5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (May 4)
Citizen Kane
Q: What's some perfect pro wrestling to show to somebody that doesn't understand it?
A: Trick question. There is no such thing as perfect pro wrestling, and even less such thing as a person that doesn't understand it magically enjoying it. (A2: Titus O'Neil falling flat on his face. But more on that later.)
Often credited to Paul Heyman, the mantra is crystal clear: - "For those who believe, no explanation is needed. For those who don't believe, no explanation will do." It's not the job of the promoter to fool a non-believer, nor a requirement mislead an acolyte. Companies should serve their dedicated fanbases palatable products - but why is this sometimes seemingly so impossible?
As the pet project since 2014, the lack of support for Roman Reigns from a global audience would be unthinkable if it wasn't so...logical. More 'Old Yeller' than 'Big Dog', the former WWE Champion was loathed at the Montreal Raw immediately following the half-a*sed response he received in a supposed Saudi Arabia hotbed. He'll get the same treatment when WWE steam through Europe after Backlash too.
Vince McMahon has done a better job of pushing his talent-free children than an ultra-skilled professional wrestler. Good parenting perhaps, but it's lucky he can rely on oil money instead of the box office to keep his bank balance boosted...
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Regular 'Insane Things' scribe Michael Sidgwick can't mine Saudi Arabian royalty for cash whilst on paternity leave. Buy his book so his kids can still eat for at least one more week.
5. Sorry State Of Affairs
The problematic-to-say-the-f*cking-least Greatest Royal Rumble had enough bullsh*t surrounding it to power the plane that jetted the WWE roster the f*ck out of the country as soon as the (literal) cavalcade of b*llocks had actually concluded late on Friday.
The company hadn't escaped criticism though. Whilst many separated the end product from the rather unsavoury underbelly and some noted how show one was possibly a conduit for progressive baby steps rather than sweeping reform, numerous others made a principled stance and abandoned the event entirely.
They missed little, as it happened, but the Saudi Arabian Sports Authority had their eyes on every last detail of the mammoth supercard - including commercials during the evening's brief prayer break.
WWE aired the innocuous advert for the renewed dual-brand pay-per-views, featuring Carmella, Alexa Bliss and other females in their regular wrestling attire. Though internal Saudi broadcasters removed the commercial from TV circulation, the skit went out on arena screens exposing the 60,000+ in attendance to a trailer only previously deemed offensive because of the concept rather than content.
A lengthy apology from the authorities to the Saudi public referred to the scenes as 'indecent', though that adjective felt better applied to this transparently insidious working relationship. Did WWE even do the necessary reconnaissance after all? Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman certainly didn't...