Cashing In and Splitting Up

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

WWE's Money in the Bank special may have been touted as a card worthy of Wrestlemania, but not everything was as grand a spectacle as what you'd hope to see on the "Grandest Stage of Them All."  To make up for it, we got at least three matches that we'll not soon forget...just in time for a looming draft to put a monkey wrench into the entire roster's prospective future.

Kickoff Matches

I won't waste a lot of time here.  In fact, I didn't even watch the Kickoff Show.  Apparently the Golden Truth defeated Breezango and somehow the guy making up tag team names still has a job.  The Lucha Dragons defeated the Dudley Boyz and somehow Bubba Ray still wants a job.  Aside from reminding us that there are more than four tag teams in the entire division (which is important going into the brand split), these matches do absolutely nothing for anyone, so while we can appreciate the effort, we likely won't remember they happened when we see the obligatory rematches tonight on Raw.

WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP - Fatal Four-Way Tag Team Match

WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day defeated Enzo & Cass, The Vaudevillains, and The Club (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson)

This was a solid show-opener, with lots of rapid-fire action.  Sure, there were at least two major clunks in between: the late interference by Gallows to break up what was clearly a clean three-count for Enzo & Cass, and a confusing Trouble in Paradise that saw Enzo fall forward instead of back, but overall this was a solid showing for a strong division that might see its best days behind it heading into the brand split.  If we count the four tag teams (I use that term loosely in two of those cases) from the Kickoff Show, that gives eight tag teams to split between Raw and Smackdown (nine if you're counting the Shining Stars).  Assuming American Alpha makes the rumored ascent from NXT, we could get five teams per brand, but how they maintain the momentum for each of those teams is just as important--if not moreso--than simply filling out your roster.

Baron Corbin defeated Dolph Ziggler

The outcome of this match shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, but the match itself might be.

As a young up-and-comer who supposedly made a statement by winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, Corbin should be showing me something new every time a WWE Network special comes around.  Instead, I see more of the same, and in this case, something a little worse.

I get that there is a particular pace to a "David vs. Goliath" match: typically the giant stalks his prey as the tinier combatant stumbles around the ring, selling everything thrown at him.  Ziggler is perfectly tailored to this.  Nobody sells better.  But Corbin's slow and plodding pace failed to look dominant, instead lulling the crowd into a round of the infamous "boring" chant.

With little in the way of structure or flow, it's a surprise this match even made the main card.  I'd expect something of this caliber on the Kickoff Show, but it's extra insulting to see it used as "filler" during the event itself.  It's a shame that two guys with so much to give have given me so little reason to be invested.

Also, can someone please tell Ziggler it's not okay to use Sweet Chin Music?  Because it's not.

Ever.

TAG TEAM MATCH

WWE Women's Champion Charlotte & Dana Brooke defeated Becky Lynch & Natalya

Even as I write this, I'm racking my brain for one memorable thing about the contest itself.  For the life of me, I can't come up with anything.  The Champ and her cohort are on the ropes when suddenly Dana Brooke causes Becky and Nattie to collide in what looked like a truly painful bump, and thus costing them the match.

Pretty standard fare, but nothing noteworthy.  Everyone's tired of seeing Charlotte drag someone around to help her win.  She's clearly capable of handling herself, so let her do that, even as a heel.

The most interesting thing about this match is Natalya turning on Becky afterward.  Nattie has a chance to really shine here and elevate Becky to the next level.  Let her come out and complain about how she was left behind in this whole "Divas Revolution," and she's tired of having to share the spotlight with women who (presumably) aren't good enough to lace her boots.  Let her and Becky go back and forth, and let Becky get her shot at Charlotte when it's all done.

Of course, that leaves the question of who will be facing Charlotte for the Women's Championship in the meantime.  That depends on how this draft shakes out and where the title ends up (and if a second title is created).  Paige recently pinned Charlotte on Raw, and we haven't seen Sasha Banks in a while.  Both would be excellent contenders, and since there's no guarantee where everyone will end up after July 19th, you might as well pull those triggers now.

Apollo Crews def. Sheamus

Once again, I can't think of anything notable about this match.  It was a solid effort, but so was every match on this card.  Similar to Corbin vs. Ziggler, it's a shame that a talent like Crews has failed to stand out on the main roster.  Say what you want about Sheamus, he's a very good performer and a perfect guy to help get the next generation of stars over.  Unfortunately, it's hard to do that when you're given limited time and virtually no story to work with.

A.J. Styles defeated John Cena

For me, this was the match of the night.  It was clearly Styles' best showing since coming to the main roster, and it was helped by John Cena's willingness to sell everything Styles hit him with.  Honestly, I haven't seen Cena sell a beating like that since Brock Lesnar.

Obviously, letting Styles win was the right move as it elevates him to main-event status.  People will complain that the win wasn't "clean," but--newsflash, everyone--AJ is a heel.  It's what heels do.  Don't believe me?  Go lookup the Four Horsemen.  I'll wait.

The match was all about Styles, but major props should be given to John Cena, here.  For all the flak that he takes for burying talent (something Styles himself mentioned a few weeks ago), he's one of the few guys on the roster whose credibility is such that when he loses, it makes the victor look a million times better than he did before.

The two told a great story.  Cena simply couldn't get any momentum going as Styles seemed to counter everything he did.  At one point, Styles even took time to literally run circles around WWE's golden boy.  After taking Cena down to the mat for what felt like the hundredth time, Styles looked to the crowd and yelled, "Is that all he's got?  Sh*t!"  Both men played their parts perfectly.  The Club's interference guarantees that Cena's integrity is protected and cements Styles as the biggest heel in professional wrestling.

Hopefully we get a couple more bouts from these two.  I'm sure John Cena will be looking for revenge come Monday night.

MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH

Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Sami Zayn

If you couldn't decide who you wanted to win this match, you probably weren't alone.  Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, and Dean Ambrose all made strong contenders for the top spot, here, and all put their bodies through hell to get there.  One particularly nasty spot saw Kevin Owens go spine-to-spine with a ladder, and I honestly thought for several moments he was seriously hurt.

The backstage promo between Owens, Jericho, and Del Rio was magic.  In particular, I think Owens and Jericho have a tremendous chemistry that could carry them forward in a feud that is as much about words as it is about wrestling.  Their confrontations in the ring last night seemed to indicate we are headed there, and that could only mean one thing:

Dean Ambrose emerged as Mr. Money in the Bank.

The rest (as you will see) was academic.

WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP

WWE United States Champion Rusev (with Lana) vs. Titus O'Niel

There is an art to match placement that goes largely overlooked in the business of pro wrestling.  When done properly, it allows an event to slowly build as the stakes are steadily raised until the tension explodes in the main event.

When done poorly, two solid performers get thrown to the wolves when they are smashed between two truly epic matches.

Rusev vs. Titus O'Niel had all the makings of a solid bout, particularly with Titus' family at ringside.  That fact alone lent itself to a good story, but it was a story that was scarcely told in the less than ten minutes the match lasted.  Though his feats of strength were impressive, Titus never got a chance to look strong in front his children (in particular, he never got to do his trademark barking from the corner).  Never at any point was I convinced Titus had a chance of winning, and that's a shame because rather than looking like "enhancement talent," O'Niel could have looked every bit Rusev's equal.  Even if he was going to come up short, there's a difference between getting completely dominated versus having the victory slip from your grasp.

Now of course we have to wonder who Rusev's next opponent will be, and we likely won't find out for another month.

WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

The wrestling in this match was very, very good, but it's also probably the best story Roman Reigns has ever told in or out of the ring.

The most surprising aspect of this match was the hints of a "double-turn" right from the start as the alleged babyface Reigns beat down underdog heel Seth Rollins, even going so far as to palm his face away and call him names.

Suddenly Rollins was fighting from underneath instead of looking like the dominant champion he used to be.  Reigns' facial expressions were key, because you could see the disgust in his face as he glared at his former Shield brother and listened to the cascading boos that fell on him whenever he hit any kind of offense.

