Friday Means Podcast and Preview of Extreme Rules

We go from the board rooms to the ring this week on the Podcast. WWE Business to the next PPV and if it will be BEST FOR BUSINESS. An old favourite WWE Show coming back to WWE Network but should we really be that excited about it? Speaking of the Network still no way to LEGALLY get on board with the network outside of U.S till late 2014 or early 2015. We may not have the WHOLE WORLD IN OUR HANDS but we do have a twitter account @Condoonthemoon and facebook page. What we don't have is a guest this week but that is ok because James Borbath and Chris Walder had lots to talk about.



Thanks to all of you that already have followed us on Twitter please spread the word and let folks know about the Condo on The Moon. If your new to the Condo on the Moon welcome aboard. Our Podcast drops every Friday evening and great articles all week long. So freak out cause we are here and looking to build our own wrestling family with all of you.

Push,Repackage & Fire: Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Kofi Kingston

It’s time to play everyone’s favourite game that you may have learned from Straight Shoot with Aubrey Sitterson. Speaking of that subject, I encourage you to go check out his Extreme Rules Preview show with guest Sam Roberts. The game is one I created called Push, Repackage and Fire. It is a take off from the more well known Screw, Marry and Kill game. We take 3 wrestling talents from the same roster and decide who we are pushing, who is getting re-packaged and who is getting a pink slip like Mason Ryan and a number of others did for real a couple days ago.

I really want to make it interactive so if you have some good ideas on 3 talents you would like to see used for a future edition of this hit me with them @condoonthemoon and I will pick one to use. For this go around I am going to pick our three lucky victims.

So here we go we have Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Kofi Kingston you are the contestants for this time around.

Push: Kofi Kingston

We are going push Kofi and not change anything about him except his role. Kofi has been the good guy for far too long and what has it got him. They already teased a turn in that confusing interaction with the Miz awhile back but we are following throw and making Kofi a heel. No more smiling happy Kofi an angry one motivated to have success. We start this by having Kofi on a Raw pre-show and he walks off saying he is not in the WWE to talk about it he is here to be a part of it. He storms into Brad Maddox office and demands a match. Maddox says he does not have the authority to make a match as the card is booked. Kofi says that Maddox is a puppet of the authority he should have just gone to them. Maddox says no wait you want a match fine. He books him against Dolph Ziggler. Kofi has a competitive match with Ziggler and in that match the ref takes a bump and Kofi low blows Ziggler trouble in paradise and ref has recovered 1-2-3 and your off and running with Kofi as a heel.

Repackage: Sheamus

We are all tired of this fella; well most of us are at this point. I am having Sheamus grow a full beard; shave his head and comeback as a loud brash cocky heel. If you are familiar with Conor McGregor in the UFC something along these lines of how he acts.  He will shoot his mouth off and talk about how he is great buddies with Triple H and that he has been promised he will be taken to top. Even give him a few of Triple H’s moves that he can brag he was taught by The Game himself. He will go out of his way to suck up to the authority and try and make it very obvious he is in tight with them without them really acknowledging him to any great degree. In the end we are meant to believe that Sheamus is over exaggerating to flat out lying about his friendship with Triple H. He can keep some of his corny jokes but make them about other wrestlers and the fans. He also will become more a chicken type heel when the fight really gets going he wants no part of it and looks for the easy way out.






Fire: Alberto Del Rio
We have tried him as a top guy and it hasn’t worked well. He had a failed run as a baby face that went worse. Basically he has had a bunch of runs with the secondary world title that have not been anything to write home about. His promos all really sound the same at this point. To which I say his destiny is to be in the unemployment line. I just can’t see a way you can rebuild him into anything that would be considered credible at this point. So adios amigo it is.





Like what we did with this? Think we totally screwed it up? There is no right or wrong answers with these so if you have cool ideas for this let’s here them. You can also like us on facebook and offer us your suggestions on this or feedback on anything else. Give us a like and let us hear from you.

Daniel Bryan Can Only Be As Strong A Champion As He Is Allowed To Be

I did not live in fear that Daniel Bryan would not get his much deserved moment at Wrestlemania 30. The simple fact was the WWE didn’t really have much choice given all the things that led up to that event. C.M Punk decision to go home to Chicago was one of those things. Mentioning him is where my concerns for Daniel Bryan begin. Before I go further about that it was also a direct result of fans passionate reaction to Bryan’s exclusion from the Royal Rumble match.  In the end the planned Batista vs. Randy Orton match for the WWE World Championship was doomed. The WWE over estimated the popularity of a returning Batista against the popularity of the incumbent wrestler on the roster Daniel Bryan.

