Summerslam took place in Los Angeles, California, where we saw Daniel Bryan and John Cena put on one hell of a match with Triple H as the special guest referee. Bryan beat Cena and the next thing you know, Randy Orton comes out, teases, leaves & then Triple H decides to screw Bryan & 99% of the WWE Universe. Now me personally, I favored the move, not only because Randy is my favorite, but Randy needed that heel turn, even though it didn't live up to expectations. Summerslam 13' closed out with HHH & Randy Orton at the front of our screens, so where does that leave us?
Next night on Monday Night RAW, DB and Cena are in the ring when Stephanie McMahon music hits, as she just comes down to the ring and goes straight bitch mode as usual. She addresses DB and she says that she's sorry about what happened and that he deserved the WWE championship, BUT her husband (the C.O.O.) Triple H was just doing what was best for business. Daniel Bryan throws some blows at Triple H and Stephanie even says he's going to give them a reason to fire him.
Later that night, Triple H, Steph & the BOSS Vince McMahon come to the ring. Triple H talks about doing what was best for business and he says he did it for Vince McMahon. Randy comes out, greets Triple H, Vince, and Stephanie (with a big hug) and he says "I told you so". He said when he cashed in, we wouldn't see it coming. He thanked Triple H and shows big time respect, which caught A LOT of heat from the fans. Triple H invites Daniel Bryan to the ring, but The Shield attacks him of course. Bryan stumbles into the ring and Randy RKO's him. Throughout the next couple of months, it was just The Authority as the biggest heels in the business. They took the whole Daniel Bryan underdog angle and made it even better. That part of the Authority I liked very much and with Orton has champ it was a hot angle. Many segments you would see Orton get into it with Steph and sometimes HHH, but I always wondered why did the Authority seem like the babyfaces when in true reality, they were the heels.
As time passed, it just got old. They added Seth, J&J Security, and Big Show at first and I started to favor the faction more because it featured 3 top heels, a heel female in Steph, two powerhouses and of course J&J. They eventually turned on Orton, which sidelined him until Fastlane, where he returned and it seemed maybe we could get something like the rebel Orton vs The Authority. We kind of got it, but it was more leaning towards Orton vs Rollins and J&J only, which it should have, but I feel like it would have been better if the Authority played a bigger part. Taking into consideration Orton's history with HHH would have been great as well. The whole angle with Orton playing cool with the authority was a waste, but that was just creative being creative as usual in WWE. Even with Rollins now, I can see shades of how the Authority was with Orton, but don't get me wrong, Rollins is killing it. Right now, he's arguably the best in the business, but still the way the Authority was with Orton, they are with Rollins.
The last time the Authority as a whole was relevant was the whole Daniel Bryan underdog storyline. Now if I could control the Authority situation, I'd easily have Seth beat Sting & Cena at NOC. The Authority comes out to congratulate him, celebrates and at the last second turn on him, beat him down, and Sheamus comes down, cashes in, aligns with the Authority.. BAM! You've got yourself a storyline which can actually lead to two matches: Rollins vs Sheamus & Rollins vs HHH, which most likely BOTH will happen. Also the Authority could screw Rollins in a U.S. title match and it easily makes sense. HHH & Steph have shown recently that they are getting fed up with Rollins' attitude and disrespect. Might I say, Rollins as a babyface is MONEY! Yes, he's money as a heel, but as a babyface seems legit! Sheamus being the Authority's new golden boy is something new & fresh because lord knows Sheamus needs that. The whole Orton vs Sheamus thing is disgusting and I'm pretty sure everybody is done with that. I just feel like the Authority are out of things to do as far as being apart of feuds. We've seen them on the opposite sides of Orton, Cena, Ambrose, Reigns, Big Show, Sting and I mean maybe it's just time to be a little more off screen. Although when we did have that, a lot of us wanted them back. I just feel the whole Sheamus cashing in is the best for them right now. It gives us Sheamus vs Rollins for a couple PPVs then could lead to Rollins vs HHH or even Dean & Roman helping their old brother out in a Shield reunion. The Authority are top heels, and I love them, but I just feel it's about that time. They only have about 1 or 2 more feuds in them unless creative can pull something off big time. The Authority Needs Change.
