Greetings wrestling enthusiasts I am Daniel AJ Barker and the Esoteric Anomaly has returned to the SLTD Wrestling family with a fresh new column, I am proud to say welcome to the very first edition of the Verbal Brainbuster!
It’s taken just short of two years to comeback after what CM Punk would describe as a sabbatical, just without all the politics. In all seriousness taking time away from writing has allowed me to develop new ideas, find a better source of employment and adjust to being a father.
I am more excited to comeback than a superstar cashing their money in the bank contract so without further ado; let’s get this started!
Reaching the highest peak in the wrestling industry literally boils down to a performer being given a gimmick that compliments their unique set of strengths. It’s the small details that a person naturally emanates which sells the creative direction that’s designed to push them forward, or elevate them higher depending on how you perceive progression.
A promotion relies on sparking the audience’s imagination, whether to immerse onlookers beyond the craft or to increase the believability of the action they’re watching unfold in the ring.
Using a gimmick is a necessary process, however when executed poorly ;it can turn fans away from the product and have a negative on the careers of the talents in the locker-room, especially those who aspire to become a permanent fixture on the roster.
The WWE has been creatively in conflict with itself for a good number of years yet lately I am feeling that pressure intensify as NXT continues to impress current fans and provide former fans a reason to return after feeling disconnected by the core product.
Despite the fact NXT sits at the bottom of the pecking order it consistently delivers a decent show with matches that have far more substance than what’s regularly viewed on RAW. It can be bewildering to think that segments which provide little entertainment on RAW are granted better coverage than those on NXT busting their backsides to gain less exposure.
Being drafted to the main roster on RAW means limiting your wrestling ability due to time constraints and also working with the current roster that are used to working a certain way or have developed certain habits. I don’t think it’s any secret that the transition period to the main roster has proved incredibly problematic and the creative process that should support them has arguably ended more careers in the WWE than motivated.
On the flip side there are signs that the WWE is gradually changing and the landscape is improving. For one example you can look towards Kevin Owens run so far along with the matches he’s had with John Cena. I must compliment John Cena as he’s upped his game against opponents from NXT; glad to see he’s a man of his word and appreciates the bigger picture in working alongside these talents.
Another example would of course be the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and his current adversary & former stable member Dean Ambrose. Two highly talented performers that stemmed from NXT and made it to the highest spot achievable besides a complete Wrestle Mania main event.
To go from development all the way to headlining a pay per view main event for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship is a success story. Other examples I’d bring to mind are how NXT promotes women wrestlers based on their ability & its latest acquisitions to the roster such as signing Samoa Joe!
Going back to Seth Rollins I have highlighted it as a success, it’s undeniable. As a wrestler I think he’s got all the tools for the job, yet the WWE conflict remains present and hinders him. How you may ask?
Throwing Seth Rollins in the authority faction is such a poor choice of direction it’s unfathomable. Surrounding a wrestler’s first major title win with a typical heel stable gimmick undermines what the performer is all about, it takes away every benefit the main event spot should provide him, exposure of his abilities. .
WWE made a champion on his first run look like he doesn’t belong, although we are well aware of how talented Seth Rollins is. The authority gimmick comes across as outdated, filled with loopholes and forces RAW to divide & waste attention promoting a whole group of people to only often hype a match between two.
When wrestlers like Seth go to work they’re brilliant entertainment, but the schematics connecting these matches together simply overshadows what should be appreciated as great work. The last heel stable champion that worked well in this critic’s opinion would be Triple H in Evolution.
Evolution had a World Heavyweight Champion that already had a lengthy history amongst the main roster and already collated a decorative championship record.
The Evolution reign on RAW told a story of a champion that was more than capable in getting the job done yet chose to utilize all the resources he’s gathered to preserve the title within his grasp no matter the cost. It worked perfect as a heat magnet, Triple H treat the World title as if he were the only true owner and would go to any lengths to keep it, lengths that he came to rely on far too much rather than his own abilities.
What Triple H worked in Evolution was an established relationship with the audience as a main event wrestler, looking weak never compromised his position as everything tied together. A face challenger appeared a strong contender with the build up while Triple H appeared ruthless with his intent to retain his championship.
Turn your attention back towards Seth and we have an amazing talent that’s caught in a web of compensations. They won’t allow him to truly strike out on his own and make him appear as a champion who should have never been in that predicament.
Each champion I admit needs their own unique path, the one Seth is put on feels all too familiar and sadly makes the title feel somewhat irrelevant. I mean is Dean Ambrose really clawing his way to be known as champion or are we going with the revenge angle against Seth and include the whole authority into that mix?
RAW has maintained a need for a power-based storyline, which a person or party is in control. What’s being hashed out now has little imagination and that lack of vision takes its toll on the image of Seth Rollins, a former NXT superstar that previously rocked his previous gimmicks, and his biggest opportunity to date just contradicts what potential he’s shown.
At the next pay per view when Brock Lesnar returns to reclaim his championship, I do hope Seth Rollin loses to break away from the dead weight that is the authority. Maybe the reign can be twisted, maybe the situation is salvageable for Seth Rollins to reflect his value as a main eventer. Who knows?
There are questions but no denying that a talent’s transition from the bottom to the very top have to go through the WWE kitchen of creativity, a kitchen that has far too many cooks who are notorious for spoiling the broth.
With that said I’ll finish this long drawn out article, apologies if this has dragged as I feel very rusty. As before I am happy to answer and share questions from you the readers.
Do you agree or disagree with what I wrote?
The best part about being a wrestling fan is that there are so many viewpoints to discuss.
Thank you for reading.
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