This past Friday saw WWE release eight performers from their contracts, in a move that represented a throwback for the company, who for years had been avoiding the negative PR associated with releasing talent, by instead just not renewing contracts.
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Later tonight, WWE rolls into Chicago for their traditional (err) post-WrestleMania pay-per-view… Extreme PayBackLash! Wait, why have they changed it again?
The passing of Joanie “Chyna” Laurer has caused an outpouring of grief amongst wrestling fans – and those inside the business – who fondly remember her in-ring career and the massive strides she took in women being “more than just valets”, more than 15 years before the WWE’s “Diva Revolution”.
As the new week started, news started to leak out of TNA’s potential sale – and although (at time of writing) nothing has been finalised, the details coming out seemed to indicate that the company destined for a warehouse was veering into yet another PR crisis.
Television can be a very useful tool for a professional wrestling promotion. Back in the day, it was one of the main vehicles that companies had to sell tickets to live events. As wrestling evolved, television shows became a tool to increase awareness and sell pay-per-views as well. With success comes ratings, and the inevitable addition of extra coverage, which leads us to the conundrum that we face today.
Spoilers have been part and parcel of wrestling for its entire life. Especially when matches didn’t air live on TV, there has always been a group of fans looking to be ahead of the curve and figure out what’s happened before it’s broadcast to the masses. (Friendly tip: there’s none included in this article!)
Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ll have heard that WrestleMania weekend was host to a number of high quality matches – even if the event itself led to mixed feelings amongst fans. Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr. Bayley vs. Asuka. – and that’s just three matches. But whilst they all were good matches that captivated the crowds, they were all missing one thing: clearly defined heels.
A lot has been said of TNA’s ongoing woes – hell, it’s been the story of their existence. From their very first show in 2002, there’s always been a millstone around the company’s neck: financial issues, controversy about recent hires (or firings), question marks over the company’s televisual future. Last week, news crept out about how TNA were relocating… to a warehouse?!