Ask 411 Wrestling 10.30.13: John Cena, Jim Duggan, Chris Nowinski, Brand Extension, More!

This month has been exhausting for wrestling fans. Two pay-per-views was more than enough, three if you include Bound for Glory. Heck on a Deck is over with, and SHOCKER – fans are upset a heel won the WWE Championship main event over the beloved face. What a wild concept, huh? Boo the bad guys. Cheer the good guys. On top of that, we are already gearing up for Survivor Series. Wow. I am going to love the day after TLC in December. So much time to just relax and not worry about any PPV events for awhile – beautiful!

As for my life in Wisconsin, trick or treating is officially done with for 2013. Lucky for me, my costume came together nicely. Everything went off perfectly, and the candy tasted great! I have an idea for next year, but that is twelve months away. My Green Bay Packers play on Monday night next week, and I will be there live at Lambeau Field. Privileged to have those pricey season tickets! Should be a nice cold game. Enough rambling. Bring on the money shot…

BANNER!

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Backtalking

Youtube Videos: I have already explained this in many, many, many columns…for different websites.

Reminder: This may as well be repeated once a month, but here we go again! I do not up vote any comments. I do not down votes any comments. I do not comment on any columns, articles, posts, forums, etc. My platform to voice an opinion here is this entire column.

I ASK You Response: Thanks to Rip’em for being a big help. Concerning No Holds Barred…

1. Although it was a movie about wrestling, they didn’t want a bunch of wrestlers in it. They wanted Hogan to be the star and having a bunch of other WWF wrestlers/first time movie actors would have taken some of the spotlight off of Hulk. So they keep the others out, so he’s the star wrestling actor.

4 No idea where the Rip vs Jake Bullet match was filmed. I assume Mean Gene got the role because he’s Hogan’s buddy and Ventura got the nod because he had experience acting so it would be easier for him. But not too big of a role so as to outshine Hogan.

Next Week: As noted before, I am usually finished with my weekly Ask 411 Wrestling column by Friday (four days in advance). Then I add in any last minute edits after Raw on Monday. Just how it works best. Since I will be at the Packers game on Monday night, there will not be any of that. Just a heads up folks; if things are a little out of date next week, you will know why. The format may also be altered for one week only as well. Be prepared.

Your Turn, Smart Guy…

Last week, I asked about Monday Night Massacre from 2010 with WWE squashing TNA Impact Wrestling like a bug. I refused to call it a “war” from the start. Once again, Shark came in with the answer first. The lowest number TNA drew was a dreadful 0.5 television rating. In less than two months, their ratings had been cut in half. A short time later, they returned to Thursdays. This week, let’s focus on the upcoming Survivor Series pay-per-view…remember no cheating! Have some pride.

Without running off to a search engine, name every wrestler in the Raw vs. Smackdown main event in 2005.

Questions, Questions, Who’s Got The Questions?

Let’s start like we do most weeks – taking a look at the best posts from the comment section without any cuss words or insults. Trust me, there were a few out there!

DO NOT WANT: “Will John Cena face Randy Orton for the WWE Championship?” I’m trying to think of a less-appealing WrestleMania main event matchup than that…nope.

I can think of quite a few unappealing main events WWE could book (Zack Ryder vs. Yoshi Tatsu, Brodus Clay vs. Heath Slater, Hunico vs. Camacho, etc), but we won’t go there.

After four years, it is time for another Randy Orton vs. John Cena feud. It could happen in early 2014. It could happen at WMXXX. However, we all know it is inevitable. Again, it has been over four years since their last one on one pay-per-view match. If Brock Lesnar is indeed wrestling The Undertaker, that narrows it down even more. Then let’s assume we get Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan or something of that nature. What else is left? CM Punk? Maybe he gets involved in the authority figure mess. John Cena will get a top spot, and Randy Orton will likely be somewhere high on the card as well. Just by mixing and matching, there is a process of elimination. I understand you (or others) may not be jacked up for another Orton/Cena battle, but let’s be realistic. It very well could be an option, especially if the World/WWE Titles are unified. We shall see!

Edit: After watching Raw, I would say a Cena/Orton title unification match is definitely an option going forward. My assumption that Damien Sandow would get the World Championship soon was clearly wrong.

