The WWE Gospel & The Story of CM Punk

It's been a little over two years since CM Punk left World Wrestling Entertainment. Much has been publicized about his time in the company, as well as his departure. Surely, Punk would tell a fan like myself to move on as he has. I let go of any hope that he'd return to WWE television a very long time ago. For this subject though, Punk is the perfect person to help illustrate what WWE was back then and what it is today.

In 2011, Punk delivered his "Pipe Bomb" promo during the final moments of the June 27 episode of Monday Night Raw. In the midst of John Cena's domination of WWE, Punk spoke the truth. A truth that hadn't hit the live broadcast in many years.

("I've grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon's imaginary brass rings that it's finally dawned on me that they're just that. Completely imaginary.") -CM Punk, June 11, 2011

After that promo, the internet exploded. The sports world exploded. Everyone was talking about CM Punk and what he said on live television. He trashed the McMahon family. In essence, he questioned why hard work doesn't translate into success on WWE TV.

At this point in Punk's career, he truly believed that he was leaving the company the next month. There was nothing that could keep him under the WWE umbrella. But things changed. Everyone that follows professional wrestling or WWE knows the story of the conversation Punk had with Joey Mercury. In short, Mercury told him that he couldn't change anything within WWE from his couch in Chicago. Punk re-signed with the company and won the WWE Championship from John Cena at the Money In The Bank PPV in July. It was a moment that no one saw coming. It blurred the lines between script and reality. Wrestling was alive again. For many, CM Punk was the man that resurrected it.

Then things seemed to skew. Punk's momentum seemed to be halted, almost intentionally. The angle was so hot that it seemed like the only logical direction was to go with Punk. The best way to describe the rest of 2011 is WWE went with Punk, but at the same time, didn't. Inexplicably, Punk lost to Triple H in a no disqualification match at Night of Champions in September of that year. He was then involved in a tag team match, facing off against the Miz and R-Truth at the following PPV, Vengeance. Questions remain to this day. Why derail the momentum of a man that nearly turned the wrestling world upside down just months earlier? Why give Triple H a win that he didn't need against a man that was wrestling full-time for the company? Simply, many still just ask....why?


("Vince McMahon's going to make money despite himself. He's a millionaire that should be a billionaire. You know why he's not a billionaire? It's because he surrounds himself with glad handing, nonsensical, douchebag yes men, like John Laurinaitis, who's going to tell him everything that he wants to hear.") -CM Punk, June 11, 2011

Punk eventually won back the WWE Championship at Survivor Series 2011, defeating Alberto Del Rio. His title reign lasted 434 days, the sixth longest in WWE history. This is a profound accomplishment in WWE and it seemed the change Punk had envisioned may have finally been in motion. Though at times during his reign, it seemed that Punk was taking a backseat in terms of positioning. John Cena was still frequently featured as the main event. In 2012, at Wrestlemania 28, John Cena and The Rock took the main event spot, while CM Punk's WWE Championship defense against Chris Jericho took place in their shadow. Punk has made it very clear that his goal was to headline the show as the main event, going on last. This never happened.

Leading up to the 2013 Royal Rumble event, Punk entered a program with The Rock, resuming another installment of his part-time run. Punk delivered what may have been his best WWE promo on January 7 of that year. After removing the WWE emblem from his microphone, he began to speak.

"The time has come to tell you something very personal. See, I keep my ear to the ground and I hear everything everybody says and for the past year and a half the words pipe bomb have been completely misunderstood and misused. It doesn't seem anybody in the 'Universe' understands what it means. Anybody in this company doesn't understand what a pipe bomb is. Basically, what a pipe bomb is in its truest form is the truth."

It's difficult to decipher truth and fiction in this scenario. But if there's a quote from Punk that's important above all, it's this one:

"Don't be mistaken. I meant everything I said when I said it....(June 27, 2011) But I was shortchanged and I was disrespected and sure, I could've just swallowed that bitter pill and accepted my position in the company like everyone else in the back. Or I could've left. Instead, I made a conscious decision and I sold out. To you, to you I sold out. To me, I cashed in. See, I created this persona, this rebel, this anti-hero that you all loved to cheer for because I knew that you all love to cheer for your superheroes."