So it was a bumpy and winding road from when Daniel Bryan first entered the title picture going against John Cena at Summerslam. The fact is the WWE got to the destination their audience demanded. This for me is all that matters to some extent. That is only half of the problem solved though at the end of the day. In traditional pro sports they say winning a championship is one thing but to defend that title is a whole different ballgame. In wrestling the company booking you to become the champion is one thing but how you are booked once you are the champion is another. This is where my fear for Daniel Bryan begins.

I was concerned that the WWE would not be as invested in the Daniel Bryan title run as this was not their idea to begin with. I also had a lot of concern with the lack of true heels on the roster to challenge him as the champion. A champion is only as good as the contenders that challenge him for that title. It is safe to say that Kane as his first challenger to the title is under whelming would be more than a fair statement. Let's face it, on the first PPV/Special Event it seems highly likely this match-up will be the main event.

That leads us back to the man now currently enjoying being Blackhawks and Cubs fan in Chicago. C.M Punk even as part of historic title run was not booked as being the main event all the time. The idea of the champion and not going on last is just not the way traditional fans have become accustom to seeing a champion treated. The only way Punk found his way to the main event was when he faced John Cena. He was the guy that went on last and not Punk. While Punk fans look at his 434 title reign as a great achievement, and it really was, for a majority of that he was not treated as he should be.

Bryan at least for the start of his title reign is starting off on that path. He is by far the most popular and loved WWE Superstar much in the same way C.M Punk was. This goes back further in history though and the first person to be treated in this fashion was Randy Savage. His match with Ric Flair at Wrestlemania 8 was not booked as the main event. Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice was the main event on that show. It set a wrong precedent that has lived on to today. I have said this many times in writing in this blog but for myself the title of a promotion is the most valuable resource your company has. I understand you still need stars for a company to be successful that is no secret. Still you can have someone get injured and if you have made that person bigger than the title you suddenly have a problem. That belt shows up for every show and is never going on the injured reserve list.

When you treat your title as not the most important this your company has it makes not just your champion lesser but his challenger as well. I think in a landscape where you live in a world with the legit combat sport of the UFC where titles mean everything you must follow suit in pro wrestling. When you choose not too it makes that "believability factor" that is vital for wrestling to work suffer.

What also makes it suffer is that someone is some how bigger than the title. The goal of every wrestler should always be to want to be the champion. In pro sports would you ever respect an athlete that doesn’t still have that desire to win another championship? You don’t want guys like that in your locker room. John Cena should want to beat the record of Ric Flair and become the greatest champion of all time. Cena has even had points where with in the context of the storyline he has flat of said he doesn’t need the title and once gave away a title match to someone else. That destroys the value of the championship and its importance.

Daniel Bryan and his journey did restore a lot of value in a title that suffered with a weakly booked heel champion Randy Orton. If you don’t build him legitimate challengers and treat those matches as the most important thing on these shows that becomes a real problem and takes the steam out of Bryan’s run as champion.

Cena in his promo on Raw this week talked about being excited about the future for when he eventually leaves. If he truly means that he should be the one pushing for that champion and championship to be treated as the biggest thing on a show and company he has helped build.

While it is great for The Shield to be in a main event program with Evolution it should not be bigger than the title and the champion. In a way it spits in the face of the 31 titles reigns that the three members of Evolution has. Not to mention every other man that has held that belt.

So let’s hope that things go a different route for Daniel Bryan. The reason I worry is unlike CM Punk it is not in Daniel Bryan’s nature is not to rock the boat. Maybe Bri will fight for him behind the scenes now that she has a vested interest as his wife. In any case the Bryan Title run is not off to a huge start heading into Extreme Rules this Sunday.

Raw Notebook: April 28th, 2014 from St Louis

I should start by saying that I like to do these things the next day because it allows everything to settle in. It is far less reactionary when you do it this way. I do love recap shows right after Raw as well and they have a place as well, but often are based on instant reaction like social media as we watch. Not to say we may not do similar shows in the future, but for now we have the notebook.

