Kane and...unable.

So that was it?

Sadly after all the "hype" as I predicted Taker and Kane returned after a week off TV and demolished the entire Wyatt Family. So why would anyone want to watch any further match involving The Brothers of Destruction and the Wyatts? The two old guys took out all four Wyatt family members with ease and without support.
What is left in this story?
Nothing.
What has it changed?
Harper/Rowan - now 6ft plus jobbers.
Strowman - enforcer vibe gone.
Bray - once again neutered as a top level heel.
Taker & Kane - receive a totally unnecessary and counter-productive push.
Storyline - "hello? plot, plot?...are you there?"

Totally happy to be proven wrong with a great twist but will not hold my breath

Reminds me of two previous situations.

1) Remember when Shane O' Mac was criticised for taking out all of Legacy? I'd imagine such scorn will be spared Mark and Glenn.
2) Remember the other time Taker & Kane jobbed out two promising talents for pointless egotistical reasons? These weren't promising heels in the making either. They were DDP and Kanyon, proven, seasoned and complete wrestlers destroyed in one match during the Invasion angle in 2001.

Oh well at least Owens and The New Day rocked Manchester. The past ain't what it used to be.

Until next time...at ease.

Between a Rock and...what exactly?

You can understand why WWE are on the lookout for the next megastar on the scale of The Rock. I was, and am, a huge fan of The Rock and especially enjoyed his "Hollywood" heel run. I don't need to remind you that back in the day there was a huge pool of top talent - Austin, Rock, Angle, Taker, Foley, HHH, HBK etc etc etc. But in terms of breakout talent Dwayne stands alone and considering how dreadful his early days were who could have predicted it? He was a real one off who completely exceeded all expectations and the achievements of his relatives who came before him.

And that's the point.

Being related to "The Great One" doesn't mean greatness is in the genes and shouldn't grant a nepotistic push. Do WWE fail to understand that? Lets look at the evidence.

Reigns - the best hope in the family line. Even so the fans obviously and vocally failed to buy into his pre-Mania push. Even now in the Rollins-less title situation is he a standout candidate for the gold? You'd have to say no.

Usos - what am I missing? Fast-forward fodder with more charisma in cameos on Total Divas than every moment combined in a WWE ring.

Tamina - poor in all aspects.

Nia - the latest family member who had the most anti-climactic debut in recent years and is awfully exposed amongst the strength of the NXT Diva division. On a par with Eva Marie in the ring.

Sometimes the apples fall far from the tree.

Until next time...at ease.

Be careful what you wish for.

Gutted to hear about the injury to Rollins. An incredible talent and, in my opinion, the best heel champion since Edge. The first priority is the guy fully recovering and moving forwards healthily.

There are two points leading from this injury though.

1) As I said in my previous post why is Kane even wrestling at the moment? No it isn't the 70's and fans are aware of the nature of the product but even so. At a time where Kane is "missing" why is he wrestling in the full gaze of the world. Poor, illogical short-sighted booking. Obviously I'm not blaming Kane for the injury, it could happen at any time but ,creatively, he should never have been on the card in the first place.

2) And to those who were bored with Rollins as champ I've got one question.
Who takes the title at Survivor Series? Who is on Seth's all round level to be champ?
Think about everything it requires then look at the main roster.

Reigns? Ambrose? Sheamus? Cesaro? Wyatt? Cena? We'll all have differing views on those guys but do any of them really fit the bill? In my opinion not one of them is ready to be champ at this time.

There are two men who do. One is Kevin Owens. The only real heel on the main card in my view and the most developed character without gimmicks. Sadly can't see it though.

The other is HHH and this actually makes sense to me. They need a real difference maker who has the experience, ego and storyline reason to take the gold. "The Game" could play off the simmering resentment between he and Rollins and take some kind of responsibility. He would then become an uber heel and I believe would be more accepted as champ by the fans for those reasons than Cena. This would lead to a SHIELD reunion on Rollins return and would be both creatively and $$$$ satisfying.