"Don't let these tattoos fool you, I'm a man of great discipline. I don't drink, I don't smoke.... My addiction is wrestling. My obsession is competition. Discipline. My name is CM Punk."
When a person believes in something, they do so without fear. They wear it like a badge and preach it like its gospel. They let the world hear them and make damn sure the world sees them. In no way, shape, or form will they allow the opinions of others deter their beliefs. When someone can stand on their own two feet and hold strong to their beliefs like that, others are sure to follow. This is no different when it comes to CM Punk and his disciples, the Straight Edge Society.
The SES was the brainchild of CM Punk and the beliefs that set him apart from not only the other superstars in the WWE but a majority of people in the world. CM Punk, both in real life and kayfabe, does not smoke, drink, or do drugs. He doesn’t partake in the vices that many succumb to on a daily basis. He does not poison his body. CM Punk saves himself from corruption and on the 11/27/09 edition of SmackDown!, CM Punk declared his goal to save the universe.
The first person to be saved from the destruction of vices was Luke Gallows F.K.A Festus. When Punk brought out Gallows, he announced that the reason his disposition was so weird previously was because his former partner, Jesse, kept him hopped up on drugs. He stated that CM Punk saved him and that he could save the WWE universe if they would let him. What proceeded next was one of the best angles in WWE faction history, as Punk actually offered fans the chance to be saved by him.
Now of course, one asks how would you be saved? Well it was simple, accept the Straight Edge lifestyle and shave your head to prove that you accept Punk as your savior. Week after week, Punk shaved the heads of fans in attendance. One week, one fan hopped the barrier and declared that she would do anything for Punk to save her. She would then shave her head and be announced as the first woman of the SES, Serena Deeb.
After his recruitment of Deeb, Punk went on to try and convert many of his fellow WWE superstars. Punk would interrupt many matches and promos with his own promos, where he would preach about how he could save the superstar. Sadly, no other WWE superstar took Punk up on his offer. This was one of the first mistakes with this angle, as not a single star took Punk up on his offer. Had they allowed Punk to recruit actual stars, this stable could have went down as one of the best in history due to its unconventional approach. Imagine Punk leading a stable of superstars that he brainwashed into thinking he is their savior. That would have made for some great television.
Fast forward to the 2010 Royal Rumble where CM Punk showed why he is the Best In The World and that the Straight Edge lifestyle was the way to go. Punk went on an elimination streak in dominate fashion, all while preaching that he could save every one of the stars he eliminated. He did so all the way up until(the IWC will love this) Triple H entered the ring and disposed of Punk after declaring how he looked like a drunk hobo. This was a sight to behold for a multitude of reasons. The first was because Punk preached after every elimination he made. The second was because Punk actually eliminated Beth Phoenix by hitting her with a G.T.S. Lastly, this moment was so special because of Punk’s look.
As mentioned by Triple H in the match, Punk looked like a drunk hobo. This in fact was true, gone was the bad boy looking Punk and born was a savior. Punk went all in with this gimmick as he let his hair grow out in length as well as his beard. To some, this meant nothing, but to wrestling fans, this made the angle that more fun to watch. Punk could have easily been mistaken for a Charles Manson impersonator, which his character was clearly intended to be similar to. In wrestling, it’s almost all about the visuals. When Punk grew out his hair, that could have easily been interpreted as him flaunting his purity, as Gallows and Deeb stayed bald, because they were still on the path of purification. Like I said, in wrestling, everything is almost completely dependent on visuals.
What followed next was what could be considered the prime of the SES faction. CM Punk walked into the Smackdown Elimination Chamber and cut another scathing promo mid match against his opponents. He specifically targeted Rey Mysterio and would go on to feud with him in what was one of the best feuds that year. Punk and the SES targeted Rey Mysterio in stalking fashion, like only a cult could. This brought upon one of the most infamous moments in SmackDown history when Punk interrupted a birthday celebration for one of Mysterio’s children. He berated Mysterio in front of his family and went on to sing a very creepy rendition of “Happy Birthday”.
