THE LEGENDS OF WRESTLEMANIA

So it’s almost upon us. That time of the year in which we hope for the best and cross our fingers that this is the year WWE change and push some its younger stars to stop them rehashing old nostalgic acts in time for WrestleMania the year following. WrestleMania has always been one of the great nights in wrestling even if the event, such as WrestleMania 25, turns out to a one match show with very little else on it. This year though, WWE have gone all out on order to ensure that the thirtieth year is something special. Something to be remembered and whilst there is a chance that the new blood will rise when Daniel Bryan inevitably lifts the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the conclusion of the night, don’t expect it come before the company have rolled out every nostalgia act they can attract to the grandest stage of them all.

It’s fair to say that in recent years, wrestlers such as The Undertaker, The Rock and Brock Lesnar have been WWE’s saviour at WrestleMania. Failing to make stars in the vein of The Rock, Triple H and Steve Austin in recent years, WWE have demonstrated they have no faith in the current roster to carry an event such as Mania so they have brought back old favourites in the hope lapsed fans will tune in to see their heroes of days gone by and new fans will buy the event just to see what the commotion was all about. And it’s worked, for the most part. The Rock made sure the past three WrestleMania events drew the largest crowds possible, now though we have to look at what could be possible this year and ask if WWE are going into overdrive with nostalgia acts.

When you have wrestlers in the company with the talent of Dolph Ziggler or other younger, and more popular stars then the question remains what would happen if WWE left every legend off the card and just booked its younger talent to star. No doubt, it wouldn’t be the star studded attraction of previous years but maybe WWE need to take a fall one year to make history the next. The so called lesser WWE stars could be huge in one years time if the company built WrestleMania around them this year but of course that won’t happen. So what can we expect from WrestleMania XXX?

Instead of concentrating on the main event of the show or Triple H vs Daniel Bryan, we’re going to humour WWE for a while and concentrate on legends who have had their day seeing as they’re here to say and will be the main focus of the event. Those who have been scouring the internet for wrestling news today will have undoubtedly come across a piece which states a promo has been airing on American television for Roddy Piper’s ring return. Instead of appearing on WWE television, Piper’s return has been trailing the WrestleMania XXX promo on network TV so does that mean those final places in the thirty man Andre the Giant memorial battle royal will be filled with nostalgia acts? Of course it does.

I firmly predict now, that at least ten former WWE stars will appear in the event including The Ultimate Warrior and Jake Roberts with the former winning the match to celebrate his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. Those who have followed The Ultimate Warrior since WCW closed its doors will know that he’s still in great ring shape for a guy of his age and whilst he’s not going to set the world alight what better way to remember Andre the Giant than to have a wrestler from his era win the match? Yes, of course the victory would do a lesser talent such as Big E. or Alberto Del Rio a whole load of good going forward but only if WWE intend to capitalise on that victory in the coming weeks which we all know they probably won’t.

I won’t go into the Andre the Giant battle royal too much as it will spoil the preview, however I will say if just one major nostalgia act such as Roddy Piper or The Ultimate Warrior is involved then we can almost forget a younger and more hungry guy winning the match.

Where else can WWE push in its legends? Well, they could hold a second battle royal in the vein of the one they staged at Mania 17 won by The Iron Sheik simply because a tumble over the top rope could have killed him – seriously, it’s the only reason he won – or they could just go with the plan at the moment and have the whole night as ‘Legends Night’. It would make sense. If Daniel Bryan is going to lift the gold at the end of the night to give the event an uplifting ending then I doubt anyone would bitch and moan too much should WWE throw legends in at every available opportunity.

Right now the company are setting up Kane and The New Age Outlaws vs The Shield and a four way Tag Team Championship bout which should by rights put new champions The Usos at the forefront. However consider this. Rybaxel, who are booked to be one forth of the teams in the bout could easily be replaced by lets say the one night only reconciliation of Money Inc. No one is going to miss Ryback or Curtis Axel in the outing when they could easily be inserted into the Andre battle royal. In fact WWE could make a habit of it and except John Cena vs Bray Wyatt which could be bigger than we think and the main event, have a legend in every match.