BR: Is it just me or are there less and less questions in these columns lately? Seriously, I come on here to read answers to questions, not to read debates with comments. We all know the Starrcade 1997 main event & WM16 main event were boring and booked incorrectly (especially WM16, I fell asleep to the main event twice), you don’t really need that much time and space dedicated to something that’s already pretty well known. And please, don’t post this in your “Questions” section of your column next week. This isn’t a question, and I don’t crave attention. I’m simply addressing an issue that should be addressed.

Sorry, I have chosen to post this. My apologies.

All of YOU pick the topics. Remember, I can only work with what I am given. If somebody posts about my hair cut from over three years ago, that is the discussion. If somebody asks about Macho Man going into the WWE Hall of Fame for the 756th time, that is the discussion. If somebody wants to bring up paid writers, that is the discussion. If somebody wants to dissect the Montreal Screwjob over and over, that is the discussion. Everything, except the opening and closing parts, in this column are directly bounced off the readers. They steer the ship, not me. My email address is very clearly listed at the bottom of the page. Either send an email, tweet me on Twitter, or have a solid debate in the comment section. I would prefer sticking to actual WRESTLING topics, but that is up to the readers.

Michael L.: Speaking as an ROH fan, Roderick Strong barely has the charisma to make it in that company, let alone the WWE. Yes, he’s great in the ring, and that’s about the only thing that saves him, because otherwise he’s pretty dull–whether as a face or as a heel. After almost ten years in ROH, he still can’t cut a decent promo to save his life, and even then I strongly suspect he wouldn’t have gotten the ROH title if Tyler Black wasn’t on his way out of the company, at the same time when Davey Richards’ long-term commitment to the company was still up on the air. He makes Dean Malenko and Lance Storm look as charismatic as HBK.

Wow! Pretty harsh.

I am not going to lie and pretend to follow Roderick Strong. However, from what I have seen, he is not that dull. My only gripe is his promos, which is kind of like calling him dull I guess. Kind of. Inside the ring, he is great. However, there are lots of guys that are available and can deliver inside the squared circle. For WWE to take notice, you need more. We can argue that point all day long, but WWE is far beyond just ‘wrestling’ and always has been. From the beginning of time to 2013, Vince McMahon needs more of its stars than just rest holds and headlocks. With the right effort and time, Strong could do well in WWE. Even guys mentioned like Lance Storm and Dean Malenko had good stints working for Vince McMahon. Never say never.

keith: Barry Sanders, Michael Strahan and Tiki Barber all would like to say hello when it comes to leaving money on the table and retiring.

Agreed on Sanders and Strahan. Hasn’t Tiki been trying to come back though after being fired from NBC or something? Either way, there are exceptions to every rule. We know that. A much deeper discussion on the subject was brought up…

Jonfw2: I didn’t assert that they “retire at the right time.” I asserted that when their skills have diminished to the point where they’re not effective, they’re done. Yes, the athletes you mentioned arguably could have retired earlier to protect their legacies. But, they and at least one team, thought they still had enough skills to compete in their respective league. You know what Jordan did for the Wizards? He averaged 21 points a game over two seasons. Top 20 in the league in scoring both years. In your mind, he was tarnishing his legacy. In reality, he was, in fact, still a competitive NBA player. Now: “They didn’t retire despite being clearly done”. The point was?

This was a great back and forth with Jonfw2 and Mike last week. Props to you guys for not resorting to insults and pointless cuss words. It can be done folks! Thanks for that.

As for the topic at hand, it is a case by case situation. Just this past week, the St. Louis Rams called up Brett Favre to see if he was interested in returning. My guess is the every other team in the league laughed at that. The Rams though? They are in need of a quarterback and felt Favre could still contribute. Thus, he had value to them. Would he be able to match his prime and run around like a man man on the field? Well, probably not. No. However, is a 44 year old Favre still better than some unknown rookie QB or struggling backup on many current NFL teams? Yeah, probably. Age is only what you make of it. A part-time Undertaker is nearing 50 years old. Yet, he can deliver better than 95% of the young wrestlers in the world. Another substitute for the word age is ‘experience,’ ‘knowledge,’ or even ‘familiarity.’ Both sides play to strengths and weaknesses. On flip side, when old guys are out of shape, moving in slow motion, messing up moves, forgetting their lines in promos, or just simply lose it, then yes – age is a factor. Then it is time to retire.

jlevysan: Maven joining Evolution kind of makes sense. I distinctly remember once on RAW back when Batista was still in Evolution, Maven pinned him clean (albeit in a flukey roll-up kind of way). The booking would work. Fast forward a few months to when Batista is on the outs with Evolution, and have HHH announce his replacement, “The one man who beat Batista clean in a one on one match, Maven.”

