Pro Wrestling Chronicle

My first look at Mistico and his possibilities in America, WWE pisses off the wrong state athletic commission (and nothing ever happened), UFC scores big with Tito/Shamrock season of Ultimate Fighter, and some momentary sympathy for TNA. All this in the 5.10.06 version of Four For The Road.

–UFC and its phenomenal TV production scores again with the “booking of Ultimate Fighter. Lets forget for a minute that UFC’s pay-per-view product brings the big fight atmosphere and a great viewing experience that makes you want to throw in another $35 for next month’s show. If looking to Dramedy for all inclusive, heavily involved primetime entertainment writing is a stretch for you when improving wrestling storytelling, why not look no further then ex-partner Spike TV and the promotion that pretends just like WWE that they aren’t at war, UFC. Ultimate Fighter is one of the best segment produced/story boarded shows using actual people. With the exception of the obnoxious product placement (screw watching TV on my phone, you asses), the show is much more “real” then your average so-called reality show like that Hogan train wreck. The most important element is the editing which gets over an overall goal, several character developments per episode, and builds to a main event every week. The main event, just like on RAW, is treated as special, but unlike RAW, is carefully built and unique each episode.

Not only are the weekly main event players put over, but the development of other brewing feuds is moved along. Look no further then the team alliances and friendships, Ed Herman’s want for revenge on Tito for not picking him, and Mike Bisping’s anger over playing forgotten prodigy to Tito’s “champion”, Matt. And if that’s not enough, we are still getting a slow build to the Wrestlemania main event of UFC, Tito vs. Shamrock (and that will pay off on PPV), and UFC’s McMahon (Dana White) comes off a lot better as the overseeing genius of the sport he’s marketed.

If Kevin Dunn, along with some of these so called writers for WWE, could find it in there spineless backs, to carry these ideas of spread out storytelling over the countless hours of wasted WWE TV time, then maybe we’d all still be buying PPV or watching RAW in the seven million range. Even with David Sahiri gone, they still possess better TV production then the network sports packages, and that includes the NFL! These poor underpaid people in production need to get a raise and be utilized better, because while UFC guys (and I’m talking the UF contestants, not the big names) come off with so much more mic skills, charisma, and intelligence than WWE’s tired 20 minute promo and go-home PPV highlights packages these days.

Regarding the Ultimate Fighter product as a whole, this years characters have been solid personalities who, unfortunately for the UFC, are still a ways off from being able to hang at a high level in MMA. Solomon Hutcherson has delivered some great promos, besting Michael Bisping by a hair as the man I’d most like to see talk up a fight for three months. Most of the fighters seem to care a lot about what they’re doing. Only a few seem at the level to carry out those intentions in the octagon.

The Ken Shamrock-Tito Ortiz feud, the promotional backdrop for this season, is building nicely as well. Their first fight, in November of 2002, was the coming out party the promotion had hoped the Sept. 2001 disastrous debut in Vegas would be. That fight garnered between 200,000 thousand and 250,000 buys. It was huge at the time in legitimizing the sport again. This time around, I’m willing to say that if the fight comes off in July we could be seeing upwards of 500,000 to 550,000 buys.

An interesting aspect in seeing these two coach is Shamrock’s ineptness at being able to teach, while the villainous Ortiz has shown his softer side. It’s akin to the famous wrestling adage of a slow double turn. Shamrock, a nostalgic favorite in UFC, seems about as adept at coaching as Michael Jordan would be. That is to say, while he was a great “player”, he seems lost in properly training his team or identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each man.

Ortiz has come across as a caring and passionate instructor. He seems to understand what motivates each man, the mind games that need to be played to maximize potential, and what training in necessary in 2006. Tito has simply out coached Ken. Michael Bisping and Matt Hamill, both Ortiz’ fighters, look to be on a collision course. If any of Shamrock’s men make it, they only have themselves to thank.

This week’s show was a shining example of Shamrock’s desperation. He tried to start a pull apart with Ortiz to fire up his team. Ortiz stood there smiling, telling the “old man” he’d kick his ass when the time was right, and used it as fodder to encourage his own team. In fact, there is no way Rory Singer should have won last week’s fight. He was afraid of his shadow in the octagon. Ortiz once again proved to be the much better coach when adjusting game plans and calming Singer between rounds. If only Solomon Hutcherson had been picked by Ortiz, he’d be in the second round. He needs better stand up and especially cardio training. Tito is the cardio God. I hope we see Solomon again. For anyone who looks at long term marketing in MMA, and Dana White is one of the foremost in understand that concept, realizes this kid is an even better version of Pride’s Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Long live the Junkyard Dog. Long live Team (Pause for effect) DAGGER!