These two worked magic together, and if it weren't for Cena vs. A.J. an hour before they may have had the match of the night.  Their efforts may be overshadowed by what followed, but if nothing else these two men both proved they deserve to be main-event stars; and yes, that includes Roman Reigns.  It may be the "in" thing to boo Roman every chance you get, but anyone who goes back to Survivor Series 2015 when Roman won his first title will see a clear difference in the quality of his wrestling and his storytelling ability in the ring.  I'm still not going out to buy his t-shirt, but I simply find it hard to dislike the guy when he's worked so hard to prove himself a fickle generation of merciless fans.

Giving Rollins the win was key, as it was Seth's first match back from what seemed a career-ending injury.  More importantly, it set up what followed that night, and what is inevitably waiting around the next bend.

WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose

People were chanting for Dean Ambrose before the final bell had rung for Reigns and Rollins.  From the moment "The Lunatic Fringe" captured the precious briefcase, we all knew what would happen next, even if we weren't sure how the night would end.

From the looks of things, the fans weren't the only ones expecting Ambrose to cash in.  The second Dean's music hit, Rollins was waiting in the ring with the look of a hungry wolf waiting for his next prey.

Unfortunately for "The Architect," Ambrose's attack came from behind as he smashed the briefcase over Rollins' head, knocking him virtually unconscious.  Ambrose then cashed in the weapon as Seth got back to his feet just in time to be met with Dirty Deeds.

In an unprecedented turn of events, each member of the Shield held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a single night, and with Reigns and Rollins both owed a rematch, one can only assume a Shield Triple-Threat is in the works for Battleground.

The Draft and Battleground

Of course, this is all assuming that all three ex-Shield members wind up on the same brand after the draft.

Perhaps more interesting than any outcome from the night itself is the prospect of the draft and how the landscape of WWE will change after everyone is assigned to their respective roster.

As much as we'd love to see these feuds move forward and continue, chances are some of them will be disrupted by the flow of talent from one side to the other.

Obviously, the creation (or rebirth) of a second World Championship is eminent, but how that champion will be determined is a big question.  Will we see a second Women's Championship, a second tag team title?  Where will the Cruiserweight Championship fit in to all of this?

Tonight's Raw may hold some clues as to the future of WWE's roster, but there will be a lot of question marks until the draft shakes out and we see who gets a chance to be a bigger fish in a much smaller pond.

What's Next for Nakamura?

Despite their reputation for notoriously short memories, I'd be surprised if most fans didn't hold the Austin Aries vs. Shinsuke Nakamura from last night's NXT Takeover: The End as a Match of the Year candidate by year's end.  The epic encounter is a classic example of perfect pacing, hold-your-breath moves, and superb athleticism from two men who have virtually done it all in the business.

That being said, the shakeout from the event is arguably the most intriguing aspect of the entire affair.  I don't think anybody acquainted with these two wrestlers doubted their match last night would steal the show.  By most accounts, it was the most anticipated bout of the evening.  Nakamura's victory, coupled with his already overwhelming popularity with fans, assures him the sky is the limit; but is now the time to make that future a reality?

Shinsuke Nakamura is not new to hardcore fans who have followed his career through New Japan, but his arrival in NXT has now made him a household name among the casual fan as well.  He's managed to back that up with two stellar performances at consecutive takeovers against Sami Zayn and Austin Aries, assuring us that the hype is to be believed.  But there's precious few other "big" stars to wrestle in NXT (particularly with rumors swirling that the roster will be largely dispersed to feed the Raw and Smackdown brand extension).  There's only one person left on the roster with the sort of name recognition deserving of a main-event-style billing, and he just so happens to be the same person holding championship gold.

A feud between NXT Champion Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura is inevitable, especially now that Finn Balor has officially failed to recapture the belt and seems destined to reappear on one of the main rosters (perhaps to reclaim the Club he founded).  Nakamura as NXT Champion is all but a certainty to happen sooner rather than later, but how soon is too soon?

When answering that question, it's important to consider three people.  The first, of course, is Nakamura himself.

"The King of Strong Style" is by far the greatest showman NXT has ever seen, and his oozing charisma has weaved its way into the fans' hearts at rapid-fire pace.  Despite being a product of the "indie scene" (if you can call New Japan an indie promotion), Nakamura is the epitome of Vince McMahon's sports-entertainment: a larger-than-life presence with world-class athleticism and a die-hard passion for pro wrestling.  As the most popular star on his roster (with the possible exception of Bayley), it seems only logical to gift him with the most coveted prize that roster has to offer and make him your Champion.

So why shouldn't you?

It all comes down to the age-old wrestling paradox of whether or not a particular star needs the title.  As pointed out by many greats of the past like Steve Austin, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels, there's a huge difference between "the title making the man" and "the man making the title."  In the case of Nakamura, it's probably more of the latter as he brings with him his body of work overseas and infuses it into what he's established her in the States.  Nakamura would elevate the Championship, no doubt, but his meteoric rise to prominence suggests that he doesn't need the title to be your main event.  His work speaks for itself.  His charisma speaks for itself.  He speaks for himself.

Better yet, by keeping the title away from Nakamura, you have the chance not just to build him as an underdog scraping from the bottom, but the chance to elevate other stars on your roster, especially with the obligatory injection of new blood coming as much of the upper card moves to the main roster(s).  What could a match against Nakamura do for men like Tommaso Ciampa or Johnny Gargano?  Even in defeat, these fledgling stars could be given a chance to truly showcase their skills and prove that they can "go".  It helps their careers and proves to the fans that the future of the brand is in very capable hands.

The second person to consider is Austin Aries, who will go largely uncredited for the masterpiece of last night's match, but deserves almost as much, if not more applause for the effort.  Aries has a tremendous story to tell: a devil-may-care heel with a chip on his shoulder because he came in just in time to be eclipsed by someone who was deemed a bigger draw.  His match against Nakamura was by far his best showing since coming to NXT, and hopefully fans who haven't gotten a chance to know him will now take notice and see the merit in his words.

Whereas letting Nakamura flounder in the mid-card for a while could elevate the unknowns of your roster, the same cannot be said for Austin Aries.  It's not because he lacks the ability; but the loss to Nakamura means "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" ends up looking less than great.  A victory over Aries at this point would be the equivalent of kicking a man when he's down.

Instead, Aries needs to be the one to ensure Nakamura never attains that NXT Championship.  Despite not qualifying for a title match himself, he can be the thorn in Shinsuke's side.  Every time "The King of Strong Style" seems to have a title victory in his grasp, Aries is there to spoil it.  Eventually, Samoa Joe gets fed up with Aries and decides to put his title on the line against A-Double in an effort to shut him up for good.  And that's when Aries wins.  Suddenly Aries sits atop the mountain, triumphantly clad in the Championship that was always meant to be his: everything he's ever said is true.  All the doubters see their folly.  All the naysayers are forced to acknowledge him as truly "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived."

Now enter an enraged Nakamura who's tired of being screwed out of every opportunity and sees the man who has thwarted his every attempt to be Champion holding a title he doesn't deserve.  Nakamura returns and beats Aries for the Championship, cementing himself as the brand's biggest star.  Samoa Joe can then return to insist on a rematch for the title that was stolen from him, and that's when we get the inevitable Joe vs. Nakamura match.

The most important thing here is that everybody wins, everybody looks good.  Aries doesn't look like a loser.  Nakamura still looks like a hero.  Joe still looks like a badass.  Nobody has to "job out" or fade away.  With a thin top-card, NXT needs all three of these men to carry their brand forward until the next crop of superstars is ready to take the mantle.

