PWP Nation’s Mike Roche wonders if WWE relies too much on past stars.
This past Sunday night was WWE Night Of Champions, where we saw Sting in the main event, The Dudley Boyz challenging for the tag team titles, Chris Jericho taking part in a upper card six man tag, Kane with mask and all returning and it was announced next month The Undertaker will face Brock Lesnar once again at Hell In A Cell.
So I ask you is the WWE over relying on stars from the past in 2015? Let me give you the answer: NO!
I’m sure you have a lot of keyboard warriors pissing and moaning about these guys being “old” or taking the spotlight away from their favorite younger wrestler. First of all, look at the results from Night Of Champions, all the older guys lost. From Sting, the Dudleys, Jericho; they all lost and put over the younger talent.
The truth is the younger talent that isn’t over or as over as they could be will all get something out of working with these older stars.
Does that mean these older stars will lose every match they have? No, nor should they.
It would not surprise me, if eventually The Dudleys hold the tag team titles again, if Sting actually wins a big match on WWE pay-per-view, or if Chris Jericho himself gets to win a match or two… I know the Internet went crazy after Jericho not being on TV for a year got a win over Neville in Japan on The WWE Network, but that’s just the way it goes.
Sometimes even in defeat the young guys can get something out of just being in the ring with a star from the past. That’s why I laughed a little when I heard CM Punk‘s podcast with Colt Cabana complaining about losing to The Rock, The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar.
First of all, after being WWE champion for a year and a half you shouldn’t be complaining about losing to anybody. Secondly, these were all main event level matches he was in. Third of all, one guy is the baddest man on planet earth, another guy had been undefeated at the biggest event in the company for over twenty years, and the third guy was a returning Hollywood mega star… yeah, there was no shame in losing any of those matches.
Lastly, I want to cover The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar match at WWE Hell In A Cell. Whenever Taker gets brought up, its the old, ‘oh he only works once a year…’
Well, his match at WWE HIAC will be his third of the year, so that theory is invalid. You also hear how he’s old and feeble and they point to his injury and being rushed to the hospital after his WrestleMania 30 match. Look Taker suffered an injury that night, these things happen; let’s look at his Mania matches before Brock Lesnar like CM Punk, Triple H two years in a row and Shawn Michaels two years in a row. These were all good matches and in some cases classic matches. If this year’s SummerSlam proved anything, it was that Mania with Brock was a freak occurrence and that the “deadman” can still go.
Let’s not forget without Undertaker and Brock at Hell In A Cell, the show for the most part would just be a largely forgettable pay-per-view that was only special because it featured Hell In A Cell, which isn’t that special because they do this match every year whether there’s a personal issue to warrant it or not.
I personally can’t wait to see if Undertaker and Brock Lesnar can top their 2002 Hell In A Cell match, which was bloody, violent and one of the matches that made Brock Lesnar a bonafide top guy along with his SummerSlam match with The Rock. So in conclusion, let’s not be so quick to write off the veterans of the past, not only did they entertain us in their prime, but they still have a few good matches and entertaining moments left to give us.
Thanks for reading.
I’m sure Zack Ryder was feeling real sorry for Punk in 2013 for having to lose oh woah is Punk
It definitely doesn’t help when the card is overloaded with older stars, like this year’s WrestleMania. As a special attraction, I have no problem with guys like HHH, Sting, Undertaker, Lesnar, Jericho, New Age Outlaws, etc to have either a built-up to one-off match against some new rising star(s).
I understand why Undertaker’s streak was broken by Lesnar as I’ve said for years that he could be the only one from ‘Taker’s past to have not been totally owned by The Deadman. I just can’t help but think of the amazing things that would come to someone like Bray, Punk, Sheamus, Seth, or even Kevin Owens if they had been the man to beat Undertaker at Mania for the first time. But, that’s for another day and another topic.
I think it is hindering them overall. It’s good to have them come back sometimes and have a few angles, but to rely on them as heavily as they did for WrestleMania and SummerSlam this year…a little much. Good article.
The thing with Jericho is that he brings nothing to the table anymore. He’s just kinda there when he does show up. I’m a big Jericho fan, but I would be ok with him never coming back unless he wants a massive heel run like he had against HBK in ’08.
I never complain about ‘Taker working once a year, but now that he’s having at least 4 or 5 matches since this past ‘Mania, I truly feel like his career will culminate at WrestleMania 32 and he’ll then retire. This is his one last run which leads me to believe he’ll get the one up on Lesnar and win, which is fine.
I just hope his WrestleMania match, if not against Sting(why use two separate matches on them to boot?) then he needs to do what he did with Wyatt. Win, but put that guy over like never before.