Condo On The Moon: July 2014

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Hangin On The Moon #4

It's Thursday so that means it is time for another edition of Hangin on the Moon. We go live to air on Google Hangout at 7:30pm EST So join us at that time. Perhaps the most jam packed week of wrestling news we have had in awhile. TNA's Future in doubt, WWE Network Number is lower than even the worst estimates and we preview our Podcast that will have a guest this week from Ring of Honor returning to the program on Friday.

Make sure to join us tomorrow for the Podcast with our guest from Ring of Honor. Who is it if you watched this you know the answer already. Thanks to Chris Walder for helping me get this video show off the ground.

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday!

WWE Quarterly Report: WWE Network Still Struggling and 7% of Cuts To Staff

So the big day that people had been waiting for was today and the number is hit the drum roll ……700,000 WWE Network subscribers. Yeah that is all for a net gain that is only roughly 33,000. Terrible would be a massive understatement. WWE has responded to this by announcing that WWE Network will be going international sooner than planned with a many countries being able to get the WWE Network on August 12th in a couple weeks. The odd thing is both Canada and the U.K have more complicated paths to getting the network. U.K will not be getting the network till it looks like in October and in Canada it will be available on that date with no problems if you are a Rogers’ customer.

WWE announced a 10 year deal with Rogers to distribute the WWE Network and continue on as their Television partner for Raw, Smackdown and it would appear NXT will be available on normal television on Sportsnet 360 as it has been in the past. The network itself and if it can be accessed by non-Rogers customers remains a bit of a mystery.

Here is the bottom line for me on a day in which WWE should be in full the Network is coming to Canada mode it is more a state of confusion for most Canadians. I will try to explain without getting into to much boring detail about cable distribution in Canada. Rogers basically controls a majority of the eastern part of Canada. Cities like Toronto, Montreal and other markets. However in the west of the country Rogers has next to no presences as Telus, Bell and Shaw are the major providers. So people in places like Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver who do not for the most part have access to Rogers. If you’re not from Canada Rogers is widely considered the evil empire by most Canadians. They own a piece of all of the Toronto based sports franchises. Blue Jays on their own and in a partnership own the Leafs, Raptors and TFC of the MLS. They also recently took firm control of the broadcast rights for the NHL in this country for the next dozen years. They are the evil Vince McMahon in reality of broadcasting and cable in this country for a lot of folks.

Aside from the traditionally losses of the WWE Studios which lost money for yet another quarter the other big highlight or low light of the day was the WWE talking about cutting 7% of staff in their efforts to "in their words," be more efficient. This makes it unclear if that includes talent but implies it would not as they are independent contractors but who knows. WWE seems committed to making Wall Street happy by looking to reduce cost where ever they can. The fact they lost 14.5 million this quarter was actually good news believe it or not. Estimates had them set to lose 15-18 million dollars this quarter. Clearly getting that dead weight of JTG’s salary off the books made an impact. I joke but in pure business terms Wall Street is happy with what they heard to a point. While the subscriber number was a huge disaster by any standards the reason the stock dropped so violently was more about their network T.V rights deal that failed to double or triple as was forecast. In the short term the network is not going to affect the stock. Long term is another matter.

WWE Stock is remaining stable so far opening at 12.33 and currently is up to 12.63 which are well below the daily high when markets first opened at 13.40. The stock remained stable and has dipped slightly since the conference call at 11 am where it was hovering just over the 13 dollar mark.

If you are in the WWE currently best advice is don’t look at Vince McMahon the wrong way or you may hear the famous words YOU’RE FIRED. WWE yesterday parted ways with Ricardo Rodriguez but this seemed more about Rodriguez not being happy with his role in the company in a non-wresting capacity.

The sun will still come up tomorrow but to say the WWE has a ton of work to do in terms of the WWE Network would be the most obvious thing that comes out of all this. I still firmly believe they will eventually figure it out and get on the right path. They just have the luxury of having a lot of money to make up for a lot of bonehead mistakes that in my view are still continuing in terms of the Network.

Here is a complete breakdown of how WWE did this quarter for those who like numbers and business.

Will have our Video Podcast later tonight at 7:30 going into all of this with myself and Chris Walder join us than that is eastern standard time.

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday!

If you have questions/comments for our NEW Weekly Google+ Show Live Thursday's 7:30 pm EST use hashtag #AskMachoMoon. You can find us now at Condoonthemoon.com.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

If TNA Dies: 5 Wrestlers ROH Could Consider

If it is indeed the end of the road for TNA, that will leave a number of wrestlers looking for work. I will just start this by saying anyone that seriously thinks that work will be found in WWE is fooling themselves. It isn’t going to happen and that is just the way it is. If the WWE is going to pass on A.J Styles really who in TNA is going to be viable for them? The answer is really no one which includes Jeff Hardy, The Dudley Boys and Kurt Angle. The reality is the likely destinations will be Ring of Honor if they are able to offer spots with their budget. If not there likely New Japan Pro Wrestling but they too have a pretty stacked and talented roster as well.

In terms of this article let’s go with the assumption that Ring of Honor is able to bring in five guys to their fold and who they could or should be. I am going to assume that the past WWE crew mentioned above will all pass on Ring of Honor waiting for the phone to ring from WWE in the short term. So with that said who is left to bring to ROH?

1. Samoa Joe: This seems the most likely and easiest fit for me. Joe is a beloved former Ring of Honor Champion and has really lacked motivation at times in TNA at least it appears from the outside looking in. Coming back to Ring of Honor has been a breath of fresh air for guys like Daniels and A.J Styles and one would assume it would be the same for Joe. Simple and easy I think this happens the day after TNA’s doors shut.

2. Kenny King: Sure it would be eating some crow for him and based on who he left Ring of Honor bailing out as a Tag-Team Champion for the promotion to sign with TNA it seems ridiculous. This is exactly why you do it. Imagine the legitimate heat he would have with the Ring of Honor fans that are loyal to a fault. Matt Hardy was hated by them but with Kenny King this would be far more personal and would make for an excellent heel for the company.

3. EC3: This is a guy that WWE really dropped the ball with. There has not been much of anything positive about TNA in the past year or so but if there is a positive it is this kid. He really showed he has talent and took his game up to a new level in TNA which you can’t say about to many people in that company. The fact that he is better after being there from the experience is a rare thing in the history of this company. Another instant heel the moment he walks in the door based on being tied to Dixie Carter in TNA.

4. Bobby Roode: Still has some gas left in his tank and as much as people will claim he is going to be picked up by the WWE it isn’t going happen. If you want to throw in James Storm to bring in the Beer Money tag-team that isn’t a bad idea either for ROH’s growing Tag-Team Division. If I am going to choose between the two though, I give Roode the nod simply based on liking him more as a singles competitor, along with the fact of being a better fit for Ring of Honor.

