Writer’s note – I’m writing this half drunk and late at night. I’ve had a lot of Uni work recently so haven’t had chance to type a blog recently… so here’s a short one.
WWE’s bi-annual tour of the UK rolled around almost two weeks ago now. I attended two shows. One was a house show, the other a tv taping. A few interesting things popped up.
CM Punk is OVER. When I say over, I’m talking chants for him all the way through the show regardless of what was happening in the ring. Obviously, it was apparent how over Punk was already BUT until you’ve attended a house show, you’re unable to scope just HOW much fans love him. A sea of shirts, chants galore, the stars have aligned for Punk. In addition, it seems WWE is pushing him as THE guy. Punk not only main evented the Manchester house show but closed the show as well. John Cena looked like the ‘right hand man’ to the Punk show… is this a new direction WWE are looking to take? With Cena’s feud with The Rock currently taking precedence, it seems perhaps not. What does the future hold? We play the waiting game.
Who else is over? Long Island Iced Z-Zack Ryder. Are you serious, bro? I am serious, bro. A myriad of ‘We Want Ryder’ chants, broski shirts and headbands selling out AND a main event Raw match in which he was more over than Cena? Wow. Zack Ryder is a true success story. When he was floating around in the ether, Ryder didn’t lay down. When it came to Z True Long Island Story, it was either get noticed or get fired. Ryder’s show put him on the map and not only is he now a top merchandise seller but, arguably, is the third biggest face on Raw. If WWE can stop the inconsistent booking of Ryder, they honestly have a star on their hands.
I’ve mentioned John Cena a few times in this blog already, but he’s worth mentioning again. Cena receives a mixed reception in the US but in the UK…shit, it seemed to be a significant swing towards absolute hatred. How do I know this? Well, for my university dissertation I’m writing on WWE and the media. While attending the shows, I was looking for emails to conduct some qualitative analysis with genuine wrestling fans. As I approached a female wrestling fan and explained my research to her, she declined my request for an email conversation. Why? She couldn’t stand John Cena. Excuse me, what? That was her genuine answer. She wouldn’t answer some questions because she disliked Cena… What in the blue hell? She claimed that Cena was destroying the show and moreover, his fans were ruining her enjoyment. Really? WWE and Cena have to be either stupid or genius to instill that much hatred in an apparent babyface. Do people really hate Cena that much? The guy works his ass off for the company and is a great performer. It seems people have smokescreen in front of their eyes when it comes to Cena. Is it cool to boo him? Maybe. Does he take a lot of time on Raw and get shoved down our throats? Sometimes. But is he the top draw and most recognisable name in the WWE? Yes, and WWE are going to continue to take advantage of that until he can no longer compete. WWE is a business and do you know what businesses want to do? Make money. Cena is money. He’s absolutely no different to Hogan, Austin and The Rock. They were shoved down our throats too. Honestly watch some old episodes of Raw and Smackdown. The Rock competed in multiple matches on Smackdown quite a few times. I guess I just don’t understand the gripe sometimes.
The show’s overall were good. I’ve always gone to TV tapings so to go to a house show was fun for a change. Nice lengthy matches and a lot more theatre is how I’d describe a house show. Unfortunately, the atmosphere seemed to be lacklustre this year… maybe its just the state of the product, I don’t know. Having never attended a Smackdown event, I think I’m definitely going to one next year! If you haven’t been to a live show, I highly recommend getting your ass to one because it’s great to see the tv stars you know and love live and in person. A guy sat behind me in Manchester described it as ‘enthralling.’ I think I’d agree.
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