Rambles about the wonderful world of wrestling.
For all the hype that surrounds WrestleMania more than a few wrestling fans’ hearts beat towards January. The Royal Rumble may essentially be a glammed up Battle Royale, but oh it makes us sing So what the hell have WWE been doing to it?
Two weeks ago Kenny Omega walked out of Wrestle Kingdom as the hottest thing in wrestling. Ignoring the fact that Kazuchika Okada was as important to that match as he was and that Omega has been brilliant for years, it suddenly felt like the world woke up to The Cleaner. Yet, rather than turn his sights towards a potential rematch with Okada and a chance to become only the seventh non-Japanese wrestler to hold the belt and help spearhead New Japan’s push into the US, he began talking about taking some time off.
The UK Championship worried me. It worried me because I saw a future when WWE stepped into the British market and ripped apart something that has taken decades to build. That they would cherry pick the best talent and walk away having added nothing to what they left behind. It wouldn’t be the first time WWE played the big bully. Thankfully, it looks like I was wrong.
There was a time when people questioned whether AJ Styles could make it in WWE. Did he have the charisma and even if he did would Vince see in him what countless others always had? Well, that view looks pretty fucking stupid now.
Having finally clambered over the tedium that was Roadblock, wrestling is all but over for the year, and it is time to reflect. Therefore, over the next few days, I am going to put up my Match of the Year, Moment of the Year and Wrestler of the Year for your pleasure. Let’s get going.
It’s the end of the line and quite possibly the end of WWE’s fan patience when it comes to 2016’s PPVs. There are a lot of pointless WWE events, but Roadblock is battling out for that top spot and has seen 2016 flutter out like a deflating balloon. So, with that in mind, today’s review is going to be split into two sections. PPV Worthy and Raw Worthy. Let’s see how much of this show needed to be filmed on a Sunday night.
After years of British fans screaming for a PPV to be held on our rather messy shores WWE has finally answered. Except, rather than dropping TLC or Cyber Sunday into Wembley Arena we instead have a tournament. A tournament that will crown WWE’s first UK Champion and I don’t know what I feel about it.
The Cruiserweight Classic was brilliant. It not only had match after match of astounding quality but it told stories. From TJ Perkins beating the odds to Jack Gallagher becoming a star. It felt like the start of something special.
Last weekend was a big one for wrestling. Survivor Series, TakeOver: Toronto and Fear & Loathing all made it feel a bit WrestleMania and yet the match that has had the most attention didn’t even go five minutes. Goldberg squashing Brock Lesnar in the Survivor Series main event was one of those moments that we’ll never forget.
Gong. No sound will ever mean more to a WWE audience. Not the glass smashing and not the squeal of guitar at the start of ‘Cult of Personality’. Because no matter how successful The Rock or Stone Cold or CM Punk are, they are not The Undertaker and never will be.
Ramblings About Wrestling 