Home Schooling No.16

Hello again readers, I'm (finally) back. I do have to apologise for not keeping up with the regular blogging, I've had a fair bit of stuff happening and it's been hard to find the time to write anything of substance. But I am back now, and I will endeavour to write at least one post a week, with a semi-regular article now and then on sltdwrestling and pwjournal as well.

So... what exactly do I plan to talk about, I hear you ask? Well, this week I'm going to focus on a few key points that I've been wanting to talk about. Over the Limit was just about a week ago, and I'm still thinking about it. I made a last minute decision to order the Pay Per View, and I have to say, overall I wasn't disappointed. Well, up until the Fatal 4-way match I wasn't overly impressed, but that match, along with CM Punk/Daniel Bryan and also the Cena/Laurinitis match really made it worthwhile, in my opinion at least.

So Over the Limit will be one topic of conversation, namely the two main event matches. This week's episode of Monday Night Raw will be another, and finally I will probably get into some of the news items that I've read in the last week or so, like the announcement of Raw going to 3 hours, the recent news of Jericho's suspension, and a couple of interesting TNA news bits as well.

So let's get down to business.

Over the Limit. A decent event with a terrible name. What's wrong with Judgement Day, Unforgiven, Backlash, or No Mercy? But I'm not here to talk about the name.

I want to talk about two of the matches. Namely, CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan, and John Cena vs John Laurinitis. The Fatal 4-way was a really good match as well, and just quickly, I thought Jericho's performance in said match was right up there with the best performance of the night. And he hasn't been "buried". Zack Ryder has been buried. Look at the difference.

Ok enough about that.

Let's start with Punk and Bryan.

A classic. A possible match of the year candidate. But more than that, this match proved that the WWE is moving into a new era. Or at least, if they keep this feud going it will. This is what people have been asking for, and in some cases demanding for years. Wanting WRESTLING. When is the last time we saw a surfboard submission hold, or a curb stomp kind of move?

The crowd was into this match so much because it's what we've wanted to see. It feels like somebody in the WWE has finally listened to the people. Punk and Bryan told an amazing story with what they did, with all the counters and moves that weren't just a part of their normal everyday repetoire, showing that they can adapt and bring something new to the table. Having had such similar careers, having had so many matches in the past, we're getting to see a polished version of a Punk/Danielson match.

Punk and Bryan are so similar, which I think is another reason that they work so well together. They both know submission wrestling, both of them use martial arts kicks, but guys are of that size that can perform power moves and look convincing, yet still small enough to do a bit of high-flying wrestling as well. To me that's the perfect type of wrestler, the combination of powerhouse and high-flyer, because it provides more opportunities for different matches, as opposed to someone like Batista, or Cena, who are more limited because of their size. Shawn Michaels is another guy who fits into that same build as Punk and Bryan, and we all know how good Shawn is.

What else can I say? It was just an amazing match. I thought the finish was great, a little bit less of a gap between the pinfall and Punk tapping would have made it just that little bit better, but I still can't really fault it. It leaves the story open for more matches, and hopefully the WWE lets this feud continue, at least until Money in the Bank, or possible Summerslam. The fact that they let Punk and Bryan go out there and put on this match for 30 minutes or so gives me a lot of hope.


Ok now let's talk about Cena and Laurinitis.

I saw a lot of people complaining on Twitter about this match, saying that it was a disgrace, it shouldn't have been the main event, and a lot of other negative things. But, I have quite a different point of view.

This match was just about as entertaining as Punk and Bryan. Sure, it was never going to be a wrestling classic, but for what it was, which really was what everyone has wanted to see ever since Laurinitis has been on TV, it was great.

If you can, watch it again, and listen to the commentary. Even Michael Cole was taking shots at Johnny Ace. It was hilarious. Speaking of commentary, the little spot they did where Cena and Ace had the headphones on and were doing impressions of Cole and Booker T... absolutely great.

Now this is where I'm probably going to rub people the wrong way. John Laurinitis earned my respect with this match. Let's talk in terms of the real side of wrestling. John Laurinitis let himself be humiliated for nearly 15 minutes at the start of this match. He had water poured down his pants, a fire extinguisher emptied onto him, and a trash can dumped on to him, and a bunch of other stuff. Plus that outfit.. if that's not embarrassing I don't know what is. Also, he showed that he can actually move somewhat decently in the ring, and deliver a damn good chair shot.

