I Love and Hate Wrestling in Equal Measures

First of all, I realise that the title to this post is somewhat negative. I will break this down in the coming paragraphs and try to spread a little more love than hatred.

Just a brief something else... I haven't written anything for a couple of months now. I'm not entirely sure why; something tells me that I needed a break from writing, not just about wrestling, but about anything. I think my 'hate' of wrestling (hate is a strong word...) caused me to stop for a while. When I think of 'writing', I think of 'wrestling' and this is something that needs disconnecting as I head into 2015. Because of this (and my desire to write about other things), I am knocking wrestling show reviews; 'Positives and Negatives' and any variations that I have used when doing reviews, on the head. It saddens me to announce that but I need to do this to save my wrestling fandom as well as enjoying the shows I go to further by not writing about them. I'm sure I'll do the odd post on a topic that comes up in British Wrestling, but the reviews are over.

Now onto the point of this piece.

I need to break down my wrestling viewing and explain why I love and hate wrestling in equal measures. I'll start with my hatred and move onto my love; starting with the 'bad' news and finishing with the 'good' news, if you will. I don't know if any of you will be able to relate with my experiences this year, but hopefully I'm not alone with my frustrations as well as my hopes and optimism going into 2015. This post will cover WWE, British wrestling and 'other' shows that I have discovered along the way.

Hate

“Hate is a strong word
But I really, really, really don't like you
Now that it's over
I don't even know what I liked about you”

- Plain White Ts

Every so often, my wrestling fandom and viewing changes. I can't remember exactly when it changed, but earlier this year (?) I was watching Raw, Smackdown, Main Event and NXT. This was very time consuming and, after a while, exhausting. I felt that I wanted to do it and needed to do it as I'm a loyal WWE fan. Always have been, might not always be. As the year has gone on I have cut my viewing down to just Raw and NXT and then the actual problem became clearer. Raw was the cause of my reduction.

Don't get me wrong, Smackdown and Main Event have been reduced to throw-away shows in the recent past, but just watching Raw and NXT made it all clear; WWE don't know what they're doing. I know that sounds like a typical IWC/blogger complaint and it will be viewed with the relevant disdain and ignored accordingly, but there must be a reason why I find it easier and easier to NOT watch Raw every week. Admittedly, I watched a good chunk of this weeks show; there seemed to be passable parts of the show and I was intrigued as to why they made certain decisions (bringing back The Authority, for one), but after finishing the cherry picking that I do with Raw, I still felt that I had wasted my time on a show that doesn't seem to know what its doing from week to week.

My biggest issue is that, for the most part, Raw doesn't seem to make sense from week to week. They blow hot and cold on too many people, too often. The examples I'll give are internet darlings and everyone's favourites. I have no favourites or 'horses in the race'; this is probably due to being conditioned not to care about anyone I'm watching. I have come to this conclusion because anytime you put your faith in anyone, they are immediately jobbed out and made to look like a piece of shit. Take Cesaro; he had all the skills to be a top guy as soon as he debuted. He was the US Champion not too long after his debut in 2012. He was a strong, dominant-looking champion for a lot of that time. It seemed as though WWE's lack of main-event guys could be coming to an end. Then he went through a period of being Kofi Kingston (?!) and everyone else's bitch. I forget his 2013 because, as I said before, I'm conditioned to forget about these chumps as soon as I start to care about them. THEN, he went onto win the Andre the Giant Memorial trophy (which I laughed at to start with, but it was a genuine 'thing' that they (WWE) wanted to give to a guy that they seemingly had faith in), a kind-of 'brass ring' in a world where brass rings don't really exist. After this, he seemed to have a huge following and a face run was surely in his future. Nope. Instead he was paired with Paul Heyman in a weird 'anyone we put with Heyman will be the next big thing' situation (because that worked so well for Ryback and Curtis Axel...).

After blowing more hot and cold, Cesaro was then one of the subjects brought up by Steve Austin on his WWE Network podcast with Vince McMahon. Vince, showing wisdom and that he's NOT out of touch, came up with some crap about Cesaro almost being a top guy, but there's still a disconnect with the audience; there's still something that's missing from his game. I know there are those of you that will kiss Vince's ass and defend everything that comes out of his mouth because he owns WWE and has been successful since forever and are the only (big) show left in town, but COME ON, he proved with that segment of the interview that he has no clue how to elevate and find the next 'guy'.