Show Opening/ Cena vs. Wyatt

I struggle to think of a better start to Raw in quite sometime. This opening segment was validation of why we are wrestling fans for me. You had John Cena out in the ring for the first time admitting that maybe the WWE Universe is not on his side. He questions why this is which in many ways is comical I could list about 100 but will save that for another day. He is interrupted by a child’s voice in the darkness as only the ring was lighted. Singing that familiar tune of “He’s got the whole world in his hands,” and than the lights come up and a whole choir of children join him singing. They are joined by Bray Wyatt and his family, with Bray joining in singing and the children follow him and surround the caged ring. The lights go out again and all of the children have on sheep masks and continue to sing. They cut to Bray in his rocking chair with a small child on his lap in the sheep mask. Just a brilliant visual and the symbolism of this was off the charts.

Cena later in the night is approached in the back by Renee Young and asked to comment and he is speechless. At this point GOLD go ahead and take my money I want to see these two go at in a cage on Sunday. You need Cena entering a match doubting if his supporters will actually support him any longer as he faces a dangerous and demented man in a cage.

But as always with John Cena they take it one step to far for what purpose I have no idea. Later in the night he talks to Young and apologizes for earlier and not addressing her question. He goes into John Cena comedy and talks about buying Bray a donkey and he realizes his fans are still behind him and he is going but a fist in Bray’s face and a foot in his ass.

Why can’t we have Superman be vulnerable every once in awhile heading into a match? Isn’t that best for business to not know who is going to win?  Even the actual Superman is paralyzed by Kryptonite. What is John Cena’s Kryptonite commitment? Ok I am being like Cena making bad jokes I will stop now.

Kane/Bryan & Steph and Brie

Plugged throughout the show was Stephanie was going to apologize to Daniel Bryan for Kane’s actions last week. While some may have groaned at the thought of this, not me I love what she does in roles like this.  If there is anyone better at insincerity on this planet I don’t know who that is. I think Stephanie will one day run for political office and win avenging Linda’s losses. She has about the same level of sincerity as most politicians. Anyway the short answer is I love Stephanie in roles like this. 

So when we roll around to that Steph true to form was almost in tears addressing her regret to Bryan and Brie who are on the entrance way. Bryan continues to say that Stephanie is full of crap and talks about the trauma his wife was put through. To which Stephanie says she can totally relate to as she has spent many a night in a hospital beside her husband Triple H falling asleep in his room worrying about him being ok.

Stephanie invites Bryan to come to the ring which he refuses because his mamma didn’t raise no fool. I say this, he didn’t say that, I did and it sounded more like something Mr.T would say as opposed to Daniel Bryan. If not for Kane I believe he still would be thanking his mamma. Anyway back to this and Stephanie informs Bri that she is going to have a shot at the diva’s title and she could be champion along side Bryan defending that title at Extreme Rules and the match it starts now.

Bryan protests and says there is no way he is going to allow this unless he is accompanying Bri to the ring. Stephanie is fine with this and we have a Diva’s Title match.

All through the night they had shown Kane’s mask in a case which Stephanie had mentioned in trying to prove her sincerity was locked in her office as proof Kane was not going to attack Bryan. Right before they cut to break the mask is gone and we return for the Diva’s title match. You know what happens next Kane’s music interrupts the match and he comes from under the ring and tries to drag Bri Bella under the ring with him. Bryan fights him off while wearing a neck brace from the attack on Raw last week. He manages to get Bri out of the ring and than Kane Chockslams him and Bri comes back in the ring distracts Kane and Bryan is able to be taken out to the ring and Bri is able to escape from Kane.

Later in the night a concerned Stephanie goes to the medical room and is almost tearful that this has happened again and asked if Bryan will be ok for Sunday. Bryan says he will be there Sunday to defend his title. She than apologizes again to Bri who is trying to be very concerned and emotional as best as Bella can act. She screams at Stephanie “You Bitch” and tells her to get out.

All and all some pretty good stuff, but despite it all I don’t consider Kane a real threat no matter what they do and the fact this match will likely not be last on the PPV that is a sign that the  WWE doesn’t either to some degree.

Shield/Evolution- Ric Flair WOOOO!!!

Well Evolution hit’s the ring for the final segment that is supposed to be a match with Roman Reigns and Randy Orton. They cut a promo showing that they were impressed as The Shield systematically took out the 11 guys they had faced on Raw a few weeks ago on last week’s Smackdown. Triple H even going as far as saying it reminds him of them. Shield hit the ring and before they can say much Ric Flair’s music hit he cuts a very odd promo that lacked logic and he basically endorses the Shield after reminiscing about his times in St Louis and his time as part of Evolution. Flair was just not himself and he is a legend and all of that can never be taken away but I can’t help but feel sorry for him as he seems a shadow of his former self.

