Handicapping the News 07.06.12 (REVISED)

We’re on the downhill slide for the year, as we’ve officially crossed over into July. That means the days are getting shorter, football season is getting closer, and the pleasant 40 degree days of November are nearly upon us. I’m not a fan of hot weather. At all. I know you don’t care, but my hatred of hot weather has been intensified by the recent storms in the Ohio/West Virginia/Kentucky/Virginia region that left over a million people without power. I was one of those people. For five days – four of which saw the thermometer move into triple digits – I had no power. For one of those days, I was at an outdoor wrestling show for NWA Premier featuring “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan. There’s nothing quite like working security at a free wrestling show in 104 degree heat.

We’ll start this week off with a Tweet of the Week (graphic forthcoming), this week from Eddie O’Keeffe (@SirCrudNoodles) who was mostly interested in the lovely prizes being offered. I’m okay with the honesty. He offered his creative services to me for a future Contentious Ten topic, for which I’m appreciative. Believe it or not, occasionally it’s hard to think of things to make lists about that haven’t been covered already. For his efforts, Mr. O’Keeffe will receive…a prize. Want to know what it is? Then get involved. You can find me at

Contrary to what was mentioned in the comments last week, this isn’t a desperate plea for Twitter followers or anything like that – I really don’t care if you follow me or not. I’m just looking to interact with the audience from any and all of my columns a little more, and have some folks to talk wrestling with. So join the fun and use that link to send me 140 characters (or less).

Next up is the much more consistent reader spotlight. Guest#1202 takes the cake this week.

One flaw in your Montreal arguement; Why would Bret agree to go to WCW just to further an angle? Why would Vince want one of his top hands to work for his biggest competition, even if he ‘knew’ they wouldnt use him right?

I honestly believe that Vince couldn’t match WCW’s offer to Bret. I don’t believe that he signed a deal and then Vince decided that he couldn’t pay it, I think he was very up front with Bret about not being able to match that offer in the first place. I also think he understood, as a businessman, Bret’s opportunity to make millions of dollars. Letting Bret go to WCW would achieve the same purpose that keeping Sting silent and out of the ring did for WCW, only with a much more realistic bent to it. A gentleman’s agreement to return home once the contract was up and they’d have the setup for a monster angle that would have made money hand over fist. Unfortunately, Bret suffered the stroke and things were put on hold for a long, long time.
Now, headlines!

TNA’s monthly pay per view offering is coming up in roughly 48 hours, as Destination X is scheduled for this Sunday, live from Orlando, Florida. As I’m typing this up before the 7/5/12 edition of Impact airs, I don’t have access to the full card for the purposes of making snarky comments. There have been some things firmly established, though, such as the fact that Austin Aries is going to be taking on Robert Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. In one of the more pleasant surprises from TNA booking, Aries relinquished the X Division title for a title shot against Roode. They’ve taken what would normally be a stupid decision and made it mean something, with future X Division champions having the opportunity to get a title shot at future Destination X pay per views. Had this been established before 2012, we could have seen such matches as Doug Williams vs. AJ Styles (2010), Alex Shelley vs. Sting (2009), Jay Lethal vs. Kurt Angle (2008), Christian Cage vs. Chris Sabin (2007), and so on. You’ll notice that I conveniently left out the fact that Abyss was the TNA X Division Champion at this time last year. I’d rather not talk about it. While some of those matches aren’t as appealing on paper as Aries vs. Roode may be, they could have been booked well leading in, much as Aries vs. Roode has been. The booking for Aries vs. Roode has been very simple – both men want to prove their superiority – and are almost guaranteed to put on a great match this coming Sunday.