Anyway thoughts with Seth.

Until next time...at ease.

Give it time to breathe.

One thing which bothers me is not allowing storylines to properly develop.

The current angle in WWE with Bray Wyatt "harvesting" the souls of Taker and Kane is good. The segment on RAW was especially strong. This would be an ideal opportunity to push Bray as a top tier heel for the next couple of years and properly build the tension of this story.

Trouble is it won't be allowed to develop and the impact will be diminished. Even if the return of Taker and Kane could be held back until the Rumble with a slow build it would get a huge response and really draw people in.

This isn't going to happen is it?

Chances are they return at Survivor Series, at the latest, and all of the building of Bray/Wyatt's will be lost again - think back to the bizarre booking of Bryan joining the Wyatt's for about 3 days.

You have to allow these stories to develop.

Most exciting moment on RAW for me? Owens telling Seth he "owed him one". I sincerely hope this will be followed through at, at Mania next year?, Owens costs Seth big time leading to a dream feud. But does WWE have the courage/memory to do this? I suspect not sadly.

Want to see how an overarching story arc can really work? Look at the flawless booking of
Pentagon Jr vs Vampiro in Lucha Underground from earlier this year. That was a 5 month story in the making with a tremendous payoff. A throwback to intelligently written and well paced stories at their finest.

And lets all rejoice in a 2nd season of Lucha Underground being confirmed.

Cero Miedo!

Until next time...at ease.

Still here... more to come.

A quick line to say that Major Wrestling Comment will return on a more regular basis.
The focus has been recovery and rebuilding rather than this humble blog.

So far so good.

If you haven't yet watched Ultima Lucha make it your business to do so, THE wrestling event of recent years.

Enjoy your days in good health.

Until next time... at ease.

Cero Miedo

I'll keep this brief.

Since May 20th life has thrown me a couple of challenges. This isn't about self pity or the need for sympathy. This is about the genuine power of pro-wrestling.

Obviously my wonderful family and true friends are the real rocks and they matter the most.

But whether it be in a hospital bed or recovering at home I've genuinely found distraction, happiness and absorption in the sport we all love.
I know more about pro-wrestling than anything else on this planet and recently asked my wife what good it has done me?
I'll leave this with her paraphrased view.
"It's for you, it's your time and it brings you pleasure. You'll never need that knowledge professionally  and that's why it really matters".
Fact is she loves it as much as me which really matters!

I'm on a road to recovery but everyday - wrestling makes it better.

Until the next time - at ease.

Obi Wan KenCorgan.

State of the nation.

WWE - dull.
Only worth mentioning NXT, which is a joy, and the network which is an absolute treasure trove.
Everything else since Wrestlemania has been appalling. Whoever managed to make Rollins, Orton, Wyatt, Ambrose et all boring is a genius...sort of.

TNA - struggling.
Resembling late 90's wCw more by the week. If you weren't there I was...it wasn't pretty. Another great roster that should be essential but just isn't and that's depressing.
Also where is next year's Maximum Impact tour? The UK is a huge market and by now tickets should be booked. Worrying.

"Help us Billy Corgan...you're our only hope". (Another Pumpkins album wouldn't go amiss by the way).

Lucha Underground - perfect.
If you haven't seen it yet then find it and you'll never watch other shows the same way again. You have been warned!

Very happy with the "Perros Del Mal" t-shirt that arrived from Mexico this week, now just to track down a Pentagon Jr one...

Until next time...at ease.

State of the nation.

RAW becomes less essential every week. This week's edition which emanated from the 02 in London was largely fast-forward fodder.

It was notable only for the raucous crowd and Cenas suggestion that Wrestlemania should come from London.
Other than that what stirred the blood?
The Divas battle royal? The Lucha Dragons? Any of the main eventers?

Of course not.
With the obvious exception of the outstanding NXT, the most recent scrutiny reveals WWE is either inadequate or requiring improvement  depending on who writes up the report.