Remove Big E. from the battle royal and have him defend the Intercontinental Championship in a four way ladder match involving a former I.C Champion. This would be perfect for Roddy Piper or someone more relevant such as the return of John Morrison to WWE. There’s a whole host of wrestlers who could compete here with much more success than just lumping Langston in a thirty man affray which he probably won’t get the exposure he needs. The legend doesn’t have to win the bout, but a few well remembered spots and moves would go down a treat.

Which brings us to the main event of the show and the almost inevitable appearance of Hulk Hogan ala The Rock at WrestleMania 27; WWE haven’t brought him back just to have him stand in the wings. I firmly predict this is going to be the conclusion of the triple threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on April 6th – I do go into more detail in the Mania XXX preview which you can read on the Friday before the event.

Batista turns heel on Daniel Bryan and joins forces with The Authority. Triple H, Kane, Batista and possibly Randy Orton decimate Daniel Bryan at the conclusion of the bout before Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Jake Roberts, Ric Flair, Roddy Piper and John Cena or whatever other legends the company bring in for the night; try to rescue him without success. The Authority, who have clearly lost control of themselves deny the rescuers access to the ring and none can save Bryan from a beat down and what looks to be the retention of the title by Randy Orton. And then the lights go out and a vignette plays before they come back on and Sting descends from the rafters with his baseball bat in hand and clears the ring, nailing everyone but Randy Orton.

Sting’s appearance would allow Cena and company to pull the invaders from the ring and brawl with them on the outside whilst in the ring; Daniel Bryan would either pin or make Randy Orton tap to win the title. As long as Sting didn’t touch Orton then Bryan’s victory wouldn’t be tainted whatsoever and the company would have ample options in order to move forward in the post-WrestleMania season.

If WWE are going to employ so many legends then they may as well make the most use of them whilst wrapping up the Daniel Bryan vs The Authority feud. That really is what is best for business.

Onwards and upwards...

REVIEW CORNER: TLC 2013 DVD AND BLU-RAY

 

A – Excellent

B – Good

C – Mediocre

D – Avoid

Release Date: March 31st 2014

Available From: www.wwedvd.co.uk

Price:

DVD £12.99

Blu-ray £13.99

(Prices from www.wwedvd.co.uk: high street retail prices will vary)

Format Reviewed: DVD

(Also Available on Blu-ray)

What It’s About:

WWE’s final pay-per view event of 2013 held on December 15th from the Toyota Centre in Houston, Texas. Featuring two 3 on 1 Handicap Matches pitting Daniel Bryan against The Wyatt Family and C.M Punk vs The Shield, as well as the Champion of Champions Tables, Ladders and Chairs brawl to crown the supposed first ever WWE World Heavyweight Champion, plus much more.

Strengths:

