I Know How To Beat Ryback

(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)

Ryback vs. CM Punk headlines the Hell in a Cell Pay-Per-View event this Sunday. The WWE has booked themselves into a tight little corner because they played the Ryback card way too soon. In contemporary wrestling where wins and losses don’t matter, Ryback’s undefeated streak is everything. If he loses under any circumstance, the gimmick is dead and he is just another superstar on the roster.

In my opinion, let him win the title. He is over and as long as you don’t mess with his formula of destroying people, he will continue to be over for quite some time. While the common wisdom suggests Ryback must win, there has to be a creative way for him to be pinned without losing his momentum. I’m going to have a little fun with this and put on my booking hat and throw out an idea that could work.

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Are Steel Cage Matches Dead?

(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)

There is no other encounter in professional wrestling that signifies the pinnacle of a feud more than the steel cage match. Its confines are unforgiving and blood shed is a virtual guarantee. Villains of bravado and champions of heroic destiny square off in this last resort encounter where the referee’s three count is not enough. Finish your opponent or escape the cage is often your only option for victory. In two weeks, CM Punk will defend the WWE title against Ryback. This match has everyone talking for a variety of reasons but none of them include the Hell in a Cell itself. This makes me wonder; are Steel Cage matches dead?

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Is it time to Reboot the WWE?

WWE Television is currently a stale product. Professional wrestling always has its down time before another boom period arrives. In order for the boom to take place, however, a new star needs to emerge. This person needs to be a bonafide superstar the caliber of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock. Simply being a wrestling star such as John Cena, CM Punk, and Randy Orton will not move the needle in the required direction. When this boom period finally occurs, it’s usually a wrestler who was waiting in the wings for their big break. These days, Dolph Ziggler is the usual suspect. He is a good worker but can he be the box office smash that brings the business to Attitude Era heights?

On October 1, 2012, Monday Night Raw drew its lowest rating in 15 years. The company improved its rating by having its 67-year-old chairman wrestle the WWE champion. While it was certainly an attention grabber, it was only a short-term solution since Vince can’t wrestle every week. While Raw moving back to two hours would be a move in the right direction, it doesn’t address the larger problem at hand. The process of booking by committee dilutes what storylines ultimately end up on television. If the big three can’t do any more than they already have and there is no legitimate heir apparent on the horizon; what else can be done?

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So, you wanna be an Independent Wrestling Promoter? Part 2

(Blog I wrote for gerweck.net)

In part one of my blog; we established that putting on a wrestling show is an expensive and time consuming hobby. Sure, it’s fun to play arm chair booker and believe that you have that one breakthrough idea that is going to draw a lot of money. However, there are a lot of working components that need to come together in order for your show to go off without a hitch. So far we touched on seeking advice, obtaining insurance and securing a building for your event. Here are the next steps:

Ring:
Some promotions own their own ring while others rent one. If you decide to rent a wrestling ring, rental fees can range anywhere from $500 – $1,000 a night and should come with a ring crew to set up and tear down the ring. Some renters will provide extras such as ring side barricades and steel steps at no additional cost while others will charge extra. Make sure you properly communicate to the person in charge what time you need the ring at the building by. If $500 – $1,000 seems a little high, then ask the owner of the ring if they have any trainees looking for work. If so, offering to give them a match on the show usually drives the price down and is a good way of building a strong professional relationship.

Owning a wrestling ring is a large and immediate expense. Also, storing and transporting the ring is another issue. If you don’t have access to a big enough basement or garage, renting a locker from a storage facility is practical and efficient. Most times this requires renting a moving truck. Most rental companies require some advance notice. Make the reservation as soon as you can, because most shows are on the weekend and that is a popular time for people to move. This all may seem like some unnecessary headaches just to own a ring, but trust me, it is worth it in the long run and should eventually end up paying for itself.

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So, you wanna be an Independent Wrestling Promoter?

(Blog I wrote for Gerweck.net)

Running an independent wrestling show is like anything else in life worth doing. It takes a lot of hard work. If you have aspirations of starting your own promotion then you need to accept the fact that financially, you’re going to be in the red for at least the first two years and maybe even during your entire run. This is an endeavor you partake in because you love the wrestling business, not because you want to become rich and famous.

