Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Don’t blink. The date of this article is right. This is a sample (one of several) that will introduce you to John Philapavage’s regular contribution to this site, Four For The Road. Look up the rest of the archives through the categories on the side or up at the top of the page, and check back regularly for new articles in this feature.

–WWE has booked a three way for Backlash. Edge, HHH, and Cena for the title. I was a huge fan of Edge getting the push in January, and felt it might have even been six to eight months after he initially earned it. I think Cena has become a fascinating character over the last few months, from crowd heat (or better, the reactions that create the atmosphere) to his character’s path. The guy really is working his ass off. And even Triple H had a great match at Mania, and actually put over Cena, which I was amazed was the call considering I was an advocate of the double turn, seeing as though it allowed HHH to save face. Glad to see he took the fall.

All that said I’m not sure what I’m getting out of my main event scene. The plan seems to be if Vince can’t make you love cheer Cena, then he’ll make Edge look like a weaker link so the heat is off Cena by default. Even more of a problem is that HHH is still being presented as the King of Kings, and after two weeks, I’ve already seen this month’s main event twice. Of course, the company is banking on you wanting to see twenty-five minutes and not the two or more eight-minute variations on the theme.

I’m not sold on this. After all, I think HHH is getting the belt back at 10:52pm the night of Blacklash, I think Edge will appear weaker, and I’m not sure where Cena goes after that. Regardless of what I think, the opening segment and final twelve minutes of RAW have been fascinating to watch. I just don’t know if that translates into my PPV money this month. Then again, enough people in Israel, Ireland, England, or Italy will shell out to make it worth the company’s while, so we’ll all live. Here’s hoping they pull a swerve and the all-knowing HHH (as he’s presented) gets outfoxed by the wily Edge. Poor Cena, I don’t know where this guy will be by Summer Slam, or worse yet, when Survivor Series comes along. One thing is for sure, when we sit down for Christmas dinner, HHH and protector of the golden chalice (Also known as the belt), Big Steph will be having the last laugh. Vince takes on God while HHH treads the road to eclipsing Flair’s Legacy? Maybe those whispers of a family vanity promotion are true!

–ROH just ran it’s first triple-shot weekend to the tune of 3500 people, critical acclaim, and strong word of mouth in the Windy and Motor cities respectively. People are starting to talk about weekly TV and PPVs. Not so fast friends. Those people are just fans, and by no means world’s worst announcer/super booker Gabe Sapolsky or the cash behind the cow, Cary Silken. Both men smartly recognize that TV means death to the life force of the company- DVD sales. The entire business model is behind them, and it makes perfect sense. These men learned from ECW’s mistakes, and RF’s bad business deals, and are sitting at the front of a company that’s now self sufficient and well in the black on the check book. PPV is an option only as a DVD to On Demand deal, and most mainstream fans think body builders, Boogymen, and pyro mean wrestling. It’s not worth the time or aggravation for $5.99 PPVs of shows most will by on DVD for $20. Stick to the business model, guys, because you’re the only real alternative promotion in wrestling.

–Speaking of darling indies, ROH’s predecessor, ECW, will be trotted out on PPV once again this June with RVD on top. Here’s hoping the WWE is done whoring out the legacy after this year’s event. I, for one, want to see more DVDs, especially if they’d sell the TV shows in packages of five or six. Using the legacy in real time is getting embarrassing, especially after last years long awaited “big goodbye”. Time to put it to bed and let people like myself have our memories, because a mismanagement of the brand name might damage future DVD sales, not to mention good will with northeastern fans. Besides, WWE is a business, and that would mean hurting the pocket book. Then again, Vince takes glee in seeing how bad he can damage something, and taking a possible eight million gross down to two million. In Stamford, two million and a fuck you “My Way” is always better then 8 million “your way”. If we could all be so bold.

– Ever the “Huckster”, Hulk Hogan went into business for himself last week by using the fans want for a dream match to goad Steve Austin into signing on for Wrestlemania match next year. Austin reacted to the crowd publicly, and then turned it down privately. GOOD FOR HIM! Would a dream match be profitable? – More then any other show. Would I, and many fans, want to see the spectacle? – Probably higher than 90% would pay for it; most knowing it’s a bad match going in. But putting aside the atmosphere and the payday, it’s Austin’s right to say the hell with it. He’s given the world of wrestling more then anyone else (monetarily) and he’s had a brilliant in ring career. Hogan is manipulating for another huge payday because apparently being worth twenty million or more isn’t enough. Besides, Hogan knows he’ll find a way to go over, or at the very least, steal the spotlight.

This is the same Hogan who would never give a semi-main event guy like Stunning Steve Austin a break more then ten years ago, a fact not lost on a retired Stone Cold. While a selfish fan base might want the match, and it would make money for all involved, Austin doesn’t want to play the political games, and he shouldn’t have to. He’s long since earned the right. For the record, how much of an asshole do you have to be for someone to turn down five million or more, when it’s all said and done, just to run around a ring with you for 20 minutes? We now have our price of happiness barometer.