#29 - Let Wrestlers Be Wrestlers

I have posted above the 2012 SummerSlam music video that the WWE put together promoting the event which I believe played mostly through social media. I remember watching this last summer and thinking to myself that the video showcased what was good about pro wrestling.

In this video, we have pro wrestlers being pro wrestlers! They are allowing their own personalities to shine (Daniel Bryan is pure gold in this video) which adds so much to their characters. Today, I feel that the creative team has too much control over the product. Why does the creative team have to write promos? Why do the talent be given the ability to add dimensions to their own characters? If a person uses their own ideas, they are much more committed to the task. Let's start letting pro wrestlers be pro wrestlers!

It worked for Dolph Ziggler who wouldn't be near the level he is now without appearing on Zack Ryder's Z True Long Island Story. Without Ryder, Ziggler would be still portrayed as the "new Mr. Perfect" when now we are now comparing his rise to Shawn Michaels

Daniel Bryan was floundering in the mid card until turning heel in early 2012 and being allowed to let his personality to show through the Yes/No chants and Dr. Shelby segments with Kane. The wrestler once known as the American Dragon and for "kicking in fucking heads" is now wanting to be called the Dazzler? Bryan showed that you can be a great wrestler while also entertaining which is something we might not have seen since Ric Flair and his outlandish personality of the '80s

The Ringmaster floundered until he submitted an idea to creative for a cold-hearted ruthless man who showed no emotion. Eventually, we were given Stone Cold Steve Austin who was his personality exaggerated. Steve Austin actually drinks beer, drives a pickup truck, enjoys using colorful language and is a redneck from Texas.

These three examples show that wrestlers being themselves have worked in the past and present so why not allow other wrestlers this chance? Mick Foley has stated that he felt the Attitude Era (arguably the most profitable era in pro wrestling history) started when Vince McMahon gave a speech about wrestlers having to inject more of themselves into their characters. Actually, Foley really can attribute the success of his WWE career largely to his series of interviews with Jim Ross back in June 1997 where he interwove his personal history (Dude Love & his desire for attention as a teenager) into how the Mankind character came to be in his head.

In closing, I have given four good examples of where wrestlers were allowed to be themselves and were successful. The music video included with this post proves that there is a wealth of charisma and untapped comedy in the WWE locker room just looking for the opportunity to be showcased weekly. Why not lighten the workload of the creative team and allow them to focus strictly on story line progression! Let's start seeing wrestlers make the best of their chance and their characters! Lets start letting wrestlers be wrestlers and watch the product we receive every week! I thank you very much for reading!

#28 - The Undertaker @ WM29

I am going to take the current state of WWE story lines and progress them in my own vision, starting with this past Monday's RAW. As we've all heard, the Undertaker's status for this year's WrestleMania is uncertain. The rumor is that he is dealing with injuries that would be better off resting this year. However, I feel we can allow Undertaker to rest but still keep him in a major storyline this year at WrestleMania! Here is my idea of how the Undertaker can be a major part of WrestleMania with minimal in-ring action! ...

Starting at ...
Last Monday - Paul Heyman's Performance Evaluation

• Brock Lesnar attacking Vince McMahon as a favor to his friend/business partner Paul Heyman who was about to be fired by McMahon
• Vince suffers a broken left hip as reported on WWE.com 

My idea is for this storyline to culminate at WrestleMania with ... 

CM Punk and Brock Lesnar vs Triple H and the Undertaker!

Outline:

February 4th

Brock cuts a promo describing himself as the most destructive force in WWE after eliminating Triple H and Mr. McMahon, he makes reference to the ring being his world (a subtle reference to the Undertaker)

Vickie Guerrero comes to the ring and states that she has been asked by WWE Board of Directors to negotiate Brock's return to WWE after quitting last summer. Heyman states that they return to the back for the negotiation. As the show is closing, Heyman returns to the stage to announce that Brock has agreed to a new iron-clad two year deal with WWE! Stephanie McMahon's music hits as she comes out to meet Heyman face to face, stating that she was the one who asked Vickie to sign Brock back and that Triple H would be on the next RAW.