Finally, there's Samoa Joe.  Similar to Aries, the biggest issue for Joe is that there are few stars on his level that qualify as legitimate threats to his title.  For this reason, it's probably obvious to stick he and Nakamura in a feud immediately.  But since we have a couple of months til NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 2016 at Summerslam, I'd suggest that Joe spend at least a few weeks just running through the lower card enhancement talent and asserting that there's nobody left on the roster to threaten him.  That's when the above scenario kicks in and a Joe/Nakamura feud can ensue, eventually bringing Austin Aries to the fore as your NXT Champion.

WWE is famous for their short-term memory, but even more infamous for their short-term booking.  In a time where the NXT brand is jeopardized by the expansions of Raw and Smackdown, a slow build of the next big star is what's needed while the new blood gets their sea legs under them so they can one day carry their fellow stars to the next generation.  Last night may have been The End, but it's really just the beginning.

Everybody's Got a Price...

If there's one thing wrestling fans love to do, it's argue.  But it gets even better when wrestling fans start arguing about a wrestling argument (see "Montreal Screwjob", "Flair vs. Hogan," and "Roman Reigns' entire career").

You can add CM Punk to that list of guys who love to argue against WWE.  Along with Bret Hart, he may be the most vocal man to ever leave the WWE with nothing but disdain on his lips.

And now it seems we can add Ryback to that list, thanks to his fire-starting tumblr essay.  Much like Punk, Ryback has taken to the internet to rip WWE's corporate practices.  And--also like Punk--the pay structure seems to be his biggest gripe, even when he claims the "contrary to reports it isn't over money".

You can read the blog for yourself (I've included the link above for exactly that reason), but I want to touch on a few key points, and why I believe that not only is Ryback talking out of both sides of his mouth, but he's also committing career suicide.  He may believe that this "last stand" against the evil corporate structure is a noble endeavor, but in the end it serves no one: not the WWE, their talent, ex-talent, or pro wrestling in general.

It's All About the Money

In the openings of his "essay" (if you can call six paragraphs of profanity and poor punctuation an "essay"), Ryback says that his beef with WWE has nothing to do with money.  He then goes on to complain about the pay structure in WWE: specifically the fact that losers are paid less than winners.

On the one hand, we can say that Ryback has a point: whether winning or losing a match, you're putting your body on the line and taking on the responsibility of protecting someone else's body.  Why is the guy getting the win in a predetermined performance getting paid more than the guy who is predetermined and contractually obligated to "job out" to the winner?

That's a fair point.  Honestly.

Unfortunately, when you say things like, "it's not about the money" and then proceed to criticize the pay structure, you hurt the credibility of your entire argument.

Another thing to consider here is that--unless I'm very misinformed--winners make more than losers in every promotion, not just WWE.  So you're not just criticizing WWE (your current employer), you're actually criticizing the entire industry your livelihood depends on, which may not be the smartest move if you're looking to elsewhere.

To his credit, Ryback acknowledges that this issue is prevalent with the entire pro wrestling community, not just WWE:

 It comes down to a major problem I have with not only WWE but wrestling in general.

But again, saying that you have an issue with all of pro wrestling and then complaining specifically about WWE sounds hypocritical.  And again, it's probably not the best career move as he will most likely be released from WWE and have nowhere else to work if promoters know money is going to be an issue for him.  It's not like the independent scene or even TNA has boat loads of cash to dole out to WWE refugees.

Losers and Winners

The battle of good vs. evil is one that has been waged in pro wrestling from its infancy.  It's what keeps us invested.  There are good guys and bad guys.  And bad guys will, eventually, all lose to the good guys.  Even top heels have to drop the title to the conquering hero.  When done correctly (i.e. Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair), it can give fans an exhilarating moment that they'll remember forever.  When done incorrectly (i.e. "Roman Reigns winning the 2014 Royal Rumble"), it can ruin what might have been a great story.

But the bad guys lose.  They always lose.  Watch a Disney movie.  Read Treasure Island.  Unless this is Game of Thrones, the bad guys always lose.

And here's the thing: the bad guy is called the bad guy because the character is designed for people to dislike.  And if people dislike you, they're probably not going to cheer for you, or buy your merchandise.  They're probably not paying to see you so much as see the guy that's beating you.

So let's compare someone like Ryback to someone like Daniel Bryan.  Is that really fair?

Nope.

Remember when Daniel Bryan was a heel?  Probably not, but he was.  And people still cheered for him because we all knew what a great wrestler he was and wanted to see him succeed.  Fast forward three years, and Daniel Bryan is the biggest face in pro wrestling.  His merchandise is flying off the shelves.  People are making signs, and stadiums full of fans are chanting "YES!  YES!  YES!"

Do you know how many Batista t-shirts were sold the day of Wrestlemania XXX?  Neither do I.  Nobody does.  Because nobody's buying the bad guy's t-shirt.

When Chris Jericho embarked on a heel run in WWE, Vince McMahon immediately planned to design another t-shirt to sell.  Jericho, knowing he was going to turn heel, put the kibosh on that with the logic that nobody's going to wear Hitler's t-shirt; he's a bad guy.

Jericho is an exception to the rule simply because of his level of brand recognition, but there's a simple, albeit harsh truth to all of this: the good guys make more money.

They make more money because they're the ones fans are paying to see.  They're selling merchandise because people want to represent their hero, not the villain.  So when the good guy loses, he gets paid less because it's the good guy who's going to make more money from the t-shirts after his victory.  Nobody's buying the loser's t-shirt.

Now, you could argue that WWE should compensate their talent equally and let merchandise sales fall outside of base pay, and I'd probably agree with you.  But if we put Daniel Bryan, or Steve Austin, or The Rock in the ring with Ryback, are we really expecting that Ryback is going to be paid the same as the others?

No, I don't think so.

This was the same argument made by CM Punk upon his exit from WWE.  But even Punk, at the height of his popularity in the midst of his 434-day reign as WWE Champion, was never as popular as mainstream icons like Rock, Austin, Hogan, or Flair.

And that brings me to my next point...

The CM Punk Initiative

Anyone who was watching WWE Payback saw the blatant homage to CM Punk by Ryback during his entrance.  As Ryback the day after that display and he'll probably tell you it wasn't his greatest decision he's ever made.

Maybe Ryback was just trying to paint himself as another "voice of the voiceless."  Maybe he considers himself a hero for the overworked and underpaid.  Or maybe he really does believe in what CM Punk stood (or wants us to believe he stood) for.

Whatever the case, it was the equivalent of pulling out a Joker in Wayne Manor.  It just looks bad.

And again, there's something to be said for having the courage to stand up for something you believe in, especially in an environment that can be as politically hostile as WWE.  But it all goes back to what you're standing up for.

For comparison's sake, let's look at Hulk Hogan and the steroid scandal of the 80's.  Hulk basically let the cat out of the bag by telling everyone that the WWF locker room was rampant with steroid and drug abuse.  Now, that's probably a good thing to come out and say, because it has (generally) made wrestling a much safer working environment from a backstage perspective.  But are we to believe that Hogan himself wasn't  one of the many guilty of steroid use?

Fast forward and we have CM Punk.  Maybe Ryback wasn't looking to follow in Punk's exact footsteps, but let's assume he takes some inspiration from the former "Best in the World."

They both come out against the pay structure.  Punk wasn't happy that he wasn't getting paid the same as The Rock and The Undertaker.  Ryback's upset he's not getting paid the same as the guys he's jobbing to.  We can see the similarities.

But who are they helping by making such a public show of dissatisfaction?  The talent in the WWE locker room?  Probably not.  They have a job and they don't want to lose it.  Cameron came out in obvious support of Ryback's testimony, and was released from WWE days later.  The rest of the existing WWE locker room--even if they're not employed--probably don't want to risk their careers after that flexing of power by the front office.  Is it right that WWE uses Cameron as an example to intimidate the rest of its talent pool?  Probably not, but we'll get to that.

