Is it me or does it seem like the wrestling world is at one of its best states ever? Every big-name promotion to independent ones are all firing on all cylinders. Everywhere from Canada to Japan to Mexico to Europe, wrestling is just a rockin’. With that being said, time to Rant.
This past week’s edition of Smackdown featured a WWE Tag Team Championship matchup in the main event. Current champs The Street Profits took on #DIY and The Motor City Machine Guns in a TLC match. Before the bell even rang you knew we were in for a wild ride.
Anytime you add TLC to a match typically that match is a show stealer. The dangerousness to it adds that extra level of excitement and those involved risk it all for the love of the story.
Putting all 3 of these teams together in a regular match will be showstopper, adding the TLC element to it allowed the fans to see a whole different side of them, especially relatively newcomers MCMG.
No offense to War Raiders-New Day but this match was exactly what Wrestlemania should have had on its card. With a lot of negative comments about this year’s Mania, this match would have elevated the show immensely.
All 3 teams beat the holy hell out of each other including Angelo Dawkins’ spear on Tommaso Ciampa from a ladder through a table. This was everything you could have hoped for and it was muchly needed. It added another level of credibility to each team which is tough to do with numerous people involved but these guys just clicked.
I am really looking forward to seeing what is next. I love all the guys here but having Alex Shelly and Chris Sabin inside a WWE ring just hits differently. Maybe because I just thought it would never happen, but all I know is WWE needs to keep them in the mix with DIY and The Profits.
Knowing WWE and when something magic happens they take advantage of it so here is hoping we get a series of matches involving these guys leading to a major gimmick match. I know TLC is hard to follow but I think there is money to be made with all 6 involved. Fingers crossed WWE can keep this going without overkill as all 3 teams are exciting to watch.
During Wrestlemania the announcement of WWE purchasing Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (aka AAA). During the press conference, one notable figure was seen in the background, blended with wrestling stars (mostly WWE) and execs from both companies. That man was El Hijo Del Vikingo. Actually, he was wearing the outfit he wears to the ring.
During the Rey Fenix/El Grande Americano match Vikingo had gotten physical with Americano and then helped the defeated Fenix to his feet. To have him not only appear at Wrestlemania but also get involved physically, WWE has plans for the guy.
He is arguably one of the most exciting talents to watch. His incredible, jaw-dropping manuevers will draw in even the most anti-wrestling people. He is truly a sight to see.
The downside to his high-risk moves comes the injuries and he has had some serious ones. For being not even 30 years old and the injuries plus his style, his career won’t be a lengthy one. Insert WWE.
If WWE plans on using him as the face of the newly acquired AAA, then they might keep the cuffs off him but even if, they might want to get him to dial it back.
Being flashy is one thing, being safe is another. Maybe I am an old geezer but one thing I have learned is what you think might not affect you now will catch up to you as you age. Given Vikingo’s style I’d say he should tone it down a bit before it is too late.
WWE and Co will allow him to be him, but they will guide him on what isn’t safe. He is too young and too valuable to take serious risks. I know it is the wrestling business but the higher the risks the better the chance of getting hurt.
I for one would love to see him inside a WWE ring. I think the WWE universe would fall in love with him almost instantly. I do enjoy the fact he wrestles for TNA which as we all know partners with WWE, and I think he would be the right fit to be the face of the AAA brand. He can adapt quickly, and it has been proven.
With him being already featured on the biggest event of the year, I’d say whatever plans Triple H has for him, they will be major.
I know rumors are rumors but the recent news of May heading to WWE really piqued my interest. While I am always big on talent coming and going from promotion to promotion, this one caught me by surprise.
The Glamour herself has made it known that being a WWE superstar is her ultimate dream. May is still very young yet has such a wide range of knowledge from competing all over the globe. Her international resume shows wrestling companies that she can go toe to toe with anybody, any style.
After having an unsuccessful WWE tryout, Mariah used that as motivation and hit the road to gain experience and make her a hot commodity, enough that WWE would bend over backwards to add her to their roster.
I think her time in World Wonder Ring Stardom is where she put a lot of eyes on her. Knowing how tough you must be to hang with the talent in Stardom showed that she isn’t afraid of anyone who gets in her way to achieve her ultimate goal.
Signing with AEW was such a smart career move. We all know Triple H loves Stardom and the Japanese wrestling style, but Tony Khan gave May her first big break as AEW is arguably the second top wrestling promotion in the world.
Mariah didn’t waste any time and quickly made herself a major player in women’s wrestling. Signed in 2023, AEW Women’s Champion by 2024, including winning the Women’s Owen Hart Cup.
Whether a heel or a face, May is very marketable. She has proven she is in the same league as names like Toni Storm and Bayley. She was ranked #9 in PWI Women’s 250 list in 2024. She was denied a WWE contract years ago, stayed determined and within a few years became one of the top performers in Women’s Wrestling. That my friend is how you truly go after what you want.