Now it was obvious to everyone with a brain cell that Big Show was going to come back, and help Johnny win. It was done well, but it was predictable. Sometimes predictable is good, but surprises to me are always better.

Anyway, I think this match deserves a second look, and more than that, needs to be viewed from the point of view that even though Johnny Ace isn't the greatest on the mic, and he's not that entertaining when he's talking, when he's being beaten up, he's not half bad.

And if you can't, just remember that at one time, Vince McMahon pissed his pants on Raw. Making an ass out of yourself when you're the boss helps get you over, and helps get over the guy beating you up.


Ok let's talk quickly about RAW.

I liked Big Show's promo, but it still feels just like more of the same from heel Big Show. I hope that the writers, or even Show himself can take it in a slightly different direction, just to keep it feeling a little fresh.

I also liked the little revenge segment with CM Punk and Bryan during Bryan's match with Kane. Any time that CM Punk is on commentary you know it's going to be entertaining. "I hate to see anybody get chokeslammed twice in a row".. He's so good on the microphone. I really wish that the WWE would give Punk more time on the mic, let him get back to what he was doing in July and August last year.

It does indeed appear that this feud is going to keep going. It might be a bit early to call this, but I feel like, if booked right, Punk/Bryan has the potential to get to the same level as Rock/Austin, or maybe Cena/Edge. But it has to be done right, and that possibility isn't the highest with the way the WWE has been going lately.

Speaking of Punk, that backstage segment with AJ was brilliant. Yet again Punk shows he's multi-faceted and talented in so many different ways. Subtle little movements and little words. Also I think AJ deserves a lot of credit for her extremely well played crazy chick, especially when Punk said "stop cyring" and she looked up at him all doe eyed and slightly smiling.. that was creepy.

I thought the very end of RAW was good as well, Big Show's punch to me came out of nowhere. It was well done, and helps re-establish Big Show as a legitimate threat to Cena, as opposed to the week before where he was a blubbering mess on his knees in the ring.

Ok and a few loose ends.

When are we going to get Kharma back? From what I've read, she's ready to come back, but the writers have nothing for her.. nothing for her??? She's the most dominant female wrestler of the last.. well possibly forever. Bring her back exactly the same way she was brought in last year. It worked then, it will work now. Job done WWE writers.. hire me instead!

Jericho has been suspended for messing with the Brazilian flag... We certainly are in a different era to 15 years ago when Shawn Michaels stuck the canadian flag up his nose aren't we? I understand it though, clearly there were some legal ramifications, and the WWE had to take some kind of action. Whether it's all a storyline or not, I like this reality era that we're getting at the moment, because we do get these instances of "is this real?" Which hasn't been around for a long time.

Ok that's about it for now, once again I apologise for how long it's taken me to write this. But fear not, I will be back to my regularly scheduled programming from now on.

Don't forget you can follow me on twitter if you're not already, at @TheOZMouthpiece and also check out my writing on sltdwrestling.blogspot.com
There's only two or three pieces up on there, but I think they're quite good, so if you haven't seen them, go there and click on the writers tab, find me, and take a look.

Also take a look at these two fine sites, which I have done writing for in the past.

http://pwjournal.wordpress.com

www.wrestlingheads.com

Until next time, I'm the Aussie Mouthpiece, and my business is concluded.

Home Schooling No. 15

Hello there readers, it's me, the Aussie Mouthpiece, and it's time for another weekly dose of home schooling. This week I'll cover Monday Night Raw, iMPACT, and I'll even go back and talk a little about the repercussions from Extreme Rules. 

So let's get down to business.

Having had a few days to digest the events of Extreme Rules, I've come to realise how important the match between Brock Lesnar and John Cena was. 

Think about it.

How long have the fans been crying out for a return to the attitude era? How long have there been fans saying "PG wrestling is terrible"? How long have they been saying "bring back blood", or "we want blood"

Most people would say too long. The match between Cena and Lesnar changed all that. In the space of just 20 minutes, Vince, the writers, and the entire WWE showed us what we've been waiting for for the longest time: a return to a more bloody, violent product. 

Yes, there has been blood in recent memory, Lesnar's attack on Cena a couple of weeks ago, and Triple H vs Undertaker. But, the difference here is that they were accidental. Clearly, the elbows Lesnar rained down on Cena were planned beforehand. This match looked, and felt so different to anything I've seen in the last few years. Brock Lesnar's reputation obviously had a lot to do with that, but I'm not sure that people are giving the WWE enough credit.