5. Austin Aries: Another former ROH Champion that is highly talented and has been under utilized by TNA ever since they gave him their World Title and changed their minds. He would slide back into Ring of Honor without much trouble. He is another no-brainer in my mind for the company if they can come to an agreement.

Ring of Honor has kicked around the idea of a women's division that they have been calling "Women of Honor" if they are serious I have a woman for the job as a bonus pick.

Bonus Pick: Gail Kim: There has been on and off talk of starting a "Women of Honor Division" and who better to be a part of launching that? Gail Kim is perhaps the most known and talented female wrestler active in wrestling today. She was the driving force that built the knockouts Division in TNA. Why can’t she do it again in Ring of Honor? I think she can and you can find lots of other talented women to join her some that ROH already has in non-wrestling roles and others from outside of the company. She would be a diamond to start this division with. To fit that Ring of Honor style would not be a stretch either. She can flat out go and everyone who has seen her compete knows it.

So that would be my 5 TNA talents that I would bring into Ring of Honor if the time comes they are all available. Technically TNA is not dead but the odds of them landing a T.V deal that could sustain this company most experts see as very slim. When you consider the issues the WWE had in creating a bidding war for their content it stands to reason that a company that is far behind them has very little chance to find the dollars to make it happen. This may all be fantasy booking at the end of the day. I think people just naturally assume Ring of Honor would open their check book and make it happen, but they already have added a number of bigger TNA names once they left the company so it might not be a slam dunk.

Some would also say that Global Force Wrestling may try and look at getting exiled TNA talent as well. I would just say that if it is between ROH and GFW the success that Ring of Honor is having compared to the unknown that Global Force is would be an easy choice. This along with the fact Jarrett by his nature has never been on to over pay for talent in his time running TNA and I don’t expect this to change.

The though of even more talent being available to ROH though in itself is pretty exciting. If you are not one of these folks crying a river for the demise of TNA and just simply a fan of ROH it is an exciting thing to think about the possibilities.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Ladies Night On Raw: Steph and Brie Feud In Main Event Spot

I walked away from last night’s Raw with one thought in my mind that basically the Co-Main Event for Summerslam is Brie Bella vs. Stephanie McMahon. It is quite the revelation to come too, but honestly can you argue it is not the case. The build up to making the match that I honestly have wanted to see for some time. Part of the reason for that I think is the fact Stephanie has not wrestled a match in over a decade. Her last match to the best of my recollection was against her father a week before her real life wedding to Paul Lévesque AkA Triple H.

Will get to what to expect from Stephanie in the ring, which might be better than you think in a minute, but let’s talk about the build to this match. It has been a slow and steady build that began even prior to Daniel Bryan’s injury and they still carried on with it.

They worked around the Bryan injury and still ran with this angle as Brie in the end got fired for basically no reason with Bryan unable to return and was stripped of the title anyway despite Brie quitting to save Bryan from having to choose between his wife and the title.

I think the best selling point to this angle on a personal level to me is my mom who is not a wrestling fan in the slightest and her only really exposure to it is me. She has been interested in watching this angle just based on Stephanie alone. Even the most casual wrestling fan to someone who is aware of wrestling knows who she is and she is very good at what she does.

For those who just dismiss Stephanie as a character are just simply hating on her based on her real life position in the company but she is for my money the best female performer on microphone in this company and has been for quite sometime. A.J Lee is the only female in this company that can even comes close to her in terms of skill on the microphone.

Brie Bella is not a terrible wrestler her acting skills are not exactly the greatest and that is being kind. She is only mildly better than her sister Nikki who is terrible at acting in any sense. In this angle they have kept her talking to a minimum. She has been able to drop some naughty language in the PG WWE landscape.

The match itself is never going to live up to this tremendous build-up it has been given. It will not be as bad as you think though I believe. Brie is as I mentioned getting better in the ring and really showed growth in the time she was broken apart from her sister who was out with an injury. Daniel Bryan giving her some pointers has not hurt at all. Stephanie has recently been training in Jiu JitSu, her girls have been getting trained in it by Rener Gracie, who is married to former WWE Diva Eve. Stephanie has been learning as well. So this alone might make Steph a more component in-ring competitor. This is all assuming this is more than a slap fest cat fight which it has been in the build up to that point.

This has been one of several female angles that WWE has been running with in the last month or two. Even the Diva’s title program with A.J Lee and Paige has taken a backseat to this angle. This is not surprising considering even big angles have been positioned behind this feud between the two.

Another part of this is so many times Steph has been positioned against male performers where they are basically rendered helpless in the WWE where a man hitting a woman is not happening in this PG era. So Brie is able to in a sense be the one to get revenge on Stephanie through Brie.

What is the outcome of this angle? Some have suggested perhaps will spill off into a Bella vs. Bella feud with Nikki turning heel on her sister. The logic of this thought is a little flawed but maybe the plan was always to sucker Brie into this match. Will see how it plays out, but it made a majority of the wrestling audience interested in a women’s angle with great passion since Trish and Lita.

You may not be happy with who is representing the ladies at the top of the heap here but it is a huge step for women in the landscape of things. I am pretty sure a female angle has not closed Raw since the much talked about match with Trish and Lita that Main-Evented Raw.

The success of all these female angles recently can be debated but this angle with Steph and Brie has been as good as it gets.

Monday, July 28, 2014

TNA Given a Death Sentence by Spike-TV

It would appear TNA has been given a death sentence as Spike-TV has decided to no renew their television contract with the wrestling company. This news started breaking around midnight on Sunday. TMZ came out with a report as TMZ Sports is developing a reputation for breaking news as they do in entertainment circles for wrestling.

The news that Vince Russo was connected with the company that came out last week might have been a final straw for Spike-TV to pull the plug. Russo is given a bulk of the blame for the death of WCW. Now another wrestling companies death will be placed on his hands by many. Still to say it was one thing as to why this happened would be foolish.

This was a company that while some say had finally bottomed out and was building itself back up in reality was still badly damaged they only drew 67 people to a baseball stadium somewhere in Kentucky. They struggled to sell seats for their NYC tapings that were held in the same location that Raw was taped back in the 90’s. Which is a smaller venue than where ROH runs in the same building at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

TNA short of a miracle will die come October if not sooner. First real sign will be if they follow through with their second set of tapings planned for beginning of August in same venue. If they do that will get their tapings done to their drop dead date on Spike-TV I believe. After that it is searching for a miracle.

When you consider the WWE did not find much interest to leverage against USA/NBC Universal was next to nothing. If WWE can’t get on Fox Sports 1 or 2 safe to say TNA has no chance. The idea has been floated that Jeff Jarrett and his Global Force Wrestling could jump in TNA’s spot has been speculated on. Jarrett apparently signed a deal when he left TNA that would complicate that process this is assuming Spike even has any interest. I would suggest they don’t and plan to use Glory Kick-Boxing to replace TNA to some extent as the programming to partner with MMA Promotion that Viacom/Spike TV owns in Bellator, Not a weekly show obviously but something much closer to MMA. To put in perspective Glory it is rumoured did not even out draw Ring of Honor recently on PPV. So they are not a bigger draw than TNA but far less tainted. In fact something that hardcore fight fans think can grow.

