Jim Ross has updated his blog again, giving his thoughts on new WWE main event talents, the up-and-coming young wrestlers on Smackdown, Roddy Piper’s arrest and more…
Some highlights:
“I can’t remember an era within the business that there has been more of a need to add to the main event mix and to create new top level bouts especially on PPV. This goes along with creating new stars which one would think is logically every wrestling organization’s top priority. Wrestling is a star driven, attraction friendly entity that thrives on personal issues between people in which fans have a vested interest. This sounds like a simple equation but it isn’t.”
“As it relates to Friday Night Smackdown, it seems as if Dolph Ziggler and John Morrison are lining up to be the next talents to move up the ladder. Both are getting more opportunities to shine and are doing a nice job of producing positive results.”
“Will the next major trend in the biz be an elaborate and through scouting department that looks high and low for the next wave of prospects? The potential to earn big bucks in sports entertainment is a nice selling/recruiting point for an extroverted, skilled athlete with drive, character and a sense of entrepreneurship.”
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Wrestling never real had this problem dating back to the early 1970’s up until the very early 2000’s. There was always ample amount of talent around chomping at the bit to move up the laddder and strong talent like Bret Hart, HBK, Bulldog,Taker,etc had to pay their dues for years before they could even get the chance to be main eventers.The steroid scandel gave Bret & HBK their chance and even when HBK went down , Austin was there to take his place.Much of the talent the WWE is pushing or has pushed in recent times would still be doing small indy shows back in the era I just described.I blame much of today’s lack of strong main event talent on the politics inside the WWE and their monopoly on the industry here in the U.S. Japan does not have this problem. There are more promotions and more strong talent than you can shake a stick at.Though some may not like to admit it (including JR) wrestling lost its heyday here in the U.S
around six to nine years ago and I really don’t see it gaining a come back.Unless one is a close fan/follower of the business your average person doesn’t know who Randy Orton,Batista,Umanga,Edge are let alone the ones they are trying to give main event push to on Smackdown.25 years ago was a different story, the average non wrestling fan had the general idea who Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Dusty Rhoades were plus the old timers like Bruno Sammartino, Pudsky, Heystacks Calhoon, Jesse Ventura , Gorrilla Monsonn, Verne Gangna ,etc.Remind you these guys didn’t have all the pay for views and big media coverage back in the 70’s like these guys today.I put the whole blame on the industry and mostly on the WWE for the lack of strong main event talent in the business today.They basically killed the market by their monopoly and not bringing/raising up the future main eventers years ago as they should have . I think they thought the Austin/Rock years were going to continue forever.WRONG.I personally believe that the Taker’s and HBK’s days of pro wrestling are soon over along with Sting’s. They are the exception and not the rule of going as long as they have and their bodies nor minds can take the grueling schedule much longer.I still say the demise of the WCW and Vince buying them out killed the wrestling industry in the U.S. leaving us with the problem we have today. NO BIG TIME MAIN EVENTERS TO CARRY THE BUSINESS !