It’s certainly not the best match on the card but it is the entire point of this year’s TLC event so the main event is where we shall start. Randy Orton vs John Cena in the Champion of Champions TLC bout to crown the supposed first ever WWE World Heavyweight Champion is a decent if not thrilling piece of work. Before we get into the details of the bout I would like to take a moment to address the pre-match shenanigans which are not just infuriating but also a complete lie. Touted as the biggest match in wrestling history, WWE plainly created flaws for themselves. Two apparent ones in fact. The first being how exactly can a match be pushed as the biggest in history after just three weeks of hype, it needed at least six solid months of slow build to get it over, and secondly if it is indeed the biggest match in wrestling history then shouldn’t it have been saved for WrestleMania XXX instead of given away on a ‘B’ level pay-per view? Regardless of that, the video promo which airs just before the match is very well put together and portrays both men as equal whilst we get a short recap of both journey’s from the first night they stepped foot in the company to TLC night. If there is one complaint about it then it could have been longer to include footage of both men in Ohio Valley Wrestling together. The match would have been better had three or four more minutes been taken away from it to negate the rest holds and stalling on display and given to the pre-match vignette; Sadly, WWE do try to alter their own history once again, it happens several times throughout the event, by attempting to link the current World Heavyweight Championship to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Anyone with even basic wrestling knowledge knows the belt the likes of Ric Flair, Harley Race and Sting held aren’t even remotely linked to the World Heavyweight Championship which was created especially for Triple H in 2002, making him the first World Heavyweight Champion, and its history doesn’t begin before then. WWE need to stop bastardising their own history especially when it’s so easy for us to prove wrong. They only make themselves look incapable; Whilst Randy Orton and John Cena make their respective entrances, Michael Cole strikes from the announce position, voicing his and WWE’s belief that in total championship reigns (that being where ever title in any company is concerned) only four men have held more titles than Randy Orton (John Cena, Ric Flair, Edge and Triple H according to Michael Cole). However he’s wrong. When it comes to accumulated title reigns Booker T has amassed over 36 reigns as various champions as The Midnight Express are decorated with over 50 titles during their career. There has to be more I know it, I just didn’t take the time to research it. Much like WWE. Not content to stop there, it’s then said that only three more people have held a World Heavyweight Championship longer that John Cena in days. The three names they offer may be correct but I know for certain there are more including Harley Race; as for the match, John Cena looks wholly serious as the bout begins which is a refreshing site as we don’t see it often enough these days and the pair trudge through the same routine we’ve seen from them time and time again. The chair shots from Randy Orton look vicious and Cena’s Attitude Adjustment through the announce table are both very good even if Cena’s selling has returned to form. Orton’s Powerbomb escape at ringside looks great and though the match comes to a complete halt in the middle and up until the final sequence there’s no real tension on ladder attempts, John Cena’s ladder shot which sends Randy Orton hurtling through a table at ringside is done with ease. Rallying, Orton’s RKO to fell Cena’s title attempt is slick though this not in the class of John Cena vs Edge from Unforgiven 2006. The lack of blood brings the match down slightly; if any bout could have used it then this was it in order to sell how important it is to both men. However I doubt anyone will fail to be thrilled by Cena hanging from the belts and the resultant steel chair beat down before Randy Orton handcuffs Cena to the bottom rope and casually taunts him by climbing for the gold. John Cena shows ingenuity undoing the bottoms turnbuckle to free himself, though he’s still attached to the ropes when he climbs the ladder to halt Randy Orton and the final sequence in which Orton pulls Cena, using the ropes he’s still attached to from the ladder, catching his head on the table in the corner is very well done. The match is wholly watchable if you can sit through the rubbish which pads out the encounter and stomach the ridiculous claims from the announcer, none of which are true. One of which states that the winner will become the first man to hold both titles when that simply isn’t true. All of a sudden everyone is forgetting Chris Jericho’s feat at Vengeance 2001, defeating The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in the same night to become the first ever WWE Undisputed Champion.

C.M Punk vs The Shield is a respectable if not thrilling handicap match. Lifeless for the longest of times, only The Shield’s tag team work keep it bearable as Punk gets demolished by the trio. Roman Reigns missed spear looks very impressive, sending him sailing over the announce table and the subsequent eye injury looks nasty whilst C.M Punk really does look tired and ready for a long break without wrestling in his life. Only the former WWE Champion’s offensive picks up the pace of the bout but there’s nothing here we haven’t seen before and Punk looks like he really couldn’t care anymore. A well timed ending sees the initiation of The Shield split as Punk dodges a Reigns spear which hits Dean Ambrose and hands Punk the win. It’s watchable but could have been so much more.

A.J Lee’s interview with Renee Young is an efficient piece of work. Filled with truthful claims, respect for the already loved A.J goes through the roof when says everything which is on our minds beginning with how the Divas division and Total Divas is a complete joke and that the division would be nothing without her. It’s true of course. Without A.J in the champion role, can you imagine how dismal the female scene would be? The whole interview is delivered with aplomb.