Another guy that has been up and down (even more than Cesaro) is Dolph Ziggler. How many times has this guy got to 'steal the show' (I feel dirty using peoples catchphrases). It is crazy the amount of time this guy has been the best thing going, but he's still in exactly the same spot he was in, like, three years ago. If this was 1997, he would be in the main event picture no questions asked.

And I think that is my biggest hatred of WWE at the moment: Vince and Austin talked about brass rings and doing things that will get you noticed and pushed, but when it comes down to reality, there are NO brass rings and there is a very fine line between doing something that will get you noticed and something that will get you pushed deep down the card or worse, fired. Nobody is going to risk this, apparent, dream job; nobody IS ambitious enough, as Vince said. Everybody is comfortable in their spot, no matter how shit that spot is. I always thought that everyone's goal should be to be World Champion. Obviously, not everyone is going to be that, but everyone should be working as hard as they can so that they MIGHT get that opportunity. I just don't see that anymore. Being 'comfortable' is very apparent with the majority of these guys and the product is suffering EVERY week as a result.

Next on my hatred list is British wrestling. Not all British wrestling, but certain aspects.

Coupled with being disappointed and disillusioned with WWE, British wrestling really pisses me off at times. In 2014, I made it my aim to get around different companies and shows so that I could see what's what and who's good and who's shite. There are very few 'top' companies about. There are also a lot of triers out there and I applaud you. Then there are the absolute shits in 'wrestling' who can't see it or won't admit it. These groups are the absolute f*cking worst and are the reason I use the title of this post. They are the cancer of British wrestling.

Until this group of untrained, disrespectful wannabes goes away, British wrestling, and wrestling in general, will always be seen as a joke and the interest you have that will always attract ridicule and the 'you watch that fake shit?!' comments. I use the word 'disrespectful' because, by attempting to wrestle with little-to-no training and putting shows on - taking peoples hard-earned money – they show disrespect to them show-goers (who, most of the time, have no clue that they're watching the absolute worst in wrestling before it's too late) and it's completely disrespectful to actual wrestlers out there, past or present.

The funniest part of it to me is that the decent wrestlers in this country will still work for these dire 'promoters', giving them justification to run more shows and feel that they are a 'somebody' in British wrestling. Because of the selfishness and back-stabbing in wrestling, I don't see that ever changing. Instead of wiping these crappy, makes-wrestling-look-a-joke 'promotions' out, the complainers (wrestlers) add to the problem by taking, what they see as an easy payday. On one hand, fair play for taking their money, but on the other hand, f*ck you for adding to the problem.

There are other laughable problems in British wrestling, but I'll save them for a later date...

Love

“I couldn't think of a love song that captured my love for wrestling in this part of the post...”

- Jimmo

As negative and angry as the 'hate' section of this post was to write, I do actually have a lot of good things to say about my wrestling viewing in 2014.

As much as I have and will continue to sh*t on WWE, they have one little gem that I hope and pray will remain under the radar; NXT. This show has gotten so good that it recently made WWE's TLC ppv seem like THAT was the developmental show, and a bad one at that! NXT is a simple, short show that is therefore easy on the eye AND the brain. Where they only have an hour to fill, they fill it with good-to-great wrestling, storylines that make sense, go somewhere, and have logical outcomes and consequences that lead onto the next thing for both guys. It has likeable good guys, and bad guys that you have genuine reasons to dislike. So simple.

They also have several additions that are probably BETTER than a lot of the main roster but have to go through developmental because YOU ARE NOTHING BEFORE WWE AND YOU DID NOTHING BEFORE YOU GOT TO FLORIDA!!

I'm really happy that Sami Zayn has remained in developmental for so long because he is being used in the right way and has just completed an epic stroyline that had the appropriate time to be told before being executed. PLEASING! It'll be a sad day when he gets promoted to the main roster to take part in a ginger faction with Sheamus, or some other pointless use.

