " I can't get no respect." To have Rock come in and end the historic reign of Punk's just  like *that* would be like showing up to work each day, being the best at your job until your boss feels the blonde with nice cleavage can make the company more money, and reducing your role with them.

In my opinion, the WWE has settled for rehash after rehash of matches that might have been good, even great and made lots of money. That is their right to keep booking them this way, but is also very narrow minded. Progression is what helps make money and build stars- not the form of regression where they seek the immediate gratification, making money hand-over-fist in the short term while not building any new stars for the long term.

This year, the match a lot of fans would be dying to see would be the legendary Undertaker (around since 1990) and his 21-0 record at 'Mania versus Punk's long title reign. That way there is something on the line for both parties. 'Taker does not even need to win the Rumble. He is such a big star he can walk in and simply request it, but unlike Rock it is not only  because he is a money-making star, but because he has truly earned that right. Like Punk, Taker has wrestled through many an injury - and always the company man- never  throws any tantrums. He's at the age and position where he is a novelty act, one in which the fans respect him immensely. His body simply cannot take the wear and tear of traveling two hundred-fifty days out of the year.

On the flip side, we have World Heavyweight Champion, Alberto Del Rio. Fresh off last week's win versus the massive Big Show, Del Rio looks to be the new top good guy. The key is that he is Spanish-speaking and can lead to  what else? Expanded markets and more money. While his opponent is not set in stone for 'Mania, Money-In-The-Bank winner Dolph Ziggler looks to play a role within the coming few months. That designation gives him the right to a title shot within the last calendar year (he won it in July). If I were in charge, I'd write him out of any storylines, seeing as John Cena did everything to completely emasculate him the past few months after repeated losses. I'd wait until 'Mania so he could heal his literal and physical wounds and have him just randomly show up during the title match to make it a triple threat, thus guaranteeing him  a well deserved main event spot at the biggest show of the year as well as surprise the fans. 

If there was one other surprise I'd plan, it would be to re-debut former Oklahoma standout amateur wrestler Jack Swagger at the Rumble. "The All-American American" would enter, eliminate current United States Champion Antonio Cesaro, and  begin a feud which would culminate with a win at 'Mania.

There is still a lot of work to be done before Wrestlemania's card is set, and the Rumble is the first piece in this three month puzzle, also known as the Road to Wrestlemania, or in my opinion- the best time of year for a wrestling fan.


2 comments:

  1. Best line in this "showing up to work each day, being the best at your job until your boss feels the blonde with nice cleavage can make the company more money, and reducing your role with them."

    So very very very true!

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  2. As much as I absolutely hate it I just know Cena will beat the Rock for the WWE title.

    ReplyDelete