7 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (May 5)
4. Aiden English: Crybaby
On this week's edition of SmackDown, Aiden English continued to exhaust a gimmick somehow worse than a silent movie era rapscallion. He is the second singing wrestler on the main roster (!), but that's not all. After succumbing to another quick defeat at the hands of Tye Dillinger, English burst into tears after teasing a mental breakdown.
That this new facet of his act has been developed in the fallout of the Mauro Ranallo furore can't be a coincidence. It can't. WWE is the most vindictive company on the face of the planet. Sami Zayn is in the doghouse for having the gumption to better himself at his craft; meanwhile, Dean Ambrose is out of favour because he's perceived as lazy and unmotivated. You can't win, and to underscore that, few do. It's all 50/50 - one step forward, two steps back.
That could be read as cynical - but Corey Graves poked fun at the Tom Phillips sex scandal just one hour later on 205 Live. This is just something the company does. Positioning English as a Ranallo avatar isn't beyond the pale or out of the realms of possibility.
"Ladies and gentlemen," English began on the April 11, 2017 SmackDown. "I stand here bereft of any company." Given how dire this new schtick is, his words might be prescient.
WWE re-debuted Jinder Mahal as another non-starter who came "in peace" last year, so then again, if current trends continue, English will be challenging for the top prize in the industry by 2018.