If anyone is impressed by Paige just YouTube "Brittani Knight" and see what this lady can really do. Then try to argue that WWE is allowing the Divas to shine.

Compare this to the genuine excellence of "The Rising"/BDC feud developing in TNA at the moment. Superb booking and richly deserved spotlighting of Drew Galloway. WWE couldn't see how to use him?????? Then again the mighty EC3 wasn't deemed worthy of the old NXT!

Comparing either of these to the perfection that is Lucha Underground actually seems unfair. This show is flawless. Dream roster, beautiful matches, great stories, superb commentary and innovative marketing. The only concern is if a 2nd season will be commissioned (crosses fingers!)

Other than that discussing my love of wrestling with "Hogan Jr" and seeing him obviously try to assess if I was being truthful would be a situation familiar to many of you I guess.

Until the next time...at ease.

72 hours.

It's just the way it is.

A 48hr visit to this nation's capital began with taking photos of "everyday wrestlers" (shops etc with wrestling related names) for a forthcoming feature on this very blog.

Obtaining  a brand new Wrestlemania Heritage Series Ric Flair was obviously a great addition to the collection...WOOOOOOO!!

As well as being a tourist yesterday it was essential to fit in a discussion on the Lucha Underground Trios tournament and be seriously happy with the latest Dario Cueto (greatest owner ever) promo.
Managing to get the Luchador aircraft from "Planes" at a bargain  £2.99 was just a pure bonus.

Today was capped off by sourcing a mini-luchador figure in Poundland for,you guessed it, £1 to produce #LuchaEverywhere photos, and an in depth conversation with a very knowledgeable lady in a leading retail store about TNA, PCW, AJ Styles and Drew Galloway amongst other things.

All in all just a regular 72hrs in the life of The Major, it's just the way it is.

Until next time...at ease.

1 hour shows.

Thinking about NXT (WWE's best wrestling show) and Lucha Underground  (this planet's best wrestling show) and whether or not being an hour makes it easier to produce high quality viewing.

I would argue it is actually more of a challenge and I'll explain why.

Think for a moment about how the 3 hours of RAW could be used. This is an opportunity to really build stories,  develop characters and carefully introduce talent. It could also be used to spotlight NXT performers and make their transitions smoother.

Rather than this it feels bloated, repetitive and large portions are easily fast forwardable.

Impact suffers from this to a degree although a less restrained roster holds the interest better. Both WWE and Impact are hampered by constant recaps which really break the flow in my view.

SMACKDOWN isn't viewable in any way sadly, important moments are few and far between and available on RAW anyway. 2 wasted hours.

These longer formats are ideal vehicles for development and should be essential but they're not.

NXT develops characters and plots, uses "bigger" stars sparingly which makes their appearance feel special. Matches are allowed to ebb and flow  better than in the main event, especially the Divas, and the special events feel just that as a result - special. Hats off to all concerned.

Lucha Underground manages all of the above but is cutting edge in other ways too.

Highly intelligent use of recaps drives multiple storylines along with well scripted vignettes in show. The viewer is neither saturated or confused at any time, perfect execution in only an hour.

I would also contend that to have multiple masked wrestlers with unique identities is not easy to deliver. Yet this is done perfectly in a 60 minute show. Would anyone confuse Fenix for King Cuerno for instance? No. But Sin Cara and Kalisto? Interchangeable "characters."

Add to that the finest wrestling anywhere and one really marvels at what is being achieved on the El Rey network and makes the rumoured "Ultima Lucha" an absolutely mouthwatering prospect.

60 minute shows should be harder to make work over time and yet the argument outlined above shows this is not the case.

Until next time...at ease.

AJ Lee retires from WWE

Who can blame her?
AJ Lee has done everything she could in WWE and returned to what?

A company where main event Divas play out 5 minute matches to the sound of silence whilst their peers in NXT are allowed to shine. A division which is presented as being second rate and it's immediate competitors (TNA/ROH/Lucha Underground) allow their women to blossom either relatively or absolutely.

