By Nick Whitworth@NickWhitworth
Oh Yeah, Rant Time Yeah…I have been putting an extreme amount of detective work in trying to figure out exactly why The Backstreet Boys were the only ones to tell Nick Carter “Yeah” when he asked if he was sexual… Time for a much needed break which brings me to that time of the week we all came to love dearly…. Rant time… Today’s topics are:
– WWE letting Indy talent keep their name
– The Greatest Royal Rumble
– UCW 11th Anniversary show
– Heel Nakamura
– Smart marks
1: For years when WWE would sign a big name star they would repackage that star under a new identity and ignore their past accolades. This was something I couldn’t wrap my head around. Vince either was afraid of competition and wouldn’t acknowledge other promotions or he figured his audience was so pro WWE and anti everything else the fans would have no clue who these people were.
Remember TNA’s breakout star Monty Brown? His WWE signing was music to my ears. I seen big things coming his way. Exit Monty Brown, enter Marcus Cor Von. His profile highlighted nothing but his football experience. Such a waste as everything he worked hard for, building up his fan based was all washed away as he was forced to start from scratch.
Taking said wrestler’s identity and wiping it clean causes his/her fan base to walk away from the star. That wrestler just isn’t the same anymore. It is not fair to that star one bit. They created that character and got themselves over with the fans yet WWE swoops in and makes them do it all over again.
2017 Royal Rumble will go down as the greatest Rumble as we all witnessed the debut of “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles. The reaction he received that night showed the WWE higher ups that WWE isn’t the only company to produce mega stars. WWE allowed AJ Styles to be AJ Styles. He was exactly who he was beforehand and was exactly who he was from 15 years ago when I became a fan of his. His brand was already over, all he needed was to fine tune a few skills to make him a huge success in WWE land. Now, Styles is better then he ever was and is the company’s biggest star. If he debuted under a different moniker, I think this paragraph would be a little different.
Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and War Raiders… All big Indy names who WWE renamed and they are succeeding quite well, or off to a great start (War Raiders recently debuted in NXT). Changing Prince Devitt to Finn Balor, well to be honest I was nervous about but I ended up likeing it more then his previous name. Owens instead of Steen I liked as well and Zayn instead of El Generico was perfect because Generico is a whole different character then WWE’s Sami Zayn. There are stars like Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose who WWE made name changes to as well yet they are former WWE Champions. These stars had their names changed but kept their style and their former character which made the name change acceptable. War Raider, formerly War Machine, are in the same boat. Same character just different team name. The difference here is they were allowed to keep their own names of Rowe and Hanson.
There are so many stars on WWE television (including NXT) who are exactly who they were previously and came in with huge fanfare. These stars are over for a reason and the proof is in their WWE debuts. They all have received a major pop from the crowd. Heck, even Adam Cole is allowed to do his “Bay Bay” schtick. I was nervous for Ricochet as they started off calling him Trevor “Ricochet” Mann which just would of made his character seem watered down. Luckily Triple H scratched that and added in “The One and Only” to the name.
Just to show you how much Vince is changing his overall thought process on changing talent’s names, look no further then EC III. His forgettable first run with WWE as Derrick Bateman was a pure waste of his talent but departing the company was the best thing for his career. Signing with Impact Wrestling and becoming a true main event talent under the new name of Ethan Carter III or EC III. He has since linked back up with WWE and I was insanely shocked when he was announced as EC III. A name given to him from an opposing company. Times have sure changed.
Leaving the stars with their names and their character brings in their entire fan base. You love someone for a reason and by changing what you love about them will alter how you feel. Look at the infamous television star Jaleel White. He had trouble finding work after the Family Matters series went off the air because he was so good at the Steve Urkel character that he just wasn’t seen valuable as anything else but that character. If he was able to transfer Urkel from show to show he would still be working the Urkel gimmick because he had such a massive fan base. Same goes for wrestlers who are so great at the believability of their character. By changing them you loose all investment you have in them.
Good on WWE for finally allowing this. Good on WWE for publicly acknowledging other promotions and good on WWE for allowing more freedom in their stars.
2: The Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia…. 50 man Rumble match…. 60,000 in attendance… The event came with major success and came with a lot of heat.
First off, I liked the hype and the idea for the event. To be a global empire you need to literally run the globe. You need to accept all types of cultures and ethnic backgrounds and have to run shows world wide. Example is the Jinder Mahal WWE Championship run. The company was in the middle of breaking into India and by putting Mahal at the top was the perfect way to break in.
The proof that WWE is huge in Saudi Arabia can solely be looked at the events attendance. 60,000 people filled the King Abdullah International Stadium. That right there is a Wrestlemania attendance and showed that WWE is as big as they say they are.
The matches were Mania level matches but my only issue was we all knew there would be no title changes. Jeff Hardy who was just drafted to Smackdown took on Jinder Mahal who was just drafted to Raw. Raw has the Intercontinental Championship so you knew Mahal had no chance. Same with the Intercontinental Championship match, once Hardy retained you knew Samoa Joe wasn’t going to win the belt due to being drafted from Raw. AJ Styles wasn’t going to loose to Shinsuke Nakamura this close to defeating him at this years Wrestlemania.
