Fallout After Extreme Rules Can Be Intense...

What’s Going On, Enthusiasts!

 

So, Extreme Rules came and went and it wasn’t a bad show. It was pretty decent, actually. I know most people preferred the Donnybrook, but I found Edge vs. Finn Bálor the most interesting. How can you hate it when Beth Phoenix gets involved? And this match told the clearest “story”. I like being entertained 😉 Yet, before we get into that, let’s talk a little bit about what’s going on in the wrestling world. Just a little.

 

So, it looks like Jon Moxley signed a contract extension with AEW that keeps him on for 5 more years. It looks like he might retire with them yet, given the state of affairs, I hope there’s an exit clause in there somewhere. I’m happy for Moxley. I’m glad he’s willing to make a commitment but I just hope he’s not being short-sighted. It sounds like this deal went down before things slid downhill. Nevertheless, I understand him being over WWE to a certain degree but I don’t know if AEW brings out the best in him. I hope it does in time, if he’s so invested but the thing about WWE is that it is something to live up to.

 

I’ve stated again and again that I don’t really like how AEW seems to encourage Moxley’s more unsavory tendencies. And though he has options to coach in the future, is he certain that he’s pushing himself the the “next level” or is this a form of complacency?

 

I think one of the reasons AEW is having problems right now is because its owner, Tony Khan, is only 40 years old. I’m not sure what’s on his resume but being a rich guy’s son, it’s hard to say if he has much “real time” experience. That basically implies he may be comfortable with paying for things but not exactly running things because there’s a good chance he only knows how things work in theory. He’s basically learning on the job and his employees know it.

 

WWE may have lacked creativity but it’s run by people who know the business and more importantly have been living the life for decades. It stands for something. It’s hard to come off the street and just hold it down. Khan is seeing this for himself, I’m sure. This is the sort of backdrop that Moxley is hitching himself to, clearly in hopes of these being temporary issues.

 

I hope AEW sorts itself out. I do. But what if it doesn’t? I wouldn’t want to be stuck to a sinking ship for 5 years. I’m not saying that’s where it is but what has to happen doesn’t happen tomorrow. Khan has to learn how to be a respectable boss to people who know the industry better than him and, not that they’d go there, could beat him up. It has to be hard to find the “Big Boy” voice when those are your stats. We’ll see what happens.

 

So, back to the WWE Universe. With Extreme Rules over we will have fallout tonight on RAW. The big news, of course, is that Bray Wyatt has returned and his troop of merry characters have manifested as well. I have to say I’m of the mindset that Wyatt is back where he belongs. His style doesn’t work anywhere else. As you can see, it’s a concept that requires funding and not everyone has the means to cough it up. He has the best shot at success with WWE.

 

All I’ll keep stressing is that I hope they keep in mind why it didn’t fully work the last time. Horror fans primarily ran with it but the rest of us were left there with arms crossed. Wyatt has got to get about 85% of us to go along. It’s not impossible but all I can say is accept what didn’t go over. Don’t try to make us like it. They have to make sure whatever they come up with is generally palatable and “believable”. The audience isn’t dumb but they don’t want to think too much. If they got to do more work than they care to, they won’t.  So, they got to be fun and/or funny at the very least and it’s got to make sense more or less. We’ll see what they come up with.

 

That brings us to tonight’s RAW.  Well, this is Extreme Rules Fallout and it appears that there are more returns/surprises in store. The Bloodline are set to arrive. D-Generation X will have their 25^th Anniversary. Austin Theory will pick back up the mild feud he started with Johnny Gargano. And Seth Rollins will stick to just wrestling as he faces Bobby Lashley for the US Title. Never mind what happened Saturday night. Funny tweets will get Liked and/or retweeted. We’ve got some stuff to work with. Try to have some fun out there.

 

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)