Beyond that, TNA’s new partnership with CHIKARA will be put on display as Rashad Cameraon aka Sabian (and possibly others that aren’t qualified as of this writing) will participate in a series of matches, including a four man Ultimate X Match, to crown a new X Division Champion. Barring a horrible series of Sin Cara level botches, I don’t see any way this can be a bad thing. Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe are scheduled to square off in a Bound For Glory series match, and again, the match should be great. Both of those guys are top notch workers and have both history and chemistry with each other in the ring. As match quality goes, this is shaping up to be a sleeper for a Pay Per View of the Year candidate. Admittedly, it’s going to be tough to top Extreme Rules, but this should be very, very good. What’s likely to happen?

Austin Aries wins TNA World Heavyweight Championship: 35 to 1
I feel like TNA has crossed that threshold where the fans want to see anybody beat Robert Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship – in a good way. Austin Aries may be wrestling’s most unlikely babyface right now. He’s still smug, arrogant, and hasn’t changed what he does in the ring all that much. He’s just doing against one of the best booked heels in the industry. It’s a testament to how well they’ve handled Robert Roode over the last year that Aries is this over as a face in taking him on. I’m sure there will be a handful of critics that feel like Aries should take the top prize here, but it’s not meant to be. Putting the title on him, only to switch it quickly back over to Roode may be temporarily satisfying, but the logical booking is to build to one final showdown between Roode and Storm at Bound For Glory. Roode is 253 days and counting into his title reign. They’ve been patient. A loss here won’t crush the momentum that Aries has built, and they can run this back at the next pay per view if all goes well. Roode’s victory here, and until October, is the right decision.

A breakout performance from an X Division competitor: 3 to 1
There are a handful of guys that this could apply to. Rashad Cameron, Sonjay Dutt, and Xema Ion are the most likely candidates here, but it could be any of the 8 that end up qualifying, realistically. I’d almost like to see a guy from CHIKARA take the X Dvision title and let them do a little cross promotion with CHIKARA. I understand that it’s unrealistic to allow a wrestler not under an exclusive contract to win a title and take it to another promotion, even on a temporary basis. I think it could make for some interesting television and CHIKARA events, though. My money is on Xema Ion finally stepping up and breaking through in the X Division. If not him, though, rest assured that somebody is going to do something spectacular to establish themselves as the new face of the X Division. It’s probably not going to be Kid Kash, though.

The end of the AJ Styles/Christopher Daniels/Claire Lynch storyline: 100 to 1
This is a pipe dream. This thing is going to keep dragging on at least until the next pay per view. We can at least count on getting top notch wrestling out of the soap opera, but I fear the story is only going to get progressively worse from here. Hopefully both men can escape any permanent stench that remains from this angle.

Throughout the week, several names – mostly minor – were announced to have either quit or been released from TNA and WWE. Among them were WWE Diva Maxine, TNA Knockout Angelina Love, and TNA wrestler Shannon Moore. Maxine was apparently upset with her position in the company, which I can’t say I really understand. Had she viewed WWE at any point in the last 15 years or so, she would know that there’s really only two or three Divas that find themselves at the center of attention at any given time. At this point in WWE, one of those spots is perpetually going to go to Beth Phoenix, whether she has the Divas Championship or not. Right now, she doesn’t, which means the current champion, Layla, is going to share the spotlight with her. Finally, the third wheel on this tricycle is obviously AJ. That doesn’t really leave room for the other Divas such as Natalya, Maxine, and whoever the other Divas are right now to get an opportunity to shine. Imagine what it’s going to be like when Awesome Kong Kharma returns.
On the TNA side of things, Angelina Love and Shannon Moore both departed TNA. The partings seemed to be on good terms for both, although Shannon Moore didn’t give the company quite as glowing of a review as Angelina Love did. The door would seem to be open for both of them to return at some point, but I wouldn’t be holding my breath. Both of them could contribute, but aren’t irreplaceable.
The most baffling release of the week, though, was Armando Alejandro Estrada. He’s been under contract for the last year and a half, and being paid to just sit at home and not do anything. Other than a one off as Tyson Kidd’s manager, he’s been unseen, unused, and unmentioned. The reaction to the fact that he was released was a unanimous “Huh? He was still getting paid?” across the Internet. As these handful of sports entertainers, knockouts, divas, and wrestlers tick the unemployment rate gently upwards, what does the future hold for them?