Speaking of ROH what this means for them is obvious a shot at bringing in some more talent to an already talented roster. Being owned by Sinclair a television company it is not going to change their broadcasting all that much. It might encourage them to do more PPV depending on how they did on their first time out.

As for the WWE there is some debate on Twitter if WWE would go after any of the TNA talent. I claim they will not given recent cost cutting moves and having passed on A.J Styles and pretty much any top TNA talent that has left that has not had a prior history with the WWE. WWE has made roster cuts and been in cost cutting mode so it would be somewhat hypocritical to all of the sudden be adding talent. Even past talent like Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy and Bubba Ray Dudley I honestly don’t see them being interested in.

Obviously a lot of this info is just coming out the fallout of all of this will go on perhaps for months depending on how TNA tries to handle this. In any case as much as I have had zero love for this company especially in the last year or so. I still am sad to see people in wrestling business with one less place to try and earn a living. From the wrestlers to all the people behind the scenes that we do not see.

I am happy for Ring of Honor though as they have a real chance to be the number two company in North America and continue to grow. Will see what all this means for them when all the smoke clears.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

5 Good Reasons For Brock Lesnar To Be Champion

There has been buzz for many months that Brock Lesnar is going to compete for the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The majority of those people feeling that Lesnar would win the title coming off his defeating of the Undertaker’s Streak at Wrestlemania 30. Almost for as long since news of Daniel Bryan’s injury being worse than expected (as he confirmed the other day) that it would be Cena and Lesnar. It has been talked about and been leaked on several occasions making the WWE’s Battleground next to irrelevant. Almost no one expects Cena to win this match. He had a win over Brock when he first returned from the UFC and many to this day point to it as major mistake made by the company. Coming of defeating the Undertaker many would feel losing to Cena would be an even bigger blunder.

So here is a list of 5 reasons why Brock as WWE World Heavyweight Champion makes sense. If you want to use the Triple H line why Brock is “Best for Business” go ahead.

5. Brock Gets Attention: Even to this day Brock Lesnar captures the attention of people in general and specifically UFC/MMA fans as well as wrestling fans. He has been the most successful crossover superstar between the two worlds. The fact he beat the Undertaker’s streak was huge news around the world in main stream media and Brock was a secondary figure but made the story even more interesting to main stream non-wrestling media. WWE has very few stars in the company currently that have main stream stroke that they are known outside of the wrestling bubble. That is something the WWE has always valued as a way to pull in new fans to the product potentially.

4. Paul Heyman: Given Brock’s contract the idea of putting the Championship on him would not be possible without Paul Heyman. The work Heyman has done at even the expense of Cesaro in keeping Brock and his defeating the Undertaker’s Streak alive. Assuming the obvious is going to happen and Lesnar wins the title Heyman would be counted on to represent the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. He would basically cut the promos to represent Brock and the title and if the plan plays out as some see it he would do this for close to 6 months with only a couple of defences by Brock in that time and appearances. If not for Heyman it would not even be able to be considered. Just look at the situation for Daniel Bryan as proof of that. WWE could not afford to be without the WWE World Heavyweight Championship being represented. It shows the faith the WWE has in Paul if this does indeed happen and last until Wrestlemania 31 with Brock as the Champion.

3. Legitimacy: When Brock Lesnar carries your Championship suddenly that belt becomes very legitimate. Go have someone tell Brock Lesnar what he is doing is fake and his belts don’t mean anything. He makes that line blur from what is not real and what is real. His success in MMA legitimized the fact he was a legit monster that could kick ass. Some may say why should this matter and that wrestling have moved past this to some extent. Daniel Bryan even taking down criminals in Phoenix does not look the part. As much as I love CM Punk to just look at him the same is true. Brock love him or hate him has a presence and a legitimacy that is unlike anyone in the history of wrestling to a point.

2. WWE Network/Return on Investment: When Brock originally came back he was brought back to pop some big numbers on pay-per-view. Now the whole game as changed but what hasn’t changed is the high salary for very limited appearances that Brock Lesnar receives has not. The truth is with pay-per-view basically dead for the WWE and Network struggling Brock is a massive expense. What the WWE is hoping to do in putting the belt on Brock and basically have him pass the torch to a selected superstar (likely Roman Reigns) is the WWE’s attempt to get value out of Brock by using him to make a new mega superstar from the man that beats him at Wrestlemania 31. Anyone suggesting Brock will work more dates is just leaving in a dream world. Brock is at the end of the day a mercenary in terms of business. WWE is already massively overpaying him for the return he can provide them in their current set-up. So the next best thing is to use Brock to create the “NEXT BIG THING” as he was billed when he first entered the WWE.

1. If Not Brock Who?: The WWE really has few options otherwise to but in this spot. People will throw lots of names including Reigns as guys ready to hold the Title. In reality he isn’t and no one else of the new up and coming fan favourites is. You only need to look at a career of someone like Jack Swagger as an example of what can happen if you give someone a title to soon. Even more important with title unified you need to be sure someone is ready. Fans have had their fill of all the established options to but the belt on at this point. They are craving changing and tempting the WWE to move more quickly than they would like with various talents. While there is the challenge of not having the WWE World Heavyweight Champion on house shows and on television it is a risk worth taking if it leads to more buys for WWE Network and a new star to carry the company. There have been rumors of Cena taking more time to make movies and eventually stepping aside makes this vital for the future of the company. Brock has not been as much of a problem as he was in past in WWE. It is fairly simple now as he has a schedule he likes and is being paid extremely well. Lesnar is the guy that makes the most sense as fans seem to be willing to accept him as champion and having him paired with Cena will guarantee a positive reaction to him winning the Championship.

This is all assuming the WWE will be patient with everything. If they really were fearful and panicked and put the belt on Roman Reigns at Night of Champions that would be a major mistake. Sticking to the plan will be interesting given all the challenges with the Network and how the company will react to those expected bumps in the road. It is going to be a very interesting march to Wrestlemania 31 and will that even be on the Network next year? All questions we still don’t know the answer too. It will be interesting if WWE chooses to ride all of this time with Brock as the Champion and barely on programming. It is a major risk but on the WWE seems more and more likely to take. Originally the plan was to have Daniel Bryan come back and take the title at Night of Champions it was rumored but now it seems like Brock and Paul Heyman could be carrying the ball till Wrestlemania 31. After that promo on Monday it is hard not to feel safe that Heyman and Brock combined might just be up to the task.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Bryan Danielson Real Life Hero: But Daniel Bryan Far From A Return To Ring

Daniel Bryan’s (Bryan Danielson) up and down 2014 continues to roll along as we mentioned on the Podcast yesterday was in San Diego for Comic-Con. He did a panel with Hulk Hogan, Sting and Paul Heyman. He also said he was working on an autobiography which was announced at while at Comic Con. He is picked up at the airport in Phoenix where he and his wife Bri live now to find their house being broken into. Danielson chases down one of the robbers and held him till police arrived.