Is this argument helping the guys on the indy scene?  Probably not.  The indy market (which, for this example excludes Ring of Honor, TNA, and Lucha Underground) is full of local promoters are barely scraping enough cash together to lure in one or two "big names" per show, while the rest of their talent makes $50 a match if they're lucky.  Unless you're lucky enough to land in one of the smaller, national promotions listed above (or New Japan overseas), you're not making more money jobbing there than you are in WWE.

The only people affected by CM Punk and Ryback's arguments are themselves.  They want better money.  They want equal pay for winners and losers, regardless of tenure or brand recognition.  They may think this is a noble endeavor.  They may think they're standing up for the "little guy", but they're actually  making things much worse than if they'd simply expressed their discontent and asked for their release.

This all goes back to the argument for unions in wrestling, and as many in the industry have said before, that's an unlikely scenario.  Wrestlers are in a tough spot: they're independent contractors under contract to a corporation.  They have very little protection against the dark sides of the business.  But unless everyone could somehow band together to form a single body to challenge the powers that be, it's not going to change.  That kind of thing is very difficult to do, particularly when you have men like John Cena at the top who I'm convinced would work for peanuts and still go out every night and try to kill himself.

As John Dickinson once said in the film 1776, "Most men would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor."

The Commitment and the Compromise

There's a final element to this that should be self-evident to anyone in the wrestling business, and I'm shocked at how many people are "appalled" by it.

That is the very idea that the company you wrestle for gives up on you.

I don't have to document this philosophy too deeply.  Guys like Damien Sandow, Dolph Ziggler, and Jack Swagger are infamous for being one of the fastest-rising stars on TV one week, and disappearing the next.  We assume this happens because WWE no longer wants them on TV.  Hell, go back to Stone Cold's podcast in which Vince McMahon said that the mega-popular Cesaro "wasn't connecting with the audience."  I'm not going to say that there isn't a clear bias when it comes to booking.

But I will say that as a performer, it's your job to overcome that adversity.  Need examples?  Steve Austin, The Rock, The Undertaker, and even Triple H were all saddled with ridiculous gimmicks upon arriving in WWE, and all rose to become top stars of their generation.  They evolved.  They went to Vince and said, "no more."

There's a reason some talent make more money than others.  They get over.  Daniel Bryan wasn't meant to get over, but he did in a huge way.  And he is just one of a handful of stars that were given small opportunities to succeed and made the absolute most of them.

The irony is that a man like CM Punk was able to overcome all of that adversity, and still wound up discontented with his status in the company.

Ryback had his moments.  He fought John Cena for the WWE Championship.  He is a former Intercontinental Champion.  And when he came back from a career-threatening injury, he cut heartfelt promos that made the crowd want to see him succeed at the highest level.

You have to help yourself.  Imagine what would happen if top stars made excuses for why they're not succeeding.  You can't blame the company, as much as we all want to.  It's your job to connect with the audience.  Do that, and you're a made superstar.  If you fail, you will fade away into oblivion.

And if there's one thing Ryback and Punk's departures will bear out, it's that the WWE "machine" keeps going long after the fires of your noble crusade have died out.

Raw is Great - Here's How to Make it Better

Fans may be split on whether or not Wrestlemania 32 was truly one of the greatest Wrestlemanias of all time, but most of them seem to agree that the episodes of Monday Night Raw following the big event have been consistently solid.

It may not make a whole lot of sense to have Shane McMahon at the helm of Raw, considering his death-defying loss to The Undertaker at the Showcase of the Immortals, but seeing someone new in charge of Monday nights has been refreshing.  Additionally, seeing faces like Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Enzo and Cass, and the Vaudevillains come up from NXT has injected some fresh blood into a tired roster.

No longer are we looking at the clock and struggling to stay awake during the weekly three-hour marathon.  Instead, we find ourselves doing something we haven't done in over a decade: wanting more.

The ratings may tell another story, but for hardcore wrestling fans, this is the most exciting time to be a fan since the Attitude Era.  Wanna keep those fans?  Here's a few things WWE can do to make sure fans continue to tune in every week, bring old fans back, and--most importantly--get a whole new generation of fans interested.


I DON'T NEED YOUR AUTHORITY

This one should be fairly obvious, considering the insane reaction Shane McMahon received upon his return, but there are several layers to this I want to explore.

First and foremost is the fact that Triple H has gone from being "The Cerebral Assassin" to the "Father of NXT".  This has made him popular with even the most jaded wresting fan: Triple H is saving professional wrestling from the swamp that has been Vince McMahon's era of PG-rated sports-entertainment.  And yet, every Monday night, fans are expected to boo Triple H because he's "The Authority."

With few exceptions, fans have been able to predict every episode of Raw helmed by The Authority.  Traditionally, we start with a 15-20 minute promo by Triple H or Stephanie talking about how Roman Reigns is somehow good but not good enough, or how Seth Rollins is the greatest WWE World Heavyweight Champion of all time.  Unfortunately, starting the show with these two characters makes them the focal point of the show: even more important than the WWE Champion himself, and that should never be the case.

Second is the very idea of a heel authority figure.  WWE has been playing this card for the better part of the last 20 years or so, and it's simply played out.  From Vince McMahon, to Eric Bischoff, to Vicki Guerrero, to John Laurintaitis, to Triple H and Stephanie, this angle has been beaten to death more times than Mick Foley.  It's time to put this to rest.  It doesn't draw money, it's not intriguing, it does nothing but annoy the fans.

Another problem with the traditional "authority" figure (specifically a heel), is that it tends to devalue what happens in the ring.  Rather than have wrestlers go out and succeed or fail on their own, we've entered into an era of a mutually understood code that if a wrestler isn't getting over, it's because whoever's in power doesn't want him to get over, and any wrestler that succeeds is succeeding because he's "overcome" the adversity of "the powers that be".  This is completely backwards: the focus should be on the talent themselves, not the backstage politicking.  WWE may like to use that as a scapegoat, but it's a little less funny when you realize that the only reason they make fun of it so much is because they know it's always happening.

If WWE insists on having an "authority" figure (i.e., Commissioner, General Manager, etc.), they should do exactly what Shane McMahon has done these past few weeks: appear in quick segments backstage to make matches.  In-ring promos should be few and far between, and only in dire circumstances where resolution is needed immediately.  Overexposure is a dire problem for WWE right now, and they can keep their talent feeling "special" by limiting how much time they spend in front of the camera.  No more Triple H opening and closing the show.  Give us a General Manager that is rarely seen, but flexes enough power to remind everyone who's in charge.

Ring of Honor is one organization doing a great job with Nigel McGuinness as their "authority" figure.  The man is always present, but rarely has cause to step out and demonstrate his power, so when it happens, it's a big deal.  Do the same with the McMahons, but do it sparingly so we can get back to what we're all tuning in to see: the wrestling.


TAKE A LITTLE OFF THE TOP

I remember being about 14 years old and watching Raw go off the air, only to turn to my brothers and say, "God, I wish this show was longer!"  Those two magical hours between 9:00 and 11:15 are some of the most exciting memories I have.  At some point, every fan has dreamed of a Raw that was three hours long.  WWE even teased this with their ever more frequent "three hours special editions" of Raw.

I'm sure it was the dollar signs that finally convinced Vince McMahon to take the inevitable plunge and tac on another hour to his flagship broadcast, but sometimes wishing for something is a lot better than actually getting it, and that is certainly the case with Raw.

There are some tremendous upsides to a three-hour Raw, and not all of it has to do with the increased cash flow.  Does anybody really think we'd be getting 20 minute matches between the likes of Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and AJ Styles if Raw were only two hours long?  Does anybody really think The New Day would have gotten themselves over if their segments were cut short because they only have so much TV time?

Hardcore wrestling fans may not having a problem staying tuned for three hours, but casual fans will find one episode of Raw is enough to satiate their wrestling appetite for a week or more.  Why tune in to another two hours of Smackdown, an hour of NXT, or a pay-per-view, not to mention anything on the WWE Network?