The women of NXT are also something to behold and respect. That's a rare thing in wrestling as for as long as I've been watching, women have either been sex objects (the first few years of my WWE fandom) or bitchy girls that hate each other (EVERY diva in present day WWE). They are the WORST role models for girls and I'm shocked that any aspiring female wrestler's ambition would be to be a WWE diva. Apart from the fame that comes with it, if you really want to be a wrestler then there are much better places to ply your trade. But I suppose money will always talk louder...

Another place where women (and other groups) are shown in a bright light is Lucha Underground. This has become my newest favourite wrestling thing. It's a TV show that has wrestling as its main thing but has a very different feel to it due to its excellent production; something that WWE should be and wishes it was. It has the best luchadores competing and everyone looks strong even in defeat. Women, Minis and Exoticos join the 'typical' wrestlers in being equals and this is refreshing and great to see. More often than not, the men will win but each of the groups I mentioned have all been built up to make you doubt what you think you know; a little unpredictability is VERY welcome in my wrestling viewing!

My favourite character on the show is Sexy Star. Since her introduction, she has been presented as a strong, no-sh*t-taking fighting female. She mixes it up with the guys and gives as good as she gets. It's so pleasing to see a woman presented in this way; THIS is a role model for girls and women out there – a strong female who kicks ass and doesn't bitch and complain about her fellow women. After years of being conditioned to see women in wrestling as sexy objects, it's one of the best things ever to see them being treated with respect and the way that they should be. I get that WWE made $$ from T 'n' A, but they taught a generation (and some) that women and girls are bitchy and awful, awful people.

The two things that attract me to both NXT and Lucha Underground is the run-time. Take out adverts and each show is just 45 minutes. That is so digestible and easy to watch. I don't care how many extra dollars WWE are making; three hours will catch up with them one day with fewer and fewer people tuning in. 45 minutes is a great amount of time to get your point across and present a pleasing wrestling show. In that time, they make the viewer care about just as many performers as Raw does in three hours. How crazy is that?

I have also given NJPW a chance and have really enjoyed what I've seen so far. It was sold to me that, because the commentary is in Japanese (and I don't speak Japanese), you focus more on the in-ring action. This is very true and as a result, the New Japan action is probably my favourite. It's hard-hitting and 'real' looking. So far the finishes to the matches have ALL been exciting... it's almost like my stone cold heart is melting a little and beating a hell of a lot faster as a match comes to its conclusion! I'm looking forward to the January 4^th NJPW show and a huge part of that is Jim Ross commentating on it. That's the thing that has sold that show to me and I can imagine it will do well in other English speaking countries in the same way.

Whilst listening to The Ross Report, I'm now also very interested in the future of Global Force Wrestling. When I first heard of them earlier this year, my first thought was that I would have nothing to do with them as I am a WWE guy through and through. I'm now in it for myself and if GFW produces a product that has good wrestling, logical storytelling and the best wrestlers doing both of these things, then I will definitely be giving it a chance.

With the improvements of NXT recently and the introduction of Lucha Underground and NJPW (to the American market), as well as GFW starting up, it might be the dawning of a better time with regards to International wrestling in 2015.

On the home front, British wrestling is doing well, too. As I stated in my 'hate' segment, we have a few promotions worth checking out and a few that are... not good. My favourite would have to be Progress wrestling (based in London). My close second would be Chaos wrestling (Bristol). Together, I have come to the decision that these are my 'must-sees' in 2015; that was the beauty of seeing so many different shows this year; I have now whittled it down to my absolute favourites. And now that I have stopped show reviews, I have found that I enjoy a live show a hell of a lot more; not writing down notes all the time has allowed me to just focus on what I'm seeing and I'm happier for it.

Hopefully More Love Than Hate...

Hopefully this has all resonated with you. If not, I still needed to get it off my chest! I will continue to go to wrestling shows (and enjoy them). I will continue to watch what I enjoy and hopefully add things here and there to ADD to my enjoyment rather than irritate me. I really hope that WWE realises its problems, because despite peoples delusions, there ARE problems; basic ones if it is to be the best wrestling show out there. At the moment it's the biggest, but I'm not so sure, with all the other offerings, that it's the best anymore...

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