In addition as mention in the above video Bryan confirmed that he just received word he will need to undergo a second neck surgery and gave the most detailed account of his injury to date. It would appear that he has a long road still to getting back to the ring. Still a story like this is just another example of how he has become this “everyman” type superhero for fans. Roman Reigns isn’t running down robbers in the street no of course it is Daniel Bryan.

Still as Bryan stated even with his wrestling skills it was likely not an intelligent idea to be attacking criminals with just his bare hands. Just add another story to the legend that is Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson. I am sure the WWE will make mention of this on Raw. It is to good a story for them not too. It will throw a wrinkle into the wrestling drama in which Bri had Stephanie arrested but still this story is too good to not mention.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Podcast Condo On the Moon #21

So welcome to another week of Condo on the Moon. We talk what is going on in WWE and some ROH as we do each and every week on the podcast

So that is it for another week if you have trouble listing here head over to our Podcast hosts at Podomatic.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Hangin On The Moon #3

We are hanging out once again talking Pro Wrestling so if you have questions use #AskMachoMoon on Twitter.Show gets rolling on 7:30pm you can join us live and ask your questions as well.

Hope you enjoy the show and remember to tune in tomorrow night for the Podcast.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

New Wave Of NXT Talent: But Keep Things The Same

NXT is about to get a major shake-up with three major stars about to arrive. It should be interesting to see how this will impact on the show. Part of the joy that is NXT for an older fan like me is the fact it is just one hour which is delightful. Things on NXT just seem far more simplistic and easier to digest on a weekly basis.

The fight for real estate on that show is about to get fairly interesting when add Kenta, Prince Devitt and Kevin Steen all potentially about to arrive. It will be interesting to see how this will change if at all the show that is NXT. Some guys that are being featured now might want to look over their shoulder because some serious talent is coming in the door.

Think the three major guys that have little to worry about are Neville, Breeze and Zayn. In addition I think the ladies will always have a place on the show. After that it is open season in my view. You see someone like C.J Parker as an example getting another chance with a re-packaged gimmick as this heel environmentalist. After getting a lot of air time in the past Mo Jo Rawley seems to have been cooled off. He may have been hyped but the reviews on him from people like me were not that kind with good reason.

My hope is there will be a battle for time and position on NXT and not WWE thinking that we just need more time on this show with the amount of top talent we have. Keeping things at the one our mark is fine with me. If they attempted to extend NXT and make it longer I think you would be making a major mistake. The path it is on now with a one hour show and an expected 4 special 2 hour events on the Network seems fine to me.

Note, this is mere speculation on my part but with the WWE Network struggling and new influx of talent I could easily see the idea of a longer NXT be kicked around as it has been one of the more popular shows on the WWE Network consistently.

Tyler Breeze has said in a recent interview on Between the Ropes that his injured finger is almost back to 100% and he is of course the number one contender to the NXT Title. I would suspect Breeze and Neville will headline the next special event. Nothing is for certain with the arrival of Kenta, Prince Devitt and likely Kevin Steen. Steen refuses to acknowledge the WWE signing directly as in his last independent date in Toronto he claimed to have indeed taken a new job as trainer of whales at Marineland. In any case he likely does show up and re-united with Sami Zayn who in a similar fashion refuses to acknowledge that he was and is El Generico. Maybe it is a French thing. I don’t have this part of the French gene though.

This is really a big time for NXT as we have in a sense started the second wave of NXT talent to make up this roster. Bull Dempsey is the latest new character to come around. Some were upset that this gimmick which is basically a throwback old school wrestler was not given to Kevin Steen. I am not one of them as I see this as horrible gimmick that will need some serious work to get over.

In any case keep NXT as it is as the old saying goes if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. Something the WWE should learn to do more. I do have faith with Triple H firmly in control of all that is NXT he will not have any dramatic changes to the product. This in a sense has become like his fourth child. You can tell how much he loves NXT and all the young performers in it.

ROH "Field of Honor" Card Starting To Take Shape

Ring of Honor is starting to roll out the card for Field of Honor and the Main Event will be Michael Elgin the new ROH Champion in a four way match for his title. He will take on former Champion Adam Cole, current IWGP Champion A.J Styles and Jay Briscoe.

We always talk about ROH being different from WWE and it really is but to have a four way match right after WWE did with Battleground is a bit disappointing. If I do have any knock against ROH it is having multi-man matches for the title as often as they do. Why not just split it up have the Cole vs. Elgin re-match as the headliner and have Styles vs. Briscoe for the number one contender spot. This seems simple enough to me. It also does no favours to Nigel McGuinness who as the storyline match maker or booker look like he can’t make up his mind.

This all said I get why ROH is doing what they are with having a chance to really stick it to TNA as they use to run this event annually. If you have noticed TNA just recently did a baseball stadium show Kentucky and drew a gasp worthy 67 people. Safe to say Ring of Honor wants to show of their ability to draw. It is also important for the company as this will be the first show without Kevin Steen who wrapped up with the company this past weekend.

Another match announced for the card sees Matt Taven in what I would think will be his last shot at the ROH Television Title taking on Jay Lethal in what has been a long on going feud that started with Taven as the heel and now both guys have switched roles. This seems like the old school cage match blow off to the feud.

Others signed to appear our:

ReDragon
Michael Bennett and Maria
Daniels and Kazarian
Rocky Romero (NJPW)
War Machine
The Decade
Tommoaso Ciampa
Cedric Alexander
Silas Young
ACH
Takaaki Wantanabe (NJPW)
Moose

Not to say things can not change, but a name notable that is missing is Matt Hardy. He has worked with ROH since going over to do tapings with TNA at a recent show but is noticeably absent here. What that means time will tell.

Like we always try to do here on Condo on the Moon will look to line up some guests prior to this show to appear on our Podcast in coming weeks. Event takes place in Brooklyn New York at MCU Park on August 15th 2014.

WWE Shuffling the Deck With Character Changes.

A lot of people are getting some new hats in WWE coming out of Raw on Monday. A lot of shuffling of the deck is being done both by creative and by the fan base. Let’s start with the one that we all saw coming and was the most needed and that would be Paige.

Why they felt the need to wait to pull the trigger that took so long is beyond me. This was obvious from the night that A.J Lee returned to the WWE. This is perhaps the most obvious change and has the potential to be the most successful in my view. Paige was made to be a heel you see it in the aggressive nature that suits her move set. This is like a reset for her after a horrible start on the main roster and a forgettable first run as Diva’s Champion.

