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The wrestling fan asked my opinion about the value of going ahead with a stipulation match that most already knew the outcome of before the opening bell rang. They were talking about the Jeff Hardy/CM Punk cage match with the loser leaving WWE since this person along with tens of thousands more already knew that Hardy would be leaving the company for at least a short period of time.
In this day and age with a huge majority of wrestling fans being smart to some degree and all the Internet information; my thinking is that the most powerful weapon that a wrestler/writer/promoter has at their disposal is the element of “SURPRISE!” I also think that holds true in this case as well.
There is a chance that every serious fan that surfs the internet already knew that Jeff was leaving the company, and that they would share that information with anyone they conversed with on the subject of WWE and pro wrestling in general as it’s a human trait to let people in on the fact that you may have interesting information they weren’t privy to. So, definitely yes, I think that fact made this match of little or no interest at all for a fair percentage of wrestling fans.
Personally I would have had Jeff come limping out as he did last Friday night and just give a heart felt speech about being terribly banged up, and that after consulting with his doctor and his family he was taking time away from something he loved so much, and hoped to recuperate and return at some point down the line (which leaves the door open if he does or doesn’t). Then they could have had Matt come out angry and fired up to get a piece of Punk, and from that point there were several ways they could have gone and made the transition to the Punk/Undertaker feud that is coming up.
But to conclude here, if I were currently booking/writing/making decisions for a promotion I would steer away from anything of this nature that was obvious to a fair percentage of the fan base. Again, surprise is the most powerful and compelling tool at the disposal of those involved in entertaining the fans of professional wrestling, and the more you utilize it, the more interest you create.
I was sent a link for YouTube that shows HHH helping a young retarded boy over the security railing and taking him into the ring where he joins Hunter and Shawn in doing the crotch chop and then they raise his hands in the signal of victory. You can say what you will about Triple H and his pluses and minuses but I have to tell you that this was a very gracious act of kindness and feeling for him to have taken the time to do this. As he left the arena it would have been simple enough to have slapped hands with this young man and move on. I may be perceived as a hard nose, but I got a little choked up here myself. My hats off to Triple H for this heartfelt and gracious act…”And if you ain’t down with that, then I got two words for ya!”
It might be said here while on this subject that ours is a tough vicious, and often times cruel world in which to survive, and everything that happens during the business of pro wrestling isn’t pretty, honorable, or fair. However it has been proven to me time and time again that over the years many of those who come across as without heart during business hours do have a much softer side when they aren’t put in a position to project a tough exterior in our highly testosterone filled world of mucho nonsense.
I read Mike Johnson’s report on the possibility of TNA trying to market a television show for their Knockout’s Division and the chance that a new version of G.L.O.W. may be surfacing as well. May I ask both of these promotions to please make in ring talent a priority for the young ladies you put on the air?
I am not so old that I can’t appreciate a beautiful face and a sexy figure. However I can get that in abundance fifty other places with a talent for whatever that particular show is featuring as well. TNA has some of the top in ring female performers in the industry, but they also have some pretty faces and hot physiques that barely past muster. Too often the matches look just like what they are; very choreographed, paint by numbers lacking in emotion and flow. Yes, I know they have a wonderful entrance, good music, and all the latest in body contortions, hand signals, and costuming during their moving from the stage to the ring, but when the bell rings the product becomes passable at best.
Please understand I know they are trying but too often currently people are put out there without sound basics. I’m not going to out anyone here; that’s not what this is about, because everyone can see that themselves (To be fair WWE has its share of low grade in ring mechanical talent also). But if you do get a separate program for them then please have your best ladies and a couple of seasoned veteran males put in some serious training time to bring these girls up to an acceptable level before throwing them to the wolves.
I remember the first edition of G.L.O.W. and as beautiful as some of these ladies were the in ring talent level was sub-par at best overall. To be quite frank the plots were sophomoric, and the in ring performance was an embarrassment to our industry.
So if this is a go, then please hire some of the independent scenes better performers and contact Dave Prazak at SHIMMER to see what a women’s promotion is about with real talented athletes and pretty faces. Too much of our programming looks like a bad variety show already, so please don’t add to that with another version of badly scripted burlesque; but instead an athletic program which features athletically gifted ladies that are attractive .
Train hard, and master your craft.
Till Next Time,
Les
Les and Harley Race form Elite Pro Wrestling Training along with the principles left by former staff members Ricky Steamboat and Dr. Tom Prichard. For information about the company go to www.epwt.com . To book an EPWT seminar, camp, or trainer contact Les at les@epwt.com .
Get your copy of “The Professional Wrestler’s Workout & Instructional Guide” by Harley, Ricky, Les, and Alex Marvez published by Sports Publishing LLC at your local bookstore or the PW Insider Super Store.
The annual Harley Race/Pro Wrestling Noah training Camp is fast approaching running September 28th thru October 2nd at Harley’s school in Eldon, MO. This year’s guest is Ric Flair. Space is limited, and for details go to .
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