I think I may be one of the few out there who enjoyed Maven when he was with WWE.

His 2004-2005 run was when he finally found a nice spot on television. Everything before than was just banking off his Tough Enough win and being the ‘underdog rookie trying to make it.’ While adding Maven to Evolution would be a bad move in hindsight, it didn’t seem like such a terrible idea at the time. When the locker room revolted against Triple H, Maven was one of the rare guys to stand out and main event Survivor Series 2004 (even though he was taken out beforehand). This even led him to a Raw main event World Title match against HHH. Great match. Too bad he turned heel shortly thereafter, was sent down to the mid-card and released in summer 2005. Too bad.

Now, let’s get to a few emails! First off, the Aerostar FlappaDappa Casserole Kid has a great question about WWE and Chris Nowinski.

Is there currently any heat with past and present WWE Superstars or management? Although Chris retired with a concussion based injury, in several post WWE interviews, he has never seemed to talk too fondly of WWE and his experience there in regards to how they handle concussions. Obviously, the WWE handles concussions very seriously now. Does Nowinski and his Not-For-Profit have anything to do with this? Does he even have any relationship with WWE at this point?

The relationship is certainly better now.

As you noted, things were not good after his departure. Obviously, you can’t blame Chris for feeling upset or frustrated with how his career ended. On WWE’s end, they did not take notice of concussions or many very serious health issues up until recently. Now, you are seeing the NFL and more sports step up as well in taking action. With each passing year, more and more information is made available, so the general public is now more knowledgeable Thus, your mindset can change. Pertaining to Nowinski and WWE nowadays, they are more than amicable with each other. Earlier this year, WWE donated $1.2 million to Sports Legacy Institute. In return, WWE was honored in a ceremony just last week by them for their continued research into concussions. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon accepted the award. Newsday had a nice article about the event. Bottom line: Both sides benefit, and it is definitely a worthy cause. Props to everyone involved here!

Michael keeps us moving with a question about The Undertaker…

Don’t you think the WWE creative team could’ve come up with a better way to write the Undertaker out for a year instead of having him get power bombed through a table by The Shield? They’ve done that move more than once (especially to Ryback) and their victim was almost always back within a week, but we’re supposed to believe it laid out the Taker for a year? If they did it off the stage, it might be a tad better although still not great. So, do you think it was an effective and reasonable way to write Taker out or what would you have done?

I have two thoughts on that happening:

1. The Shield (and fans) should just be thankful The Undertaker agreed to do that for the heel stable. He didn’t have to. He could have gone home until January 2014 and left WWE after defeating CM Punk at WrestleMania 29. The Dead Man had no reason to get involved with The Shield, other than to give them a little more spotlight. That is commendable. No different than being ”taken out” by The Nexus twice in 2010. Taker didn’t have to do that at all, but he did.

2. About the actual beat down? I was fine with it for two reasons. First, Ryback and others who came back faster are full-time and younger, healthier, etc. While it may not be brought up on television, Taker should take less to stay down at this stage in his career…minus WM of course. Right? He is not some young chicken with all of this stamina. On that same note, the guy is how old now? If reports are to be trusted (ha!), the triple power bomb through the table injured him pretty badly. Off a stage or something else spectacular? No way. If taking a power bomb through a table is a lot for him, he certainly is not going to be doing anything wild. I just hope he understands this should he battle Brock F’N Lesnar next April!

Ultimate Keyboard Warrior continues this column with a nice topic via email.

I posed this question in the comments, as Ultimate Keyboard Warrior, and ask it of you. As Mount Rushmore is a monument to four American Presidents, and they mention none shall be added to it, I have a question to ask. You picked Cena for one of the faces; who are your three picks to go on the monument? I’ll limit it to American wrestlers, as it is an American Monument.

To be fair, my exact comment was (and I quote!): “Stone Cold and Hulk Hogan are still firmly set to be on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling…with John Cena *likely* there when all is said and done.”