This match was (for the most part) a masterpiece in psychology. Lesnar completely dominated Cena. It wasn't a wrestling match. It wasn't even an extreme rules match. The way that Lesnar, and his MMA skills were used in this match made it feel like the beginning of a new era.

I do think however, that they faltered in one area, which showed that the WWE aren't entirely ready to shift into a new era. I'm talking about having Cena win. 

This is the one time I kind of agree with the Cena haters. It really looked like Super-cena. Brock dominated the match for near 20 minutes, and yet Cena can keep him down for a 3 count with a punch to the head and an Attitude Adjustment onto stairs? and more to the point, Brock can't keep Cena down with the 20 minutes of violence he laid on him?

It felt like the wrong decision is all I'm saying. 

I'm going to disagree with some people here though, and say that it didn't really hurt Lesnar at all. It seems that people consider a loss to be a guy getting "buried". Jericho is a popular topic for that. He's lost at every pay per view since his return, so therefore he must be getting buried. 

No. He's not.

He's basically headlined Wrestlemania this year, in the sense that he was in the WWE title match. He's had another title match at the last pay per view. He was in the final part of the Royal Rumble. And he's featured every week on RAW heavily, and usually getting the better of CM Punk, or delivering really strong promos.

That is not burying. Not seeing someone for ages, and then seeing them only losing and being used badly, is burying. Some might say Zack Ryder is being buried at the moment.

But back to what I was saying, Lesnar losing, didn't hurt him. Anyone who's seen the match, or highlights of the match, saw that Lesnar dominated, cut open, and basically tore Cena's arm off. I just think that if he had won it really would have signified the beginning of a new era, rather than a timid step over the line.

Ok let's move on to Raw.

Like I was saying in my Extreme Rules review, something that deviates from the norm is usually good. And this is the case with the Beat the Clock challenge. It gives the matches a different feel, and connects all the matches together in a unique way. So I'm glad they decided to bring that back. And I'm also glad we have a different challenger for the WWE title. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan is a dream PPV match. I just don't understand why it's happening on Over the Limit...and not a bigger stage like Summerslam or Survivor Series. Maybe it's a case of the WWE not having a lot of faith that this match can draw big numbers. 

The other match that was announced this week, really befuddles me. John Cena's next opponent is.. John Laurinitis? Didn't CM Punk want to fight Ace last time I checked? And, moreso, why would anyone think that Cena would even have the slightest problem kicking Ace's ass, if he can overcome the crazy beating Lesnar dished out, and beat Lesnar!

I just don't understand this match. I get that they can play up the injured arm and that gives Laurinitis an easy target to work on, but the man hasn't wrestled in something like 10 years, and he's spent a good part of that last 10 years in a suit, as a corporate man. Lesnar was a UFC heavyweight champion, and Cena beat him. 

It's like a story Jim Cornette told on one of his Kayfabe Commentaries dvds. He was talking about Marc Mero and Sable (History time kiddies). Mero was either just having a match with, or was supposed to be starting a feud with the then up and coming Stone Cold Steve Austin. So the story goes that Marc Mero let Sable powerbomb him on TV.

 Then soon after, Steve was talking to Vince and the writing team saying "Well who am I wrestling next week then? Because he just let his wife powerbomb him, so why would anyone think I would have the slightest problem beating him?" Granted this is a different circumstance, but the argument is still sound. If Cena can overcome Lesnar, why would Laurinitis pose any threat? And, more to the point, why would anyone pay to see it?

Speaking of Lesnar, we had this opening segment with Triple H coming out and tearing up Lesnar's list of demands, and then Lesnar "breaking" Triple H's arm. I was a bit ambivalent about this segment honestly. I just don't understand why they did it. I hear it could be because Lesnar has a set number of TV appearances in his contract, and they didn't want to use them up before the year is up or something. I guess as well that it puts him over even more as a ruthless animal. But it's all a bit confusing. I'm still not sure whether the WWE want the crowd to cheer for him, or to boo him. He acts like a heel, but then does really awesome stuff that we love seeing. Maybe they're not trying to sway the crowds one way or the other. Maybe they're letting Lesnar be Lesnar.

I also saw that it's come out this week that Rey Mysterio got suspended for violating the wellness policy, and that he was not/is not going to be getting a push when he returns. Now to me that's gotta be blown a little out of proportion (the second thing I mean). There will have to be some kind of announcement and big return. My theory is that they meant he won't be moving straight into the title picture or anything, but maybe will feud around the mid card level with someone. I think he and Ziggler could put on a good match.

