Hello again, in case you forgot, my name is Trevor Dumais and I have returned from my summer sabbatical. I have been working on this column for awhile and although shorter than usual, I am able to get to my point alot quicker. Today's WWE is a business, and how we view this can affect our fan status tremendously. So without any more delays, let's get to it...
Let's Be Pro-Realistic: The Business of Wrestling
Wrestling is a business. Unfortunately, for die hard fans, this concept stands between what we deem ‘rational’ and what seems ‘retarded’. We forget that professional wrestling is not an entity free of the demands of corporate America. Vince McMahon makes all the decisions to help better his business, and that is the reason we as fans have become offended. In this returning edition, I want to be Pro-Realistic about one major fact, wrestling is a business.
If in describing a ‘superstar’ in the WWE, would we use the adjectives like unmotivated, drug abuser, or chronic tardiness as words that best sum up a star attraction? Of course not, what business would? Well the WWE has obviously shown its true business roots in the last two months when they brought back Jeff Hardy to Monday Night Raw. Within a few weeks, Jeff Hardy was the new Intercontinental Champion. When we last saw the daredevil Hardy Boy in a WWE ring, he was losing to The Rock in 2003. He took off to ‘find himself’ and when he did, he came back to wear singles gold on the flagship show. Before he left, Jeff Hardy found himself in the midst of elevation. He faced off against The Undertaker in an amazing Ladder Match for the WWE Title on Raw and really seemed like the guy who would take the next step. But as history proved, the WWE and its fans were wrong.
It wasn’t until August 4th, 2006, that Jeff Hardy made his return, taking almost 3 years off. And when I say off, I mean bouncing around Ring of Honor and TNA. But after Jeff was released in ’03, his brother Matt remained behind, taking part of Smackdown’s undercard. He had great matches with Rey Mysterio and many others but never amounted to much more than a Cruiserweight Title reign. It seemed that the WWE saw Matt as unmarketable without his brother. “Jeff is the daredevil” or “The Hardy Boys drew the money, not Matt” and many other lines were used to compare the two styles. Although Jeff is an exciting high-flyer, his brother is a technical wrestler. Matt wrestles more like a professional wrestler than a kamikaze athlete. Is this the reason Matt never went anywhere? Maybe, but the proof lies in the facts.
What has Matt Hardy done since his brother’s release? At No Way Out 2003 Matt won the Cruiserweight Title. He retained at Wrestlemania XIX and then lost it to Rey Mysterio in June. Following his run in Smackdown, Matt jumped to Raw to join Lita and enter into the Matt Hardy versus Kane feud. When Matt was sidelined with an injury, he then began a very personal feud with Edge over Lita. Matt Hardy’s biggest shot at becoming a true star (and as JBL puts it on Smackdown, future main eventer) came with his rehiring for the Edge & Lita controversy.
But was it to help Matt Hardy’s career?
No, it was to make Edge a monster heel. The WWE thought about money when they had this problem ‘fall’ into their laps. They saw this as a way to give Edge that ‘oomph’ to the top heel status. Within a year, Edge replaced Triple H as the top heel in the company. Coincidence? I don’t think so. I see this as a tease for the fans, all hoping for justice. But the good guy lost, being forced to watch Edge win the ladder match and send Matt Hardy back to hell, I mean Smackdown. Edge took off and never looked back.
Had this never happened, fate would have seen Matt Hardy die off as a character in the WWE. But to management, they could care less. Matt Hardy last was seen beating the Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms in an excellent match at No Mercy 2006. But for what? It was non-title. No one gives a rat ass about Matt, because ‘he can’t draw money’. This is crap, the WWE can make money off of anyone. They used the worst wrestler ever (The Boogeyman) and sold masks and other toys to kids. They have the power to make or break stars. But this is a business and they want to sell. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to make a man a Boogeymonster and send him to the ring with smoke and a clock and make him a household name. But it would take effort to create a real connectable character for fans to relate to within Matt Hardy. He could have been their “Angelic Diablo” who goes around fighting for justice and lead up to a rematch with Edge someday. But no, they forgot Matt and left him in Smackdown limbo.
Now the business aspect reveals its true form. Jeff Hardy was rehired and hyped up to return. When he did, it didn’t take long to reach the IC Title. In 2 months Jeff did what his brother could not, win a mid-card belt. Now why would Jeff win the title (aside from the fact that everyone on Raw has worn it – seriously, Ric Flair, HBK, Triple H, Stone Cold, The Rock, Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, Johnny Nitro Kane before he left, and even Val Venis) so soon? Because they can sell Jeff Hardy. In the return of the 90’s era in the WWE, DX and Team Extreme are examples of cashing in and old idea. Jeff embodies the Hardy Boys feelings people have when they hear the music and see the Swanton Bomb. Jeff appeals to fans of all ages because new fans love his look and style yet old fans can’t forget his Swanton off the super high ladders through tables. Jeff Hardy can make money, unlike his brother, according the WWE’s actions.
Now I can see the Hardy Boys returning, its inevitable as well as rumored public knowledge for Wrestlemania 23. Is Matt happy to once again regain popularity with his brother or is this secretly the nail in Matt Hardy’s career. If Matt returns with his brother, it will only be for the fans to see the legendary Tag Team again. But it puts their individual careers in jeopardy. Well, only Matt’s. Imagine bringing back Edge & Christian as a team? Could it be done after each becoming Heavyweight Champion? No, because they both made it. Matt Hardy has not, and when the reunite, it will be to make money using Matt. This may have been the whole reason for brining in Jeff Hardy, to reunite him with their ‘talent less’ other Hardy, another ploy for the business.
I understand it though, a lot of decisions have been for the business and not for the industry. People like Batista & John Cena ruled the top of their brands unopposed because they were making big bucks. Stone Cold & The Rock were the same way. Why them? Why did Stone Cold make it so big? Because he said a few words like 3:16 and cans of whoop ass and it sold big on T-shirts. Catchphrases became the standard so any star can sell a shirt. Its all a business, and we need to remember this. I enjoy the WWE, because its entertainment. I don’t expect the right guy to become the champion. But they do what they need to in order to keep the company alive. If the WWE did what the fans wanted and made wrestling a single dimensional entity that based its whole show around straight up professional wrestling, it would fail. It would fail because it didn’t sell. If Diva Contests and unjust championship reigns are what it takes to keep the business alive, then I’ll take it. I have said this before but now it makes more sense. I would rather waste 20 minutes watching the horrible women acting if it means I get to see Raw, Smackdown, and ECW each and every week of my life.
The WWE is a business people, and its not going to change. Fans need to either understand and embrace this concept, or be forced to throw garbage at the TV and bitch in protest. I have chosen to sell out to the concept of it being a business so I can watch my wrestling in peace each week. I can live with it, can you?
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