For some reason (probably left behind closed doors) word got out that her contract was near its end, and she wasn’t resigning and then having WWE extremely interested in bringing her into the fold, WWE bound seems to be a major possibility.
Like others (Rusev, Fenix, Black, etc) who aren’t happy and express a desire to leave, Tony Khan has been good about letting them go. I know he will bench them until their contracts are up but he doesn’t fight it much. He should know by now that it is a revolving door for all wrestling companies and talent coming and going is a great thing for everybody.
Whenever May does debut I know it will be treated as a big deal. With her young age and experience, she can be used to build the new generation of WWE Women’s Wrestling around her. Flair, Lynch, Bayley etc have been there, done that and in a few short years, WWE will be transitioning into the new era using the likes of Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer, Jordynne Grace, Roxanne Perez and Mariah May. It will change the game much like the 4 Horsewomen did to how women’s wrestling was perceived and I for one can’t wait.
Aleister Black was treated like a major star in NXT under the guidance of Triple H. Everything from his music to his entrance all the way down to his in-ring work, Black was a big hit with the NXT audience.
It wasn’t long until Vince McMahon brought him up to the main roster. Like most of the other NXT call-ups, Aleister hit differently. He was watered down, restraints were on too tight, and it was obvious that Vince continued his trend of “Only I make WWE superstars”.
When he was released from his WWE contract it was a sigh of relief as we all knew Tony Khan would nab him up quickly and we would see the NXT Black and not the main roster version. AEW was the perfect fit for him to show Mr. McMahon he effed up big time.
With his AEW run, the now Malakai Black fizzled. When he first got there, it seemed like Khan reignited that fire inside Black but as the roster continued to grow, Tony began to forget about Malakai.
As Triple H gained more power, word is that he reached out to Black regarding a return to the company. Obviously being under a contract this isn’t all that simple but what it did was show Malakai how he was viewed in the eyes of his former boss HHH.
Things went sour between himself and the AEW bossman and he received the same Vince McMahon treatment. Once Black requested his release so he could go back home (WWE under Triple H) Tony gave up on him.
Aleister Black spent the next few years going through the motions, patiently waiting for his contract with All Elite Wrestling to end so he could head back to WWE and be on the road with his wife. It is the place where he wants to be and now with Papa H running WWE not only Aleister himself, but the fans as well can have the confidence that we will see the best version of Aleister Black that we have yet to see, and I for one can’t wait.
And why all The Miz hate? I love the guy, and I find he doesn’t get the respect he truly deserves. Ask AJ Styles.
Recently WWE has been more lenient with allowing WWE talent to appear on other promotions. Plus add in the working relationship with TNA, I am assuming Bloodsport, and others, fans are getting the chance to see WWE superstars on a whole different level.
Having been a part of the WWE family for almost 2 decades, Natalya has built herself a Hall of Fame-worthy career. From being the first female graduate from the legendary Hart family Dungeon to running her own wrestling school alongside her husband TJ Wilson (AKA Tyson Kidd), winning multiple championships to starring in Total Divas, Natalya is truly one of the GOAT’s.
While accomplishing so much, Natalya is still so very underrated. She has way more in her than she is allowed to give the WWE universe because it doesn’t fit the company’s narrative. At this stage in the game, I began to lose hope that we the fans would get to see the beast Natalya truly is.
When WWE announced she would be competing on Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport, and billing her name Nattie Neidhart, finally she is getting the chance to showcase just how incredible she truly is. Let me tell you, she shocked so many wrestling fans with how gifted she is with many saying “where is this Nattie in WWE”. Just with that one match it added another layer to her already stacked resume, this time showing the world who Nattie really is.
After her win at Bloodsport, defeating Miyu Yamashita, she was involved in a scuffle with current NWA Women’s Champion Kenzie Page setting up for something in the future. It was recently announced that Nattie Neidhart would challenge Page for her title at the upcoming NWA Crockett Cup.
Again, going by Nattie Neidhart, which makes me think WWE is transitioning her from Natalya to Nattie as a force to be reckoned with, is about to once again have the wrestling world praising her talent.
Call me crazy but I think Nattie is not only going to win but she carries that title on WWE television while also going from promotion to promotion (minus AEW) defending it. I can see her at GCW events, OVW events, etc, as NWA Women’s Champ creating a major buzz elevating the title even more while elevating herself.
I think when you have a talent like her who has been extremely loyal and the most talented female on the roster, yet you don’t showcase her true talents then letting her do NWA, Bloodsport, etc is a major win for everybody. I love it and hope this will happen more.
At the end of the day, this match is going to be a show stealer and if at the end of the day this is all we get then the fans were still the big winners here as we got to witness a true one-of-a-kind talent.