Impact Wrestling.. I mean I'm trying to get into it.. I really am. But what with the crazy music going on during the "Gut check contract" segment, and Flair flipping and flopping around from a No to a yes after the dude delivered a crappy promo, and the heavy editing that's really badly done, I'm finding it really hard to keep watching. I did like the Bully Ray/Austin Aries segment though. Bully/Bubba has come so far lately I think. 

I just can't get past his name though. Imagine that.. "And the new TNA World Heavyweight champion.. Bully.. Ray!".. It sounds like a children's cartoon character. I understand they wanted to keep the similarity to Bubba Ray and Brother Ray, but surely they could have just used Ray, or his real name or something. We can figure out that it's still the same guy.

What about this? He comes out and says "Brother Ray was the name keeping me down for so many years, but now that I've rid myself of my "brother", you people, can call me ____________" Or something.

That's about all I have to say this week, so until next time, you can follow me on twitter @TheOZMouthpiece if you're not already, and also check out my writing at the following sites:

http://sltdwrestling.blogspot.com

http://pwjournal.wordpress.com

www.wrestlingheads.com

I'm the Aussie Mouthpiece, and my business is concluded, for now.

Oh Yes.. There Will Be Blood

Hello there readers, I'm back again. It's Pay Per View review time. And what an unexpected treat Extreme Rules was. I'll be honest, I ordered this just before I went to bed last night (in Australia we get the PPV's on a monday morning..time differences and what not). But I just had a feeling that the two main events would be worth paying for. And I was not disappointed.

Extreme Rules felt like a WWE pay per view from 2003/2004. I can't quite explain why, maybe the blood, maybe the way the card was set up, but something about it gave it that "ruthless aggression" feel. Brock Lesnar being a big part of the event probably just added to that. To me 2003 was one of the better years in WWE history that I've seen a lot of, so that vibe surrounding the event gave it a really good, solid feeling.

As usual I'm going to break down each of the individual matches, and give my thoughts and opinions.

So let's get down to business.

The show opened with Randy Orton vs Kane, in a Falls Count Anywhere match. This was the first thing that surprised me. I was thinking that Cody and Big Show would start the event off, but once again, I was pleasantly surprised with this.

Randy and Kane put on a solid match at Wrestlemania. Solid, but not great. I wasn't exactly brimming with anticipation for this match, but I think they did a lot better than 'mania. The addition of the Falls Count Anywhere stipulation made it much more of a brawl, which was refreshing. Too often wrestlers get stuck in their patterns and routines, so doing something different, especially the match is taken out of the ring for an extended period of time can be a really good thing. One thing i found quite amusing was the random steel poles just lined up in the same room that the "WWE superstars and personnel are watching Extreme Rules in". Why would there be steel poles standing up in the corner of a room?

Zack Ryder interfering I think was done just so that people would see him on PPV. His push has kind of stalled lately, but hopefully that's just a temporary thing, and we see him in a mid card feud soon.

On a personal note, I've always really enjoyed when wrestlers go backstage and fight. Kane vs Shane McMahon in an Ambulance match from Survivor Series 2003 is a great example of doing that right. As is Big Bossman vs Al Snow in a Hardcore title match from either 1999 or 2000. That match actually ended up in a bar across the street from the arena, with Zakk Wylde making a bit of a cameo.

I think I had picked Kane to win this match, my reason being that he was the monster, and it made more sense. Honestly, I didn't really think that through a lot. Orton winning makes much more sense. Kane won at Wrestlemania, Orton has that crazy side of him, willing to put his body through a lot, and also the smaller guy winning is always fun to see in these types of matches. Unless it's completely unbelievable. Which this wasn't.

My only problem with the finish is the RKO on the chair. Every time I've seen the RKO, Randy's opponent's head is cradled in his arm, and it never looks like he really hits his head on the mat. Using the chair made it even more obvious.

But overall, a really good match, and a great way to start off the pay per view. 7/10.


Brodus Clay vs Dolph Ziggler
The first of two unannounced matches. I really like this match. Brodus has made sure his Funkasaurus character hasn't just become a joke, and Ziggler is the most under-used guy in the WWE, and can work with anyone. My problem is that it feels like Ziggler is kind of stuck in this lower spot, mainly because he's still associated with Swagger and Vickie. I'm not saying they are bad talents or no good, I just mean that Ziggler could be so much greater on his own. Also the crowd was chanting for him like crazy.