I said Cena would *likely* be on the wrestling Mount Rushmore. I do stand by that comment though. In 10-15 years, history is going to be be very kind to him and his legacy left behind. Until we get there though, that just leaves Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold. Not sure how those two can be argued – although some will still probably try. That leaves two spots open, one if I am including John Cena. For this argument, let’s now include him just yet. His WWE main event run still has some gas left in the tank. Personally, Shawn Michaels is the greatest WWE Superstar of all-time. That is just my opinion though, so logic dictates I include him. Being honest though, he probably would not make the top four in overall drawing power, importance, legacy, etc. Normally you’d have to mention a guy like Andre the Giant, but he was not born in the United States. I am fairly sure that Bruno Sammartino was not born in America either, so he is out. From there, The Undertaker is a good bet just based on mystique and longevity with WWE. Of course, that WrestleMania undefeated Streak also helps. Ric Flair? I suppose his longevity and title wins has to be added to the discussion also. No doubt, he’d be up for serious consideration.

Honestly, I don’t think there are many other realistic options. Hulk Hogan is a guarantee. Stone Cold is a guarantee. I am not sure if The Rock fully qualifies here (let’s say not), but since he was neck and neck with Steve Austin for many years, it would be an interesting debate. John Cena will *likely* make the wrestling Mount Rushmore one day…just not yet. That leaves Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, and The Undertaker as the final guys. Again, I think HBK is the greatest ever. Selfishly, he would get the nod. However, it sure would feel wrong to leave Flair and Taker off, wouldn’t it? Bottom line: It is an extreme honor for these men to even be included in this. Top 3? Top 4? Top 5? Top 10? Who cares? They were all amazing.

We roll on with a question from Lazlo about two legends.

Watching the Legends of Mid South set and both Ted DiBiase and Jim Duggan mention a rift between Duggan and Matt Borne. Do you know what the issue between these two is?

Well, I posted the Youtube video below for those who care.

Honestly, this must have gone right over my head when it took place. All of this was new to me. Probably because I pay next to no attention to the indy scene? Yeah, probably. It was a shame to see two well known wrestlers act like that in front of an audience. Having a rift backstage or not being friends is one thing. However, once you step out there and are in character, all of that should disappear. Digging through forums (obviously not very reliable), it seems Duggan wanted to call their match and win in five minutes. Also, he may have been drunk – something Borne took offense to. Once the match started, it was all downhill from there. Many have speculated that this was a “worked shoot.” Honestly, it wouldn’t shock me. This is the wrestling business after all. At the same time, what would be the payoff to pulling such a stunt? Doesn’t seem worth the trouble.

About the Legends of Mid South stuff, I have not seen it. Our lovely and always polite comment section can chime in for that stuff. There is a reason why this email barely made the cut. I am a fan of both men, and seeing this was tough (assuming it is not a work). Truth be told, deleting it did cross my mind due to the sensitive and very ‘speculative’ nature. As always, watch the video and make of it what you will.

Matt from SLC sent me a live report from the most recent TNA taping, and it deserved to be posted. Please do note there are minor spoilers included for next week’s episode:

I enjoyed the show; it was a good time for me and my two buddies.

You probably saw the show, so you know how it went. I will say having Brooke ring side during the main event was kind of a distraction as her body is amazing. We didn’t see Sting until the second show; he was in a entertaining gauntlet match. We barely got a glimpse of Jeff Hardy and Samoa Joe, so that was disappointing. Overall, it was a good and fun show. Let me know how the crowd sounds on television. I’m curious to get an unbiased opinion on the SLC crowd. Oh yeah and if you didn’t notice, one of the security guards was Martin Casaus from the last Tough Enough. He’s a home town guy.

Very cool! I have said this before, but one of my favorite things online is reading the different live fan reports. There is nothing like seeing a wrestling show in person. Since I did not see Impact live on Thursday, it would be unfair of me to comment. However, all reports have indicated a very lively and enthusiastic crowd. Kudos to you for that! If anybody wants to give some feedback to Matt and his live report, please do so. For everybody else, never hesitate to send me an email detailing YOUR experience in person. WWE, TNA, ROH, whatever – we are all wrestling fans here!

Last week was Eric Young speaking out. This week, it was TNA Impact Wrestling star Magnus via Busted Open Radio. Since I have been challenged not to say anything on the matter, here is MAGNUS:

“…the people that claim to be the most dedicated fans, are usually the ones who aren’t paying for the pay-per-views…they’re downloading them illegally.”

I Ask YOU!