– TNA, for all their collective indecision on the product (X-division. WCW retread. X-DIVISION. WCW RETREAD), has some strong spots in their creative formula and in the ring. I buried TNA and Smackdown in the last two weeks. Well, in my defense, I gave you the factual broad strokes for TNA over the next year and I more or less buried Smackdown (Watch it on Friday in NYC? No? That’s because the nation’s largest market didn’t have it on guys!) I wanted to at least be fair to one. I think you know which one that will be. Fit Finley gets a leprechaun? Even if you are a Sp. Ent. Fan, how does this make your consumer want to watch? Whatever! It’s not my money being spent. I won’t even buy a WWE ice cream bar (maybe Rey Jr. That’s an adorable ice cream bar).

I’ll start off by saying Jeff Jarrett and his father are none of these good things. I’ll get into my dislike for 80’s Memphis wrestling thinking in modern day wrestling another day, but I’m going out of my way just to say the Jarrett Family equals the real marks. They are only above the Carters as being real marks goes, but then again, the Carters will still be millionaires in two years. So screw the dated thinking of Jeff and Jerry. Got it? Good.

Tag team division is solid. The Dudleys, James Brothers, and LAX are strong foundations that are veteran inside the ring while still marketable outside, while other teams like AMW and the Canadian factions are great youthful teams. I suggest the Dudleys and James Gang have their feud this summer and then begin putting over the next generation of teams, because both are long in the tooth and need to give the rub while they still can. I’d like to conclude these statements by saying while I believe everything I just wrote; I don’t personally like 3-D or the James Gang one bit. Both ran there course for me in 2001. Regardless, they are carrying their share.

X-Division feuds have been strong, especially with Low Ki back, Daniels established, and them not ruining AJ Styles. The Joe-Daniels-Styles series produced a lot of great moments to be a TNA fan if you were enough of one to buy the PPVs. Samoa Joe has paid off well. I like that they’re pairing Joe with (SPOILER ALERT) Sting. It’s too bad they only did this a few days before the PPV this weekend. In a related note, while I hope the association continues, the misdirection to get there may have turned off fans. I understand the use of Rick Steiner, Buff Bagwell, and Lex Luger was simply a tease before teaming Joe with Sting, but I got four calls in the last week from people who tuned in and were wondering why they were bring back more WCW castaways. I hope TNA realizes they aren’t over enough as a promotion as a whole to tease people for a few weeks only to give you something positive. Viewers don’t seem to be sticking around that long.

The addition of Jim Cornette as an authority figure should be strong, although it might not get over as well as it did with the ROH fans. It’s unfortunate that so often TNA’s creativity pie slices 40% ROH material, 40% old WWE or WCW material, and only 20% TNA’s own separate original ideas. Makes me wonder why they got rid of Russo sometimes. Maybe they could just give Gabe Sapolsky the booking job. Oh, silly me, then Jerry and Jeff Jarrett would be completely out of the vanity project they started.

Still, talent development does remain strong. Alex Shelly is among those young break out stars they ship in from ROH rings that the nation is really seeing for the first time. Shelly is an awesome personality that has been growing. Now that ROH is pulling away from booking TNA wrestlers, Shelly is all TNA’s to cultivate. I hope they keep using him near the top. He could be a headline star if they stay in business another two years. He’s just as good in the ring and out of it as Christian.

Likewise, Simon Diamond has been getting a fair shake, and unbelievably, his mic work and gimmick are actually better then when he was introduced to the nation by ECW years ago. He seems new again. Jay Lethal is growing well. Hopefully they develop his mic works, which could be good. All in all the youth in TNA that seems fresh to even me has been kept strong, or at least unique.

Global Impact on internet and You Tube is an excellent show, and a wonderful use of Christie Hemme. I’m on her bandwagon, and I’m of the opinion she makes a good co-host to Jeremy Borash who can also be a strong personality. I just wish there weren’t so many pitchmen in TNA, and I’m not referring to Don West directly. Will we ever see an announcer who doesn’t sound as disingenuine as a politician?