A.J Lee vs Natalya is a brilliantly conceived WWE Divas Championship match which gives one hope that all is not yet lost and with a few new additions from NXT, it could be great again. With excellent counters from the onset, A.J and Natalya put on one of the best matches on the entire card. A.J’s previous claim that the Divas division is a joke is highlighted in full when the commentators inform us that The Bella Twins won the Slammy award for Diva of the Year, as if they’ve done anything to earn that distinction though it doesn’t matter to the audience who are staunchly behind A.J in her title defence. I hate to think what’s going to happen to the already dismal division when A.J loses the gold presumably at WrestleMania XXX. Sadly, JBL rips almost every piece of good A.J has done for the division away with the statement that it’s only because of Tamina she’s still champion, why don’t WWE know how to build a talent anymore? It’s pathetic. As for the bout, A.J is crisp and even the submission holds add to the drama of the bout. Turning a slam into a Black Widow attempt is brilliantly done whilst Natalya plays the role of the desperate challenger to perfection. A sharpshooter attempt is tense and well countered by the champion into a Black Widow which is also countered in a breathlessly genius series. The ending which sees A.J roll up Natalya, without Tamina’s help if JBL was taking any notice, is again well done.

Goldust and Cody Rhodes vs Rybaxel vs The Real American vs Big Show and Rey Mysterio deceives on first glance as a slow and uninteresting four way collision but builds to a thrilling conclusion which makes up for the lack of action elsewhere in the match. Laughably, Curtis Axel wears his ‘Better Than Perfect’ shirt to the ring without realising that he’s far from being better than his farther was and the way he’s going, he never will be but Rybaxel do work well as a team for the limited period their participation lasts. Instead of going hell for leather which he’s capable of doing, Jack Swagger halts the match with submission holds before Cesaro lightens up proceedings with a Gutwrench Powerbomb from the floor and double team slingshot into powerslam is brilliant before Cesaro makes Big Show look like a monster. As it comes down to the Rhodes brothers against Big Show and Rey Mysterio, there’s a ludicrous moment as Big Show stands like a statue and watches Goldust climb the top rope and hit him with a moonsault when it would have made more sense to at least try and stop him. The final exchanges between Cody Rhodes and Rey Mysterio are excellent including an excellent Powerbomb by Mysterio as Rhodes comes off the top rope, and a Crossroads from a 619 are outstanding.

Daniel Bryan vs The Wyatt Family is everything C.M Punk vs The Shield should have been. Harper and Rowan use the double teams well to wear Bryan down before Harper drops Daniel Bryan with a thunderous sit down Powerbomb which looks sublime. Bray Wyatt looks a force to be reckoned with. His suplex throw is hard hitting and spider walk still looks freaky as backed up by the fans who pelt him with chants of ‘That Was Creepy’. The leader of the family lectures Daniel Bryan with a sermon part way through the match which is delivered in style as Daniel Bryan takes a beating which gets The Wyatt’s over well. They really do look too much for him to handle. Daniel Bryan slowly builds his comeback to perfection whilst his suicide dive and final exchanges with Bray Wyatt, which include a Bearhug lift into Sister Abigail, are phenomenal. Bray hugging an unconscious Bryan after the bout is unsettling and the sudden scream which ends their segments is frightening. Had this been 1993, people would have been terrified of the trio. On a lighter note, when it throws back to the superstar panel, Mick Foley call’s Bray, ‘Way Bryatt’. Fool.

As for the extras: the TLC Dolph Ziggler vs Fandango Kick-Off bout is just about respectable. There’s nothing wholly special about it and it won’t thrill you beyond the usual Raw mid-card bout and it begins slow but does get better as time transpires. There’s good back and forth action whilst the series of counters which lead into the Dolph Ziggler Fameasser is sublime. Fandango’s face-plant suplex is very good and thankfully he seems to have gotten better over the past few months. It’s not a great improvement but is enough to warrant praise. There’s still a huge fan base for Dolph Ziggler which must be enough to warrant another push even if others do believe it’s too late for him though his loss to Fandango here is maddeningly ridiculous. Why force someone who still has potential to put over someone who is obviously going nowhere?

‘The Shield Reflect on TLC’ may exist solely to enhance the Shield split, but its a decent piece of drama between the three which sees Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose bicker about their separate injuries whilst Seth Rollins plays peacemaker. Dean Ambrose is a hoot constantly droning on about his ribs, from where Reigns speared him during their bout, and there’s enough on show here to give anyone hope that following the proper spilt of the trio Rollins and Ambrose will be okay either as a team or on their own. They certainly have the in ring talent and personality to go far, should WWE bother to push them.