Punk continued saying, "Here's the truth about Las Vegas, here's the truth about the WWE, is it doesn't matter if you're the best wrestler. It doesn't matter if you're the best talker. It doesn't matter if you're the best overall performer. It doesn't matter if you make the two clowns sitting to my left on commentary look like amateur hour. There is a glass ceiling and nobody is allowed to break it."

You could feel the frustration in his words. Though a part of the feud, it was easy to tell that underneath the storyline, Punk again was underlining the segment with truth.

Eventually, The Rock entered the ring. The two had a back and forth, as designed. But in Punk's eyes you could see that the situation was much more real than the show let off. It was as if he was staring into his demise. The end of his reign. On one side of the ring stood the old guard of wrestling. On the other, the new guard. A man that had somehow beat the odds and had dominated a company that didn't allow just anyone to carry their title long term.

At the Royal Rumble, the reality of WWE set in. The Rock beat CM Punk for the WWE Championship and then dropped it to John Cena at Wrestlemania 29 in their second straight headlining match at the annual event. Punk wrestled the Undertaker at that 'Mania, a match that was heralded by fans and his colleagues as the best match of the show.

In 2013, Punk had lost to The Rock, then to The Undertaker, and then to Brock Lesnar. All were part-time performers that the company valued ahead of Punk.

CM Punk left WWE following the 2014 Royal Rumble. His frustrations had come to a head. The realization of the companies' priorities had led him out the door, and though his effort was valiant, change was not achieved. The company had their champion, Randy Orton. Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson), an unlikely champion, was able to force his way into the main event of Wrestlemania 30, a spot on a show Punk so desperately wanted. Bryan defied the odds that night, beating Triple H to open the show, then defeating Orton and Batista to capture the WWE Championship. Bryan is one the few, if only examples of a non-company picked wrestler to headline the biggest event of the year and win the company's most important prize. The outcry of fans to implant Bryan into the title match did much to sway WWE in their decision. Injuries forced Bryan to relinquish the title, though it was reported that WWE planned to have him lose it Brock Lesnar at the Summerslam event later that year. The scheduled loss would've marked another example of WWE getting their way and putting the championship on a part-time worker that they viewed as more important, regardless of any outside variables.

Fast forward to now, the year 2016. Triple H is champion, while WWE's handpicked star, Roman Reigns pursues him for the gold. Regardless of many fans' disdain for Reigns, it seems he is destined to win back the WWE Championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 32 this April. Things seem to be the same as they were before CM Punk's initial "Pipe Bomb" promo. The company has its chosen one and the story remains predictable.

Will things ever change? It seems that the answer to that question is no. Declining ratings hasn't swayed WWE from what seems to have been their end goal for quite some time: Roman Reigns as champion. The storyline return of Shane McMahon and his declaration to save WWE from its pitfalls raises excitement and hope. But the past tells us that it's just a facade, a distraction in the middle of a predetermined destiny.

Many fans still clammer for change in WWE, much like CM Punk did in 2011. As he said, "After I'm gone you're still going to pour money into this company. I'm just a spoke on the wheel. The wheel's gonna keep turning, and I understand that."

Well, the wheel's continued to turn.

There are many fresh faces in WWE, but none that seem to be destined to hold the title long term. Not because of their lack of potential, but because of history. Punk did, but still, he was eventually crushed by the part-time stars of yesteryear, as well as the ones selected for success. Yet, many of us still watch, still hoping for our own hero to rise above the corporate monsters and plant his own flag atop of the WWE's peak.

Somewhere in Chicago, CM Punk has moved on. The realization that change wasn't possible within WWE's corporate structure has led him to a new chapter in his life, training as a fighter for UFC. For many of us, Punk will always be a symbol of hope and rebellion against the machine that seems to always get its way. Most likely, he will never return to WWE. The bridges have been burned. But we will still hold onto hope that somehow, someway things will change. That we won't surely know what's going to happen next.