The two went on to have a series of 3 matches. The first took place at Wrestlemania XXVI, where Mysterio put his mask on the line and walked away victorious. The second match took place at Extreme Rules the following month where CM Punk put his hair on the line. Due to the debut of a new SES member in the form of Joey Mercury, Punk walked away with the win. The third and final match took place at Over the Limit in which both previous stipulations were in effect. Rey beat Punk due to interference from Kane and saved the Straight Edge Savior’s head bald. This led to CM Punk dawning a mask and the downfall of the SES.
While the feud with Mysterio was great quality wise, they made the mistake of adding another unimportant member to the stable. Who cared about Joey Mercury? Sure, there was that moment where you said “oh that’s the guy who had his face ripped open by the ladder”, but after that did you care? No. His explanation as to why he joined made perfect sense and made up for his random inclusion. He stated that Punk helped him kick his pain killer addiction and helped buy his house. The second being very true, a perfect mix of kayfabe and reality that both added to the angle and Punk as a character.
Following the feud Punk and the SES entered into two completely one sided feuds that led to the downfall of the stable. The first was with Kane, who had been hunting for the people who attacked and injured his brother, The Undertaker. Aside from making Punk and the stable as a whole look weak at the expense of making Kane look strong, this led to an interesting revelation. Deeb debuted a video to prove that Punk and the SES were not responsible for attacking Taker due to her having drinks the night he was attacked. This showed that Deeb would sacrifice herself to save Punk, even if that meant being kicked out of the SES. The second feud was with the Big Show, who single handedly dismantled the SES.
The feud with Show was so one sided that it would not be worth writing about in detail. Show faced the entire SES in a match at SummerSlam, where Show won. Show faced them again in a handicap match where he again defeated them all. Frustrations led to Punk G.T.S’ing Gallows after continuously losing. Deeb was released from her contract shortly before Gallows himself was released from his contract after losing a match to CM Punk.
Combine this with Mercury being out due to surgery and you have the downfall of the SES in less than 2 months.
What could have been one of the greatest factions that WWE had ever created, fell through due to poor booking and below average members. There were some highlights that will last forever, but as quickly as their fire burned, it fizzled out. CM Punk went on to reach legendary status in his career before departing in 2014, but the same cannot be said of his former disciples. Mercury went on to become a trainer and then the personal security for current WWE/US champion Seth Rollins. Deeb went on to return to the independent scene before wrestling her retirement match on July 10, 2015. Gallows went on to TNA Wrestling where he participated in another stable ruined by awful booking, Aces ‘N Eights. In somewhat of a surprise, Gallows managed to bounce back and proceeded to NJPW/ROH where he is part of the immensely popular Bullet Club.
One can only wonder what could have become of the Straight Edge Society had WWE stayed behind the stable. Maybe if Punk converted more noteworthy stars, it would have been different? Maybe if they weren’t offered up to Kane and Big Show on a platter, the stable could have gone to new heights? One can look at the Shield and the Wyatt family and see exactly what can come from proper faction booking. Now we are left asking “what if” the Straight Edge Society conquered the WWE.
Background:
June 7th, 2010, an Episode of Monday Night Raw was getting ready to end with its main event of John Cena vs CM Punk in a viewer’s choice match up. Cena and Punk were putting on a good match when suddenly, NXT Rookie Wade Barrett appeared at the top of the entrance ramp. As he got closer to the ring, more rookies from the show NXT hopped the barricade and proceeded to destroy anything they could get their hands on. Announcers, Superstars, other officials, it didn’t matter. If they saw it, they destroyed it. They even destroyed the wrestling ring before finally dismantling John Cena in front of the entire arena. This was a historic moment for WWE. 8 rookies (Barrett, Tarver, Bryan, Gabriel, Slater, Otunga, Young and Sheffield) had put the wrestling world on notice. It was a white hot storyline that had all eyes on the wrestling world. Every week they destroyed whoever they wanted to and no one could stop them. Finally, after weeks of frustration, John Cena said enough was enough. So, at that year's Summerslam, he would form a team of superstars to help try and rid the WWE of the Nexus.