I’m still of the opinion TNA missed their shot at being a true alternative to WWE, or even an impressive number two with stay power like WCW was for several years. At this point I just hope for the fans and employees that they can develop some unique stars and personalities with great in ring action so if they do go under we’ll have a lot of TV ready capable ring hands across America. I’m sure ROH and Japan will come calling.

–The WWE runs afoul with blood usage in Kentucky. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (Although a majority of wrestlers might call it a “dirt sheet”, the Observer is akin to the Washington Post or New York Times of wrestling. For a sports comparison, think of Sports Illustrated and it’s relevance to the athletic community) is reporting that the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Commission is about to file a claim against the WWE for blading and not going to the finish after accidental blood on it’s Backlash PPV emanating from Lexington.

State Athletic Commissions in many states still regulate pro wrestling stemming from the days when promoters would pretend that their matches were legitimate encounters and not predetermined entertainment. Even after Vince McMahon admitted to predetermined outcomes to avoid a tax from the New Jersey commission almost two decades ago, many commissions still regulated wrestling for health reasons.

It is a state law in Kentucky, which is enforced in WWE farm club OVW and all other independent wrestling shows, that blading is illegal. Furthermore, accidental blood is grounds for the match immediately going to the agreed upon finish. WWE presented two matches on their card with blood, the sore thumb being a main event bloodbath. They can be fined between $20,000.00 and $30,000.00 and risk revocation of their promoting license because the act was one of defiance. It seems WWE legal asked the commission for a pass before the show, using the large amount of state tax they pay to run events as leverage. They were denied the request and did it anyway.

I hope the state of Kentucky sticks to its guns here. I’m not saying that because I want WWE banned in Kentucky, but because for too long the WWE has been allowed to play by its own rules. In Pennsylvania, where I reside, the athletic commission cracked down on wrestling for usage of blood and weapons that had gotten far out of control in the wake of ECW. The commission, with Frank (I shop with Jim Cornette) Talent as point man, laid down strict rules and enforced them for several months in 2002. Then the WWE came to the state and ran a cage match with barbed wire on top. It was allowed because they were the WWE. The double standard continued when Shane Douglas attempted to run a barbed wire match for Hardcore Homecoming last year and was met with huge resistance.

I do not believe in completely banning blood or barbed wire in wrestling. I think each has its place in the spectacle and drama of our favorite pseudo-sport. These athletic commissions know what they are dealing with, and they have the power to make correct judgments that keep independent contractors with no union (read: every wrestler on the planet) safe. Compromises can be made, but must be equal across the board.

I feel strongly that WWE should be fined for there actions. I think their license should be suspended for six months in Kentucky. I think the same fines and suspensions should be brought against OVE or IWA-MS if they break the law. I also think the commission should work with state legislation and promoters in drafting bills that everyone can equally be happy with. I admire the commission if they do file against WWE in the face of losing valued tax income. I wish the same were true in PA. I also think several compromises between occasional blood usage with a doctor present and dangerous stunts with no regulations have to be made. Till then, be an example to every state, Kentucky.

–Searching for a Somebody. I like to think of myself as a strong observer of wrestling (see how I inverted that to avoid litigation? Thanks WWE). The now defunct Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling out of Reading, PA, gave me a chance to appreciate Kurt Angle, Christian, and Edge before they were stars. We’re talkin’ Sexton Hardcastle here, folks. I should be in Talent relations, not Tommy Dreamer! After all, I bet fellow columnist Paul S. a steak dinner that Paul London would be a somebody after seeing him live on Ring of Honor’s third show. London, for his part, has done well, maintaining what level he can in WWE, given the circumstances, for three years now. Paul, smartly, didn’t take the bet. I also felt, to a lesser extent, that Spanky could be a “somebody”. Though he’s also doing well, I think paring him as a protégé of original trainer HBK might give him more of a boost. And CM Punk, though he doesn’t know I’m the head of his fan club, is poised to take a top spot in the WWE-owned ECW version 2.0. Punk lucked out being Sapolsky’s Raven a decade later, then falling into the lap of his former booker’s mentor, Paul “the check is in the mail” Heyman.