The beat down of A.J followed by mocking her skipping was just an excellent start to heel persona. This is who she always should have been from the beginning.

Another NXT alum, that didn’t take out of the gate, is getting a reset in Xavier Woods. He now has approached Big E and Kofi and looks like he is starting the Nation of Domination 2014. Which calls to question can you be the Nation of Domination in 2014?

The thing that does excite me about this is Kofi Kingston being a part of a heel faction.

Kofi is a good solider and always been a baby face and never been a problem in WWE. I want to see him get an honest shot as a heel run. I am not sure if this gimmick will be able to work and it does seem like a very reactionary move by WWE. In response to some poor press about their record in terms of minorities. It reminds me of when the WWE created the “Right to Censor” in response to criticism from a parental group.

Still I like Kofi and I do like Big E so I am hoping this is a vehicle to help them get over but I am very suspect if it will actually happen and work. We are just at the very start of this so will see how it goes.

Bray Wyatt and his real life brother Bo Dallas both seem to be in the land of Tweenerville. Bray seems to be really getting over and WWE is already testing the waters having Bray do some media recently with Between the Ropes and a few other places. This seems a sure sign they are testing the waters for a face run for Bray Wyatt.

While Bo Dallas on Raw was paired against Damien Sandow in a weird pairing but Bo Dallas has a lot of growing fans that BO-lieve in Bo. It probably is less likely we see Bo become a face as WWE still should keep him as a heel even if his fan base grows.

While Rusev and his push and expected rematch with Jack Swagger maybe on the ropes after a media backlash over the promo Lana cut at Battleground which in all honesty was tame and really made no direct mention of the tragedy in Ukraine. Like I said over on the Between the Ropes post show for Battleground, I felt all four performers had earned the right to continue this program.

Also feel bad for Cesaro who I wrote a few days ago seems to have been left for dead.

Miz has a new coat of paint on his tired persona. I buy Miz as a Hollywood star as much as I do John Cena. The other thing they seem to have in common is endless chances to be successful. Lots of changes in the WWE landscape but the constants remain the same and that is the former members of the Shield, John Cena and for whatever reason Orton and Kane. Oh and of course the returning Brock Lesnar who never changes except he seems to get bigger.

Monday, July 21, 2014

CM Punk Claims He Will Never Ever Be Back In A Ring

So C.M Punk is a free man and as such can say what he wants but still isn't saying much. He claims he will never return to the ring but quickly joked about Twitter and the internet holding him to it. Chris Van Vilet is entertainment reporter in Cleveland that has interviewed local guys like Ziggler and Miz many times but also covered Wrestlemania's and has done interviews with The Rock. Now he gets a little CM Punk exclusive for the resume. Not that Punk had much to say other than he is loving life and is happy to be married.

Punk dropped idea of him having a podcast but if this is any indication you are not going to get any answers about what people are dying to know which is his exact reasons for parting ways with WWE in his own words.

Road To Summerslam Is All About The WWE Network's Future

WWE enters perhaps one of the more critical times in their recent history. To say that "Battleground" inspired confidence that they are ready for this challenge would be a lie. Battleground two years running has been a solid candidate for worst WWE Show of the year in terms of PPVs/Special Events. I along with Steve broke down the show in audio form for Between the Ropes. While today I wrote my review in written form which was no more glowing.

Reports are already out that Brock Lesnar will be in the building and expected not to be in that same building is John Cena who for some reason someone is being stupid enough to have in another movie. Least he plays a “Bad Guy” in the movie after this decade as good guy John Cena a major stretch for him.

Why this time is so critical is the WWE soon will have to produce numbers for shareholders on how the WWE Network is doing in terms of subscribers which doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out isn’t all that good. Add into the fact Battleground seems to be the first PPV that people seem to have had a lot of issues with the network stream in great numbers. Not the stuff you want to hear right now if you’re WWE. Who is not only trying to grow their network in new subscribers but soon faces the end of the 6 month window in which current subscribers were forced to commit too when the network launched in late February.

Brock Lesnar and John Cena need to pull off a heck of a build to Summerslam that the company is really banking on delivering. This 4 week build to Summerslam might be the most important build for the company since perhaps the original Wrestlemania when you consider all that is on the line. This makes the decision to basically screw fans out of a Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins match all the more puzzling. This is a time more than ever that the WWE needs to create good will with its fans. They need fans to buy into this network sooner rather than later or the consequences could be pretty damaging at least in the short term.

We have already seen more people fired in WWE than at any point I can recall in recent memory. Expect the cost cutting to continue should the network not deliver a favourable number at the end of the month.

How ironic that the future is based on one guy that is corporate face of the company and another that basically is just here for all the zeroes on his pay check. Not that Cena isn’t but Brock is more like a mercenary bounty hunter that he is anything else. Most expect him to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and after that some expect him to hold it all the way to Wrestlemania 31. If this is true that will be a major change in wrestling physiology for modern fans that have been use to seeing the Champion on T.V every week. This generation has grown us with “The Champ Is Here” even if Cena was not that guy. Back is the 1980’s Hogan was rarely seen on T.V as you had to go out to house shows to see him or wait for major events. Not sure fans will be use to this and some might not see it as total hypocrisy based on the stripping of an injured Bryan of the title and the explanation given.

The road not just to Summerslam starts tonight but the road to a very uncertain and rocky future for the WWE potentially. It is not going to be easy if they can’t fix this network in some form or fashion in a relatively short amount of time. Even when they get to their international launch scheduled for late 2014 or early 2015 that may not help. Most people here in Canada and other foreign lands have taken steps to beat the system and get the network now. Bad news when the WWE launches internationally to know that most of their hardcore fans may already be part of their domestic number.

It is a long and tough road ahead for the company. Break glass for Brock will be launched or plan C. It is clear the WWE has had more than 3 plans for their network and the more plans they have the more misses they seem to have than hits. It isn’t going according to plan at all.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Cesaro: Latest Example Of WWE Missing The Boat?

So is it to early to sound the alarm of concern for Cesaro? Would anyone hear it over his horrible theme music? It doesn’t seem all that long ago that Cesaro was on the verge of a major push to the main event scene. Something happened on the way to the top and your guess is as good as mine as to what. After coming out of Wrestlemania looking like a stud slamming the Big Show out of the Andre the Giant Battle Royal to become the first ever winner of the event. Next night on Raw he dumps Zeb and Jack Swagger to become the NEXT Paul Heyman guy and he seemed to be on a rocket ship to success.

Here in July it appears Heyman is out of the picture as Brock is set to return and Cesaro has just been stuck in the mid-card without really any major feuds of note. He was paired with Sheamus for a minor feud that produced decent matches but clearly no one cared about.