If AJ wants to wrestle on the Indies or Japan  would be obvious destinations but maybe, like Punk, it's time for a change. We mustn't rule out his direct influence or pressure from WWE about him in all this either by the way.

I'll miss AJ, she actually had character - a tremendous heel, and was underrated as a wrestler in my opinion.

I fear for the futures of Paige, Sasha Banks, Charlotte and Becky Lynch to name a few.

Take it all in ladies.

Until next time...at ease.

Kevin Owens is ready.

Will we get to see Brock and Heyman crash matches again like they did back in the day? Hope so. WWEseriously lacking that "unpredictable" aspect.

Wyatt neutered at this point following loss to an immobile Taker, Ambrose is as predictable as Cena.

WWE have a great wildcard. He's called Kevin Owens and he wrestles on NXT. Don't expect to see him on RAW/Smackdown anytime soon.

Until next time...at ease.

Lucha Underground Episode 21 - wrestling that makes you believe.

So after a great day at Duxford Imperial War Museum it would take something special to finish the day off in style, luckily episode 21 of Lucha Underground was waiting.

The opening match is Johnny Mundo vs Angelico. In most other promotions this would be match of the night and headlining. Here it sets the scene...and how. Two wrestlers at the height of their powers have a great match. The Mundo victory will set the scene for a later vignette with Alberto El Patron. That promo should make WWE creative hang their collective heads in shame. Both Alberto and Johnny put across more character in 2 minutes than in their entire Stamford scripted adventure. Either one could be headed for heel country based on this.

The best of 5 between Aerostar and Drago goes down the street called "Wrestlng 101" ending in the Luchadores tying on two victories each, Unlike so many matches of this ilk it is a great in ring exhibition, is not forced down the audiences throats every week and evolves. Crucially every match differs in ring and enhances both men. As a contest of this kind it is up there with Benoit/Booker T and Beer Money/MCMG's in my opinion. As for the "unique opportunity" offered to the winner - a cruiserweight type title debut?

The main event sees the debut of the Trio Championship belts in a tournament series.

Sexy Star is positioned as the most credible part of her team, female wrestlers can shine - take note WWE and TNA, and is presented as an equal to her male counterparts.Although her team (Superfly and Pentagon Jr) loose to Big Rycks new crew the match develops the plot, positions Sexy as the crucial member and showcases Pentagon who is just about my favourite wrestler in the world at the moment. Looks as if Sexy and Pentagon are heading for a feud going forwards.

As if that wasn't enough Lucha Underground has made Big Ryck (yes, Ezekial Jackson) a credible character and ring presence, something WWE was never able to achieve. Week after week in Dario Cueto they have the best onscreen owner, in Matt Striker and Vampiro the best announce team since JR and Heyman, which is high praise, as well as awesome production values and camerawork.
Just to top it off the best belts to be seen in pro-wrestling in years are on this show, check the pictures and say I'm wrong.

If you haven't tuned in already then do it, you're seriously missing out.

Until next time...at ease.

The quality of refereeing.

People complain about the quality of football referees but the guy in the title match at Wrestlemania appeared oblivious to the stipulation of the Money In The Bank briefcase.

Was there an assessor in the audience?

Does he have to referee a sub-standard (Smackdown) show as a result of this incompetence?

Is there any accountability in WWE refereeing?

Until next time...at ease.

Live from Boyle Heights

So tonight's Lucha Underground will feature the debut of a Trios Championship,
Johnny Mundo vs Angelico and the return of the fantastic Pentagon Jr?

This show gets better and better. Miss it and miss out.

Until the next time...at ease.

RAW after Mania.

This used to be huge, better than Mania in many respects.

RAW had a lot of work to do after a very mixed affair the night before.

In non-chronological order -

"Inadequate"

The main event Diva division. Does this need explaining?

The New Day. Perhaps passable as heels, no chance currently.

The fans who think Lucha Dragons are cutting edge. Watch Lucha Underground, AAA, Dragon Gate.
3 vastly superior showcases.

"Requires improvement"

Constant replays that we'll see on Smackdown anyway.