Lots and lots of indy work: 3 to 1
Angelina Love and Shannon Moore in particular shouldn’t have any trouble finding work on the indy scene. For Estrada, it’s a case of being out of the public eye for so long that there’s no inherent value in bringing him in. At the risk of sounding heartless, this is even more true since the one name that he was most associated with – Umaga – isn’t going to be booked any time soon, either. As for Maxine..I wouldn’t know who she was unless you put her on television with a graphic that says “This is Maxine, formerly of WWE.” Even then, I might be a little slow on the uptake.

A change in promotions: 15 to 1
The women may flip spots, but I honestly have a hard time seeing Angelina Love showing up in WWE. I certainly think she’s good enough, and I think she could handle the minimal mic work that would be needed. I just have a hard time seeing her as a WWE Diva. I can picture Maxine making the jump to the Knockouts division after some time in OVW to prove her in ring ability. I don’t know that we’ll see Shannon Moore in a big league ring again, which kind of bums me out, because Shannon Moore is a good wrestler that makes other wrestlers look good.

Estrada joins TNA or RoH and builds some momentum: 12 to 1
It’s not a manager’s business these days, but they can pick their spots. For what it’s worth, Estrada has charisma by the boatload, can bump around in the ring pretty well, and gets reactions on the microphone. I’d like to see the guy get another go at things.

It was reported this week that Bruno Sammartino has once again declined an offer to be a part of the WWE Hall of Fame. Through the years, Vince has made numerous offers to Bruno to be a part of the Hall, and Bruno hasn’t really wavered on his stance of “No thanks.” Bruno’s reasons have been listed time and again, however, his most valid reason is based entirely in logic.

Bruno has stated that until there’s a physical building in place, that the Hall of Fame is nothing more than a gimmick for Vince McMahon to sell DVDs and other merchandise based in nostalgia. There’s no real argument to that point. Bruno has a long standing grudge against WWE as it is now, and I’m not entirely sure that even a physical building at this point will get him to reconsider. I can tell you what won’t get him to reconsider, though. Triple H.

Triple H stepped in and called Bruno himself in an attempt to get him to reconsider. Triple H tried to appeal to Bruno to think of his legacy, and to think of being able to share his work in the ring with an entirely new generation of fans. Not surprisingly, this strategy didn’t work. Bruno Sammartino’s legacy is securely in place, and it’s twofold. The first part of his legacy is that he is the cornerstone that the WWWF/WWF/WWE empire was built upon. No champion will ever be as dominant or long standing as Sammartino was, and his place in history as one of wrestling’s greatest champions is secure, regardless of the WWE Hall of Fame.

His other legacy, which will more likely reach modern fans, is going to be as the guy that told Vince McMahon no. Ignoring the lessons that the novel 1984 taught us – that history is malleable and is subject to who authors the historical texts – Bruno has thumbed his nose at Vincent Kennedy McMahon, Jr. Nobody else has. Bruno has stuck to his guns, though, and doesn’t look to be backing down any time soon.
Will we see Bruno in the Hall of Fame? If so, when? And what will it take to get him there?

Bruno and Vince sit down and work out a deal: 50 to 1
On the surface, the maneuver of Triple H calling Bruno and trying to talk him into accepting the invitation smacks of arrogance. After all, who could resist Triple H’s silver tongue? Beyond that, though, it goes to show just how deep the rift between the sides truly is. Bruno won’t even talk to Vince at this point. If there’s no communication, there’s not going to be a deal. Period.

Bruno inducted posthumously: 7 to 1
There are few men that are willing to stick something like this out over a lifetime. There are even fewer that will stick it out for them after they’re gone. If Bruno’s estate sees a way to make some money off of their father’s induction, and on the off chance that they simply think that he’s being stubborn and should give in, then his estate will give the ok for him to be inducted. Expect to see David Sammartino on the stage, accepting for his father, not long after Bruno’s death, whenever that may be.