I want to preface this by saying this is not meant to be “Promoting for Dummies”. I’m not here to criticize others or claim to have all the answers. Everyone has their own vision of how they feel a professional wrestling show should look and feel. Different markets, different parts of the country and different demographics will influence the decisions you make along the way. Consider this some free advice in case you decide to take your fantasy booking to the next level. Of course, it’s only fair to divulge in my own personal experience.

I started a promotion called North Shore Wrestling and we ran shows from 2006-2009. During and since that time I’ve assisted other promotions in New England with booking, promoting and consulting duties. My desire to start promoting stemmed from an absence of local shows in my area. Massachusetts is a hot bed for wrestling with some tremendous talent to boot. I grew up on the North Shore and know the area better than most, so it seemed like a natural transition. My goal was to produce a quality family wrestling show in my area.

I like to pretend that we still live in a Kayfabe world so details of how and why the matches are booked will be absent from this blog. I know, I know. What’s the big deal you say? Everyone knows it’s a work, right? Well, some of us still believe in the magic that pro wrestling can deliver. However, there are those who think it is easy to run an “indy fed” while others know the amount of time you have to put in to make it all work. Let’s go over the things you need to obtain in order to get your promotion off the ground.

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A Trip Down SummerSlam Memory Lane

(Written for and published by gerweck.net)

As the WWE celebrates the 25th anniversary of their summertime extravaganza, a trip down memory lane seemed appropriate. 1988 was the first installment of this popular yearly event and the first pay-per-view event I ever watched.

August 29th of that year was only the second day of my wrestling fandom. An episode of “The Superstars of Wrestling” the night before sucked me in as the “Mega Powers,” comprised of Hulk Hogan & Macho Man Randy Savage, hyped their tag team match against Andre the Giant and The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, the “Mega Bucks.”

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Oops!…Kevin Nash Did It Again

Kevin_Nash

(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)

Kevin Nash recently made some comments in an interview with grantland.com that has drawn the ire of wrestlers and fans alike.

“When Benoit and Guerrero hugged [at the end of Wrestle Mania XX], that was the end of the business,” “Has business been the same since that Wrestle Mania? Has it come close to the Austin era? Has it come close to the nWo or the Hogan era? You put two fucking guys that were great workers that were the same height as the f***ing referees, and I’m sorry, man. Are you going to watch a porno movie with a guy with a three-inch dick? Even if you’re not gay, you will not watch a porno movie with a guy with a three-inch dick. That’s not the standard in porno films. So you put a 5-foot-7 guy as your world champion.”

“They’re not bigger than life (CM Punk and Daniel Bryan). I bet they could both walk through airports and not be noticed unless they have a gimmick shirt on and the belt.”

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The Miz: The Next Great IC Champ?

(Column I wrote for Gerweck.net)

I could be completely wrong about this, but The Miz could be the next great Intercontinental champion. The former Real World star became the 70th person to hold the title when he defeated Christian on the 1000th episode of Raw. He also became the 25th triple crown champion.

Some might say this is a demotion for the former WWE champion. However, some of the greatest wrestlers of all time held the IC title after a stint with the big boy belt. HHH, Chris Jericho, Pedro Morales are three who come to mind. Countless others made their reputation during their IC title reigns such as Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Continue reading “The Miz: The Next Great IC Champ?” →

Five Move’s That No Other Wrestler Should Do

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery in professional wrestling. But let’s be honest, there are certain moves that wrestlers just shouldn’t do. Over the years, a particular wrestler has perfected a move with such crisp efficiency that no one will ever come close to mirroring its execution. There are five moves on my list that wrestlers should stay away from because it will never be done as well as their predecessor who brought it into the limelight.

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Remember Sean Mooney and the WWF Event Center?!?!

You all remember Sean Mooney? He was a play by play commentator and an interviewer in the WWF from 1988 to 1993. His Event Center segment on weekend television would advertise wrestling matches for the upcoming house shows in whatever area you lived in. Mooney would list several of the matches coming to a particular event, for example, in the Boston Garden and then we would get a promo from one of the wrestlers talking about what they are going to do in their match.

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