WWE prides itself on being at the forefront when it comes to social media and original content.  I'm not going to say they don't do an amazing job, but they seem to forget that fans have options.  This is not 1995.  The TV is no longer the go-to "idiot box" of choice.  When I'm watching Raw, I usually have my iPhone and iPad close by so I can follow shows like Busted Open and talk with other fans about what's happening.

But that's me, and we're talking about three hours in a generation with the shortest attention span in history.  If you don't give fans a reason to stay glued to your product, there are hundreds, if not thousands of alternatives at their fingertips.  Not enjoying Raw?  How about queueing up The Walking Dead on Netflix, or do a little shopping on Amazon?  Whip out your phone and play a quick game of your choice.

Or worse: change the channel.

NXT is consistently my favorite weekly wrestling program.  It's short, easy to digest, and features different superstars every week.  Fans are flocking to NXT for their wrestling fix, and some will end up forsaking Raw and Smackdown altogether if what they're getting every Monday and Thursday doesn't satisfy.

Despite the quality of Raw increasing, ratings have continued to slip.  As they do, it will most likely force advertisers to stop investing in the show, which will, in turn, force Raw back to two hours.  The next time Vince McMahon renews his contract with USA Network, he'll have to try and convince them that ratings don't matter if he wants to keep raking the same cash for his cow.  He could always threaten to move Raw to make it a WWE Network exclusive, but he'd essentially be cutting 2/3 of his audience, since WWE has been struggling to break even the 2 million mark for their over-the-top streaming service.


NXT!  NXT!  NXT!

This is a no-brainer, and I'm surprised WWE hasn't done it yet.

Every Thursday on Smackdown, WWE recaps Raw, proving once again that Smackdown is the #2 show in WWE (when was the last time you saw a "Smackdown Rebound" on Raw?)

They should be doing the same thing every week with NXT.

WWE knows they have a hit in NXT, but the only glimpse we get of NXT is when someone from their roster moves up to Raw or Smackdown, and while that may spark a temporary interest in NXT, it does little to sustain it, since feuds superstars have had in NXT rarely carry over to the main roster (with the exception of the current Owens/Zayn angle).

Raw should feature a weekly 3-5 minute video package recapping that week's episode of NXT.  This gets new faces on the roster, increases brand awareness, and--most importantly--drives people to the WWE Network.

WWE already does this to some extent: they have a good 2-minute or so commercial for the WWE Network that's basically a montage of various original programming there.  That's great, but fans want action.  Don't know who Asuka is?  Show fans how she destroyed Cameron on NXT.  Never heard of The Revival?  Show them crushing their opponents for the NXT Tag Team Championship.

To say the Vaudevillains received a lukewarm welcome on the main roster is an understatement, and a disappointment.  These two men continue to be one of the most over acts in NXT.  Fans can recite their introduction from memory, much like Enzo and Cass.  But the lack of awareness on the part of Raw and Smackdown's fanbases not only hurts the credibility of Aiden English and Simon Gotch, but speaks volumes as to how much of WWE's weekly fanbase has managed to elude subscribing to the WWE Network.

If anyone knows how to cross-promote, it's Vince McMahon.  We could get in to all the reasons he's buried the NXT talent on his main roster, or why he seems to refuse to acknowledge that brand in general, but the bottom line is that Vince McMahon needs the WWE Network to succeed if Raw and Smackdown and his company in general are to survive.  It's not enough to promise us the opportunity to relive our favorite memories (I think I've watched one old-school Raw on the Network in its entirety), you have to promise us something new.  NXT is the fulfillment of that promise and is the perfect catalyst for new subscribers.


DIVERSITY = LONGEVITY

Perhaps the biggest issue with WWE right now is overexposure, and it's finally starting to show in a huge way.

The injury bug that has plagued WWE for much of the last year has been well documented, and while we could obviously look at these on a case-by-case basis, it would be naive to think there isn't an underlying theme to all of them.

Could we really doubt the idea that Seth Rollins would still have been your WWE Champion going in to Wrestlemania 32 had he not blown out his knee in Ireland?  Could we really doubt that John Cena would've been somewhere near the top of the card that night had he not needed emergency surgery just two weeks after his return from hiatus?  Might it have been Neville or Cesaro holding the Intercontinental Championship that night instead of Zack Ryder?

We'll never really know the answers to these questions, but it's probably safe to say "yes" to most of them.

And all these people have one thing in common: in the weeks and months leading up to their injuries, they were featured on WWE programming at least once in a wrestling capacity every single week.

Use whatever reasoning you want, be it the five hours of weekly original programming to fill, or the ridiculously thin roster.  In either case, these wrestlers were worked every single week, often times performing in similar or identical matches on both Raw and Smackdown.  That's twice the toll taken on the human body, and eventually it failed them.

Overexposure is a problem in WWE.  Seeing the same faces on every show leaves them feeling tired and washed out.  Hearing the same promos on each show gets annoying and monotonous.  It's hard to keep your WWE Champion feeling special when he's getting on TV six times a week.  Why even bother with the WWE Network?  I've seen enough already.

It also creates the problem of running out the tread on the tires before they even get going, and that can make a thin talent roster even thinner.

WWE has started to rectify this problem with the influx of NXT talent to the main roster, and if they're smart, they'll keep changing things up week by week so the talent isn't worn out before the next pay-per-view.


GOOD GUY GOODBYE

Okay, this is the big one.

We've heard it every week since Wrestlemania.

"I'm not a good guy.  I'm not a bad guy.  I'm just the guy."

This is a step in the right direction for Roman Reigns, but it comes too little too late and WWE does too much to contradict it for it to be true.  Also, the fact that it seems to be the only thing he's capable of saying doesn't help, either.

There's something to be said for those who believe the days of the true babyface and heel are dead.  That's a product of the age we live in, and while it may be difficult to translate that into the world of wrestling, it's not impossible.  Brock Lesnar versus The Undertaker was a fantastic feud that had fans questioning if a beast was worth cheering for or if they should boo a Deadman who resorted to dirty tactics.  Characters like CM Punk and AJ Styles continue to succeed in the "grey area" between good and evil.

Each generation has had their heroes.  In the 80's the hero was a virtuous powerhouse that used his ungodly strength to uphold truth and justice.  In the 90's the hero was the everyman who went against the established order.

Who is the hero now, and how should WWE be establishing their heroes of this generation?

To this question, I ask another question: what are the most popular franchises in the world, right now?

Rather than do some research, I'm gonna throw out some names off the top of my head.

Marvel.  The Walking Dead.  Game of Thrones.  Breaking Bad.

Okay.  That's enough for now.  I'm sure I've missed some, and keep in mind this is colored by my own choices for entertainment.  Yours may vary.  But let's examine these, shall we?  We'll start by taking some of the most popular characters from each franchise.

Tony Stark - A billionaire playboy whose company once dealt in weapons.  After being kidnapped and forced to build a missile, he returns to America to become the world-saving Iron Man.

Rick Grimes - A former police officer who awakes from a coma in post-apocalyptic America to find it overrun by living corpses.  Trying to keep those close to him alive, he continues to sacrifice his own morals and humanity in the name of survival.

Tyrion Lannister - The silver-tongued dwarf son of the wealthiest man in the realm, he murders, lies, and steals his way through the twisted politics of his world.  Along the way he also displays a surprising affection for his family and eventually pledges allegiance to a fledgling queen in hopes she will overthrow his tyrannical sister.

Walter White - Stricken with a fatal cancer, he quits his job as a mild-mannered school teacher and enlists the help of a former student to begin brewing crystal meth as a means to provide for his family after his death, eventually becoming the most feared and revered manufacturer in the world.

See the theme, here?  It would be very easy to hate any of these characters at some point or other, but we cheer for them because they are not simply two-dimensional.

What WWE characters stand out in your mind?

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin - A guy who didn't fit in to the corporate structure, so he spent years beating up his boss.  But does anybody remember when he saved the boss' daughter from The Undertaker?