John Cena spent weeks trying to recruit 7 other WWE Superstars to help him exterminate the Nexus and restore order back into the WWE. After weeks of trying to find partners down for the cause, Cena finally builds his team of all stars. But 6 days before the biggest Party of the summer, Nexus attacked Great Khali, who was set to be a part of team Cena that year. So finally at Summerslam we have Team Nexus ( Barrett, Otunga, Sheffield, Gabriel , Slater, Young and Tarver) vs Team WWE (Cena, R-truth, Edge, Jericho, Morrison, a mystery partner and Bret Hart). After speculation of who their partner would be, its revealed to be a returning Daniel Bryan. After a hard fought battle, its Team WWE who comes out victorious, thus harshly slowing the momentum of the new stable called the Nexus. What happened in the months after left the team slowly began to lose momentum. Injuries severely hurt The Nexus as Sheffield and Tarver both went down with Injuries. Darren Young was exiled from the group and the remaining members were downgraded to mid card talent.
So how would I have booked it you asked? Well its simple I’ll start at Summerslam.
What I Would’ve Changed:
Everything leading up to the Summerslam match was great. Nexus was destroying everything in its path and Cena was struggling to put a team together and keep them on the same page. It really sold the story of Nexus being one big well-oiled unstoppable machine. I would have had Daniel Bryan return as the surprise still, but as the match was gearing up towards its final act I would have Bryan and Cena in there with Barrett and Gabriel. Bryan would turn on Cena, aligning himself back with the Nexus and allowing Barrett and company to pick up the win they desperately needed. The following month at Night of Champions, I’d have Bryan win the US Title still from Miz and Morrison in a triple threat match, but also have any other two members of Nexus win the tag belts and have Cena and Barrett in a match up where if Cena lost, he’d leave WWE and if Barrett lost, The Nexus would disband. I’d have Barrett pin Cena clean 1-2-3, thus kicking him out of the WWE. At the next PPV, Barrett (The actual member who won the NXT Competition thus granting him a title match) challenge Orton (Who won the strap from Sheamus at NOC) and beat Orton with help from his Nexus brothers. So over the next few months, you’d have Bryan defending the US belt and beating every babyface mid carder in his path, the rest of the Nexus members defending the tag belts using the freebird rule (Similar to how New Day does) and Barrett on top of the world as WWE Champion ruling the WWE with an iron fist. As the months go by, Barrett defeats every challenger thus making his ego bigger and bigger.
The Nexus begins to become a dictatorship, where Barrett would punish any member who suffers defeat in any way shape or form (you could have him whip them with a Kendo stick or beat them with a chair similar to what Punk did when he ruled the Nexus). Terrorizing the WWE, Barrett can’t be stopped until the Royal Rumble, where Barrett makes every member of Nexus compete so he doesn’t have an opponent for WM. It looks as if Barrett will get his wish until Cena comes back (Rehired by the RAW GM to help rid the WWE of Nexus) in the number 30 spot, and he wins by tossing out multiple members of Nexus and challenging Barrett for the World title at Mania.
Barrett retains his title at EC that year and is set to face Cena at mania. The weeks leading to Mania, you have half of Nexus turning baby face saying that they are tired of Barrett, while the other half remain loyal and thus you create a Nexus Civil war, where that match will take place at Mania also. So you have half of Nexus vs the other half and Cena vs Barrett booked for Mania. With The remaining Member of Nexus focused on each other, Barrett is forced to go at it alone with Cena. At Mania the babyface half of Nexus win and Cena goes to the main event and finally puts an end to Barrett's reign in a grueling match up. I believe had WWE went this route instead of the one they took, you’d have legit babyfaces out of half of Nexus, solid midcard heels from the other half, Cena as your champion again, and Barrett as a solid main event heel that he was supposed to be from day one. So that’s how I would’ve booked it. I'm interested in hearing on how everyone else would’ve so let me know what you think in the comments below or on Twitter.
Every once in a while I catch myself reminiscing on some of my favorite moments in wrestling. Another one of my favorites is the critically acclaimed Hall of Pain run in 2011 by the World's Strongest Man, Mark Henry.
For the early portion of 2011 Mark Henry drifted through the midcard as apart of the Tag Team Division, teaming with Yoshi Tatsu after his team with MVP ended in 2010. Henry would return to being a singles competitor after Wrestlemania 27.