Anyway we do have a bit of match which ends with a flat out brawl and another no-contest on the night as the Diva’s Title Match earlier. Dean Ambrose was going after Triple H like he owed him money. It was a long brawl that saw the Shield get the better early than Evolution did before the Shield made a final rally and controlled the ring. That was how Raw left you to head into Extreme Rules on Sunday.


Other Notes:

• As expected Bad New Barrett became the number one contender for the I-C belt. Cesaro and Swagger who has a match earlier would get involved. After losing RVD would take care of both Swagger and Cesaro setting up a three way at the PPV for those three as Chris Walder predicted on our Podcast.
• A forgettable segment with Hugh Jackman, Dolph Ziggler and Damien Sandow took place.  Some X-Men movie Promo non-sense that makes me so sad for both Sandow and Ziggler who were a year ago in much higher profile places. They are now reduced to doing bad comedy bits.
• The Uso’s defended there titles against Ryback and Axel. This was nothing spectacular but nice to see titles being defended on Raw and T.V in general.
• Speaking of titles not being defended Dean Ambrose on Smackdown will have a three on one match against Del Rio, Ryback and Axel for his seldom defended U.S Title.
• Storyline of a Cody and Goldust break-up coming was advanced a little tonight.
• Speaking of little we had the El Torito and Hornswaggle epic feud continue…..They are set to go one on one at the PPV in a mini TLC match.
• Paul Heyman proved he can get over anything as he told a knock knock joke and got it over with the punch line we all saw coming MY CLIENT BROCK LESNAR CONQUERED THE STREAK.
• All in all I liked this show my fellow podcasting partner Chris Walder was not as big a fan. Will find out why and sort it all out on Friday on the IWCP. To this point we do not have a guest booked so we may have more time to talk this week will see. 
• Oh and ADAM ROSE debuts next week....Can't wait. 

After having a drop off of 600 thousand viewers in the final hour last week on Raw will see if this show was able to rebound. It was clear a lot of effort was put in to make sure that is does.

By the way we now have a Twitter account follow us on @Condoonthemoon and like us on Facebook and share your thoughts and feedback with us on all we do.

Ten Count: 10 Matches We Would Like To See In WWE

 We are a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short with the 10 count this week. In this week's edition we will day dream a little with 10 feuds that we have not seen in WWE that we think would be pretty damn cool. Not to say all of them are possible, but we are throwing them out there none the less. Still will try and keep it realistic.

#10: Lita vs. A.J Lee: You could make a great number of feuds that involve women that have dated CM Punk let’s face it. None more appealing than this one as A.J Lee grew up idolizing Lita the recent WWE Hall of Fame inductee. It would make for an excellent match even if you leave the Punk element out of the equation.

#9: Bray Wyatt vs. Bo Dallas: At some point we all expect Bray Wyatt to become a baby face and when he does a feud with his actual brother in real life Bo Dallas you would think has to happen. I can see the promo Bray would cut in my head right now. Bo was always a dreamer and he is lying to himself. I Bolieve this feud eventually happens and it will be great.

#8 Dean Ambrose vs. John Cena: We have seen some interaction with these two with Ambose as part of The Shield. If the two ever got together in a one on one feud it could be excellent. John Cena when pushed by someone who can go in the ring always does his best work. On the mic Ambrose can hold his own with anyone and would no doubt drop some verbal jabs on Cena that all his haters would enjoy.

#7 Seth Rollins vs. Cesaro: Forgive me for not knowing if this ever happened in ROH but the two alums from that company can go in the ring for days. In ring this match would carry the goods and both have the potential to get it done on the microphone as well. It would be fun to see these guys work a program.

#6 Tyler Breeze vs. Adam Rose: These two characters seem to fit together well and I wouldn’t doubt we see this match-up in NXT if Rose is around long enough for it to happen. Prince Pretty vs. the Party starter Adam Rose seems like something that could be fun. Breeze not being considered cool enough to party with Adam Rose and your off and running. In the ring we have not seen the best of either, but if you believe what people say both have potentially to be very good. 

 

#5 Adam Cole vs. Sami Zayn: These next two feuds involve people currently not signed to WWE but what the heck were going make it happen here. Adam Cole is the current ROH Champion and I have no doubt will find his way to the WWE. The in ring style of both would make for some incredible matches. Cole is getting very good with a microphone in his hand, while Zayn continues to improve in that area. Why does this happen? Simple if Cole came in he would claim to be the rising star that everyone thinks Zayn already is. I think that qualifies as one of J.R’s personally issues and goes back to something we said in this blog about wanting to be the best.

