6 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (Nov 10)
Is there no standard anymore?
Wow.
Since 2001, WWE has luxuriated in a market with virtually no competition. TNA, their closest-ever competitor, once had on the payroll - at the same time - Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Sting, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, Rob Van Dam, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, and Mick Foley. All marketable, genuine stars with something to offer, in the correct context.
Unfortunately, they also had Vince Russo. Between 2009-10, would-be incredible wrestling matches were suffocated by his evident hatred of wrestling matches. At Slammiversary 2009, Mick Foley defended his TNA World Heavyweight Title in a King of the Mountain match. This was a bit too much for the ageing Hardcore Legend, so, in the midst of the match, he retreated to the commentary booth to take a little "restaroonie". Who cares, right? It was only a wrestling match, the likes of which the TNA hardcore audience actually paid to watch. This week, that dwindling audience is being paid to watch.
TNA implemented a storyline in which the WWE Hall of Fame ring was the richest prize in the company - that's the company of TNA - and dressed AJ Styles up as Ric Flair, as if he was the f*cking Renegade.
The lesson learned?
Vince Russo is a godd*mn moron who laid waste to more star power than a sleazeball Hollywood exec. Or anybody remotely associated with the film industry, as it turns out.
It seems the formula is simple: Internationally Famous Wrestling Stars - Russo = Competition!
6. Alpha Vs. Omega
Wow.
Chris Jericho is wrestling Kenny Omega at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12. This is a major development in the slow paradigm shift away from WWE's complete market dominance. Jericho became a WWE fixture since debuting there in 1999 - so much so that he is on record stating that he would never work anywhere else. That's possibly because, had he joined TNA, he would have got the absolute sh*t kicked out of him seconds after appearing onscreen, like Rob Van Dam.
The emergence of New Japan Pro Wrestling as the coolest league in an age has turned his head. The prospect of frothing critical acclaim is too much for Jericho to resist; you get the distinct impression that Jericho yearns for the ***** classic that has so far eluded him throughout his legendary career - and that the ******1/4 Best Bout Machine is the man to help him deliver it.
It might be beyond him. Jericho was among the world's best a decade ago, but time, naturally, has crept up on him. Match quality is the point here - it's being promoted as a meeting between the two best wrestlers in the world, and match quality is the first prerequisite to appear in New Japan in the first instance. It probably won't be an all-time classic - but it might represent one giant leap away from WWE's market saturation.
What a time to be alive.