Could WWE's Hall of Fame Class 2012 provide more attention than nostalgia?

Many industry insiders look more forward to the precursor to WrestleMania than the actual card itself.

The reason for this is simple.  It's a time to reflect, cherish, and celebrate the pioneers and legends of Professional Wrestling.  It's one of the few times of the year that both insiders as well as fans can see many wrestling legends under one roof.

This year is quite different.  The recently retired Edge is an obvious choice for the Hall of Fame, but the next set of inductees carry a little more intrigue with their induction.

The Four Horsemen were established in Jim Crockett Promotions in 1986 and quickly became one of the most innovative ideas in the history of Professional Wrestling.  While teams of multiple members existed in small spurts throughout the years, the Four Horsemen took it to another level as they were far more vicious and sophisticated than any group that came before them.

This group existed off and on for the next 14 years with various members.  The main constants in this group were "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and the "Enforcer" Arn Anderson.  Even with rotating members, this stable of wrestlers were always well recognized by the fans.  Fans to this day hold up four fingers as a tribute to the Horsemen.

With the Hall of Fame induction, comes controversy.  The original members of the Four Horsemen were Ric Flair, Arn and Ole Anderson, and Tully Blanchard with J.J. Dillon as the manager of the team.  The current induction shows that Ole Anderson has been left out and Barry Windham is slotted for the induction.  While many consider this the best incarnation of the team, Ole being shunned from the induction has received some attention.  It is thought that there are some harsh internal feelings within the industry against Anderson that has kept him from being inducted.

Even with the attention Ole Anderson/Barry Windham received early on, it does not really compare to the attention Ric Flair has received.  Flair is currently contracted to Impact Wrestling (TNA) and has been a prior inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame.  Flair has already publicly stated that he will be at the induction ceremony and will conduct a speech for the Four Horsemen's induction.  This may prove to be a legal matter as rumours have begun to circulate that TNA can sue due to the WWE financially benefiting from promoting Flair for this event.  Whether this happens or not remains to be seen, but Flair has confirmed that he will appear.

Time will dictate the resolution to this matter, but one can be certain that this may be one of the most interesting Hall of Fame events of all time.

Could Brock Lesnar be the "Next Big Thing" again in the WWE?

By now, you've probably heard the rumours and speculation regarding the future of Brock Lesnar. 

After a brutal first round loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141, Lesnar announced to the sold-out crowd in Las Vegas that he had officially retired from the sport.  Almost immediately after this announcement, the IWC (Internet Wrestling Community) began speculating on a WWE return.

While Lesnar hasn't competed in a WWE ring since 2004, his presence in the sport cannot be denied.  Very few men have ever climbed to the top of the business as quickly and with as much attention as Lesnar had in the early 2000's.  Lesnar became a force in the world of WWE and was awarded the WWE Championship at the tender age of 26.

After numerous matches in the WWE, numerous reigns as the WWE Champion, media attention, endorsement deals, video game adaptations, and merchandise sales, Lesnar decided to call it quits after four years in the WWE.  His total WWE career ranged from the years 2000-2004.  Although his departure led to much discussion, the time he achieved his success in professional wrestling is one of the most impressive feats that anyone has accomplished in this line of work.

After a failed attempt at Professional Football (although he was cut last at Minnesota Vikings training camp) and some time wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling (which led to another World Championship), Lesnar announced that he would step into the world of Mixed Martial Arts.  Much like his WWE tenure, his time in the UFC was not lengthy, but very successful.

Lesnar compiled a 5-3 win/loss record in Mixed Martial Arts, including a reign as the UFC World Heavyweight Champion.  Winning this championship makes Lesnar the only man to win both the WWE Championship and the UFC World Heavyweight Championship.  Two distinct titles in very different worlds.

There is no disputing the accomplishments Lesnar has achieved in life make him a very unique individual.  Lesnar was an accomplished amateur wrestler at the University of North Dakota.  Lesnar became possibly the fastest rising star ever in Professional Wrestling.  He then went on to the NFL only to narrowly miss playing for the Minnesota Vikings.  Lastly, he became the top star in the UFC and the companies top Pay Per View drawing card.

No wonder the rumours are rampant.  Lesnar is THE star in everything he tries.  Wrestling fans can only hope that he brings this star power back to the WWE.

Chris Jericho - A true professional in Professional Wrestling

No matter what the opinion of the IWC (Internet Wresting Community) is, Chris Jericho is a true genius in the art of Professional Wrestling.

After weeks of the "End of the World" segments that aired on television, Jericho returned on the January 2nd edition of WWE Raw.  With a classic Jericho entrance and throwback look (the light up jacket was amusing), Jericho fired up the crowd like he had never left the ring.

He then continued to fire up the crowd, again and again.  Followed by him leaving the scene a few moments later, all without saying a word.

For those who have followed Jericho's career from Smokey Mountain Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and the WWE, know that one of the main skills in Jericho's vast skill set is his ability to talk fans into the seats.  A mere promo by Jericho as a face or a heel is enough to garner a huge reaction from any set of fans all over the world.