Where things might have gone off track for him was he was supposed to be the winner of a tournament to challenge Big E who was the current I-C Champion at the time. A script got in the hands of the internet that revealed this fact and in typical WWE reactionary fashion they changed to Wade Barrett who would go on to defeat Big E. Which of course he would soon after be injured and is currently out and requires shoulder surgery leading to the battle royal for the vacant title this Sunday.

What also in my opinion aside from awful theme music has not been working is the pairing with Paul Heyman. I like so many thought, the night after Wrestlemania this was the perfect marriage for the rising Swiss star and Heyman, who with Brock on his annual break to Summerslam was in need of something to do. Cesaro has suffered from Heyman promoting the fact his client that is not around beat the Undertaker’s streak and Paul Heyman just can’t help mentioning it every chance he gets. Cesaro with Heyman has been made to feel like second fiddle to Brock Lesnar without Lesnar even being around. This would have been fine if it was leading to Cesaro against Brock match, but that is clearly not the direction the WWE took or plans to take anytime soon.

Even if Cesaro were to walk away the Intercontinental Champion Sunday, I don’t think it repairs the damage done to him in the last few months. He isn’t even my pick in that match for the record as I picked Bo Dallas in the staff picks at Between the Ropes.

It wasn’t the disaster Curtis Axel being paired with Heyman was, but it wasn’t that much better to be honest. Cesaro was a guy being put over by Cena and had a great television match with him heading into Wrestlemania. Fans were primed to accept him as a babyface and the WWE decided to go in the complete opposite direction.

The level of concern for Cesaro is not as big as it might be for others, because he does have a lot of skills the WWE will always value. His ability to speak several languages, while used as part of his gimmick, does make him a value when touring the world. His in ring work is on an elite level and he is a machine in the gym which is something both Triple H and Vince McMahon will always respect.

Still you feel like the WWE missed a moment with this guy to get him "over" and make him a bigger star. This is something that becomes all too common these days with the WWE. They need to start listing to their audience and giving them some things they want, if you expect them to be buying into your network and investing into the company with their wallets. C.M Punk once ranted fans don’t get to win in his feud with the Rock. In context of being a Cesaro fan, you have to feel like you have lost, after a great set up for a major push at Wrestlemania 30 that has failed to ever get started.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Condo on The Moon Podcast 20: Thank You Steen Edition

This week on the podcast a special intro off the top dedicated to Kevin Steen as he embarks on his final two matches in Ring of Honor. It was my pleasure to share my thoughts on Steen earlier today in Between the Ropes. This along with WWE talk heading into Battleground and how the TNA Champion will fair in MMA. This and a lot more in episode 20 of the podcast go have a listen:

I mentioned the contest in Between The Ropes for Battleground don't delay as last I checked there was only a few spots left for your chance at picking up 50 bucks for free. Thanks for listen and thanks to Kevin Steen for all he gave to Ring of Honor he leaves big shoes to be filled.

If you are unable to access the podcast through your device of choice no problem just click here and listen over at out podcast hosts Podomatic.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Hangin on Moon #2

We are back for week 2 of the Video Podcast show. It gets rolling EVERY Thursday at 8pm:

So spread the word and be a part of the show live or if you can't join us live use #AskMachoMoon on Twitter to leave us your questions.

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday!

If you have questions/comments for our NEW Weekly Google+ Show Live Thursday's 8pm EST use hashtag #AskMachoMoon. You can find us now at Condoonthemoon.com.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Reflecting On CM Punk's Career

It will officially happen tomorrow but it already unofficially has happened through a couple events last night that CM Punk and WWE have parted ways.

C.M Punk’s career is probably one of the better documented even though a good portion of it took place on the independent scene. His story really is a fascinating one that we all have already heard. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of Phil Brooks or C.M Punk’s life. See, I think we all know C.M Punk, but the list of people that know Phil is a much shorter one. For as public as he has been over the years since his fame really took off in the summer of 2011, (which was the WWE’s version of the “Summer of Punk”) He still holds a large portion of who he is too a small circle. Yet a guy that honestly keeps his fans at arm’s distance from his life, is still able to have such loyal and dedicated fans to him. It is just one of about 10,000 contrasts about CM Punk that make him not just an interesting person in wrestling, but an interesting person in life in general.

Not a lot of people think like him and have the real brilliance that he has inside him. He is talented, temperamental to flat out a jerk at times, yet if you understand him you love him. However, I think what people most connect with Punk for his just one simple yet magical word that he has come to represent. CHANGE is that word and he in the WWE made himself the poster boy for that word. It was a brilliant way to position yourself if you’re Punk, as the vehicle of change in a company that has clearly gotten stale and needs some shaking up. As quickly as fans have chanted U.S.A for Jack Swagger pitted against an evil Russian in Rusev they will react just as quickly to someone that wants to shake up the system. Challenging the status quo, has always been a good thing in professional wrestling and perhaps no one has mastered that art form more than Punk.

I hear this same tired argument that Punk shouldn’t have left how he did and that he should have honored his contract. I submit that with the creation of the WWE Network that the WWE itself broke the spirit of their agreement with not just Punk but all of the talent on this roster. They were left in the dark on how they would be paid with advent of the network and thus had no answers. Combine this with injuries and a growing dissatisfaction with creative, it makes a world of sense why he left. While the WWE legally did nothing wrong, morally they changed the rules of the business in a way that it was going to cost talent money with no explanations being offered as to some solutions. Add in the fact that C.M Punk has saved his money for the most part and is rich by anyone’s normal standards of living he could afford to go away.

He really was the complete package in the ring and out of it for fans of a certain mindset. Punk is the anti-hero and he will always be that guy. As much as Punk sees wrestling the traditional form of black hats and white hats, he himself no matter what he does will always be in the shades of grey. As bad as Punk may try to be in the role of a heel, he is just to good at it that at some point you go that "you know what I think he is right." If he is your fan favourite he is just a little to rough around the edges to be trusted to always do the right thing.

In many ways I look at Punk and see a guy that in very different ways had kind of a similar journey to him in Randy ”Macho Man” Savage. Punk like Savage was always considered "1B" instead of "1A", as Savage had to take a backseat to Hogan and Punk to Cena. Punk more with his words and Savage with his actions you were never quite sure what they would do or say next. In their own unique ways they were compelling and that is not something you learn in wrestling school. If a person has the ability to control your attention and focus, that is power. Like Punk said in one of his famous promos that the microphone in his hand was power and he was right in the hands of someone as compelling and unpredictable as him it was just that.

When you have the ability to gain that kind of attention and focus it makes the ability to have someone suspend their disbelief becomes far easier to accomplish. People cared about Randy Savage and they care about CM Punk. They are invested in them not just as wrestlers but as people. When you can make that strong a connection with your audience all the rest of wrestling becomes simple.