Use of The Ascension. At least they're not being laughed at but badly used still.

Lucha Dragons. OK, but still too reliant on opponents strength to deliver moves which makes it hard to suspend disbelief, a problem carried over from NXT.

"Good"

Sheamus as heel.

J+J Security, comedy gold.

JBL, best WWE commentator.

Rollins nailing the weasly heel champ character.

Cena being a heel. Listen to what the guy says. He plays an oblivious heel character and is still a huge merch seller/fan favourite.

"Outstanding"

Brock going rogue.

Debut of Adrian Neville.

Paul Heyman delivering another compelling performance. We're privileged to see this man at the height of his powers.

"Conclusion"

All in all another patchy offering. Some storylines advanced, notable debuts but the status quo retained in many respects.

WWE needs to raise it's game moving towards Extreme Rules.

RAW was also notable for the multiple "Luchadore" and "Lucha" references from the commentators during  the Lucha Dragons match.
Are WWE wary of the challenge from Lucha Underground? It seems so.

Until the next time...at ease.

Mania.

The scene was set.

The room was decked out with "wrasslin" paraphernalia. The predictions were made and the guests arriving. Specially made cupcakes arrived from the Norfolk Broads.

This was Wrestlemania 31, the showcase of the immortals, the granddaddy of them all. Taker would return, Sting would debut after 14 years in the wilderness  (TNA anyone?) and we'd see what Reigns could really bring.

And, contrary to a lot of what I've seen, I found it distinctly average.

The pre show was notable only for Bookers awkward interaction with Renee. Tag titles match showed what a mess the division is in. Utter shambles. WWE'S best team are on NXT, they're called Blake and Murphy and were nowhere near this embarrassment. Andre the Giant battle royal at least split Sandow from the Miz, other than that who cared?

As for the main card. It was badly affected by daylight. Sting, Taker and Wyatt lost their aura by walking out in sunshine.

Pluses were the Orton/Rollins match, what a finish, HHH/Sting was decent and the NWO/DX segment was a highlight. The main event really delivered with the only logical outcome in Rollins cashing in. IC ladder match was decent albeit with an odd ending.

Minuses.
Wyatt totally derailed by an almost immobile Taker, Bryan as Intercontinental champ? That belt used to mean a step up and signpost to future championship hopes. Now it is a transient belt. Putting it on Ambrose for example would have made far more sense.

US title match result meant nothing.

Sadly the Divas match played as most WWE matches do in that division. Such a shame as the NXT women are allowed to shine as, to a degree, they are in TNA and in Paige (Brittani Knight) they have a real gem.

Maybe the RAW after Wrestlemania would answer the questions and take it forward?...maybe not?

The cupcakes were fabulous by the way.

Until the next time...

You're a wrestling fan when...

You see this at work and want to climb it for the gold.

4-life.

The NWO made my night at Wrestlemania 31.

LA can be invigorating.

It's quite unusual to be obsessive on a subject and discover something so new, so fresh and so unexpected that it's totally invigorating.
But that's exactly what has happened by coming across Lucha Underground.
With the production values of a great tv miniseries, a dream roster and the best commentary team in the business this has it all. I'll certainly be looking at this gem in detail as the weeks go by but for now I'll leave it as this.
I've watched all 20 episodes and there hasn't been one poor match, far from it. Matches like "Grave Consequences" set the standard for innovative modern professional wrestling.

Watch this if you haven't already, you will be getting in the lift on the ground floor. This will soar.

Until the next time...

Mission statement

The point isn't that I know everything about pro-wrestling.
The point isn't that I have any inside or special knowledge.

The point is that this is a (semi) frequent stream of consciousness from a lifelong wrestling fan.
It goes back to Wrestlemania III and the Savage vs Steamboat match. Prior to that it had been World of Sport on Saturday lunchtimes. That match at Mania changed everything and is the reason for staying up till 4am this morning watching the 31st instalment.

Coming soon...reinvigoration from Boyle Heights.