Wrestlemania 32 may hold the answer, but the answer may not be what we want to believe.

Brady Sauvageau
-The Heater

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"Unlike a lot of people I'm glad you're back. I don't care what your schedule is. I don't care if you work here 16 days a year or 365 days a year. You could be Santa Clause and have his schedule, one day a year. I'd still kick your ass. I don't care how many movies you film every year. I know how hard that schedule probably is, but every time you come back, whenever you decide to grace us with your presence, I'm gonna kick your ass. Because this isn't candy land. I'm like nobody you've ever faced before. You can make fun of the color of my t-shirt and you can talk about pie and you can sing songs and you can rhyme and you can do your tired, lame-ass schtick. I just want you to know that come Royal Rumble, and you have about three weeks to realize this, I'm gonna kick your ass 'cause I'm the best in the world. I'm the best thing going today. I'm the best guy you've ever stepped foot in the ring with. And you need to understand, congratulations, Rock, you just graduated from the kiddie table, but you just bit off more than you can chew. You're playing little league with your little insults and your rhymes and your 'millions and millions' and your 'finallys'. And I'm in the big leagues and I'm swinging for the fence. You need to understand that your little jabs and your insults, it's all kiddie games. You can't leave a mark on the champ's face. Come Royal Rumble, understand, when you step in the ring, your arms are just too short to box with God." 

-CM Punk, face to face with The Rock (January 7, 2013)

Last Minute Predictions For WWE Fastlane

Short, sweet, and to the point, here's my predictions for every match for tonight's WWE Fastlane event:

1- AJ Styles over Chris Jericho

There's only one outcome possible for this match. AJ must win. The only scenario outside of this is Jericho getting DQ'd to set up a Wrestlemania match. This is very plausible, seeing as that the Wrestlemania 32 card might not allow a lot of wiggle room for a last minute feud between AJ and someone else. Jericho vs. Styles might end up at 'Mania 32 as the blow off for their feud.

2- The Wyatt Family over Ryback, Big Show, and Kane

If the Wyatt's don't win this match, I'll be surprised. I don't really see a point in beating them tonight. Wrestlemania momentum is on the line here, for the family and especially Bray Wyatt.

3- Kevin Owens (c) over Dolph Ziggler (Intercontinental Championship)

Mid-card championship hot potato needs to end. This should be and Owens' win, with him carrying the belt into Wrestlemania 32.

4- Becky Lynch & Sasha Banks over Team Badd

No reason to beat Banks and Lynch. They are the new guard and should be treated as such. Again though, it depends on what is planned for Wrestlemania. Still, I can't see Banks and Lynch dropping a tag match.

5- Charlotte (c) over Brie Bella (Divas Championship)

Brie Bella has gained an interesting bit of momentum following Daniel Bryan's retirement. But that shouldn't translate into a win. Charlotte wins. There's no scenario I see that enables Brie to carry the title to 'Mania.

6- Kalisto (c) over Alberto Del Rio (United States Championship)

I could definitely be wrong on this one, as I have not really understood the booking of this belt since John Cena lost it. So there's my guess.

7- Dean Ambrose over Roman Reigns & Brock Lesnar

This prediction is mostly hopeful thinking. As the angle stands, Reigns seems to be a lock to win. But if WWE is truly trying to shake things up as they did at the Royal Rumble, it's time for another swerve. Ambrose winning would put a lot of excitement and chaos into the WWE Championship picture. Lesnar seems to be heading into a 'Mania match with Bray Wyatt, so look for the Wyatt family to somehow sway the outcome away from Lesnar's favor. Again, I think Reigns is going to win this thing, but an Ambrose win would sure be a fun and exciting call.

That's it people. Should be a halfway decent show. Keep an eye on the Heater Twitter account, as I'll be live tweeting the show (@HeaterWrestling).