From Randy Savage saying he wanted to kill Dennis Rodman, to CM Punk saying he was going to win and walk away with WWE title, I was willing to buy in and root for these things to happen.

I have seen a lot of people complaining about Punk and his fans causing such a stir on social media and WWE Live Events. Just stop for a second and instead of complaining ask yourself how amazing this guys has to be to get this kind of reaction with doing next to nothing to receive it. Ask yourself why this guy above all others seems to have some of the most dedicated and loyal fans in wrestling. Why if he is able to have done this can’t other guys do the same?

The conclusion you will come up with if you’re being honest with yourself is that guy is pretty damn impressive and has done something that very few have ever done. Make no mistake about it CM Punk will go down in history as one of the greatest and if he never wrestles another match on merit is a hall of famer in my eyes. The thing is so is Randy Savage, but he is not in there at moment. Will C.M Punk and WWE ever do business again?

In the world of wrestling there have been far too many examples to discount anything. So it is always going be a possibility. Although keep in mind CM Punk is a very unique cat and long before there was any signs of trouble he warned us his entire career would end far sooner than people expected.

It would be nice to see his wrestling story end with a better chapter and maybe it will someday. That doesn’t mean CM Punk is done writing his story and whatever you may feel about him it seems clear publicly that he looks to be much happier and healthier. Which if you were a true fan of Punk is all you should really want for him.

It is just for a lot of wrestling fans his career ended is like the idea that the change he fought for has died with that career ending. This is the sad part of fans of wrestling that believed in him. Batman couldn’t save Gotham City and has gone off and retired.

In comics and in wrestling there is always a way to comeback to life and live to fight another day. If that day ever comes for CM Punk only he really knows the answer to that. In an era that John Cena has overshadowed and de-valued so many C.M Punk was able to cut out his own impressive career just like Randy Savage did in the shadow of Hogan.

Impressive stuff and not easy to do, but CM Punk always seemed to choose the more challenging road.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

C.M Punk Is Free To Do What He Wants.

So it is over for now as C.M Punk has been added to the WWE Alumni section and he made this tweet to acknowledge his fans:

Nope, thank YOU.Thanks for all the help and support through the years. Health and happiness above all.Don't ever take any shit from anybody.
— Coach (@CMPunk) July 15, 2014

C.M Punk and the WWE appear to have officially parted ways and now we will see what is next with Punk and if he will address the situation that has been for the most part the biggest on going story behind the scenes in wrestling this year. Punk has had very little to say about his situation and as we reported yesterday he is suppose to be starting a podcast soon? It will no doubt be the most listen to podcast perhaps in wrestling history. What he will have to say remains to be seen.

It is hard think he will go to war with the WWE given his wife A.J Lee is working for the company. He will most likely take the high road just based on the situation. The thing is with C.M Punk it is hard to say what he will do. It is one of things that have made him one of the most interesting people in wrestling in the modern era. He has crafted a hall of fame worthy career. If it ever happens is another thing as sometimes the WWE is known to hold a grudge ask any Randy Savage fan about that.

I will support C.M Punk in whatever he decides to do with his life. Would I love to see him return to wrestling or be involved in it absolutely! If he doesn’t I will not hold it against him he has given his body and soul in some ways to entertain me and many fans he has gotten over his long and inspiring career.

Thank you C.M Punk doesn’t really seem like enough. He will always have a special place in my heart never having met him but sharing a love and passion for wrestling and mostly for Randy Savage who is the reason I know who CM Punk is or any other wrestler you care to name.

Good luck to CM Punk and I hope he has happiness in whatever he decides to do with his life. I plan to still be watching and supporting where and when that applies.

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! If you have questions/comments for our NEW Weekly Google+ Show Live Thursday's 8pm EST use hashtag #AskMachoMoon. You can find us now at Condoonthemoon.com.

Sting In A WWE Ring: No Thanks

Normally I would do a Raw notebook but in all honesty I felt like I watched a three hour infomercial. In addition I ended up doing Between the Ropes recap of Raw anyway. Part of that infomercial was the big hook to pre-order WWE 2K15 this year. Last year it was the Ultimate Warrior and this year it will be Sting. This is the first sign that Sting will be part of the WWE officially and you will get retro Sting and the black and white crow version of Sting that he has been doing since the mid-90’s.

Why people are excited of the prospect of Sting beyond this is a mystery to me? If you saw him at all on TNA he is pretty much an old guy that can still work but nothing tremendous. I find it funny that a wrestling audience that for the most part screams for change many of those same people clamour for nostalgic performers like Sting.

How on earth are you suppose to have change if you keep bringing back dinosaurs that by the length and success of their careers demand spots higher on the card. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. This is unless you’re playing the WWE Video Game which it is fine to have all the guys from that past and makes for a great selling point for the game. The reality is though, the actual man that is Sting will not fair as well as his video game counterpart in the ring.

Did we not learn a lesson from this past Wrestlemania that legends get old and when it becomes obvious it can be a painful and eye opening experience? I am making reference of course to the Undertaker’s match with Brock Lesnar in which he looked slow, lethargic and past his due date. How bad that match was is only covered up by the fact his legendary Wrestlemania streak came to an end. I realize he suffered a concussion at some point in that match but isn’t that in itself maybe a sign it is time to go. Concussions at any age are not good but when you reach a certain age you don’t bounce back from any kind of injury as fast as you once did in younger days.

People for pretty much the last decade have clamoured for a match between the Undertaker and Sting. I would suggest to you that two men in their 50’s try as they might are not going to live up to your expectations. It just isn’t going to happen. Aside from that I have no desire to see Sting face a John Cena or anyone else on the current WWE Roster. It just wouldn’t mean anything at this point. Sometimes you can catch lightning in a bottle as the WWE did with The Rock and Hogan at Wrestlemania 18 but in truth those moments are few and far between. Even in that match do we really remember much about the match itself or just the stare-down and the ending of it?

I can have all the nostalgia I want on the WWE Network watching all of these past heroes when they were actually credible performers in the ring. Wrestling has been littered with guys that have hung on to long and stayed long past the time they should. I have respect for guys like Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels who knew when to make an exit and basically stayed away from the temptations of returns to the ring.

I don’t care if it is in the WWE or at a local independent show there is nothing more sad and pathetic to watch than someone trying to hang on to be cheered or worse yet hang on because they have too having wasted away all they earned.

Wrestling is supposed to be this magical place where we can set aside reality and just go boo and cheer to our hearts delight. Nothing feels worse, that breaks that illusion than watching someone that you can remember who was so much better than what you see in front of you. It reminds you that these guys and gals are actually human beings and not superheroes. The irony is it is rare we see women stick around to long because at the first sign of age they are cast aside because they are not good looking enough to remain in a business that still values appearance over substance as relates to women.