The only difference was I did think Roman Reigns would have defeated Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship and even though I knew the newly formed Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy would defeat The Bar I still was into the match and am looking forward to see where this goes (a turn somewhere).
WWE took some heat for going into Saudi Arabia where there are very limited women’s rights where as WWE is in the middle of showcasing the men and women as equal. Some say the event shouldn’t have happened due to this but I disagree. Business wise, it is a smart move to put on this show. Their culture is different from mine and I totally understand that to grow globally you have to follow those countries rules and cultures. This doesn’t harm the company’s stance on women’s wrestling but just for one night only they had to omit the women from the card.
The irony of this is WWE ran an ad for dual brand PPV’s and the ad featured women. The Saudi General Sports Commission had to act fast and offer an apology for the “indecent material”.
I loved the 50 man Rumble. Anytime there is a Rumble my heart flutters. Nothing beats a solid Rumble and by adding 50 men instead of the usual 30 peeks anyone and everyone’s interest. Much like typical Royal Rumbles we saw all the top stars plus a fair share of surprise guests. Hornswoggle , The Great Khali, Rey Mysterio and Chris Jericho all appeared. WWE also added Japanese star Hiroki Sumi as well. The line up was as solid as can be.
I have to say it… I do…. Poor ol’ Titus O’Neil. I have tears rolling down my face right this second from laughter… His botch was the greatest thing I ever seen. I am not trying to be rude or anything like that and it couldn’t of happened to a nicer guy but jeez louise that was funny. For anybody reading this who has no clue what I am talking about I will elaborate a wee bit. Titus ran down the aisle when it was his turn to enter the Rumble much like everybody else but the difference was he tripped. What.. Nick, how is that so funny? Well, he not only tripped but because he was running down the ramp he slide as well…. He slide right under the ring… YouTube that right now and the imagine in your head will match the actual mishap.
All in all, The Greatest Royal Rumble event was a great show which I think was the right call to do. Even though WWE cancelled their Smackdown Live event here in Halifax, Nova Scotia I think business wise it was a very smart call. All I hope is that WWE compensated the women for the event. Due to WWE following the Saudi culture I think the company owes it to the female talent by paying them anyways because as we all know they would have been heavily featured if not for the difference in culture.
3: Friday April 27th I attended the 11th Anniversary show for fantastic local promotion called UCW (Ultimate Championship Wrestling). I will be as honest as I always am here with this topic. I will not let the fact that it is local get in the way of this rant. That my friend is a promise… I pinky swear.
UCW put on the greatest wrestling event I ever witnessed. From the moment I stepped foot into the arena you could feel it in the air that the night was about to be spectacular. The event was highlighted by WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne taking on WWE star Tyler Bate. Yep, you read that right. WWE’s 2017 match of the year rematch was happening in my hometown. Probably because I am from here….
The event started off with a VIP match that was a hot seller. 8 men in a War Games match. I didn’t see a whole lot of it, which is sad because a friend of mine was competing in it but I just couldn’t find my seat. My buddy and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the layout for seating. That is karma right there as I gave my seating plan to a few fellas standing behind me in line. The crowd seemed hot for the match and even though I seen maybe 5 minutes, judging by fan reactions the match was a way to kick off this show.
The actual show (a few matches for VIP only) kicked off with a main event match. UCW Champion Marko Estrada vs Tyson Dux vs Markus Burke in a Triple Threat. Wow, what a match. 3 of Canada’s best in one ring. The crowd was hooked in this right here. It was very physical and had the entire arena’s attention. Estrada managed to retain his belt here but this was such a perfect way to start the show. Unbelievable match.
Every match on the show was absolutely amazing. Whether is was Covey Christ taking on Carter Mason or The Carnival Death Match, every match meant something. Every match had the fans sitting on the edge of their seat. The booking for this show can not be topped. This was the best show The Maritimes has ever seen.
As I mentioned previously, The Carnival Death Match was something to be seen. Sinn Bodhi took on Titus in the freakish match which was not for the faint of heart. There was some really great comedy spots but there were also some very squeamish spots as well. Cement blocks being smashed on genitals, knife fights, tacks and darts being thrown. Yes you read that correctly. Titus threw a handful of darts to the body of Sinn Bodhi. I have shivers just thinking of it. As gory as the match was, it still was a fantastic site to watch. Both knew how to tell a story properly while still including some crazy objects.
I marked out here…. Pete Dunne vs Tyler Bate. This was the greatest match I have ever witnessed. Each star worked their tail off and put on a real treat for us watching. Every single person at the event was so into this match that I probably could have streaked around the ring and nobody would have noticed.
Dunne knows how to work the crowd. He plays this walking a fine line of heel and babyface. He does heelish actions then follows them up with doing something a face would do. Bate is a solid good guy who reeks of talent. Both men here are the future of WWE and if they do not make a major mark on the business then I will quit writing these Rants.
We all witnessed greatness in the ring and I am still in awe of how well these guys work together. They were insanely physical, they were old school, and they were relevant. I am still in awe over what I witnessed inside the UCW ring.