During the 2011 Draft, Mark Henry was traded to the Smackdown brand after Smackdown's Randy Orton defeated Raw's Dolph Ziggler in the fourth match of the night. Henry would later turn heel at the end of the night turning on Smackdown teammates John Cena and Christian during a 6 Man Tag Team Match (which ironically sent John Cena back to Raw after being drafted to Smackdown during the first match of the night.)
Intially, I thought this was just another turn in the career of Henry. He had been with the company for a decade plus and hadn't been given much to work with outside of comedy angles in the Attitude Era, a run with the ECW title and a short feud with Batista in his 2006 run. However, I was admittedly(and thankfully) wrong.
Fast forward to the June 17th episode of Smackdown, Mark Henry was scheduled to face the Big Show (going through a gimmick where he was unable to control his temper and emotions). Big Show told Henry not to enter the ring and when Henry did the Big Show proceeded to destroy Henry before the match began. Henry would proceed to attack Big Show both backstage and during his matches as an act of revenge. Big Show would then cost Henry a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship, which set the stage for a match at Money In The Bank 2011 between the two massive stars. Henry went on to defeat Show and crush his ankle in between a steel chair.
This post match assult would launch what is now known as the Hall of Pain.
Henry would go on to repeat the post match assult on Kane, Vladimir Kozlov and The Great Khali. These vicious attacks would (kayfabe) intimidate other superstars into not challenging Henry to a match. Sheamus would later answer Henry's challenge and the two would face off in a match at SummerSlam which Henry won by countout after tackling Sheamus through the barricade.
Fast forward again and Henry would turn his eyes back to the World Heavyweight Championship and its holder Randy Orton. (ironically the same man that helped bring Henry back to Smackdown would lead to his own downfall). Henry would go on to win a 20 Man Battle Royal on Smackdown giving him a shot at Orton at Night of Champions. Henry would attack Orton multiple times before their match and defeat him for the World Heavyweight Championship.
After the match, Henry gave a speech directed at his doubters and haters and one line in particular stood out for me.
"I would like to welcome you all to the Hall Of Pain. This is my moment and I'm not sharing it with none of you."
Henry would continue his dominance by defeating Orton again in a Hell in a Cell match at the Pay Per View of the same name. The Big Show (who Henry put out of action a few months back) would return and chokeslam Mark Henry through an announce table, making his title intentions known. At Vengeance, Big Show and Henry would re-enact the Superplex that made the ring implode. (A move Big Show and Brock Lesnar had done 8 years earlier).
Henry would then engage in a side feud with Daniel Bryan. Henry defeated Bryan twice. Once by disqualification and once by pinfall in a Steel Cage match.
Henry would lose to Big Show at Survivor Series by DQ after a blatant low blow, helping him retain his title. After the match Big Show crushed Henry's ankle with a steel chair the same way Henry had done to him at Money in the Bank. This would also affect his side feud with Bryan, as Bryan would cash in his Money In the Bank contract after Big Show knocked Henry out. However, Mark Henry was not cleared to compete by doctors and the match was voided by Smackdown GM Theodore Long. Bryan would later win a #1 Contenders match to face Henry in the previously mentioned steel cage match which Henry won. At the Tables, Ladders and Chairs Pay Per View, Henry would drop the World Heavyweight Championship to the Big Show in a chairs match(before Daniel Bryan cashed in on him).
The Hall of Pain was Mark Henry's greatest work. Creative finally got behind him after 15 years of service and allowed him to take the ball and roll with it. Henry showed off superb skills as the top heel of the blue brand. However, Henry's run as the top guy was lackluster in the ring. In the Pro Wrestling data base Henry only registered a three star rating out of five just once during his title reign. The match I mentioned was Vengeance, but I believe it got a boost from the finish as opposed to the regular match. Henry also failed to register the average rating of 2 stars, 3 times during his reign. 3 months of lack luster matches. His feud with Big Show was unnecessarily long and he should have finished the feud coming out on top. Mark Henry made up for his in ring struggles with good mic skills. His vow to fight any and everyone rang true especially during his side feud with Daniel Bryan, which I loved. Henry embraced his role as the bully, deeming Bryan to be inferior to him. Although the WWE 2K15 video game's coverage of the Hall of Pain storyline lasted until Wrestlemania 29, I ended it prematurely at him dropping the World Title at TLC, because the title loss led to a huge drop in momentum and Henry was left off the Wrestlemania 28 card after injuring himself in a WWE Championship match with CM Punk.
