SmackDown Offers to Make Things Interesting...

Happy 3-Day Weekend, Enthusiasts!

 

I hope you enjoy it. Well, there’s definitely news in the wrestling world but it’s not the happiest. Let’s go ahead and have the conversation. That’s a key part of being social, right? Speaking of and having thoughts on the times?

 

Well, the first bit of news that has shaken up this small section of the world is the unfortunate passing of Daffney Unger. I did not know who she was but news spread fast on Twitter that she was spiraling. Even Mick Foley was like, “Can someone check on her?...” You know that’s bad. It’s even worse that it came to the ultimate conclusion. It’s quite sad. Even sadder because it’s hard to know what to do in a situation where someone is suicidal. It’s the whole, Free Will thing. If a person chooses to peace out, they’ll peace out. It’s the “whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right….” It’s not so much can they be saved, it’s more a matter of do they want to be. Given this conclusion, she didn’t want to be and that’s what’s truly devastating. Something broke the poor woman, and she felt she couldn’t recover. I just hope she has finally found some peace. The whole situation is really too bad.

 

So, let’s get on to some lighter news. It’s still a bit morose if you’re trying to be a WWE fan but definitely not as dark. I didn’t talk about this on Monday because I wanted to get some more information first on NXT’s rebranding. It does appear to be going a more youthful route. How youthful is hard to gauge. I think people have to be at least 18 to play, right? It does come off a bit like high school and not college.

 

I never really watched NXT. I would check in just to see what they were doing and to compare but they did confirm my presumptions. They’re the Minor Leagues and I don’t watch AAA ball. Doesn’t mean good talent doesn’t come through it’s just too clear they’re still in training. I’ll watch ‘em when they get “called up”.

 

In any case, I don’t think the brand should be dissolved or written off for the kids. I don’t see anything wrong with trying to bring in fresh blood but nowadays, I just have no idea how that’s done. I know every generation never gets the one that follows but now that it’s my turn, I really couldn’t tell you what’s going on with the kids. Growing up, I was always trying to be older so, I never liked “being a kid”. No one listens to you because you don’t know anything. All you’re good for is making the electronics work. Now, I’m sure kids will write a program to do things to help Mom & Dad. Create an app or show them how one works. I have no idea what you do to get a set like that interested in wrestling. Do they even like to interact with the outside world? I remember going out and playing. Do kids do that past the age of 5 anymore?

 

I suppose what I’m getting at is, let’s hope we’re reading this wrong because if this is a ploy for the kids, then Management may be more removed from reality than anyone would like to admit. And I don’t necessarily mean Vince McMahon. It intrigues me to no end how wrestling fans/commenters speak like they know what’s going on. Remember what I’m always voicing in this blog. All you can really know for sure is that you don’t know anything when it comes to this world. Things you think are true fact is probably utter kayfabe so when people get to talking like they were in the boardroom at the meeting I kinda roll my eyes. You don’t know. I don’t know. I only go by what I can see and then a little by what I read and I know to weight that with like a 10lb bag of salt. We don’t know what’s going on. We may get legitimate leaks from time to time, but we don’t know what’s going on. We probably never will. That’s just how it is and that’s fine. I don’t need that sort of play-by-play. All I’m asking for is better content. That’s it.

 

But back to the NXT rebranding, the word that’s floating around is that Vince McMahon and Bruce Pritchard are going to oversee production and that appears to make everyone collectively groan. Mainly because they presume they’re to blame for RAW and anything that doesn’t work in WWE. We hear stories of last minute changes and the micromanaging style of Mr. McMahon but I feel this is fed to us more than it’s truth. I think that’s exactly how they want us to view things. I think what we can trust is their desire to control the narrative. Yet, social media is kinda throwing a wrench into those plans because rumors can get blown into "fact" and once it’s in the psyche like that, there’s nothing you can do or say to change a person’s mind. So, no matter what WWE does, plenty of people will start talking like they know, won’t care to hear actual facts and I wouldn’t blame them, it’s probably not true anyway and presume their conclusion is bona fide and rest their case on absolutely no concrete evidence. It’s daunting. I don’t envy WWE. The only real solution is better content and truths like these permeating the WWE Universe will prove it. The only way to shut people up is to shut them up. WWE is going to have to figure out how shut people down and shock & amaze so that they can get on with keeping on and not have to worry about upstarts like AEW.