Wade Barrett Never Reached the Heights He Deserved In WWE

In a report from Pro Wrestling Sheet's Ryan Satin, it has been revealed that Wade Barrett has informed WWE officials that he will not renew his contract to stay with the company. Barrett's spent near a decade with WWE, first working in Ohio Valley Wrestling, the company's developmental territory at the time. Though he was never viewed as a top tier talent during the back half of his career, Barrett accomplished a lot during his run. He was a five time Intercontinental Champion and once the leader of the Nexus, a group and angle that still stands as one of WWE's most shocking and interesting storylines in the modern era. Let's run down some of Barrett's notable career moments.

Who doesn't remember when the Nexus laid waste to John Cena and everything around them on Raw in 2010? Though somewhat overshadowed by the infamous "tie choking incident," that resulted in the release of Daniel Bryan, an immediate impact was made by the NXT wrestlers, led by Wade Barrett. As a leader, Barrett shined. Though very young in his WWE career, Barrett displayed his great ability as a speaker. How many times over the last decade has a wrestler or group of wrestlers been given the opportunity to take the main event spotlight coming from relative obscurity? Not very many times. Barrett, even with inexperience, did a pretty damn good job in the spotlight. I mean come on, he went from a goofy, borderline reality show in the original NXT, to being in a top card angle with John Cena. Now, from here the angle gets complicated, so I'm just going to simplify this down to its basic idea. Barrett never won the WWE Championship in the midst of this angle and really, I think he should have. Yes, that's easy for me to say. He probably had a lot against him in that respect. He was very new to the WWE audience. Internally, I'm sure people had their doubts as to whether he could carry the ball. This is understandable and would've been a risk in some respects to put that much stock into a guy that just came from a developmental system that had been historically hit or miss. When I say hit or miss, I pretty much mean that WWE seemed to have a loose understanding of the people they even had in whatever developmental territory they were using. But in retrospect, Barrett seemed to never regain the type of momentum he had post Nexus era. Would a WWE Title win have solidified him as a main event caliber guy? Maybe. Again, in retrospect it's easy to say these things. I do believe however, that Barrett needed a title win.

After the Nexus and Corre angles had dissolved, Barrett was relegated to the mid-card. This could be seen as a demotion considering how he entered the main roster, but Barrett made the most of it. At one point, he was given the "Bad News Barrett" gimmick, which at first glance seemed to be a, "we don't know what to do with this guy," type of move. But to Wade's credit, he took the ball and ran with it. The gimmick was thoroughly entertaining and illustrated how great a performed Barrett could be. He took something that seemed like nothing and made it a segment and character that people looked forward to. His bad news rants got real reactions and even as a heel, was cheered at times. Regardless, he was over with the fans whether they like him or not. It speaks highly of the individual that he could accept any challenge and wasn't afraid of the spotlight. But hey, all the jitters were probably out the window after the Nexus attack on Cena. Pretty big deal to open with.

I could go on all day about Wade Barrett and the potential that WWE seemingly squandered with him. There's always the match finish that Chris Jericho and Edge have referred to involving Cena and Barrett, but you can listen to Talk Is Jericho to hear that dirt. But, in the defense of WWE, Barrett's injury record didn't help his case as a top card talent.

In every wrestler's career, there's going to be variables. Injuries, politics, performance, etc. But make no mistake about it, Wade Barrett is no slouch. The man can wrestle and he can talk. He'd be a great asset to any wrestling promotion around the world. Now, I don't know what his plans are post WWE. He'll certainly have a no compete clause, though nowadays I'm not sure the details and stipulations in play. Maybe he'll pop up again at an ICW show or a wXw event. Though he's not a young guy in this profession, I know I'm not alone in saying, I hope there's an even brighter future in store for Wade Barrett.

WWE Royal Rumble Fallout, AJ Styles Debuts

Well, I said I was going all-in on last night's Royal Rumble event and I can honestly say that it was one of WWE's best shows to date. The card was strong and well-ordered, the matches were all entertaining in their own way, and the Rumble match itself was filled with drama, surprise, and storytelling. Let's hit the high points of the show.