The question that every pro wrestling fan encounters at some point in their lives. Most fans and wrestlers all seem to take offense to this question whenever asked. It seems very demeaning to ask the question, as it is a way for non pro wrestling fans to question the intelligence of those that enjoy the product. How could one knowingly enjoy a product that they know is not as legitimately competitive of a sport as something like Mixed Martial Arts or Boxing?
While the answer might not be satisfying to either side, when explained in detail both parties should be able to come to a satisfying conclusion, because while neither side is completely right, neither side is completely wrong. Pro Wrestling, you could sum up as being just as real as it is fake, and when broken down, you can easily explain why. Let’s look at the reasoning for why pro wrestling is real first, as pro wrestling is probably the most physically demanding form of physical competition. Just look at what the wrestling rings are made of, with elevated steel beams, wired ropes, metal turnbuckles and foam padding and a canvas mat covering the wood plank stage, not to mention all the weapons that surround the ring.
Being a pro wrestler is an unforgiving job, and on many different occasions, wrestling legend Diamond Dallas Page has been quoted in regards to pro wrestling as saying “You can’t fake gravity”, which says a lot. Pro wrestlers work an unbelievable schedule, as most work over 300 days a year with few breaks in between. Their bodies have very little time to recover and most work injured, to the point that they either get used to the pain or it just becomes overwhelming. For example, former WWE superstar and current TNA superstar Kurt Angle has been dealing with recurring neck injuries since his time as an Olympic wrestler. While having dealt with a number of other injuries in his career, Angle has been dealing with neck injuries for his entire career, and just recently he underwent successful surgery to remove a benign tumor in his neck. While pro wrestlers run the risk of dealing with injury, they are surprisingly still able to perform at a high risk when the bell rings.
As much as people are tired of him at this point (and rightfully so), it is hard to argue that John Cena has worked without question the hardest schedule of any man in his position. As the top superstar in the WWE, John Cena is on the road 24/7 and constantly having to work as the face of the company. Nobody has since been able to work the schedule Cena has been able to endure for this long, just look at WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin was for the most part the face of WWE for a solid five or six years, John Cena has been the man in WWE for the better part of a decade. It is difficult for WWE superstars to maintain a high level of athleticism for long periods, just imagine how difficult it is for the pro wrestler on the independent level to work. These athletes have a lot less means of safety at their disposal than WWE superstars have and yet they work at a way more dangerous pace. Just look at some of the current talent in the company that worked for Ring of Honor, such as Sami Zayn and Cesaro. These athletes threw themselves around the ring with very little regard for their safety just to give an amazing show, and more often than not they accomplished that goal at the expense of their body.
So yes, in that aspect, wrestling is very real, but there is just as good of a reason for those that consider pro wrestling to be fake. While pro wrestling is very physical, it is scripted. The matches are pre-determined and in most cases are worked out between the wrestlers and an agent beforehand. The moves are done in a way so that they look very physical, but a great talent will be able to do them as safely as possible. Take a guy like Brock Lesnar, the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion looks like he is delivering the worst possible beating to his opponents, but he knows exactly what he is doing in that ring. Brock Lesnar does work a very brutal style, but can most likely assure that his opponent will be safe in the ring. This leads to my next point, selling and taking bumps.
A great pro wrestler can make others look amazing in the ring. Guys like Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, and Cody Rhodes are often praised for the way they are able to make their opponents look great in the ring just by how well they are able to take bumps off a wide array of moves. While taking bumps may look rather impressive, it is the selling of the match that makes a great pro wrestler. Take a match with Brock Lesnar for example, his opponent is supposed to sell the beating he is taking as if he is taking the beating of a lifetime. Why? Because this helps add to the story that is being told in the ring that Lesnar is an unstoppable force and anyone that steps in his path will be annihilated. If anyone were to not sell his moves, it would make Lesnar look weak, which is not something you want to do, especially considering that he is one of the biggest stars in the company.
