Shinsuke Nakamura in WWE should’ve been the easiest thing in the world to get right. Continue reading
NXT
Daniel Bryan’s retirement and the recent NFL concussion stories intersect in a way that leaves me feeling like a hypocrite
After months of speculation and a stream of glib, defensive sarcasm on part of WWE fans, we all have to finally admit that Daniel Bryan has retired from professional wrestling.
There’s a finality to that reality that wrestling fans simply aren’t used to. Such closure is uncomfortable, a squirming feeling that comes from an inability to tune in next week and see what happens next.
As fans wrestling fans we’re trained from the beginning to expect a payoff to come later. There’s always next week. A new episode of RAW. A new cycle to begin; a never-ending parade of emotion, fisticuffs, and twenty minute promos.
Perhaps that is why so many people were insistent that Bryan’s retirement had to be a story line. After all, everything else has been up for grabs as story material, even the “death” of Vince McMahon.
Alas, the show is over and the American Dragon has left the spotlight for the last time. Continue reading
The Plot Thickens: NXT 02/03/16 Review
This week on NXT, plot lines advanced, characters developed in intriguing ways, and the road to Takeover: Dallas rolls on. Let’s check it out:
Oye, with the triple threats, already. – NXT Review: 1/27/2016
Welcome to another NXT review! Last week we built up to this week’s main event, a triple threat match to determine the Number One Contender for the NXT Championship. All three Superstars involved have valid claims to challenge champion Finn Bálor, but which one will prove himself superior? We will find out later.
Also on this episode, tag team action, the return of a Superstar on the injured list, storyline progression and much more.
Let’s get to it. Continue reading
Triple Threat Squash Night – NXT Review: 1/20/2016
Greetings, Adventurers, and welcome to the newest feature in the backlog: NXT reviews!
For those who might not know much about NXT, it’s the developmental promotion for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE); which has, in the past few years, undergone something of a revolution in presentation with the success of indie stars before their inevitable call up to the main roster. Continue reading
It’s a great time to be a wrestling fan as WWE focuses more on the future
It’s hard to not notice just how much the WWE has changed since 2010. Where once the product was a misplaced menagerie of much maligned talent that desperately pleaded for the limelight of more mainstream entertainment, the house that McMahon built has steered the ship mostly back on course.
Steve Austin being on the cover of WWE 2K16 is a perfect example of the series’ problems
News broke from WWE this morning that former Superstar and industry legend ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin will be gracing the cover of this year’s iteration of the 2K Games series, WWE 2K16. On the surface, placing such a notable and popular face on the cover seems like a smart marketing move.
Given that professional wrestling fans tend to lapse in and out of fandom with some regularity, pandering to former viewers that haven’t seen the product since Austin’s heyday is a great way to draw eyes back on the product.
The compelling tale of John Cena, the fading superstar of the squared circle
John Cena has the most compelling story line of 2015. Trust me: I am just as surprised as you are. If someone were to ask me what story would be the most interesting one year ago, John would not have registered a blip on the radar.
Yet, here we are. How did this happen? Is the internet or the economy to blame? Is hustle, loyalty, and respect making a comeback?
Well, not quite. In fact, part of why John Cena has become so fascinating is largely because his star is fading.
Backlog WWE Reviews: NXT Takeover: REvolution (12/11/14)
That was something special. Continue reading
Backlog Adventures 