Not for nothin’ (TM Missy Hyatt), but in fairness, I’m also the guy that thought the S.A.T.s would be making noise by now. I’m still holding out hope that the Briscoe Brothers get their shit together (They are, and like I said two weeks ago, they are STILL so young). Of Course, I also thought Reckless Youth would have stormed ECW in 1998 after a tryout, and would have been a WWE star by now after a stint in developmental in 2000. Bless Tom Carter’s heart, he’s one of the best people I’ve met in wrestling, and even if he didn’t make it, he still gave me hours of entertainment.

My next diamond in the rough is sure to make a bigger impact then these men. He comes from a very different background than those listed. He’s not plying his trade on an indy show in front of 40 people right now. Actually, he’s working the main event in front of 15,000. He’s not presently working a full-time job to support his wrestling dream. Quite the contrary, he works five dates a weekend, sometimes three of those on Sundays. And you won’t find him on the busy wrestling scene in the northeast, or over in California working PWG, UPW, or in a garage for Roland Alexander’s APW. The fact is, not only does this guy work most of his dates in Mexico, but when he hits, he could be working on the fourth most watched channel in America, and yet never work for the WWE.

Mistico could be the next Rey Mysterio. There, I said it. The undersized babyface is turning heads on top in CMLL right now, working Arena Mexico main events. His U.S. dates are limited to L.A., Detroit, and a few other cities with large Hispanic backgrounds. But for those of you who read the Meltzers’ and Alverezs’ of the world, he comes with high praise.

Mexico, and in specific CMLL and AAA, are riding a wrestling boom that’s been going on for a little over a year right now. While Japan and U.S. wrestling companies are struggling with TV clearances, smaller crowds for shows, and lost revenue, stars like Mistico are cleaning up. Unfortunately for CMLL’s expansion, the undervalued peso doesn’t go as far as the American dollar, and WWE has enough cash on hand to weather years of recession. Mistico is still a very young guy, hasn’t been wrestling for too many years, and works a Lucha Libre style which is easier on the body then Japan’s strong style or WWE’s “main event style”. CMLL also has TV on a national station for three hours every Sunday afternoon. Mistico is a huge star right now.

So what’s to stop Mistico from running across the border with a visa and finding a nice home on WWE’s Heat programming? Well, other than WWE already having the original Mysterio, and never having a soft spot for cruiserweights, there is also the lore of money to stay home. Yes, what’s being whispered as the biggest news story in wrestling for NEXT year is picking up steam.

We as American fans many times dismiss Lucha Libre and Mexican wrestlers because their style is different. It’s more of a choreographed dance, almost a six man gymnastics routine, that doesn’t fit into our box of American wrestling. It’s the same reason Japanese strong style never hit big over here, and later submission style. Moves and concepts trickle in through the indies and make their way into our wrestling, but not as a whole.

Meanwhile, in case you haven’t looked around, there are a lot of Mexican or Hispanic people living within the U.S. borders these days. You may have heard debate about this on your TV recently. Regardless, these people watch TV. They also go to live shows. They do this in large groups. Guess what these people love? You got it: wrestling. They made Eddie Guerrero into a ratings superstar two years ago. They sell out venues in Texas, Chicago, Southern California, and even the Carolinas by the thousands. They also tend to be the largest minority group that puts money into the WWE. That could all change very soon.

While modest amounts of Lucha Libre is shown on cable in America these days, Televisa, a major network in Mexico, is looking to buy Univision. Univision, for those who don’t know, is the Spanish language channel on most of your cable TV packages in the U.S. It’s so big, that it’s the fourth or fifth most watched TV channel in the U.S. many nights; only the big four broadcast networks are bigger. The point man in this negotiation is a person who has in the past funded wrestling promotion AAA. He’s considered wrestling friendly and, if he were so inclined to pick up relatively cheap wrestling programming, probably AAA and maybe even CMLL would have a presence in the U.S. market. That would lead to U.S. tours to strong Hispanic markets.

While this won’t happen in the next several months, it could mean America will probably have a true alternative to the WWE that is financially viable. It will be interesting to see if a bridge can be gapped, and an English speaking program is distributed to garner Caucasian or African American fans. Irregardless, a deal means that next year, when you’re having a conversation at work with a casual wrestling fan, you might hear another name after the Rock and Stone Cold come out of his/her mouth: Mistico.