Straight away I have to speak on Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose in a Last Man Standing match for the Intercontinental Championship. Wow. This might have been the defining moment for both guys. I know Owens beat Cena on his first match on the main roster. But for two guys who are still relatively new in terms of singles accomplishments, this was a solidifying performance. The match was downright brutal at times. During spots in the match, I almost felt like I was watching a PWG Guerrilla Warfare match. It was the perfect tone setter for the show and both guys came out of it looking better than ever. Ambrose gets the win, but both win in my book.

I'll run through the other matches on the card really quick. I liked the Tag Team Championship match also. The crowd was hugely behind The New Day, but the Usos performed wonderfully, which made the match fully legitimate. New Day retained, as well they should at this point. Their ironically cool heel run just keeps getting better and better.

Kalisto and Alberto Del Rio's match was probably the lowest-profile bout last night, but they put on a good show and worked through some miscues. Kalisto formally won the US Title and is poised to be a breakout young star for WWE.

Becky Lynch really impressed me last night. She became somewhat of an afterthought once the match ended, but she really did her part and performed last night against Charlotte. Charlotte as a heel was needed in the Divas division and Ric Flair's involvement just adds to any angles going forward. The match was average, but had its place on the card. Sasha Banks stole the spotlight by walking out after the match to attack both Lynch and Charlotte. Huge pop for Sasha upon her entrance as well. Charlotte vs. Banks is marquee and will certainly build a huge amount of momentum for the Divas division going forward.

Ok, let's get to this. The Royal Rumble match. Billed as Reigns vs. everybody, the match did not disappoint. Right now, I want to hit something Cole said as Reigns was heading to the ring as the first entrant. Cole said, "A very mixed reaction for Roman Reigns as he comes into the Amway Center here tonight in Orlando, Florida. Not unexpected." Cole continued, "WWE fans in many ways like change and in the Rumble match they like to see different people win this event each and every year." I'm going to disregard that statement as something he just said to say. It sounded like a line that Cole either had planned on saying or was told to over the headset. This could be a major sign that WWE is aware that things need to change. If the Rumble was any indication, they've already begun making renovations.

The third entrant in the Rumble may reflect Cole's quote. The shock on Reigns' face as he and everyone else witnessed AJ Styles entered the Rumble was unforgettable. I need to take some time to talk about Styles.

Now I'm not sure if WWE knew what kind of reaction Styles would get from the fans and neither did I to be completely honest. The reaction AJ got, and I'm not messing around when I say this, was as loud, if not louder, than any reaction I've ever heard anyone get in WWE. It was deafening, to steal a line from Cole. To see AJ in a WWE ring is an image no one that pays attention to professional wrestling will ever forget. For a guy that has been everywhere, that had to be a surreal moment to live through. You could see the awe in his face as he looked around the arena. Things are getting real in WWE, and they need it. Makes you wonder what the plan is for Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, as the reaction for AJ was top-guy caliber. What's the plan for AJ going forward? I guess we'll have to keep watching and that exactly what I wanted from this show.

There were some subplots in the Rumble that I really enjoyed. Zayn and Owens really jumps out to me. Zayn entered and Owens stood in the middle of the ring waiting for him. If you read my post about the two, you'll understand how happy I was to see the two go at it on such a huge stage. They brawled and beat the hell out of each other, culminating in Zayn eliminating Owens. This feud may have just been reignited in a grand way.

Brock Lesnar, probably most people's pick to win the Royal Rumble, was eliminated by the Wyatt Family in a gang beat down scenario. When Brock was thrown out, myself and others thought it might have been a mistake. It was shocking and another dramatic moment of the night. WWE seems to be setting up Wyatt vs. Lesnar, which could be a Wrestlemania matchup and an interesting one at that. Heyman vs. Wyatt on the microphone will be worth the price of admission alone.

