It's been a big couple of weeks for the WWE. After opening with a belter of 'first of the year episodes for Raw and Smackdown', things fell off quickly. Not to mention the Royal Rumble was the most disappointing in a long time...and being a fan of the Royal Rumble match, I was quite disgusted with the lack of intrigue or veiled storyline with 2011's installment.
But how things can change...and how Dixie Carter must be kicking herself for letting Hulk Hogan make the same mistakes of WCW days in TNA...and how Vince McMahon must be licking his lips...
Less than two weeks ago, the sudden turn of fortune surfaced. Booker T, who had left in 2007 and eventually wound up in TNA, made an 11th hour change of heart when the offer to rejoin TNA storylines was offered. Vince had made Booker T an offer too good to refuse - with the encouraging of Booker T's long time friend, The Undertaker. The double perk of being a commentator on Smackdown and a coach on the revived version of Tough Enough. The biggest cheers of the Royal Rumble were certainly for when Booker T made his surprise entry into the event, albeit brief. His appearance on Smackdown received applause - those who actually had the brains to know who he was (- and what a stroke of genius it was. Booker T provided the perfect foil for newly promoted commentator Josh Matthews to fire off salvos at Michale Cole, whose heel turn and promotion to commentate both Raw and Smackdown was certainly growing thin on a lot of people. Throw in 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin being announced as the head coach of Tough Enough - the drawcards required to generate momentum were in place. Come post Wrestlemania 27, you can be sure Tough Enough will get people interested simply to see Austin and Booker T back.
But as if that wasn't enough....the second bombshell landed in Anaheim, California on the 14th Feb edition of Raw. After 7 years away, he was back...THE ROCK. The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Etertainment History. The People's Choice. And the millions...and MILLIONS of The Rock's fans were in ecstacy as Dwayne Johnson stepped into the ring and let off a flawless, bombastic rant that blew the PG era out of the water and was anything but PG. Thank you, Rock...this has been long overdue...Jabronies, The Miz, John Cena...beware...you're on notice. The Rock is back...and he's really ticked off. If anyone is disgusted with the PG era and what it has done to the business - it's him. The Rock and Austin symbolised everything that was the WWE at its peak. Post-Benoit's demise, it has become somewhat a shell of what it once was. If rants like The Rock's will become more commonplace (hell they didn't even bother to censor most of it and he knew it), business is about to pick up, as Jim Ross would always say. The Rock will host Wrestlemania 27 - what else comes with it may be even more tantalising. (1.3 million views for that video in just 2 days...that's how big a deal it is)
They say good things come in threes...we're about to find out....February 21st 2011...and the culmination of Hulk Hogan's stupidity, will result in a coup for the WWE. It probably won't get as much recognition as the return of The Rock. But it is just as significant. Anyone who's watched even a little of wrestling would know damn well that one of the two figures in that video is The Undertaker. After a 2010 that was horrifically marred by legit injuries (accidentally being set on fire at the Elimination Chamber, having his facial bones broken by Rey Mysterio, a long recovery from a lingering shoulder injury started after his feud with Kane), The Undertaker will return in time for his pet event - Wrestlemania. 18-0 is surely bound to become 19-0. The likely victim is Kane...or is it...
For it is the 2nd person in the 2 21 11 promo that is the key to this. Who is it? Debate has been rampant since the video's airing, but over the last few days, facts and timing have been pooled together and all point to one likely person...STING. The Icon, The Franchise Player of the ex-WCW brand. And one of the first released people to reforge their name on TNA. Sting's longevity exceeds even that of the Undertaker. You take one look at his 19-time champion list and his persistent popularity in all-time polls - Sting is big business. In recent weeks, Steve Nash, Booker T and Sting all jumped ship from TNA. Steve Nash and Booker T both appeared in the WWE soon after. Logic would say Sting is also taking this step. After all, he is officially refered to as 'The most well-known professional wrestler to have never performed for WWE.'
Come Febraury 21, that may no longer be the case...The storyline going with The Undertaker was that Pallbearer sided with Kane last year to send The Undertaker into exile. Perhaps in his quest for revenge, the story will go that The Undertaker will return with backup...Whether Sting will actually perform in-ring or not, that is uncertain. If it is Sting that will emerge alongside The Undertaker on Feb 21, it will be a message to those who have ignored the old school for too long.
Miz fangirls, Cenation kids who hate anything that isn't Cena - beware...Playtime's over. The legends are returning to set things straight. And hopefully this will be the catalyst to send the WWE back in the right direction...we can only hope.
If this startling turn of events were to be done by an old Western showdown between Dixie Carter and Vince McMahon, Carter didn't just lose. She's been left crawling, near life support. McMahon just got some overdue revenge. And if the response is anything to go by, the WWE universe is giving thumbs up in droves.
The WWE was trolling with that Undertaker promo, the cowboy boots had me thinking it was Sting. I think that at this point, Sting just wants to be 'that guy' that has never worked with WWE.
ReplyDeleteThat ten minutes promo by The Rock was better than any other promo in the last six years or so, it's too bad this is only temporary.
Despite that, the WWE has indeed been on the uptake. I've been mad at them since not utilizing MVP and Colt Cabana(Scotty Goldman) properly imo, but they are finally getting the young guys championship belts. Now they need to get Christian some recognition in the main event when he returns and I'll be satisfied.
Well, Christian returned at the Elimination Chamber. Hopefully Christian vs del Rio for the Heavyweight belt will come. Triple H crashed the Undertaker's return with his own return. Interesting times ahead.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, no Sting - power to him. He doesn't have anything left to prove.
He did, didn't he? That's works out perfectly for the WWE. He and Del Rio were in a storyline where Del Rio refused to accept a challenge from Christian prior to the injury. If they can find a way to get Edge out the picture without ruining his credibility, then that rivalry for the title can be epic post-Wrestlemania. If Vince can get over his rumored dislike for Christian, that is. . .
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