Indi signs with TNA…Shocker? Nope. I said this right when news broke about her WWE release.
Hartwell is still so very young yet has a remarkable career already and is everything WWE wants in a talent. Her release shouldn’t have happened because WWE shouldn’t have done it but again WWE should have really put their all into her push.
Now back to why I knew she was TNA bound. Due to their relationship with WWE and WWE not doing much with her, I said WWE would let her go, sign with TNA, get some buzz going on her and then slowly bring her back, using the partnership to bring her back onboard.
TNA is absolutely perfect for her, especially with the popularity of the company and their continued growth to a wider audience. TNA has been a platform used by numerous WWE and AEW talents to make them a household name.
The company has always been known for showcasing women’s wrestling as for what it is and not the way the wrestling world became a custom to, thanks to Vince McMahon. TNA had a roster of women who can headline any PPV and put on a classic. Awesome Kong vs Gail Kim feud put on one of the greatest feuds that I can remember but also played a major role in women’s wrestling as a whole. Women’s wrestling should be on an equal playing field but unfortunately that is not the case. These 2 women destroyed any concept of how women’s talents should compare to men’s. It was one of the greatest moments in women’s sports all together.
TNA viewed talent differently than Vince and all the women needed was a chance to show that they aren’t any less of a talent due to their gender and TNA gave them that. The company continued forward and didn’t just use that one feud as a way to generate interest, they continued shining the spotlight on the division forcing the world to shift its mindset all because of one individual, you only viewed the women as eye candy.
Adding Indi to the roster continued the trend of having a major stacked Women’s Division and with her WWE experience will bring in her WWE fans onto the TNA product.
I think Hartwell will turn it up, show the world what she can offer before heading back to the WWE mix. The TNA experience will just add another chapter to her already intriguing story, and it will only help her long-term wise.
Being released from WWE isn’t always a bad thing especially nowadays with a lot more opportunities out there besides the one company. Look at Matt Cardona who changed the game of independent wrestling and wrestlers. We are just too brainwashed by WWE to realize wrestlers can have an incredible career outside of WWE.
I will say this again, Indi was released, signed with TNA on purpose with the plan to go back to WWE once she becomes red hot, and I stand by that.
Karrion Kross, Bayley, Charlotte/Tiffany, Triple H/The Rock, the list goes on of recent backstage issues that come to light via social media or interviews. While I know nothing is ever peachy and within business employees are angry over a lot of things but with a company like WWE whose sole survival is from fans, airing out your dirty laundry is bad for business. I mean just look at AEW. I believe their decline is due to this. If everything was kept behind closed doors, I would bet money AEW wouldn’t be in the position they are today.
I totally understand storylines and how to draw interest but for me when it feels like things that should be not said for the public to see get aired out it opens the doors for negativity from the audience.
The HHH-Rock stuff wouldn’t be as bad if it didn’t involve 2 executives. Again, could be for long-term storytelling but it comes across as 2 people battling it out for the love of their egos. Charlotte-Tiffany went sideways and luckily, they were able to dial it back in and be professional about it but one stiff move and their Wrestlemania match could have turned sour.
Kross’ promo was obviously a work, and it was perfect. The reason why I liked that was not just because it was terrific but because I felt every word. I knew he didn’t go rogue due to the company promoting the promo. Karrion was able to show what he can do on the mic and made it believable that he was extremely pissed off and ready to destroy anyone and everyone.
Bayley’s interview didn’t work for me. She appeared on someone’s YouTube show not a part of WWE and seemed defeated. Bayley has had an incredible WWE career thus far, so I am not sure why the need to be in this funk. I understand she was removed from her Wrestlemania match and replaced with the returning Becky Lynch and while I do agree with Bayley on this, but the move had to be due to an upcoming story between the two.
If that is the case, then I understand why she vented but should have only focused on Becky stealing her moment. If she honestly feels a certain way, especially saying she has been mis-used (her accolades speak differently) then that should be a convo behind closed doors keeping it from the fanbase.
When wrestlers take aim at the company, work or not, it can turn fans off the company due to their loyalty of said wrestler. To risk losing some of your audience just to blur the line between real and scripted, making the company look unprofessional isn’t the way to go.
I enjoy what AEW brings to the table, and I enjoy what WWE brings to the table, but both need to be cautious about which topics to blur that line with. Sometimes it works wonders (CM Punk pipe bomb) and others it hurts. When the audience gives up on you then it is extremely hard to bring them back in so why would you want to take that gamble? Not me, no way in hell.
Well, I think it is time for me to make a coffee and enjoy this nice weather outside. I am sure my ADD brain will hop on some topic and get me all wound up and if it does, I will make sure I rant about it for my next piece, yeahyeahyeahyeah shhhh (Tama Tonga voice).
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