This was my first real column and thought the topic about the end of predictability in wrestling was fast approaching. At the time, we were heading into the Royal Rumble of 2006. Now almost at Backlash, it is nice to see how things have gone since this time.
Now on to our feature presentation....
Let's Be Pro-Realistic
It was 2001, Vengeance, and there I was, clicking on the next update of the PPV online. If you remember, if was the night of the first Undisputed Champion. It began when Stone Cold defeated Kurt Angle, setting up what we all thought would be the legendary Rock vs Austin finale for the first ever Unified Championship. But Rock got beat by Jericho, and shocked us even more when HE became the first ever Undisputed Champion of the World.
But he became a joke, Triple H was returning at the Rumble and won it, then squashed Jericho in a horrible storyline to become the new Champion.
Since then, wrestling had become predictable, laughable, and a joke. The power it had surging from the Attitude era came to a screeching end. Although there were twists and turns, it wasn't powerful enough to contain me as the obsessed fan that I had become. Every Royal Rumble I knew who would win, every Wrestlemania I knew who face off. I had the WWE down to an exact science. I was bored.
Triple H facing Jericho in 02, Lesnar facing Angle in 03, Benoit facing HHH & HBK in 04, Batista facing HHH in 05, you get what I'm saying? As intense and exciting as November through April is, it became apparent that the surprise and unexpected twists were gone.
But it happened, I missed a PPV, because in my egotistical ideaology, I knew John Cena would win the Elimination Chamber. I also knew it would be HHH vs Cena @ Mania. I was willing to let it go. I figured Cena's boos would make HHH a favorite and he would win the belt away from him or something like that.
Enter the week of wrestling never to be forgotten. A week when everything became different.
Edge won the title in an unpromoted match, a squash match, when he speared Cena to hell, twice. He became champion. Holy sh*t. Batista got injured, and had to vacate the belt. Kurt Angle jumped ship and won it. I had to blink a few times, because for within a week everything I felt & predicted had been smashed. The WWE now has a Royal Rumble where there is no certain paths. Will Cena reclaim gold on Sunday? Its obvious Henry won't win the title, or is it? What the hell is the main event going to be? Will Undertaker & Orton be the main event instead? Angle versus Undertaker? Orton versus Angle? Mysterio versus Angle?
I have no idea, no clue, don't care. I'm excited. I'm happy. I'm anxious for every show now because it has recaptured the essence that made wrestling so freakin' awesome. It was unpredictable. And for a show that is scripted, it needs to be unpredictable.
That's not all either. Have you seen the mid-show matches at all? Benoit versus Orton, Shelton vs HBK, Hardy & Finlay, Edge vs Flair, all these matches have become so incredible and storied, that I don't complain anymore. I am a FAN again, not a CRITIC. And that is how you bring power back.
The WWE has begun a new course, one filled with hopefully many new twists and turns, and ups and downs. Will this change be a growing trend? Will we see Bret Hart return to face HBK & Vince one more time? Will we see Rey Mysterio become a World Champion? I don't know and I'm proud to say it. This will be the first Road to Wrestlemania where I won't be reading the map, I will be enjoying the scenery while it lasts.
'Cause some day, a new Undisputed Champion will be made. And maybe the good times will end again. But until then, I will be on the Edge of my seat.
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