Triple H - A guy who came into his own by snubbing authority.  Now he is the authority.

CM Punk - An underdog who had to be a jerk to prove he was the best.

Daniel Bryan - The most likable guy in the last 10 years, but does anyone remember when he was parading around being a jerk to AJ Lee?

I realize that you don't have the same time on Monday nights that you do in a dedicated hour of television to develop a character, but it's not enough for those characters to be black and white, anymore.

Roman Reigns can come out and tell people he's not a good guy, but when I see him crying over the WWE Championship or granting a Make-A-Wish, I have to assume I'm meant to sympathize, and I can't.

That's because each of these characters mentioned above has struggled: Tony Stark's imprisonment, the deaths of Rick's friends and family, Tyrion's deformity, Walter White's cancer.

Each of these struggles transformed the character into something new, but Reigns' struggle came late in the game when he had already been touted as someone important.  It's a very backwards way of doing things, and WWE needs to fix that with the rest of their roster before moving forward.

This is again where NXT shines through: it provides the proving ground for our wrestlers to be come heroes and villains before they get to Raw or Smackdown.

The irony is that Vince McMahon claims WWE is competing with all forms of entertainment, but is it beating any of it?  Is Vince even aware of the trend in entertainment right now?  WWE has all the tools to compete, but it needs to tap in to its fanbase and the fanbases of other popular mediums before it can start to change in a way that will push the company forward instead of holding it back.

WWE Fastlane 2016 Predictions

WWE Fastlane 2016

Predictions

Plotting the Road to Wrestlemania

To say that WWE is in a controversial bind would be an understatement.  A full two years after launching their lauded (and maligned) home-grown Network, subscriptions are still failing to meet expectations.  The company's marque event is just over the horizon, and they are trying hard to fill 100,000 seats at AT&T Stadium.  That second issue is compounded by the fact that WWE's roster has been plagued by injuries over the past several months, sidelining some of their biggest names and leaving the entire Wrestlemania card in serious doubt.

Despite all this, the WWE machine continues to plow headlong toward the inevitable, and while we may not know what to expect in Dallas come April, we know that at least one match will be set in stone (as far as that goes in WWE terms) after Sunday night.

It's likely the outcomes of Sunday's matches will shed some much-needed light on what's to happen at Wrestlemania, but whether it's enough to sell out AT&T Stadium is another matter.  Let's take a look at what we can hope to expect at Fastlane:

WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP

WWE Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler

It's likely WWE took the Intercontinental Championship off of Dean Ambrose to help boost his credibility going into the night's Triple Threat main event, but if they were going to give it to anyone, Kevin Owens was probably their smartest bet.  Owens is completely over with fans whether they want to cheer him as an antihero or completely boo him as a heel.  Owens is one of the few to ascend from NXT without suffering major damage from a creative and booking standpoint (see "Bo Dallas", "Tyler Breeze", "Neville", etc.).  He's been kept consistently near the upper mid-card, and it was believed at one point that he might even be built as an opponent for Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 32.

It's unfortunate for Owens that the entire roster is so thinly stacked.  Even without men like Cesaro and Tyson Kidd being sidelined with potentially career-ending injuries, there just aren't a lot of potential contenders for Owens' championship that fans will pay to see without some serious suspension of disbelief.  That being said, you may not think Ziggler has much of a shot at winning the title from Owens, but you'll at the very least be assured the match will be a quality effort from both men.  The glaring question, of course, is what happens to that title going into what WWE hopes will be the greatest Wrestlemania of all time?

It's unlikely we'll get a one-on-one encounter for the Intercontinental title at Wrestlemania, particularly if Ziggler is still holding it.  Continuing Owens' reign might warrant some sort of match against someone, but it's more than likely that whoever wins this match will do little more than escort the title into and out of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.  That being said, WWE is apt to remind us that there is no "off-season" in their business, so it's just as important that the champion be able to carry the title well beyond April 3rd.

WHO WILL WIN: Kevin Owens

WHO SHOULD WIN: Kevin Owens

WWE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP

WWE Divas Champion Charlotte vs. Brie Bella

We can debate all we want about the validity of Brie Bella's title shot that seemed to come out of nowhere (she can thank her husband's tear-jerking retirement for that), but this match could have huge repercussions for the Divas division on WWE's main roster.

My immediate reaction to this match is that Charlotte has to win.  She's done a great job as a heel champion with her father in her corner to lend her not just credibility, but to enhance her turn as the new "Dirtiest Player in the Game."  In a perfect world, Charlotte would walk into Wrestlemania with the title and face Sasha Banks, pitting the two freshest and most talented Divas against each other on the biggest possible stage.

However, Brie's recent appearance on Good Morning America to talk about her husband's injuries and subsequent exit has thrown a huge wrench into what would otherwise be a pretty cut-and-dry scenario.  In that interview, Brie stated that she plans on retiring from WWE sooner rather than later, and ensuing reports have hinted that the end of Brie's career could be as near as Summerslam.

If that's the case, WWE could give Brie one last run as Divas Champion as a nice send-off.  Whether that should happen at Charlotte's expense, much less at Wrestlemania 32 is anybody's guess, but it's something worth considering.  It's also worth considering that--in WWE's eyes--Brie as Champion brings in some modicum of mainstream press as one of the two main stars of Total Divas, and since Wrestlemania is considered a blending of pro wrestling and entertainment, what better stage to put your reality star on top?

If that were to happen, it's perfectly reasonable to think that Brie could drop the title at 'Mania to Sasha or Charlotte (or Paige, or Becky, or whoever), thus solidifying her final run and helping to get over the next generation of stars.

But let's hope they save that for Summerslam.

WHO WILL WIN: Brie Bella

WHO SHOULD WIN: Charlotte

Becky Lynch & Sasha Banks vs. Naomi & Tamina

While we're on the subject of the Divas division, let's talk about this convoluted bout.

Let's just say that the long-touted Divas Revolution fell a little flat during the NXT to WWE transition.  Pairing each of the three new Divas with their respective teams did little to infuse a sense of personal rivalry between them.  Instead of getting the types of epic one-on-one title-driven contests familiar to NXT loyalists, we were treated to repetitive, stale tag team matches week after week.  Add to this the confusing face/heel turns of Paige and Charlotte and the entire "movement" left fans supremely underwhelmed.

In the midst of all this, Sasha Banks has been a standout for fans, who voiced their displeasure with the Divas formula by chanting "WE-WANT-SA-SHA" on Raw and Smackdown...even when Ms. Banks was not in the arena.  WWE eventually took notice and decided to change up Sasha's character by having her strike out on her own, away from her Team B.A.D. cohorts.

Meanwhile, the recently heel-turned Charlotte was beating up on Becky Lynch, and somehow the "Lass-Kicker" wound up teaming with Sasha when Sasha's ex-teammates decided she was hogging a little too much of the spotlight.  Honestly, I think it's impossible for a Divas storyline to involve a friendly rivalry at this point.  Paige, Charlotte, Tamina, and Naomi have all now double-crossed one friend or another, and to make matters worse, save for the cases with Paige and Becky, the Divas Championship was not even the main point of contention.

The irony here is that fans thought they were finally getting what they wanted from Sasha Banks: a chance to see arguably the best women's wrestler on the planet battle it out for the Championship against one of her NXT rivals.  Instead, WWE went back to the tag team well and simply switched up the dance partners.

Naomi and Tamina desperately need this win to stay relevant in a Divas division that is quickly passing them by, but a loss for Sasha and Becky could spell doom for the Divas division going into Wrestlemania.  A win for the NXT girls could put Sasha in a position to challenge Charlotte for the title in Dallas...if WWE feels confident enough to put the two of them out there in a one-on-one matchup.  Whatever the outcome, this tag team philosophy needs to be put to bed so we can finally let this division loose to show us what they can do without having to tether themselves to each other.  It's a safety net these women don't need.