There's not really a lot more that I can say about this match. It was entertaining, and the perfect length. My only objection is that Ziggler should win. I feel like Brodus has won a lot, or almost all the time since his debut.

I also don't buy Hornswoggle as a minisaurus. I still remember when he had blonde hair and dirt on his face.

Excellent finish though, and as usual, Dolph's selling was one of the highlights of the night.

7/10


Big Show vs Cody Rhodes (Tables Match)

Now we're getting to one of my favourite parts of the whole event. This match, like the Orton vs Kane match, was another that I wasn't really that excited about. Once I found out the stipulation though, that all changed. Just like Big Show said.. "good luck putting me through a table". I'm really into the psychology of matches, and anything that adds something different to a match makes for a different way to tell essentially the same story. And that is always a good thing.

And Cody is another one of those guys, like Ziggler, that has so much potential, and he's finally starting to get that "it" factor. He was annoying as all hell in legacy, but unlike Ted DiBiase, he didn't become a Randy Orton clone. I think that helped keep him relevant and helped keep him in his spot.

As usual, Big Show gave us a really good showing, and Cody was phenomenal. I liked the use of the table for Cody to hit his "beautiful disaster" kick as well.

And then, the finish. Having watched the WWE for nearly 10 years, there comes a lot of points where you say to yourself "I've seen it all now". But, time and time again, the WWE continues to surprise us. Who would have ever thought a table match would end by someone stepping through a table? This is one of those polarizing events though, people will either love or hate this finish. I thought it was absolute genius. Big Show played it perfectly as well. That look of "I can't believe I did that" mixed with "I'm gonna kill all of you " .. Really well done.

To me it almost seemed like this could be one of those rare double turn things. Show attacking Rhodes after the match, and especially throwing him through that second table is a very Heel-ish move. And Cody, getting to his feet under his own power, and holding the title up, yet not in an arrogant way, was a very subtle babyface kind of a move. And he got a massive cheer for it as well. In that moment, he reminded me of Shawn Michaels for some reason.

All in all I thought it was a really good match once again, but most importantly, it was unique. For that, it gets an 8/10 from me.

Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus (2 out of 3 Falls)

Yes! If there was one thing we could be certain of with this match, it was that it would last more than 18 seconds. And what we got was probably one of the best wrestling matches from the last 6 months. I've always liked the idea of the 2 out of 3 fall matches, like I said earlier, anything that deviates from the norm, can be a nice change of pace. The dueling chants of "Daniel Bryan" and "18 seconds" were pretty cool honestly. And the Yes chants are a great sign that Bryan is over.

 I really liked the way this match went with Daniel Bryan intentionally getting disqualified in the first fall. it's not often that you see wrestlers lose on purpose. But once again, it's that different kind of psychology that make these matches entertaining. The idea that someone would lose the first fall, knowing they'd done enough damage to hopefully get two quick falls on their opponent, very different.

Sheamus retaining wasn't what I'd hoped to see, but I'm not disappointed with it.

8/10


Ryback vs Jobbers
The second of the unannounced matches. Really once again, not a lot to say about this. Loved the Goldberg chants throughout the match, as there is quite a bit of similarity between Ryback and Goldberg. I mean they're both bald.. they're both muscular.. they both run/ran through their opponents.

Basically everything a squash match should be. Short, and brutal. The negative was that the jobbers got mic time. What was the point of that?

4/10

CM Punk vs Chris Jericho (Chicago Street Fight)
First off, I really liked the idea of coming out in different attire. You can't really call Jericho's "street clothes" because of the light-up jacket. CM Punk was rocking a Misfits/straight edge t-shirt which was awesome in of itself. But sometimes it's the smaller details that really make a match go from good, to great. The different look from the clothing made it feel much more serious, and really helped elevate the feel of the match.

Punk didn't get quite as huge a reaction as the last PPV match he was part of in Chicago, but it was still a huge pop. The Kendo stick got quite a big pop as well. Actually, now that I think about it, that kendo stick was another thing that reminded me of 2003. It's nothing huge, but I remember the Royal Rumble from 2003, Tommy Dreamer bought kendo sticks to the ring and Jericho got nailed in the face by one, and ended up with a huge knot on his head.