Bruno is never inducted: 3 to 1
This is still the odds on favorite. Bruno just doesn’t want to be a part of this. He doesn’t see it as an honor. He doesn’t see it as a show of respect. To him, it’s just another way of cheapening the business that he carried for so long. Bruno was one of the first true modern superstars of the business, and will be remembered by wrestling historians as such regardless of his involvement with WWE’s Hall of Fame or lack thereof. As a man that is comfortable with who he is and what he accomplished, it’s more likely than not that Bruno is a permanent outsider with WWE from now on.

Kurt Angle thinks he’s the best wrestler in the world.

It’s not cool to think that Kurt Angle is the best wrestler in the world anymore.

This is a problem.

After Kurt Angle made the statement that he feels like he’s the best wrestler in the world this week, it sparked a lot of debate, in which a lot of people that watch professional wrestling either respectfully disagreed, or simply mocked the idea that Kurt Angle may still be the best wrestler on the planet. There were several reasons given, some absurd, some valid, and some that boil down to a matter of opinion.

Of those that disagreed with Kurt, a large portion seemed to focus on the fact that he worked for TNA, and thus was disqualified from the argument. If he were really the best wrestler in the world, he would still be in WWE. I also have seen in multiple places that Kurt Angle matches have devolved into spotfests, with no real psychology. I feel like maybe I’m not watching the same Kurt Angle matches as everyone else.

I’m going to throw this out there, and I’ll be willing to debate the topic at length with anyone that disagrees with me. If Kurt Angle isn’t the best wrestler in the world, he is absolutely in the top 3. Just because he’s not the focus of TNA right now, just because he’s in TNA and not WWE, and just because he was smart enough to get a lighter schedule for himself doesn’t disqualify him from the argument of being the best professional wrestler on the planet.

There isn’t a wrestler alive that’s more versatile than Kurt Angle in the ring. He can wrestle anyone, and was long ago diagnosed with “Broomstick Syndrome”, named after Ric Flair in the late 80’s because he could have a great match with a broomstick. It doesn’t matter if he’s wrestling The Amazing Red, Jay Lethal, Samoa Joe, Abyss, Don West, Christy Hemme, a cutout of Earl Hebner, or a three legged Corgi, Kurt Angle is good for at least three stars, and usually more.

It also doesn’t really matter if it’s a normal wrestling match, a tag team match, a hardcore match, an I Quit match, a submission match, a steel cage match, or anything else you can think of – Kurt is likely going to steal the show.

Guys like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan are certainly in the mix. They’re very, very talented, and I’d certainly listen to arguments on behalf of them as the best wrestler in the world. I’ll listen to arguments for Chris Jericho and Austin Aries, too. And while some of those guys may be AS versatile and talented as Kurt Angle, nobody can realistically claim to be more so.

In sports, it becomes easy to take greatness for granted. We’ve seen Kurt Angle be great for so long that the standard we hold him to is impossibly high. Kurt Angle’s very best is better than anybody else’s, and has been since Shawn Michaels retired. He is the most naturally gifted professional wrestler I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been watching since 1985. Just because Kurt Angle in 2012 may not be quite as good as Kurt Angle was in 2009, 2007, or 2003 doesn’t mean that he’s still not better than 99.9% of the wrestling world. Relegating Kurt to just being a “really good wrestler” is the same as saying Tom Brady is “an ok quarterback” because he didn’t win the Superbowl this year; or that Tiger Woods is “a decent golfer” because he hasn’t won a major this calendar year. It’s silly.

There will come a time when Kurt Angle isn’t in the conversation for the best wrestler in the world. That time hasn’t arrived yet; not by a long shot. To borrow a phrase from Angle, it’s true. It’s damn true.

That’s it for me. I’ll try to do better next time. You can message me on Twitter @GavinNapier411 if you want to tell me how much you love me or hate me, or just say hi. Odds are I’ll be back next week.