February 11th

• The show opens with Triple H shown backstage waiting for Brock Lesnar's arrival. 
• A limo arrives which Lesnar's Deathclutch license plate on it which is promptly destoryed by Triple H. 
• Paul Heyman is shown getting out of the limo on the opposite side of Triple H. 
• As Heyman is being stalked by Triple H, he is attacked from behind by CM Punk. 
• Triple H and Punk battle for a moment until Lesnar arrives in a truck and the Punk/Lesnar duo leave Triple H lying in need of medical attention. 
• Triple H is placed into an ambulance and taken from the arena
• Punk/Heyman/Lesnar come to the ring for a promo which Heyman highlights how effective these forces could be together with Punk and Lesnar throwing compliments towards each other! Heyman also illustrates how they have battled adversity from the WWE and how similar their battles with management were
• Punk wrestles main event of show with Lesnar in corner! Triple H is shown driving an ambulance back into the arena! Triple H comes from the side of the entrance and as he reaches the ramp, the Rock's music hits! Rock hits the ring to fight Punk (helping to sell their EC Title Match) and HHH battles Lesnar for the show to end

February 18th

• CM Punk, having been defeated by the Rock the night before, opens the show with another promo about not receiving the respect he deserves
• He states there's only one man who has the respect he deserves in WWE and that's the Undertaker
• Punk challenges the Undertaker to a match at WrestleMania
• Triple H cuts a promo stating that he wants Brock and Punk at WrestleMania! 
• Offers to put his role as COO on the line with Heyman receiving the job if his team wins
• He says he can get Punk what he wants and asks the Undertaker to be his tag team partner
• The show closes with the Undertaker's gong going off and the arena going black

February 25th

• The show opens with the gong, the same way RAW closed the week before
• THE RETURN OF THE UNDERTAKER
• The Undertaker cuts a promo describing his love for the WWE but his distrust for Triple H as he spent the last two WrestleMania's trying to end the streak
• Triple H comes to the ring and gives his plea to the Undertaker
• The Undertaker states he will deliberate and give Triple H his answer next week on RAW

March 4th

• The Undertaker comes to the ring and declines Triple H's offer, stating that he cannot afford to allow the Streak to be placed in the hands of the man who tried to end it on three occasions
• Shawn Michaels returns to talk to Undertaker, highlights the respect he earned with Taker after his WrestleMania bouts
• Undertaker tells Shawn he respects him but he can't risk the Streak like this
• As Undertaker gets ready to walk up the stage, Mr. McMahon's music hits
• Vince is now confined to a wheelchair thanks to the broken hip and comes to the stage
• Vince comes out and gives Undertaker a speech about how close him and Taker has been over the years! How Undertaker never left his side when everybody else did (throws a shot in at Hogan) and that he needs him one more time! To defend the honor of WWE against Heyman
• Undertaker agrees to be Triple H's partner for Vince

March 11th

• Triple H challenges CM Punk to a steel cage match on RAW on March 25th (two week buildup to that match) that if Punk wins, he'll receive the first title match after WrestleMania (presumably at Extreme Rules) 
• We have a dual contract signing setup for both the WrestleMania match and the steel cage match! 
• There is an $2 Million Dollar No Contact Clause in the contract that neither group could be physical with each other until the cage match or forfeit their cash

March 18th

• Video packages air throughout the night where the locker room are discussing how important this match will be to the landscape of the WWE

March 25th

• The Steel Cage Match
• Video packages air throughout the show highlighting both Punk's history in steel cages (defeating Ryback and ending Jeff Hardy's career) and Triple H's history (ending Mick Foley's career, defeating Austin at No Way Out 2001, defeating Legacy etc.)
• CM Punk escapes the cage as  Lesnar puts HHH in a chokehold as he's crawling out the door! 

April 1st

• Segments are filmed at WWE Headquarters where Heyman/Lesnar/Punk arrive at Titan Towers where they interrupt a board of directors meeting, which he is discussing the possibility of him becoming the COO of the WWE! 
• They find Stephanie McMahon and with Triple H viewing from the arena and destroy her office with Stephanie watching on! 
• The trio leave the office stating "Hunter, we'll see you this Sunday" 

April 7th

• The tag team match of the century!
  The Streak and COO position of WWE is at stake!
  Punk and Lesnar vs Undertaker and Triple H!
• I feel Punk should take the pin in this match via a Undertaker pinfall thus leaving room for an Punk-Undertaker and/or a Undertaker/Lesnar feud down the road with the seed being what Undertaker cost them! 
• Triple H thanks Undertaker for his help and they shake hands!

I understand my details get less detailed towards the end but I literally wrote this as I typed it! haha I hope you enjoy this blog. It's not perfectly written but this is how I would present the idea to a friend and hope you enjoy it and would love some feedback! Thank you very much!