Of course the obvious highlight was CM Punk delivering a huge elbow to Jericho from the top rope, through the spanish announce table. Amazingly he was even forgiven for nearly falling off of the top rope!
 But another highlight, and again mainly for it's originality was the use of the, as Michael Cole called it "announce table hood". We never see them used as a weapon, they're always discarded and thrown away. My favourite use though, was Jericho smashing the broken off half over CM Punk's back, because of how it just broke into 5 or 6 pieces, and looked liked it just shattered on Punk's back.

I think this was the match of the night, really great action, back and forth, and at times it looked like a certainty that Jericho was about to win the title. 9/10


Nikki Bella vs Layla

I think the worst thing that happened to this match was the rumor that it would be Kharma finally making her return and taking out the Bellas. When Layla (or Michelle McCool)'s music started playing, it was a fairly big let down.
The match wasn't bad, however I did think it was a little strange to have Brie be the one beaten for the title. But I guess it at least leaves the door open for some kind of conflict between the twins on Raw this week.

5/10 and also glad to see Layla back. It's always good when someone returns from a bad injury.


John Cena vs Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules match)

Where do I even begin? Lesnar just looks massive. It was cool to see him in his MMA-style gear, it really shows that he is a different guy than he was in 2003/04, and that he has evolved into something different.

There was a lot of talk in the promos about the need to bring back legitimacy to wrestling, and that Brock would be the guy to do it. And, a lot of people have complained for a long time about the lack of blood in matches. I think the problem is we became so used to seeing guys get "busted open" that it lost it's significance and became part of the norm. Having a few years without blood being a prevalent thing in matches has really been a good thing, when you think about it. It's reconditioned us as fans. Now, if we ever do see it accidentally, it adds something.

And in the main event, we found out that when it happens on purpose, it REALLY adds something. I really hope that Lesnar didn't just lose his mind and revert to MMA mode and stiff the crap out of Cena's head. I'm almost sure that it was all planned though. Which says a lot about Cena, because that could have been really dangerous.

Brock being the first guy to really bust someone open in the last 3 or 4 years basically solidified him as the biggest badass in the WWE. The whole match was brutal. Cena not getting any chances to make a comeback was really a key to making this match as intense as it was. Brutal knees, elbows, suplexes and submissions helped as well.

The referee knock downs were a nice touch as well.

Lesnar is a maniac too. That fall over the top rope should have knocked him out, or at least blown out his knee. It looked so brutal, and was a really bad fall because of the rotation he got from basically spinning over the top rope.

I've been trying to work out, since the show ended, what I think about the finish to the match. On one hand, I think it's cool that the WWE have so much faith in Cena that he continues to win these "impossible situation" matches, but on the other hand, what does it say about Lesnar's condition that he can be beaten with what was essentially two moves?

However, Lesnar did completely dominate Cena for bout 20 minutes, so he really didn't lose any momentum or anything by being beaten. I think I would have liked to see it go the other way, just because it would have really just completely solidified Lesnar's spot as an unbeatable machine.

So with the blood, the brutality, and the really different feel for this match, I think it really capped off the night unbelievably well, and was the epitome of the theme of the night, which was "old school" for me.

8.5/10

Just quickly as well, John Cena's cryptic promo after the end of the match were.. well ... cryptic. The boss was going to get rid of him? What did he say or do that was so bad? Say the word Wrestling? Surely that's not it. Maybe he just knew he was injured and was trying to stay in storyline saying that Laurinitis was going to fire him. Maybe the blood wasn't supposed to happen and he thought Vince would be going crazy backstage. Maybe he was half unconscious and didn't know what he was saying? I think we'll probably find out tomorrow on Raw.


Ok that's about it for now, until tomorrow or wednesday, when my weekly recap will be up. Follow me on @TheOZMouthpiece if you're not already, and leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

I'm the Aussie Mouthpiece, and my business is concluded.. for now...

It's the best thing going

What's up everyone, it's me,  the Aussie Mouthpiece, and this is a very special post.

I wrote this article about 2 weeks ago, and since then have been offered writing opportunities for 2 more websites. I thought I'd put it up on here just in case some people haven't seen it on those websites. I'm really proud of it, so I hope you enjoy reading it.


What is it about wrestling that makes us, as wrestling fans, so enamored with it? So loyal to one particular wrestler, or brand? What keeps us coming back, even when the product is not at the level we feel like it should be, or know it has been at in the past?

What makes us so passionate?