So yes, in that aspect, pro wrestling is very fake, but there is a more obvious reason as to why people consider pro wrestling to be fake. Just look at the WWE, the WWE is the hood ornament of pro wrestling and it is the one product that people generally look to when describing pro wrestling. So what they see on WWE programing is what they believe pro wrestling is, and in most cases that can be a bad thing. WWE is filled with over-the-top gimmick characters, as if they were pulled right out of a comic book. You’ve got a deadman (The Undertaker), a cult leader (Bray Wyatt), a vibrant comic book villain (Stardust), a king (King Barrett), and a demon (Finn Balor). The older you look into WWE’s history, the characters get even worse. Earthquake, Bastian Booger, Big Boss Man, Kamala, Papa Shango, Mankind, Max Moon, the Brooklyn Brawler, King Cong Bundy, Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan, the Mountie, Duke the Dumpster, Junkyard Dog, and yes the Gobbledy Gooker.
Another major reason why people will call wrestling fake would have to be the storylines. Just look at one of the big storylines in WWE today, the relationship issues between Dolph Ziggler, Lana, Rusev, and Summer Rae. This and a number of other storylines like it have a soap opera-like feel to them and are more based on drama then they are about pro wrestling. Very often in pro wrestling you'll see stories like this or stories that will get even more dramatic. Let's not forget that awful Katie Vick storyline involving Kane and Triple H.
Vince McMahon is an evil genius to say the least. He has given us fans some unforgettable rivalries, such as The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin, however he has given us fans some moments that we would like to forget. Moments like Vince McMahon and his son Shane wrestling Shawn Michaels and, I can't believe I am writing this, God, are moments that have devalued pro wrestling in the eyes of most people. The fact that he would rather call pro wrestling "Sports Entertainment" just shows how he feels about the sport.
So yes, while there is a legitimate reason why pro wrestling should be considered as real, there is just as much of a reason for why someone would call it fake. Personally, I do not care, I am still going to enjoy the product, but for those that needed an answer to the ever debated question, I hope that was a solid enough answer.
"I don't just beat people. I end careers."- Randy Orton in 2007
The Age of Orton is one of my personal favorite storylines. It tells a story of redemption, hunger and ruthless aggression unseen from the man they now call The Viper.
2007 was an eventful year for Randy Orton. He would go on to compete in many high profile matches before securing his first WWE Championship at No Mercy in Rosemont, Illinois. But before I dive into the Orton's run on top, I want to look a little further into the events leading up to the beginning of the Age of Orton.
The beginning of the year started with a collection of solid in ring performances from New Years Revolution in January till Backlash in April. At Backlash, Orton was granted his first shot at the WWE Title that year in a Fatal-4-Way involving former Rated RKO tag team partner Edge, Shawn Michaels and WWE Champion John Cena. Orton came up short in the match, but what followed would soon put the Legend Killer onto a new path of destruction.
Orton began to target Shawn Michaels shortly after Backlash. In subsequent weeks, Orton would ambush Michaels multiple times after matches, including the debut of his new punt kick attack. Michaels and Orton would be placed in a match at Judgement Day. At the event, Orton attacked Michaels before the match injuring him and defeating Michaels by referee stoppage. But Orton didn't stop there. He would continue to display his new aggression and punish multiple stars and legends including Ric Flair, Sgt. Slaughter, Rob Van Dam (whom he defeated in a Stretcher Match at One Night Stand), and Dusty Rhodes (whom he also defeated in a Texas Bull Rope Match at The Great American Bash.)
Soon Orton hungered for more. John Cena, left without an opponent for SummerSlam, was attacked on the July 23rd edition of Raw, after a Handicap Match with Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch by Randy Orton. Johnathan Coachman would then announce Orton as the number one contender for the WWE Title. Orton would then attack Cena multiple times before their title bout including a RKO on a steel chair at Saturday Night Main Event.
At SummerSlam, Cena and Orton would go on to deliver a match of the year candidate. One of my personal favorites of all time. Orton displayed intensity and aggression previously unseen in him, delivering hard strikes and doing whatever it took to put the champion away. Controlling the action most of the match, Orton fell victim to a F-U (now renamed Attitude Adjustment) and a loss to Cena.