WHO WILL WIN: Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch

WHO SHOULD WIN: Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch

"The Cutting Edge Peep Show" featuring The New Day

This talk segment was apparently so big WWE felt the need to promote it.  Obviously, Edge and Christian will be interviewing The New Day.  And that's...that's just okay.

I love E&C.  I really do.  They are one of the greatest tag teams of all time, and their backstage segments during the Attitude Era were hilarious, smart, and entertaining.

A lot of people have suggested that this segment will lead to an Edge & Christian vs. New Day match at Wrestlemania.  Rest assured, those people are wishing on a fallen star.  If Daniel Bryan's retirement is any indication about how serious WWE is about protecting their contracted talent, there's no way they are letting either Edge or Christian back in the ring.  Christian had to walk away due to concussion issues years ago (and with much less fanfare than either Edge or Bryan), and Edge's emotional farewell and Hall of Fame induction were the perfect ending for a career cut much too short.

So what is this segment about?  Well, to be honest, it's about promoting The Edge and Christian Show on WWE Network.  Other than that?  It's something for the New Day to do without putting their titles on the line.  It's possible the Dudley Boyz will emerge to challenge New Day for their WWE Tag Team Championship.

Yes, Edge and Christian were great as a team, but both men had since moved on to stand alone in their own right as great singles wrestlers.  Both would become World Champions, and Edge's "Rated R Superstar" character would eventually eclipse the goofiness of his early career.  It's just hard to see these two trying to rekindle something that was so much a product of its time.  This is no longer the Bevis and Butthead era, and while I welcome Edge and Christian on any show, it seems shameless to shoehorn them into a program so close to Wrestlemania without any impact on the event itself.  It's just lazy, and unfortunately will probably become a 20-minute bathroom break.  Prepare for some CM Punk chants mid-way through.

WHO WILL WIN: No one.

WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP

WWE United States Champion Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio

I can't remember the last time a single move launched a wrestler from lower mid-card to a championship so quickly.  Just as quickly as Kalisto won the United States Championship, Alberto Del Rio regained it.  Kalisto won the title back at Royal Rumble, thus setting up this obligatory rematch at Fastlane.

It says something about Kalisto that he's been able to overcome a rough gimmick and terrible booking to become United States Champion.  He is a fantastic wrestler, and I've said before that Kalisto is the Sin Cara that WWE always wanted Sin Cara to be: someone who connects with the audience, someone who can run Mysterio-esque circles around his opponents.  Kalisto continues the lucha libre tradition Mysterio ushered in, and he's doing a fine job.  Like Owens, however, it's unfortunate that the undercard is so weak, leaving Kalisto with few credible opponents.

As a former World Champion, Del Rio might have added some prestige to the U.S. title if it weren't for the fact that he was stuck in the horrible League of Nations.  WWE has done Del Rio no favors since return to WWE.  After beating John Cena for the United States Championship (yes, that John Cena), WWE preceded to almost never mention the monumental feat on television.  They then paired Del Rio with former ally Zeb Colter, which is not usually such a bad idea, except that WWE in this case thought it would be smart to try and make Del Rio a face by completely changing Colter's character.  Whereas Zeb was famous for his rants against alleged illegal immigrants and love for a "home-grown" America, Colter in this instance decided that he would now attempt to reconcile with fans by melding Mexicans and Americans into a single, great nation called MexAmerica.

Seriously, when Jack Swagger of all people has to come over and ask what the hell happened to you, you're in a bad way.

Del Rio broke things off with Colter when Colter's motorized scooter somehow caused Del Rio to trip during a match or something.  Alberto said fans were laughing at him, but fans were too bored or confused to react at all.  So after this happens and Del Rio gets a few matches to squash his ex-tag partner, Swagger, Del Rio aligns himself with the League of Nations: a faction whose sole purpose seems to be to pick on the fan un-favorite Roman Reigns.

That's all well and good, except that the League never actually got the better of Reigns.  At every turn, Reigns had an answer for every trick in the League's limited playbook.  Whether it was trotting out his cousins, The Usos, or his "brother", Dean Ambrose, to even the odds, the League of Nations looked foolish every week on Raw and Smackdown.  Despite consisting of some of the best and strongest talent on the roster, each of which had previously held championship gold, it was perhaps losing the 5-on-1 tag team match against Roman Reigns that spelled utter doom for the young faction.

At this point, it's hard to tell if the League of Nations is still a thing, with leader Sheamus and partner King Barrett both injured (Barrett recently almost-announcing his intentions to retire from WWE).  They seem to trot out together with their horrible entrance music whenever it feels convenient to remind the fans they have each others backs (usually in preparation for a bloated tag team main event match), but are suddenly absent when it comes time for one of their own to lose a championship.

So we'll do this Del Rio vs. Kalisto thing one more time.  I'm sure the match will be fine.  Heck, it might even be a show-stealer considering the talents of both men.  But the overreaching consequences of this bout will be little to none.  Like the Intercontinental Championship earlier, the winner of this match will probably be entered in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and be unceremoniously disposed of.

If I had to guess, I'd say that Del Rio is needed nearer the top of the card considering the plague of injuries that have thinned out the main event scene.  Probably best to find some other poor soul to job to Kalisto every week (I'm looking at you, Tyler Breeze).

WHO WILL WIN: Kalisto

WHO SHOULD WIN: Kalisto

Ryback, Big Show & Kane vs. The Wyatt Family

Apparently, Big Show's Raw main event match (yes, you read that correctly) against Braun Stroman (yes, you read that correctly, too) was so well received by fans the world over that WWE decided to stick Ryback, Kane, and the entire Wyatt Family into the mix to form this 4-on-3 debacle.

Ugh...what can I say about this match?  Ryback is "The Big Guy."  Kane is "The Big Red Monster."  And Big Show is...well...I mean, the word "big" is in his name.  It's obviously enough to have in common for these three lost boys to unite against the ever-potent Wyatt Family.

You know what?  Let's start with the Wyatt Family while I think of something interesting to write about the other three.  Bray Wyatt has been one of the most intriguing characters with the most underwhelming matches in recent memory.  Remember: this was the guy that two years ago walked into a Wrestlemania match against John Cena (yes, that John Cena).

And he lost.  Then he fought John Cena in a cage and won.  Kind of.  I mean, he escaped the cage before Cena did.  Like, barely.  Mainly because there was this kid and he was singing, but he had the voice coming through the arena speakers that was clearly not his own and Cena--who is very used to children sounding like children--was so startled by this that it actually cost him the match.  So yeah, I mean, Bray won.  That way.

So they fight a third time because the laws of wrestling dictate that John Cena cannot end a feud by losing (see "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson").  And this time, it's a Last Man Standing Match.  And Bray wins because his Family comes out and interferes on his behalf.

Oh, wait.  Sorry.  Mistake.  Despite the match being a no-disqualifications match, nobody comes out to help Bray against SuperCena before the "New Face of Fear" is buried under a pile of staging equipment for the 10-count.

Can't be all bad, right?  Wyatt's still the guy, right?

Let's ask Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Kane, and The Undertaker (yes, that Undertaker).  Wyatt has lost to all of them.  Literally every time this guy comes out and talks about being the "Eater of Worlds" and tells us to "Follow the Buzzards" and singing songs from the public domain with vaguely religious overtones, he loses.  Every.  Single.  Time.

The only person Wyatt has ever truly beaten--and by that, I mean the only feud he's ever had a winning record in--was against Chris Jericho.  Unfortunately, nobody remembers that because WWE decided it would be better not to have two of the best talkers on their roster in the ring cutting promos against each other, so we were left with your typical run-in interferences and other ringside shenanigans to fuel what could've been an otherwise fascinating feud.  To make matters worse, fans probably don't remember the rubber match because it happened on Raw instead of a pay-per-view, and don't remember Wyatt winning that match because all they can see is 40-something Chris Jericho leaping off the top of the steel cage.