There really is no simple answer to the question. Wrestling is so many things combined into one. It's sport. It's drama. It's spectacle. It's an episodic story. It's fantasy. Whenever I've tried to describe pro-wrestling, I've always had a hard time. But I've thought about it, and to me, the best way to describe wrestling is "a dramatic performance of athletic competition".

So why do we love it so much? I mean let's think about it. We know it's not a real "sport" in the same sense as let's say, the UFC is. We know that the outcomes to the matches are pre-determined and wrestler's win/loss records aren't what determines what spot they get on the card. And we know that the wrestler's are selling, and not really getting punched in the face or kicked in the head.

Yet, despite all that, we love it. We defend it to those who tell us it's "fake".

Wrestling is so unique. Where else can you find the combination of sport, drama, and suspension of disbelief? There's something for everyone, from the hardcore fans who want to see blood and violence, to the wrestling purists who love seeing brilliant competitive wrestling, to those who are more interested in the developing storylines and rivalries. There's even something for the kids.

And I think the kids aspect might have a lot to do with why us wrestling fans stay so loyal. I'm sure a lot of you, like me, started watching wrestling when you were a kid. Watching these larger than life "superhero" type figures like Hulk Hogan, Sting, Ultimate Warrior, the Road Warriors, Demolition etc .. completely getting sucked into the stories, cheering the good guys, booing the bad guys. So now when we watch it, it maybe reminds us of being kids and how awesome it was watching wrestling when we were young.

The loyalty thing is another big part of what makes wrestling so unique and amazing. Think about a character like The Undertaker. He has been around for 22 years, growing and changing as the years go by, maturing with us as we grew up in a sense. And what about Hulk Hogan? He made his debut as "The Hulk" in the late 70's. That's over 40 years on our television sets. I can't think of any other sport, and just about any other tv show where you can see the same person on a weekly basis for that amount of time. Maybe some soap operas, but that's about it.

Wrestling is kind of known as "male soap opera" anyway isn't it?

So why do we love it so much? Another reason is the storylines. The very best storylines are things that everyone can connect with. It helps when you have talented guys in the stories, but the stories themselves have to be engaging and relatable. And wrestling has that in droves. How many people can relate to Austin vs McMahon? The right answer is everybody, at least on some level. The obvious is the employee of the evil boss, but in a more general sense it's about standing up to a bully.

CM Punk's shoot storyline last year was along the same vain. He wanted change, he was speaking to the wrestling community that had been screaming for a change for years. We could relate to him because he was saying exactly what we thought.

On the flipside of this, there are also the storylines that are just.. cool. Let's talk about Undertaker again. His rivalries and storylines are a little more fantastical, not so much set in reality, but we still connect to this character. If we didn't, there's no way he would still be around, and still having career defining matches. Look at Undertaker vs Kane for example. That storyline involved supernatural powers, coming back from the dead, and very demonic, gothic undertones. But, in a more simplistic way, it was about two brothers fighting about who's stronger/tougher/better. It was about betrayal. About a father figure abandoning someone who looks up to him. And THOSE are things that all of us can relate to in some way.

Wrestling is a contradiction. They want us to suspend disbelief and believe what is happening, that everything is real. Yet they give us these storylines that are beyond what could realistically happen. Take Jericho and Punk this week on Raw. If, in real life, somebody hit another man in the back of the head with a bottle of Jack Daniels and broke it on his head.. a: the man hit with the bottle would be in hospital, concussed or worse, and b: the man who used the bottle would be in jail. But despite this, we believe. We sit totally taken in by all this. It's yet another reason why we love it. We can see things in a pseudo-realistic setting that we'd never see in any other televised program. Where else can you see a man getting dropped face-first on thumbtacks?

Here's the other thing. Those people who aren't fans of wrestling. They tell us it's fake, it's scripted, it's not real.. the guys don't get hurt. They ask how we could watch it knowing it's "fake". But, what they don't understand is that we know that already, and that's a part of why we love it.

Watching the stories unfold, watching how these guys connect moves, use psychology to elicit a reaction, and tell a story in the ring. Sure, we usually have a favourite that we want to win, but it's not based

So why do I love wrestling..? I love it because it's entertainment. It's a way to escape into this world of hyper-reality. It's given me so many amazing memories. It's unique. There's nothing else like it in the world. And I don't care what people say, non-fans can tell me it's fake and stupid until they're blue in the face. I don't care.

I love it, because it's the best thing going today.
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I'm the Aussie Mouthpiece, and my business is now concluded.