Yet Hogan, Flair and Sting are allowed to just continue on and be simply because we as fans don’t want to admit they are mortal. While they as performers don’t want to admit their time is done and it is time to go back to being just an average human being.

If Sting is here to add context to the WCW and its history as part of the WWE Network I welcome him with open arms. If he is here to try and be Peter Pan and never grow old and wrestle I am not on board with that. At some point the concept of “One More Match” and “You Still Got It” becomes a ridiculous statement to make in terms of wrestlers. We as fans need to enjoy people while we have them and look towards the future and not the past if wrestling is ever going to create stars to rival these past heroes and all they accomplished.

Monday, July 14, 2014

CM Punk: Best In The World Of Podcasting?

CM Punk is going to invade the world of podcasting according to his Twitter account:

Starting a band, a podcast, and a fire. One of these is true. (Okay, two).
— Coach (@CMPunk) July 13, 2014

Obviously Punk is pretty aware of how all this stuff works as his good friend Colt Cabana started what is considered by many the original wrestling podcast by a wrestler “The Art of Wrestling,” which came along long before the wrestler podcast became the cool thing.

Knowing Punk if you are expecting a wrestling heavy show, I would venture to say you will end up pretty disappointed, as Punk likely will talk as much MMA and comics as he will pro wrestling. That is just speculation on my part, but if we get a detailed explanation as to why he is no longer apart of the WWE I would personally be pretty surprised.

Details on all of this should be coming as soon as Thursday as it seems that will be the day he is officially done with the WWE in terms of his contract.

I find Punk to be a fascinating person though at the end of the day and given his reputation for speaking his mind it should make for an entertaining show regardless of the content. Will wait and see what the Voice of the Voiceless has to say for himself. It would appear he will be part of the ever growing roster of WWE former talent that has been signed up by Podcast One.

It is a safe bet that episode one could be the most downloaded podcast in the history of that company and perhaps the world when all is said and done. The funny thing is, even if Punk says it in his own words will people honestly believe he is done with professional wrestling? CM Punk chants have returned to WWE arenas with the return of his new wife A.J. This could be a reason, which might serve as motivation for Punk to make a clear statement about his future in wrestling. Which he already has indirectly, but to hear it from him in his own words should be something the wrestling world has be dying to hear despite what people claim in terms of being tired of hearing about Punk.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Can Roman Reigns Survive The Transition To Face Of WWE

No one is going to deny the fact Roman Reigns really from the beginning of his career on the WWE main roster has been positioned to be the eventually successor to John Cena. He has been highly protected and made to come off as a huge superstar. He is portrayed as the coolest guy in the room currently. It is hard to remember and even harder to admit, but John Cena once was that guy.

People will have long debates on the success of Cena since that time as the “Face of the WWE” and how successful he really has been. I think it is fair to say that John Cena somewhere between then and now, he stopped being cool and became corporate. John Cena’s early rap persona really legitimately got over with the audience and still to this day when he brings back that persona it can get over with the audience.

The Shield when they were together and since they have separated still has that cool factor going for them in a major way. Roman Reigns at this point is the guy that keeps his words fairly short but they are more often than not having an impact. The most recent example was his response to “Cena Sucks” chants and he responded to the audience with “when Roman Reigns in the ring your damn right.” The audience reacted as you would expect with tremendous cheers.

WWE is already teasing the idea of Reigns taking over from Cena in the lead-up into the four-way for WWE Heavyweight World Championship at Battleground. It seems that it will be enviable that we see a John Cena vs. Roman Reigns Wrestlemania main event.

The danger is and perhaps the first mistake the WWE could make with Roman Reigns as they did with John Cena is to push him to the top to fast. Cena has been jammed down people throats for so long that company’s obsession in pushing him has become in effect an anti-push for him making him this weird Heel/Face that we know today. I have maintained this has been bad for business in the sense that he turns guys that are suppose to heels into faces far too soon. It is a major reason why the WWE is lacking true heels today.

While WWE fans want change and are hungry to see Reigns on top, is this not just the first step to heading towards what Cena has become? That is something that the WWE needs to avoid despite themselves. It is hard to think the WWE will learn from their mistakes. They don’t have a good track record at that. Maybe were not giving them enough credit, but we have a history of material to doubt them.

Maybe Roman Reigns will have the stroke to keep himself on the right path. He is after all related to The Rock who has always been able to stay cool for the most part with wrestling fans. The one thing Roman Reigns does lack is the ability to cut long involved promos. I think personally, I am ok with keeping Reigns as this man that says little and speaks more with his actions than his words. It would be a refreshing change from the WWE norm.

Another point to the positive is Reigns having come into the company as part of The Shield. He will always have these relationships to fall back on. It can always be something they can draw back on going forward. Similar to how the WWE has used groups like DX, Evolution and others. Let’s call this Roman Reigns safe place as we move forward it will always work if they do not over use it.

Cena for the most part has been a solo act and has never had anyone that really has been his legitimate friend in terms of storyline. Even Hogan had that year or so with Savage in which he had someone sharing the spotlight with him. Cena has the occasion casual person tied to him that he has failed to get over. Zack Ryder was the most obvious example of this where he had already gotten over and Cena came along and ruined that in a very quick fashion.

Reigns maybe the “chosen one” it has not impacted on the fact that Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins also have gotten "over" along side him for the last couple years.

What Cena and Reigns share in common is female fan base in large part love them. It is primarily based on their looks and not much else. Where John Cena really lost his cool was when males stopped thinking he was cool and his primary fans were kids and women. Cena was cool when he was rapping and saying things that were to say the least not PG based. Reigns is just more respected as a legit “badass” by guys right now. This is something that can still work under the WWE’s PG world as they have been able to prove currently.

If the WWE is patient and does not change much about Reigns and evolve just the characteristics he already has things will be fine. If they attempt to turn him in to that John Cena corporate face of the company that will not be good for his long term. Roman Reigns can still do all the things Cena does but you don’t need to publicize them as much. Reigns with his character can say he doesn’t need people to know what he does as he is just doing what is the right thing.

It is hard to imagine Roman Reigns being thought of in the same light as John Cena. Still could we have imagined 10 years ago that Cena would be thought of as he is today? It is vital that someone realizes that John Cena ultimately has not been the complete success that company paints him out to be. Roman Reigns might be the right guy to realize that and has a guy who was legitimately the most successful person both in the WWE and beyond it combined in The Rock a phone call away.

It will be very interesting to see how the WWE handle this transition. The WWE has never really had to deal with this kind of transition as the face of the company. Hogan left for WCW, Stone Cold left because of injury, The Rock left for Hollywood and Triple H had the security of being part of the McMahon family. Cena clearly has no plans of leaving any time soon and thus this complex transition will have to take place. The WWE has never really had to deal with this kind of situation.

WWE fans have their fingers crossed they won’t screw this up.

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