#4 Kevin Steen vs. Luke Harper: I am sure this likely took place on the Indies somewhere. You want a crazy flat out brawl this is a match that will deliver the goods. Steen can talk on the microphone with anyone in this business and he can go with someone with Harper’s rough and tumble style. Heck if you add in Eric Rowan and Steen’s former tag partner Sami Zayn and this is a heck of a tag-team match. Steen is not signed in WWE of course but rumours are out there he had a great try out. This would be a great feud for him to showcase his in ring style.

#3 Roman Reigns vs. The Rock: Yes Roman Reigns is likely heading to face HHH at some point and could some day be the man in this company. How cool would it be to see him get in the ring with the most famous of all his relations in a match? We already saw the two interact with Reigns as part of the Shield. Give him a year or maybe two and this makes a hell of a Mania match or any other big show the WWE would put it on. There are a lot of questions on if The Rock would ever wrestle again but for a member of his extended family you have a better shot at convincing him to come back and do it.

 #2 Daniel Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar: A modern day David and Goliath match-up this would be. WWE loves to book Bryan as the under dog and is there a match on earth where he would be a bigger one than in this one? My answer is a flat out no to that, so that is why this match makes so much sense. There were rumours that the Undertaker actually wanted to work with Bryan at this past Mania. Why not use those as Bryan’s motivation to get what Brock took away from him. The chance to beat the streak and go down in history. While it is no secret that Lesnar has already stated several times about being the uncrowned number on contender and wants the belt.  You don’t even need the Undetaker stuff other than Brock having beaten The Streak. Still you internet fans are aware of the rumours and it only adds another layer of awesome to this match-up.
 
#1 CM Punk vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: WWE teased us with this and it is the one match in wrestling that I truly want to see above all others. More than a few problems in making it happen of course but these two seem destined to fight and made for each other. If Punk had been around in the attitude era I have no doubt in saying a feud with he and Austin would be considered one of the best of that era. Which given that era is saying a lot. Would it be as good now as it would have been than? On the microphone it will be as both guys still know how to cut a promo. In ring it might not be as good but Punk proved he can work well with an older rusty talent in his match with the Undertaker. I believe it is the only match Austin would come back for. I also believe this is a match that gives CM Punk his final goal to achieve in wrestling to Main Event a Wrestlemania. The WWE needs a hell of an attraction if they plan to go to Cowboy’s stadium and look to have a crowd of over 100,000 people in attendance. This IS THAT ATTRACTION and it will bring all those people that use to be wrestling fans back into the fold. Will it ever happen….hope is fading fast on this one!

Obviously there are a million of these you can come up with so you’re invited to suggest your own. Love to hear your suggestions. In this we tried to keep it as realistic as possible with no real dream matches other than perhaps Punk vs. Austin and Rock vs Reigns. Also we tried to only use each talent once as you could see several good options for many of the top talent to work in programs with.

Hope we came up with some solid matches that you agree would be fun to see. There is not one on this list that I wouldn’t love to see happen at some point.

To keep up with everything going on in the Condo on the Moon like us on Facebook and help us spread the word about this wrestling blog to wrestling fans near and far. 

IWCP Episode 8

Back a little late, but for a little longer as we talk about the news of the week in wrestling. Myself and Chris Walder talk about Mick Foley's comments about WWE, The next NXT Special Event and a lot more. Also we have Steve Muehlhausen from Between the Ropes website to talk about the crossover between MMA and WWE and if we ever get a four horsewomen invasion



Thanks to Steve and make sure to check out his great work along with Brian Fritz over at Between The Ropes. Also make sure to give a like on Facebook. The 10 Count will be back in effect on Sunday and will more people read that than watch the TNA PPV something to wonder about.

Wrestling Is About Everyone Wanting To Be The Best... Or It Should Be

It has been said by many people in the wrestling business that the one thing that is real is that World Championship Title. To be the Champion of a company in both storyline and in reality should mean that you are the number one person in that company. Wrestling has strayed away from that to some degree and it needs to get back to that way of thinking.

UFC is primarily all about their championships and few people, if any, become bigger than the belt itself. Even for those that do reach that level or status it is their drive and determination to be champion that keeps them motivated to continue to fight. This is both for the accomplishment that is to be considered the best and the money that comes from being in that position.

On an old episode of Tough Enough Triple H in a very passionate speech said that the goal of everyone in this company should be to be the champion and if that wasn’t your goal you were wasting your time and everyone else’s time as well.