Let's talk about the finish. Triple H enters at number 30. If you had asked me a year ago how I'd react to HHH winning the Rumble, I probably would've said, "That would be absolutely awful, lame, and incredibly stupid." I have to say, I was 100% into this storyline playing out in the Rumble match. HHH eliminated Reigns second to last, which was perfect. The story continues. Ambrose and HHH faced off as the last two competitors in the match and put on a show that made everyone watching very anxious. I was at the edge of my seat. HHH eventually eliminated Ambrose and won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Great spot for Ambrose, as he was positioned as a clear future champion and a guy that can hang with pretty much anyone in the company.

Triple H with the belt will be interesting. You have to look at this as the first part of a longer story which is the "Road to Wrestlemania." Will Reigns get his revenge? Probably. But that's the fun of it. I saw things last night that I didn't think I'd see. AJ, Lesnar getting eliminated, Zayn vs. Owens, and Triple H winning the belt. They've put me in a position in which I really don't know what could happen along the way to 'Mania. I have to give WWE the nod on this one. We wanted more exciting content with strong story and we got it. Raw tonight will be critical to what we're going to see moving forward. It's a great time to be a fan of professional wrestling. Stay tuned people.

Expectations for the Royal Rumble

After a few months of skimming through Raw, I've decided to go all-in on the 2016 Royal Rumble. WWE has broken my trust time and time again. But they can't do it again, right?! I hope the answer is no, I really do. The truth is, I don't know what's going to happen on Sunday. In this case though, that's a good thing. Injuries have piled up and seem to be never-ending in WWE these days. Those injuries have put the company in a very tough position. Who wins this thing? Who returns during the Rumble match? Let's take a look at this year's match and discuss what we can all expect from a PPV that has let me down for two years straight.

I guess I should clarify my previous statement. Yes, the Royal Rumble let me down in both 2014 and 2015. I wasn't begging for Daniel Bryan to win the match last year. I just wanted to be surprised by the finish. Instead, I saw exactly what I had predicted and apparently, so did the Philadelphia crowd that was in such distress that they booed the Rock after the initial positive response to his surprise appearance. The problem with the Rumble the past two years is that the winner has been someone that some fans (I can't say all) have been lukewarm on. Batista didn't return to the reaction that WWE expected and Roman Reigns just didn't seem ready for the spot in 2015. I'm not going to go on one of my usual rants about the past two Rumbles. That would be a huge waste of time. Time to focus on Sunday.

Do I have a favorite to win the match? No, not really. This should indicate that WWE has done a great job building excitement and mystery around the match. Well, yes and no. I like the concept of Reigns defending his title against 29 other wrestlers. That's cool and I'll give them the nod for adding some extra drama to the event. But honestly, I just don't see who could win this thing that would surprise people and also build to Wrestlemania. Not to say the whole thing's a dead end, I just don't really understand the direction of the company since Rollins' abrupt injury. I'm going to plead the fifth on selecting a winner. Really, I don't care who wins. I just want to be invested in the product again. I'll just run through my expectations for the Royal Rumble match.

First thing's first, I want to be surprised. Yeah, I've ready some of the dirt sheet's reports. Kinda spoiling, but that's ok. I'll live. What would surprise me most? Well, there's two things. To start, Daniel Bryan. It actually looks like he might return at this thing. That would be a great start. Second, AJ Styles. Now if AJ is a surprise entrant, I will lose my shit. What do Bryan and Styles have in common in my mind? I don't think either will win. I can't see Bryan, after all his injuries, taking the strap on his first night back. Same goes for Styles in his WWE debut. I just don't think WWE would invest that much in either guy right away, especially since we're so close to Wrestlemania 32. At the same time, I sure would be surprised if either guy won. That's gotta count for something, right?

Here's a sort of curveball: Triple H wins and becomes WWE World Heavyweight Champion. I could kinda-sorta get behind this. It would certainly depend on Roman Reigns' ability to rise to the occasion and have an interesting program HHH going into 'Mania. At least this would create an angle that could culminate at the company's biggest show. But, the proof is in the pudding. At least I'd be interested in seeing how Reigns' reacts to the biggest angle of his career.