If that wasn't enough, the Wyatts were briefly split apart, with Eric Rowan and Luke Harper each looking to make their own mark.  While Harper was arguably the best of the bunch and even received a brief run with the Intercontinental Championship, Rowan was written as something like a lost child.  Rowan would disappear and reappear with no explanation and just as quickly as they were divided, the Wyatts were re-united again.

And this was all before Wyatt was stuck with Braun Stroman: another of WWE's infamous big-men who makes The Great Khali look like Ric Flair.  Lumbering around the ring with the flexibility of a glue stick, Stroman's most interesting moment was standing toe-to-toe with The Big Show without the veteran giant uttering the words, "Yes, Braun, I am your father."  Since WWE loves its giants, it was only logical to put the aging Show in the ring with the green-as-grass rookie and see what happened.  In fact, I'm convinced that the run-in by Kane and Ryback were planned during Raw's last commercial break to save the segment when Vince realized nobody cared what was going on.

To cap this all off we have this match where three guys with the word "big" in their monikers are going to fight four guys with beards, fueled by movies known only to Vince McMahon and his inner circle (which is a clever metaphor for his toilet).  Kane may be the only person to match Big Show in the ratio of time served/character changes department, and Big Show himself has been receiving chants of "Please Retire" from the crowd for months, now.  That leaves Ryback to stand alone, more or less unmolested by the fans, but only because WWE hasn't given us any reason to care about him.

At the end of the day, these men will provide the necessary filler for the now star-studded Memorial Battle Royal at 'Mania.  As for Fastlane, well, I suggest you use this opportunity to hit the concession stands or visit Vince McMahon's "inner circle".

WHO WILL WIN: Ryback, Big Show, & Kane

WHO SHOULD WIN: The Wyatt Family

Chris Jericho vs. A.J. Styles

Finally: a match we can get invested in!  Whereas the other matches on this card can be called examples of the typically convoluted and non-sensical nature of WWE's creative processes, this match is a testament to the time-tested pro wrestling KISS formula.  No backstabbing betrayals, no stealing the other guy's girlfriend only to find she really does love the guy who stole her, no backstage politics, no flat-panning stare-downs.  This is good, old-fashioned Wrestling Feuds 101.

World-renowned pro wrestler and ex-TNA poster boy A.J. Styles has finally broken through the big time in WWE and after an admirable effort in the Royal Rumble match, beat "Y2J" Chris Jericho in his first-ever one-on-one WWE match the next night on Raw.  Upset, Jericho challenges him to a rematch on Smackdown and gets the victory back.  As discussed above when it comes to John Cena, a rubber match is dictated by wrestling law, and so we have this Fastlane bout.

Most fans probably hoped this would be a Wrestlemania match, but whether it happens at 'Mania or at Fastlane, the match itself should be...dare I say...phenomenal.  These are two veterans who know how to work a crowd into a frenzy, and I for one am really looking forward to what kind of story they can tell here.  You may not think this will carry over to Wrestlemania, but I tend to think otherwise.  It's perfectly logical to think that a heel Chris Jericho will pull out some sort of chicanery to perhaps get himself or A.J. disqualified, thus setting up a true final encounter in April.  But, it's also possible that Jericho and Styles will have some different opponents by then (Finn Balor, anyone?)

WHO WILL WIN: A.J. Styles / The Fans

WHO SHOULD WIN: A.J. Styles

TRIPLE THREAT MATCH

#1 CONTENDER FOR THE WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP AT WRESTLEMANIA 32

Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

Remember when I was talking about Wrestling 101?  Well, we're gonna talk about it some more.

We've got three men here vying for a shot at Triple H's WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and--perhaps almost as importantly--a main-event spot at Wrestlemania 32.

The relationship between WWE, the fans, and Roman Reigns is well documented.  Despite WWE's best (or worst) efforts to get Reigns over, the "Roman Empire" has yet to truly take shape in WWE, even after a conflicted WWE World Championship run.  I'm sure WWE thought that having Triple H screw Reigns out of the title would endear Roman to the WWE Universe, but the exact opposite was true.  Maybe it's because of Triple H's work as the father of NXT.  Maybe it's the sheer history he has with the fans.  Maybe it's because he feels so much more legitimate as champion.  Whatever the case, Roman Reigns has been booed out of arenas since losing the title in what was possibly the most poorly booked spot in the entire Royal Rumble.

Then there's Dean Ambrose, who, despite his popularity, has never been booked far above the mid-card unless you count his brief feud with Seth Rollins for the WWE Championship.  Fans may want to see Dean challenge for the top prize, but WWE has so little faith in him they actually worked into the storyline, having Paul Heyman come out and tell Dean to his face how little chance he stands against both Roman and Lesnar.  To combat this sentiment, WWE took the Intercontinental Championship from Dean, knowing fans were smart enough to realize an incumbent champion could never win a second belt (unless you're Seth Rollins).  It's hard to tell if WWE will actually follow through on its own threat, though, considering how little they care for the "indy wrestlers", particularly after the problems with CM Punk and Daniel Bryan.

Finally, there's Brock Lesnar, who at this point seems poised to run through everyone and is by far the most credible threat to Triple H and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  Granted, this is a Triple-Threat Match, so it would be very to have Lesnar lose without making him look weak.  This is, after all, the man who broke The Streak.  We can't just have him lose outright to a Roman Reigns or a Dean Ambrose...can we?

There's a lot of elements at play, here, and it seems that something's gotta give.  Some sort of heel turn or change of fate is in the works, but what exactly?  Sure, we can sit here and speculate, but the bottom line is this: Wrestlemania 32 is the next pay-per-view in line.  WWE needs to start building the main event now or it risks going into an AT&T Stadium with empty seats still available.  Picking the right opponent is key, here.  We can talk in-ring credibility all we want.  We talk creative believability all we want.  But what matters most right now is which name is going to garner ticket sales and Network subscriptions for WWE.

If that's the case, there is only one choice, here.  Reigns will not move tickets or get people to subscribe to the WWE Network.  Remember: it was Reigns' Royal Rumble win in 2013 that caused people to unsubscribe from the Network in droves.  A man that is getting booed by fans across the country is not the man you want walking into your main event in front of your largest potential crowd.

Ambrose would be a fan favorite, but can you really picture him on the Wrestlemania 32 poster staring down Triple H?  Dean Ambrose is a fantastic brawler and brilliant talker, but he won't get the eyes of mainstream press on your product, and he won't get non-wrestling fans to tune in.  The "hardcore" audience (which is in the minority here, make no mistake), may want to see Ambrose.  Even the 100,000 in Dallas may want to see Ambrose as they could be counted as the most hardcore fans, but do you really want Ambrose's name in the papers or on TV's?  Do you want Triple H's poised glare of disdain to be met with the bulging eyes and slack jaw of a mad man?  No.

You want the self-assured, smug grin of "The Game" to be met with the beady-eyed focus of an unstoppable Beast.  Lesnar will bring eyes from the MMA world, which will in turn boost publicity across multiple platforms.  Hardcore fans will want to see Lesnar wrest the title away from the greedy corporate champion, and casual fans will just want to see two larger-than-life machines tear each other apart.  You won't get a match more visceral than that.

The added bonus to having Lesnar face Triple H at Wrestlemania is that it frees up Ambrose and Reigns, who look to be building their own feud of brotherly betrayal.  You could have Ambrose vs. Reigns on the same card in April as a co-main event.  I'm sure WWE intended to do a Shield Triple-Threat at some point for the title, but that will have to wait until Rollins returns.  In the meantime, a Reigns vs. Ambrose feud could be just what both men need to finally ascend to that next level.

Now, I'm not saying Lesnar will win the match.  WWE could take a page out of NXT's playbook and have the match end with no decision, leading to a Fatal Four-Way match for the title in Dallas.  Or, they could do the right thing for their struggling company and take Lesnar to Wrestlemania.

WHO WILL WIN: Roman Reigns

WHO SHOULD WIN: Brock Lesnar