‘John Cena Speaks on TLC’ is a surprisingly decent one minute promo. Conducted after his loss to Randy Orton on the main show, there’s no smiley, jokey John Cena here. It’s just stern, serious business Cena which we need to see more of. Instead of bitching and moaning, Cena rightly recognises that Randy Orton’s tactics of handcuffing him to the bottom rope during the bout were legal in the TLC match confines and credit goes to him for portraying the loss as a devastating milestone in his career. It’s not much of an interview but serves its purpose well.

Weaknesses:

Opening TLC 2013, The Authority spout a capable promo but Triple H’s history lesson where he once again tries to tell us that the World Heavyweight Championship was held by Harley Race and Ric Flair – it wasn’t – goes back decades when in fact it only goes back to 2002 which he well knows, is not needed. All WWE do here is jumble their own history before Stephanie McMahon once again states that this will be the biggest match in history. That claim will begin to grate on your nerves before you’re an hour and a half into the release.

Big E. Langston vs Damien Sandow is a so-so encounter which only displays how much Langston has come on in the past in few months and nothing else. Could Big E. be a WWE World Heavyweight Championship material? Possibly, in the future, yes. Here though he’s weighed down by a careless Sandow who has literally nothing else to wrestle for. He’s done in WWE and everyone including himself knows it. Displaying rest holds and the odd amount of pacy action the match isn’t pointless and does offer a little for the audience but in actuality it’s just here to fill the time and of no greater significance than that.

The host of wrestlers playing with WWE Brawlin’ Buddies in the locker room is tedious and resembles a school playground rather than a wrestling locker room. The segment ends when Kane enters and everyone scatter before the Big Red Machine predictably picks up the toys and has a go himself. Are WWE dumbing their products down, because it certainly feels like it?

Brodus Clay vs R-Truth is mind numbingly banal. Existing solely to further the Tons of Funk split, which is no great loss to wrestling, Clay and Truth seem to be wrestling in treacle. Neither man gets anywhere or does anything to make then standout. It’s almost as if both know the bout will take them nowhere so why bother in the first place? Both are well past caring whilst Xavier Woods who resembles an eighties porn star and Tensai stand on the outside for no other reason than to have Tensai inadvertently cost Clay the bout. Maybe Brodus Clay will be better as a heel and receive a massive push. Or maybe he’ll fall into even more obscurity than he already finds himself in. It’ll be a long way back now.

As for the Extras: ‘WWE Superstars React To Champion of Champions Match’ is eight minutes of complete crap where every wrestler interviewed sucks up to WWE and its two top stars. Wade Barrett laughably says that Randy Orton better watch his back because Bad News Barrett is gunning for those titles, that will never happen now; R-Truth goes way over the top as arse kisser and strangely rarely blinks; Daniel Bryan rants the same thing over and over again to maddening effect; Booker T says he brought the World Heavyweight Championship to WWE. For the last time, he didn’t. It isn’t the same title which he won in WCW. Booker then says how much of a shame it is that the title ‘he brought in’ will no longer be around. Hang on, isn’t Randy Orton still carrying it over his shoulder?; Rey Mysterio provides the final few laughs by called the TLC match the bout of the decade whilst Mick Foley looks odd with a grey beard and fringe with brown hair. He looks like it’s been stuck on around his face. What a waste of time this is.

‘Renee Young Interviews Randy Orton’ is so short Orton mutters two sentences and then it’s over. Stating his belief that the victory makes him the greatest superstar of this or any other generation, Orton swiftly exits stage left. Pointless.

DVD and Blu-ray Special Features:

TLC Kick-off Match

Dolph Ziggler vs Fandango

The Shield Reflect on TLC

WWE Superstars React to the Champion of Champions Match

John Cena Discusses His TLC Match

Renee Young Interviews Randy Orton

Blu-ray Special Features:

Smackdown – November 29th 2013

WWE Tag Team Championship Match

Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs The Shield

Cody Rhodes, Goldust and C.M Punk vs The Shield

Cody Rhodes, Goldust, C.M Punk and Rey Mysterio and The Usos vs The Shield and The Wyatt Family

Raw – December 2nd 2013

John Cena and Randy Orton Contract Signing

Raw – December 9th 2013

Championship Ascension Ceremony

Conclusion:

Better in the ring than the dreadful Survivor Series was, TLC 2013 is solely built around the Champion of Champions match which only really delivers in its final few moments. The two handicap matches differ in quality whilst the four way tag team bout and the WWE Divas Championship match are both worth the time spent watching them.