I'm going to cut this one short in fear that I over analyze this. I want to just watch the show, relax, and be surprised and thrilled like I have been in the past. WWE has some major decisions to make. Surely they've already made those decisions. It's time to execute. I read a report that said WWE is "All hands on deck," for Sunday's show. That should be the case considering the past two finishes have left a lot to be desired. So if I could make a statement to WWE, it would go something like this: "Take a chance. Just go for it. Surprise me like I know you can and leave me wondering what's going to happen on Raw the next night. It's time for change and it can be done. Just present something to me that will intrigue me and force me to watch consistently again."

That's it for me on this one. I'm crossing my fingers for a great show, some new faces, and STORYTELLING. My expectations are high, and that could be a very dangerous thing.

WWE/NXT: 2016 Should Feature Zayn VS. Owens

Anyone that knows me or follows my Twitter account knows that I won't shut up about WWE moving on to its new generation of stars. 50/50 booking and a clear lack of commitment from creative and the office has stifled any positive growth from new talent. To put it simply, the current direction is boring. Yeah. Boring. But that's just my opinion. This post is going to be straight forward. It's time to move into 2016. That's right, WWE, it's 2016. The roster is filled top to bottom with excellent performers that just need that nudge, or someone to say, "Hey, we trust you, go out there and do your thing." Someone should let Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens loose. If they did, I'm confident that we'd see a feud to end all feuds.

Why am I so confident that these two could deliver in a long-term program? Well, if you even give at least one tenth of a percent of a shit about independent wrestling, you'd know that Zayn and Owens have already delivered many, many times before (But you should care about independent wrestling because it actually still cares about you). Now, I don't want to assume here, but I'm pretty sure Zayn was El Generico despite reports that he has returned to Tijuana, Mexico. But I can't be 100% sure, so let's just roll the dice and assume they're one in the same. Anyway, back to the point. In the history of Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Kevin Steen and El Generico participated in a rivalry that, dare I say, has yet to be matched on the independent scene. It was a feud based on betrayal. Two former best friends and tag-team partners that had a pure hatred for one another. The result? Observer Feud of the Year in 2010 (Ring of Honor).

The problem in WWE is that they seem to value the short term over long term. These two brutalized each other for a year. The story involved others, as well. Steve Corino played a role on the side of Steen, while Colt Cabana came to the aid of Generico. I won't write a book about this, but the point is that they had the freedom to create a beautiful story and they did. Not only did they work well together, but they were able to make it interesting enough to make it long term. Generico vs. Steen in an unsanctioned match was heavy and amazing. In 2012, after a lot of political stuff that will just make me angry if I cover it, the two closed their feud under the rules of "Ladder War." It was a ladder match, for those that are confused. The final spot made me literally yell at the television. Buy the dvd, you'll thank me later.

What I'm getting at is this: if these two guys could put something so spectacular together at that point in their careers, how good could something they create be now with all their experience and the WWE umbrella? Assuming WWE doesn't wield a heavy hand (Which sadly, they probably will) and stifle their creativity, the two could propel themselves to top guy status with a single feud. Is this main roster ready? No. But what better place to reignite the rivalry than on NXT. Seems obvious because well, it is. As of today, Owens apparently faced off and cut a promo on Zayn at an NXT live event. This should be the first sign of a continuance of what they started after Owens killed Zayn in their most recent NXT title match.

So here's what I've rambled on and on to get to: get this blood feud going again and eventually have it spill over onto main roster television, specifically on Raw. It gets Owens into something meaningful while allowing Zayn a justified reason to move to the main roster. WWE's production team is top notch, so they should have no problem educating the casual fans of Raw as to why these guys are fighting and why they should care. Why should you care, you ask? Listen, the issue with WWE at times is their flimsy, boring, and sometimes unbelievably cheesy storylines. This is a story we can get behind. Best friends that worked so hard together to get to the top of their profession. One decides that he'll do anything to achieve his goals and provide for his family and stabs the other in the back on their night of glory. It's simple. It's black and white with a shade of grey in between. I want to believe, you know? And I can honestly say, I believe in the story these guys have told and can continue to tell.