Unhappy with the result, Orton demanded a rematch with Cena at Unforgiven, which he was denied. Angered by this, Randy would proceed to get personal and drag Cena's father into the feud by hitting him with a Punt Kick. Orton and Cena would then face off in a rematch at Unforgiven where Orton won by DQ ensuring the feud would continue. However an injury derailed Cena's reign and he would be forced to forfeit the WWE Championship before No Mercy.
Rosemont, Illinois. October 7, 2007. Mr. McMahon stood in the middle of the ring and named Randy Orton the new WWE Champion. Orton's celebration was cut short by The Game, Triple H who would then challenge Orton to a title match to start the show. After being taunted into accepting, Triple H defeated Orton to win the WWE Title by a roll up.
This in particular upset me. After months of build up, Randy Orton had finally reached the top and all of it would be undone in 11 minutes. Undone by the same man who stole the World Heavyweight Championship from him in 2004 after only holding the title for a mere 3 weeks. But I was rewarded for my patience.
Before the event ended Randy Orton decided to use his rematch clause to defeat Triple H. Orton and the Game went on to deliver a 20 minute near classic Last Man Standing match for the company's top prize. It would end with a RKO on the announce table and the Game being unable to answer the 10 count.
On the October 8th edition of Raw, a familiar foe would return to challenge Orton for his WWE Championship. Shawn Michaels, who had been put out of action months earlier by Orton, set his sights on the Champion. Michaels would be voted by the fans to face Randy for the title at Cyber Sunday, which he won by DQ when Orton hit him with a low blow. Orton and Michaels' rematch would happen at Survivor Series with the stipulation that Michaels was banned from using the Sweet Chin Music finisher. Orton would go on to defeat Michaels.
This is my least favorite part of The Age of Orton reign. Orton would be thrown into a feud with the returning Chris Jericho from a 2 year absence. He would defend the WWE Title against Jericho at Armageddon, which he lost by DQ when JBL attacked Chris Jericho. It felt like Orton had become an afterthought for this feud, as Jericho was the hot act and suddenly transitioned from Orton to JBL.
Orton then moved on to a short feud with Jeff Hardy which included a Swanton Bomb from Jeff onto Orton off the Raw set. At Royal Rumble 2008, Orton would defeat Hardy in a solid match, but he again felt like an afterthought when John Cena returned from injury early to win the Royal Rumble match.
Cena and Orton would rekindle their feud from last summer with Cena cashing in his Royal Rumble win at No Way Out instead of Wrestlemania 24. Orton would get himself disqualified and retain his title by champion's advantage. Triple H won an Elimination Chamber match that night making him the Number One contender to Orton's title.
A triple threat match between, Orton, Cena, and the Game had been set for Wrestlemania. The build up again left Orton feeling like an afterthought before taking the spotlight the Raw before Mania by laying out both opponents with an RKO. At Wrestlemania 24, Orton would go on to escape with a win and his WWE Title intact. However this would lead to the end of Orton's run on top.
Orton would lose the title a month later to Triple H in a fatal-4-way involving JBL and Cena as the other competitors. Orton would fail to regain the title, losing in rematches at Judgement Day and One Night Stand where broke his collarbone in a Last Man Standing match after being thrown over the top rope by Triple H.
The Age of Orton started off with excellent build. Although he felt like an afterthought late in his reign, Randy proved that he was capable of being the guy. The heel everyone hated. He unleashed a new level of aggression and took out multiple opponents with his vicious Punt Kick. His run on top lasted 6 months. Orton's hard work earned him 2 WWE Title reigns, and Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Most Hated Wrestler off the Year in 2007 and the #1 Singles Wrestler of the Year in 2008. Orton also graded out well including two 4 Star Matches (vs John Cena at SummerSlam 2007, a 4.5 vs Triple H at No Mercy 2007) and finishing the year with back to back 3.5 Star Matches with Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho. Orton would return later in the year more hungry and determined to be a Champion again, but the Age Of Orton launched him into the upper echelon of guys who could carry the company on their backs as a top Heel.