Though it really does look like the TLC case has been CGI’d to include Triple H, Vince and Stephanie and the lack of separate Tables, Ladder or Chairs matches bring the event down slightly its still a decent watch if you can bare to sit through all the rubbish on display. Not WWE’s finest event, but certainly not its worst.

Rating: B

Next Time in Review Corner: WWE The Ultimate Warrior – The Ultimate Collection DVD and Blu-ray

Onwards and upwards...

SHOULD HE STAY OR SHOULD HE GO?

March already and we finally come to our very first, proper talk of the year. Yes, it has been too long and yes I have been really busy so let’s get down to it. You’ve been patient enough having to make do with Review Corner’s and pay-per view previews since January and I would like to think that you’ve missed me somewhat, but the truth is that I haven’t been anywhere, just really, insanely busy with this that and everything else that I haven’t had the time until now to sit down and talk to you lovely people about what’s been happening and what we’ve missed.

First of all, I know that you would like to join me in paying tribute to both Mae Young and Nelson ‘Big Daddy V / Mable’ Frazier who passed away recently. Both made their mark on the wrestling industry in different ways. Mae Young was the first wrestler to compete in nine different decades and Nelson Frazier will always hold a dear memory in your Wrestling God’s mind as Mabel from Men on a Mission. He may not have been the greatest wrestler in history but he tried very hard to put on a show and the memories he leaves behind from what I often refer to as the golden years of wrestling will remain always. Let’s hope the next two entrants in that battle royal in the sky can find peace in the ring above.

Now, the meat and bones of what we’re all here for. There were many issues which I could have covered here but with still limited time on my hands I thought it may be prudent to discuss the one which everyone has been talking about. Not Hulk Hogan hosting WrestleMania XXX – come one, we all knew he’d be back – that will be covered in the WrestleMania XXX preview, but C.M Punk packing his bags and walking out of WWE with his head held high. Yes, it may be late news but it’s still a topic everyone else seems to be wading in on so why not us?

For those who have been living in a cave and don’t know what I’m talking about then let me refresh your memory or break the news to you should it be coming in for the first time. The night after Royal Rumble, C.M Punk waltzed into Vince McMahon’s office on Raw and legitimately quit the company citing a number of different reasons for his departure. It may have been a shock to some but others who knew how Punk was feeling, how tired and beaten down he was expected this, just not so soon. Days before the Royal Rumble took place; C.M Punk agreed to be interviewed by an MMA interviewer in his own home. Your Wrestling God has found and reviewed that footage several times over and I can honestly say that if you saw it before the event and didn’t expect Punk to do something drastic then you need your head testing.

During the interview, Punk seemed lethargic, tired and not at all bothered about professional wrestling. When quizzed about the industry his answers were uninteresting and vague. I half expected the short tempered Punk to throttle the interviewer and throw him across the room when he was constantly pushed. Yet he didn’t. C.M Punk didn’t seem the least bit bothered or riled which the same man of a few months previous would have been. Careless about not completing his task of seeing Triple H outed from his position, something Punk had previously stated was his intention, and making a different to the business as a whole, it was a truly worrying sight to see C.M Punk so uninterested. From this footage, something had to be done and days later it was announced that ‘The Best in the World’ had packed his bags and walked out.

Various reports say differing things about Punk’s confrontation of Vince McMahon that January 27th night. Some say that the former WWE Champion couldn’t have had his mind changed and that with his contract expiring in July anyway he had nothing to lose. Others say the Vince McMahon offered him more money and a better position to stay. The truth my fellow minions, is that Vince McMahon offered no resistance to C.M Punk leaving the company. Sticking to his mantra that officials of the company must save face at all times, regardless of the situation they’re put in, Vince McMahon just sat there and did nothing to stop one of his top stars leaving, except shake his hand and thank him for everything he’d done for the company.