 

Yet, keep in mind that they are clearly restructuring. Don’t expect this turnaround to drop tomorrow. This will be a slow burn if they know what’s good for ‘em. Low and slow will win in the end because of all the many unknowns out there. The more measured and dare I say, wise they play this, the better for WWE. That at the moment is what has my eye more than anything else. How are they going to turn this ship around? They know they have to but it won’t be as simple as all that. When it comes to writers, you gotta find people who get it, and then know how to write for a TV show. Then they have to be consistently funny/entertaining maybe even be wrestlers too. We’re not a large demographic. I’d say generously there may be 3-5 million of us. On a global scale, it’s but a fraction. So the odds of some of them checking all the boxes as a writer or in creative is somewhat unrealistic. Then there are labor laws and contracts to mind. Though they’re releasing plenty, depending on how employees came on, getting rid of someone may not be so easy to accomplish as one may think. They may have to make what they have work until conditions change in many cases. Who knows. All I’m saying is that fixing this mess probably isn’t easy and none of us could probably do it if they handed us the job. Shit, I don’t want it. It’s like being President. It’s sure to kill ya or age you a solid 20 years. CM Punk is right 😉

 

Anyway, all that said, I hope there is reshuffling and I hope that if it is true that Mr. McMahon and Pritchard are going to “polish up” NXT, Triple H and Shawn Michaels should get promoted and go to RAW and SmackDown. Word of that would go over way better and people might tune in just to catch glimpses of them being the old hands backstage. That alone could change the tide. Things are going to be different now, is all they really have to say and it would be so. Maybe they should even follow WWE Universe Law and split, one fronting at some point RAW and the other fronting SmackDown. An old tale as friends become rivals. It’d make Survivor Series particularly juicy and if the day comes that AEW ever invades, they would be too “caught up” with each other and be honestly taken off guard when they crash the party. Naturally, that becomes the catalyst towards reunion. This is the sort of thing they need to do. They need to set things up so the story starts to tell itself. They shouldn’t be staring at the ceiling wondering what to do next, they should be thinking of ways to make what comes next fresh and interesting. But like I’m saying, easier said than done.

 

Moving along, the other bit of chatter jamming up the lines is the “shoot” match Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair had on RAW. I really don’t think it’s the big deal people thought it was and I really don’t get all the hate on Jax. That’s her job! She’s supposed to rough skinny, little Bs up. They need to rethink the line of work if they keep getting hurt. People want the ladies to go out and pillow-fight. I know they’d take a good wrestling match just the same but Jax is doing what Jax does. She’s that big bitch who’s gonna kick your ass. I’m fine with it. People want her to play nice. That’s not what I came here for. As for Charlotte, she can handle herself as she demonstrated. She may be slim but she ain’t small. Whether they had a breakdown and just went “fuck it” or planned it doesn’t really matter. They’re making a bigger point which resonates universally. They ain’t afraid to throwdown. I respect it.

All right, that’s about all I got. This week was subtly eventful. Got the gears turning, you know? So, SmackDown is tasked with keeping it interesting. It hasn’t been faltering so, they continue to be a mark of hope. All that’s advertised so far is a title match between Finn Bálor and Roman Reigns. Given how this is in No Man’s Land I question whether this will be straightforward. Will Big E, cash in? Will Baron Corbin buy Bálor out or hire someone to take him out? That could work actually. Bálor could keep getting sidetracked by detractors looking to take their shot. It could start a valid build. But for now, let’s just see if this match happens. We’ll see what else goes down as well, and probably get a decent wrasslin’ match or 2. Could be worse. Funny tweets and Likes get retweeted. Again, it’s No Man’s Land so, don’t try too hard to find gold. Allow yourself to stumble upon it.

 

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)