This week, Geoff gets the spotlight. Let’s take a look:

I wanted to hit you with some questions about the movie Bodyslam from the 80’s.

3) The movie also makes use of the term “Rock n’ Wrestling” which Vince had used about the same time. Were there any copyright fights over the use of this name?

Great questions sir. Sadly, I am not able to answer them. Thus, my great and VERY intelligent readers can take it from here. How about it folks? Tell Geoff, myself, and everyone else the answers. Thank you in advance!

Ask Yourself

NOTE: The response to this section was fairly good last week. Who knows how long I will keep doing it though?

The next time you read an online report, ask yourself if the story actually makes sense…or is your typical gossip with no truth whatsoever. Just from the past week or so, let’s take a look:

TNA bringing back the six sided ring? – This source was a ticket listing for an event in 2015. Yes, 2015! Yet, in the world of wrestling, it passes as news! Unreal.

Rob Van Dam contract updates – Honestly, it does not matter. He will be back on WWE TV in no time. Just like Chris Jericho and others. They will return when the time is right. Who cares if they are “officially” under contract or not?

Sunny and her medical news – Wait a minute! We are back to believing her? Not that I don’t in this case; I am just curious. When someone lies repeatedly, at some point, don’t you just stop listening? Boy who cried wolf syndrome…truth or not, your credibility is gone.

Dolph Ziggler has heat backstage in WWE. – Is the same kind of heat that CM Punk has had throughout his entire career? Yet, the Straight Edge Savior has won Money in the Bank twice, World Titles, WWE Titles, main evented with The Rock, wrestled The Undertaker at WrestleMania, and is usually in the top pay-per-view matches every month. Yeah, WWE must HATE him!

People in WWE were upset over comments made by Triple H on Raw (10/21/13). – Really? Who? I doubt it. Seems all the ‘smart’ fans are being worked – how ironic. Heels are bad. Faces are good. Heels say (incorrect and pestering) things to upset faces and their fans. In 2013, why is this still so difficult to understand? Kudos to Edge for “getting it.”

Chris Jericho tweets ‘bye bye’ to WWE? – Why do websites still post stuff from Jericho on Twitter? Just curious. Haven’t we learned this lesson by now? Jericho would be the LAST guy to ever follow on Twitter for legitimate news.

Vince McMahon was frustrated with Cody Rhodes last week on Raw. – Of note, the very same story then goes out to say that Vince was NOT upset with Cody. That is right folks. Frustrated? Upset? Either way, I don’t buy it.

Vince McMahon is not a fan of stars going to the ropes and playing to the fans. – No offense, but does the boss even know who Sami Zayn is? The report seemed to pin point him in NXT. I’d be shocked if he had any clue as to what went on there. That seems to be more Triple H’s territory.

Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar is ‘penciled in’ for WMXXX. – I’d love it! Huge money there. However, what happened to Ryback ending The Streak next April? Remember that garbage a couple of week ago? Just thrown out there? Forgotten about? Or just made up out of the blue to stir up fans? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

The script for Heck on a Deck was finalized. – Of course, it could be a dummy script and mean nothing. Or it is real. Nobody knows for sure, but hey! Let’s pretend it actually matters.

WWE may bring back a WCW pay-per-view name next year. – This rumor has also popped up 830 million other times. Of course, it has to include talk of the glorious War Games match returning! That always riles up fans. Hook, line, and sinker folks…

Morale was said to be very good with TNA talent after their meeting on Thursday. – Yeah, I can just picture Bobby Roode, AJ Styles and Daniels high fiving each other and jumping for joy at the thought of going back to an Orlando sound stage! Prime years wasted in front of 1,000 non-paying tourists, I can only imagine all the excitement backstage. I am sure the wrestlers were PUMPED! Of course, the source was TNA friendly PWinsider – the same folks who started AND continue to ‘work’ the entire AJ Styles-contract story line.

Vince McMahon may return to Raw this week. – Was this not reported last week and the week prior as well? Seriously, they are just grasping at straws for headlines. Edit: Of course, Vince was not on Raw.

Ryback has backstage heat in WWE. – Man, what is this “heat” stuff? All the top stars have this surrounding them. If that is the case, who wouldn’t want “heat” on them? Anyways, Ryback goes from hard worker, passionate, and a future star to being hard to deal with and a danger in the ring. Yet, none of this was ever mentioned before, and the man is constantly featured on TV. Yeah, must be a real danger out there! Interesting things suddenly flipped once he joined Paul Heyman and began wrestling CM Punk…interesting indeed. Or, you know, the report means nothing.