Is Vince, out of his mind? With WWE’s main event scarce as it is, Vince should have shoved a hefty cheque as well as assurances that Punk would receive the same treatment as The Undertaker, John Cena and everyone higher than him gets about his future and well being. Would Punk have left in July anyway? Yes, of course he would. The man is tired and worn down, he’s earned the right to take time off, but the fact remains Vince McMahon may as well have spat in Punk’s face and told him he was being disloyal to the company. In the end it had the same effect. Witnessing McMahon’s stoic response could only have spurred Punk on in his belief that he no longer meant anything to WWE. It was yet again poorly dealt with, but then should we have expected anything else?

The question is what now? From 2011 – 2014, C.M Punk has amassed a small fortune worth millions of dollars. The money and financial security was the only reason he signed a contract extension in 2011. Now he has what he’s always wanted, where does Philip Brooks go from here? Many are certain that he’ll return to WWE at some point in 2014, it has even been said that the Raw in Chicago before WrestleMania XXX would be the perfect time for him to return, but I disagree. It’s a fact that three months aren’t enough for a wrestler to recover fully and history states that a wrestler who has walked out in such fashion is more financially valuable to the promotion when they do decide to return. Batista, The Rock and Brock Lesnar have all proved this in recent years.

I have heard it bandied around that C.M Punk may even go to New Japan Pro Wrestling where an open invitation awaits him from Bullet Club leader Prince Devitt. If Punk wants to return to the WWE but wants to keep them waiting in nail biting fashion then he could return to Ring of Honor for a two or three months stint. Then again, looking at WWE now, is there anything left for him in the company? He’s already battled the best and is the longest reigning WWE Champion of the modern era. There’s an option which states he could try and beat his own reign but with a serious lack of challengers it would be a stretch to drag that out for over a year.

Seeing as the final straw was the fact he was booked to lose to Triple H at WrestleMania XXX, I can’t see Punk in any hurry to return and neither should he be. Let us not forget that Punk has done a great deal to help WWE through tough times. He suffered injuries galore but was still there week in and week out when he was needed. For that, WWE should be allowing him whatever time he believes he needs and before Punk walked out should have assured him that after light duties which included no house show appearances and only Raw once a week, followed by a high profile victory over Triple H at WrestleMania XXX, he would be allowed six months out to recover. It would have gone someway to proving how much he was valued.

Whatever C.M Punk decides to do in the future then I wish him all the very best. If he decides not to return to the WWE then the very best of the independent circuit await him with whom he has the ability to contest some unforgettable bouts with. If his intention is to return to McMahon’s battleground, he should wait until at least SummerSlam and then when WWE have no one else on the books to sell the event tap them for double his previous price along with the guarantee that he’ll be used as a main event star and not the under card player he occupied in late 2013. Then again C.M Punk could be done with wrestling completely. He has enough money to last him the rest of his life and he’s famous for living below his means. There’s not left for him to prove in wrestling so like Steve Austin and The Rock he could seek out a different path.

Of course wrestling will miss him, but I’d rather miss him and possibly have him back even better at a later date than keep him on the schedule he was carrying out before he left and have C.M Punk be another wrestling tragedy or statistic.

Another Quick Note

It appears that out mystery commenter has struck again. Not content with leaving pathetic notes on the Review Corner blogs stating that they believe I don’t know anything and that I believe I’m a real wrestling god, they have taken to simply leaving little notes on odd blogs saying that I’m an idiot. You always get one retard don’t you? So to the gutless little prick who leaves these messages and then hasn’t got the balls or guts to leave a name just simply signs these messages with ‘anonymous’, go to hell.

We all know idiots like this are the lowest form of life so I won’t pay attention to them anymore. Suffice to say to the gutless moron out there who thinks this is fun and believes it ruins my day, get a life. Everyone knows that jealousy is a horrible thing and those who criticise do so because they’re not talented enough to do it themselves. The ironic thing is, the blog they left the message on was one of the most poplar ones I ever wrote and one which got several comments praising it.

There’s only one idiot and we knows it’s not me. What a C***T.

Onwards and upwards...