The main event was Dick Durning defeating former WWE World Champ Jack Swagger in a thrilling bout. Durning is one of the top Maritime stars and this win continued to cement his legacy in the Maritime scene. This match was a perfect way to end this unbelievable event. I can not wait for their Summer Explosion tour.
4: Anybody who knows me knows my love for great characters and Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the greatest overall character I have seen. I can go on and on about why I think this way but I challenge anybody to prove me wrong.
Nakamura couldn’t quite hit the ground running on Smackdown Live like he did in NXT and I tend to put a little blame on booking and a lot of blame on over exposure. The King Of Strong Style is such a unique character that too much of him hurt his buzz.
I expected a lot more out of his main roster run so far but I am not disappointed. He has been positioned towards the top for pretty much the whole run. He dabbed in the main event scene and even took on WWE’s MVP AJ Styles at Wrestlemania 34. He just was loosing steam.
What do you do next with such a rare talent like Nak….. Turn him heel. His match with Styles wasn’t what I expected but I never seen his turn coming. I was shocked. I had the time to process it all and I think the turn was brilliant.
Not one person watching Mania seen that coming. Unpredictability means more then you think. It is all about shock value and everybody’s jaw was on the floor. So how should WWE proceed without damaging a major star? Easy….. Go all in on this turn.
WWE quickly gave Nakamura new theme music which was a fantastic way to eliminate the usual crowd antics to his old theme. It gives his turn more of that heel feel. It gives his character a new identity. A fresh start to new push.
The low blow schtick hopefully ends soon and he gets to turn the turn dial up full blast. I understand the meaning behind the low blows but too much will cause fans to ho hum over he turn. Full blown heel Nakamura will give Shinsuke that boost he needs and will give him the spot he truly deserves….The top spot.
I am a massive fan of his and always hoped WWE would bring him over to the big leagues. I just truly hope the company really goes all in on him as he is a true money making talent. Let him be him and the rest will be history. The end.
5: Internet fans are ruining the business hands down. Everybody knows everything and think they have a voice and their opinions matter. As a major fan it is sad to read comments on wrestlers posts from so called fans. It is sad to see so called fans run their mouths over who should be pushed and who shouldn’t and it is sad when 2 wrestlers are in the ring giving it their all and the fans decide to hijack the show. Not cool one bit.
This guy should be pushed and this guy shouldn’t. Roman Reigns gets boo’d out of the building yet he sells a tremendous amount of merchandise and WWE’s Instagram photo of Reigns with the Intercontinental Championship received their highest amount of likes for any post yet he is undeserving of his spot on the card…. Shake my damn head.
I understand times have changed and everybody feels entitled to voice their own opinions and to a degree that is fine but I find more often then none people cross the line and go straight ignorant. Everybody thinks differently and everyone is allowed to but everybody isn’t always right… Especially when it comes to a business. If you don’t work for the company then your opinions don’t matter as much as you think.
If you want to see your favorite star showcased how you want then be smart about it.. Make unique posts, tag WWE and said star, and hope for the best. If I had my way (which I usually do, hey Vince?) Wrestlemania would have been a lot different. It wasn’t and I didn’t take to social media to blast the company…. I just wrote an article about it…… I am allowed ok..
If you really want to truly understand why I think the fans are hurting the business, just take 10 minutes and hop on twitter and scroll through current WWE star Mike Kanellis’ page. Read some of the comments from fans. It will truly break your heart to see how rude people are towards him. The comments are uncalled for and have to upset him. He busts his butt to please fans, battles staying sober (which he has been nailing), transformed his physique into a body Vince has to love and balances being a father of a new beautiful baby girl. Yet people still think it is alright to comment on his page with total nonsense.
A buddy of mine wrestles here in The Maritimes and he recently received a comment on a post from a fan calling him a mid carder. That remark is the stupidest thing I ever heard. He is the champion multiple companies yet he is a mid card act. Even if he was, why does that matter. Mid card, lower card, main event…. It is all one show so the difference is what?
I have said it before and I will say it again…. A business is a business and wants to make money. Which ever star is making them the most money is the star who is showcased the most. So if your guy is not as high on the card as you think he should then maybe your guy isn’t a guy who brings more to the table. Merch sales, tickets sales and television ratings are what goes in to a push. Talent plays a big part but if you do not draw money then a mega push is probably slim pickings.
Unless you are me you aren’t always right. Unless you are me then you do not know everything.. OK, fine I am kidding but the purpose of this topic was for the fans to slow your role. Stop with the rude comments, stop hijacking shows, stop thinking you know everything and just sit back and enjoy the shows. Yes you can get angry at booking or wish for certain push but leave the negativity off social media. Controversy does create cash but so do Nick’s Rants so follow my lead..
Holy Guacamole another stunning Rant has come to an end. We all laughed, we all cried but most importantly we all bonded over one simple thing….Nick’s intelligence.. Anyways, until next time keep on supporting your local promotions, you never know you could get the chance to witness Pete Dunne take on Tyler Bate. Every wrestler starts somewhere. See you next week. Oh also, Shaggy… It was you.