I get the motivational speech but on some level Heath Slater knows he is never going to be WWE Champion. At some point a wrestler or talent find themselves placed into roles or positions on a card. It is not unlike an actor or actress being typecast for certain roles. Like your doing a romantic comedy well the girl for that is Jennifer Aniston, Action movie with lots of things blowing up is Bruce Willis still alive for Diehard 8?  You get the point of what I am saying. Even look at a couple wrestlers that have made their way to Hollywood. Stone Cold Steve Austin became a guy that was typecast into those action movies that fit an audience that was his core fan base. The Rock when he hit Hollywood was doing everything under the sun from playing a tooth fairy, to a gay bodyguard to very serious roles of real life stories being adapted to the big screen.  He was very much diversified.

Diversity is a word that is very vital in all forms of life these days. Very few people are fortunate enough to say I do this one thing so very well that this is all I have too do. It simply doesn’t work for most of us in modern times. The same holds true in the WWE when you look back at the most successful people in history. They have been not just great in a ring, but great on a microphone but beyond that been able to take their character to many different places. From emotions that range from serious to hilarious and all points in between.

A great wrestling character is one that we ourselves could put that character in a situation in our minds and have a pretty good idea of how they would react to it. Not saying that we want superstars to be one hundred percent predictable, but we want them to have some traits and tendencies that make us feel we know them.

It gets to this whole idea of connecting with the crowd. That is a major part of the connection, the familiarity a character creates. Things like ring music, the way they enter the ring, hand gestures to the audience and a million other little idiosyncrasies that make each character and person unique.  It’s a huge puzzle that is put together to make us react to a person in a positive or negative way to person.

People struggle to describe what makes some one great they fall back on a term like they have the “It Factor” which is not a reference to Bobby Roode. It is that something that a person has in there eye or inside of them that makes them different and stand out from the crowd. It is that magnetism that someone has when they enter a room that draws attention from everyone else. 

This whole cast of individuals make up a wrestling roster and via for our attention through their actions in and out of a ring. It creates a common goal and purpose for everyone with exception of one person with a different motivation. That one person is Superman or Batman or whichever cartoon hero you choose. All the rest are the ones trying to destroy the hero so that they can have the spotlight that he possesses along with the trophy that goes with it the championship belt. He already has our attention and his goal is to keep it and his championship at any cost.

The trophy or belt will out live all the superstars’ career and remains the symbol for who can say they were once the best in a company. They were at the top of their chosen profession and that is real and there is nothing fake about it. Sure he may not have won it solely based on his efforts in a ring but it is because of those efforts along with the character he has crafted and moulded to be is his own that allows people to have faith in him to hold that symbol of excellence.

This leads to a does the cart or horse come first argument about how the wrestling business should be going forward to succeed. It isn’t going back to days gone by and trying to use old things from the past entirely. It isn’t booking wrestling like it is some weekly soap opera or three ring circus all the time. It is mixing and marrying of the two things to form a product that can be as attractive to a large enough audience that is can have mass appeal.

I will finish by saying this in relationship to something Jim Ross is noted for saying. Jim says that in wrestling you need personal issues and that is what sells a feud. I agree that is needed always, but what also is required is a desire to be the best. C.M Punk connected with people on many levels but at the root of his issues was that he wanted to be the best. It was not his hatred of John Cena that fuelled him, it was his desire to be considered the best. How you do that, you become the Champion. While it is fine for characters to be side tracked for various reasons from that goal of being the best it always needs to go back to that.

Suddenly when it does, matches mean more because there is a competition for getting to something bigger than just this one match. Wins and losses will only matter as much as people and storylines make them matter. Make no mistake they do NEED to matter on some level.



Daniel Bryan is more over than just about anyone in wrestling. The fact is though the strongest champion in wrestling right now is Adam Cole because of how ROH treats their title as opposed to how WWE treats their belt. TNA we won’t even bother the company and their title are both lost causes.

Bryan goes through all he went through at Mania to become champion only to face Kane? Who re-debuts in his mask and wants to destroy Bryan based on being yelled at by Stephanie McMahon? That is his motivation and it has nothing to do with being the best at all does it. While in ROH Adam Cole has a different guy every night that is gunning for him because they want to be the champion and be the best.

ROH’s first PPV is called “Best in The World” and that is something that we need to get back to in wrestling with or without CM Punk. People wanting to be the BEST IN WORLD and the CHAMPION. That is the moment when fiction and reality meet. It is a magical and real moment that we all watch wrestling for and that will never change as a motivation to watch.