Hulk Hogan is training for a WWE in-ring return. – Hold the phone! I thought he was expected to re-sign with TNA Impact Wrestling after WWE gave him the infamous “low ball” offer. Now, what happened to THAT report? My, how things change fast.

The Carter family is looking to sell TNA. – How many times has this been reported? Once somebody answers that, I will happily comment on the story popping up once again in late 2013.

Ryback calls fans ‘fat’ and ‘miserable’ on Twitter. – Didn’t CM Punk call a fan “fatso” just two months ago? Where was the outrage then? Or the other incidents he has had with fans. Oh yeah, I forgot. Punk is perfect and can do no wrong, while Ryback is a big meanie stupid head. Gotcha!

Shawn Michaels is not coming back for a match. – Well, I could have told you that three years ago. Don’t worry though! Any day now, there will be an *UPDATE* on Stone Cold, HBK, Bill Goldberg, Edge, and every other star under the sun coming back to WWE. Any day now…

That does it for this week! Have any more examples? Please share them below in the comment section. Until then, just remember the next time you click on an article to ask yourself first how much will be truth and how much will be fiction.

#Ask411 Question

My great readers came through! This section will continue on. Be sure to keep this up each week.

Jayzus ‏(@TheMichaelJay) #Ask411 At this point should the WWE try and re establish the brand split or just officially unify both brands as one?

Easy.

Just unify both brands. They are already doing that anyways. To me, the brand extension officially ended in Fall 2011 when the RAW Supershow was created. The idea had been dead and buried for years before then, don’t get me wrong. That just solidified and confirmed what most already assumed. Now, house shows (live events) are not even Raw or Smackdown exclusive. It is simply about going to see “WWE Live!” Long story short, the roster is not even close to being able to sustain two separate shows. Not even close. They barely can cover ONE, much less two.

When there was Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Edge, Rey Mysterio, Guerreros, Undertaker, Kane, nWo, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Stone Cold, Randy Orton, Big Show, Eric Bischoff, Trish Stratus, CM Punk, Ric Flair, Vince McMahon, John Cena, Batista, Christian, Rob Van Dam, Triple H, and a bunch of mid-carders, it is quite easy to split that up. When your top draws in 2013 consist of John Cena, CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus, and part-timers coming and going, it is next to impossible. WWE just needs to stay the course building up Cody Rhodes, The Shield, Dolph Ziggler, Damien Sandow, The Miz, Bray Wyatt, and others before even thinking about going back to a brand split. As much as I did love the annual Draft and separate brands, it is just not possible right now.

#Ask411

My Darn Opinion

Survivor Series has lost its luster.

I am sorry. Somebody has to say it. It has been a topic of discussion for years now, but let’s just get it out there. The “Big Five” used to be Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, King of the Ring, Summerslam, and Survivor Series. That is how old school fans were brought up and will likely always cling to. However, times change.

Once King of the Ring was phased out, we were left with the “Big Four” in Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, Summerslam, and Survivor Series. That was fine. It fit. Each pay-per-view was about three months away (about) and rounded out the full calendar in a fitting fashion. Again though, times change.

Many long-time fans may not want to admit it, but a giant tag team match adds ZERO extra pay-per-view buys. WWE quickly realized this last year and changed their main events just a few weeks before the actual event. Seeing Team Foley vs. Team Punk was not going to move the needle one bit. It was a tag team match…just a tag team match. Um, who is going to plunk down $50 for that?

No stipulations. No gimmicks. Nothing. Just a huge tag match. Okay…good luck!

Decades ago, that meant something. It was cool to see enemies and allies join forces that rarely did. The spectacle sold itself. The entire gimmick was DIFFERENT than your standard Rumble or Mania showdowns. That is all well and good, but again – times change.

We see tag matches are Raw. We see tag matches on Smackdown. We see tag matches on Main Event. We see tag matches on Superstars, NXT, and any other program thrown out there every single week. Combining more into a big cluster is no longer ‘special’ or worthy of headlining a PAY-per-view event. Sad to say, but don’t be shocked if WWE eventually transitions into a “Big Three” PPV structure.

Times change.

Self-Promoting Finale

Now, let’s get some “ME!” plugs out there for all of you…

Just Google my name. Enjoy!

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