Yeah, I'll say it again. WWE, it's time to move on and be real here. Put the ball in these guys' hands. Let them sink or swim. But believe me when I say this, these guys will swim their asses off. They will destroy any feud we've seen in recent years. Just give them the opportunity to succeed. That's all any of these guys want. Opportunity. That's what WWE's supposed to be about, right? It's Vince's quote, not mine.

Hopefully 2016 will be about the new guard, a new direction, and a new breath of fresh air that mainstream wrestling so desperately needs. Zayn and Owens have proven that they can deliver, now it's time for someone to allow them the chance to do it again.

WWE Is In A World of Hurt

The title of this one speaks for itself. Really, it should read, "WWE Is In A UNIVERSE of Hurt." Vince McMahon once said, "The difference between good and great is in the details." Well, the details can't even be passed off as decent at this point.

Where do I even start? WWE has been riddled with booking mistakes over the past decade. Most notably over the past 5 years, though. We can go all the way back to 2011, coming off CM Punk's pipe bomb promo that nearly murdered the internet and changed wrestling forever. You may remember a certain Hunter Hearst Helmsley intervening in that one. How about what WWE really wanted Daniel Bryan to do at Wrestlemania 30? Or Dolph Ziggler's amazing 2014 Survivor Series that ended up amounting to nothing. Even Kevin Owens has fallen victim to 50/50 booking. Or in his case, 33 and third booking (Yes, Scott Steiner, 33 and a third).

So what gives? What's the deal here? Everyone saw the illustration of WWE's ratings woes in that New York Post article. So of course, Vince took it into his own hands. Reign's kills Triple H on PPV after losing yet another WWE World Heavyweight Championship match. Then the next night, he wins it on Raw, despite McMahon's involvement. So all's well now, right? I mean, not really.

WWE loves to get their way. And they did in the form of Reigns' title win. I gotta give it up for Reigns and Sheamus for that matter. Both gave 110 percent and cranked out a fantastic title match. But the problem does not stem from the performers themselves. Let's all just face it, the booking is pure garbage at times. Mick Foley was recently on Steve Austin's podcast discussing the current state of WWE. Both pointed out many flaws in WWE's apparent 50/50 booking philosophy. They asked why Sasha Banks has not been featured in the wake of a women's wrestling revolution that has been taking place in NXT for quite some time. To sum up the podcast, they echo what many casual fans and the internet wrestling community have been complaining about since Wrestlemania 31.

So how do you fix it? Honestly, I don't know. I can sit here and say, "Yeah, put Banks on television. Have Reigns align himself with the Authority. Let Kevin Owens demolish people." But the issues currently in sight cannot be fixed that simply. Establishing solid booking and long term heat takes time. It's that simple. WWE must embark on an initiative that supports a long term plan. Things are too sporadic. Guys that should be monster heels get beat every other week. Guys that should be top babyfaces never battle someone long enough to overcome any real heat. I can go on and on. The point is, WWE needs to come up with a plan and call audibles along the way to adjust to the fan's reaction to the product.

I don't want to harp on this because honestly, it makes me sad. Foley said something interesting on Austin's podcast. In short, he said that when he sees a woman like Sasha Banks not get the tv time or character building angles that she deserves, it makes his sad. My feelings exactly. In bad times such as what we're all going through as fans with WWE right now, it's important to remember that WWE does NOT define professional wrestling. Yeah, they call it sports entertainment. But get real here people, it's professional wrestling. It just happens to not be very good right now. My point is though, wrestling exists outside of the Fed. It's time to change the channel for awhile. It's time to support other wrestling promotions. Watch Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Watch New Japan Pro Wrestling. Just watch something else. In the 90's. ECW and WCW made a mark on the business because people tuned in to see something different. It's time to do that again. Maybe the business as a whole will be stronger if we do.

Brady Sauvageau
The Heater Wrestling