Jericho proved to the world on this occasion that he can reinvent himself.  He had done similar in 2007 when the fans did not take to his new short hair look.  By taking away everything that people liked about him he made himself one of the business' best heels during a two year span.  So much so that he has been one of the most missed superstars since his departure in 2010.

Many of the fans who flock to Internet forums did not understand Jericho's latest return.  There were complaints that it made no sense and that it served no purpose.  A vast majority of the fans have not been able to wrap their heads around the fact that Jericho spent five minutes on camera without doing much of anything.

If you look closely though, this made a lot of sense and is one of the most interesting returns in recent history.

Jericho used body language to captivate the audience.  He had an entire arena cheering everything he did.  For those few precious moments, they ate out of his hand.  They could not get enough of his antics.  With little subtle movements, he had some fans turning against himself upon his exit.  Many fans wondered why he had showed up at all.

That is the art of Professional Wrestling.  Leave them wanting more. 

Fans WILL tune in to the January 9th edition just to see why Jericho has returned and if he will speak into the microphone.  Fans WILL tune in to find out who "she" is that holds the "key" to his return as the the return vignettes indicated. 

The truth is, if true wrestling fans aren't intrigued by this return, they more than likely never were true fans in the first place.

Making the WWE Championship interesting again.

It's no wonder that CM Punk garners the most reads on this website.  It's also no surprise why he reigns on top of World Wrestling Entertainment.

CM Punk has continued his improbable rise in the WWE despite any detractors the "Straight Edge Superstar" may seem to have.  Punk is not over-muscled, does not have the WWE "star" look, and is not the All-American poster boy that has been prevalent in the WWE in nearly every decade.

It may be hard to put your finger on what exactly people like about CM Punk.  Internet fans will tell you it's his ring work and how his promos go "inside" the industry.  While this may be true to a degree, it may just be as simple as him having that "X" factor.  That intangible that no one can explain. 

CM Punk is far different from John Cena.  While Cena portrays a "clean-cut" good guy who doesn't stray too much from the rules, Punk will blatantly push the boundaries to scratch his way to the top.  He does this in such a way that he has continually "blurred" the lines between the hero and villain.  Alberto Del Rio may be a talented bad guy, but even he doesn't portray that bad boy image that Punk does.

We've stated it before that no one seems to do the things Punk does when it comes to the "status-quo" of the WWE.  Punk makes it a point to mention he is not a "sports-entertainer".  He's a professional WRESTLER.  He has made himself such a marketable character that every time he picks up a microphone, you are tuned into what he is saying.  (Even if this seems toned down on camera in recent weeks)

On November 20th, 2011, CM Punk defeated Alberto Del Rio to capture the WWE Championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  The "fabled hall" that is the Garden had thousands in attendance, many wearing CM Punk's "Best in the World" t-shirt.  This is even more proof that Punk is slowly becoming the staple of the company.  The fans roared in approval when Punk became the champion as they have a champion they believe in again.

Not bad for a guy who was reportedly buried numerous times over the past six years.

Impact Wrestling World Tour - Windsor, Ontario. 11/06/11

Live event results from the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. 

We were there live as Impact Wrestling made it's return to Windsor.  In a first here at The WrestleRealm, we're going to do a brief run-down of the card as well as some highlights.

Jesse Sorensen vs Austin Aries - X-Division Championship. 

Solid opener by both Aries and Sorensen.  Austin Aries continues to shine as the heel X-Division Champion and finishes off Sorensen by pulling the tights for the three count. Aries received a lot of heat during the match as well as "Austin Aries" chants.

ODB vs Velvet Sky - Knockouts Championship.

ODB continued to taunt Velvet with her usual antics, while Earl Hebner played up the "Montreal Screwjob" as well as groping both combatants and kissing ODB.  After the kiss, Velvet polished off ODB to retain the Knockouts Championship.

Magnus vs "Cowboy" James Storm. 

In the shortest match of the evening, James Storm super kicked Magnus after his beer was taken from him.  Storm also had the crowd join in on a rendition of "O' Canada".

Abyss vs Mr. Anderson. 

After a "failed" attempt to retrieve the microphone from the ceiling, Abyss attacked Anderson during his mic schtick.  Anderson finished Abyss off with the Mic-Check and then continued his schtick.  Anderson also brought a kid into the ring to assist him with this feat.

Ric Flair promo

 

After a brief intermission, Ric Flair came out to a huge ovation.  Flair spoke about the many times he has been in Ontario.  The "Nature Boy" then stated that the last time he was in Windsor was for Bob Probert's funeral.  (NHL Enforcer from Windsor)  Flair continued to say some moving words for Probert and put the city over.  Flair left to a huge pop from the crowd.

Gunner vs Scott Steiner vs Rob Van Dam. 

After Gunner walked to the ring, Scott Steiner came out to a nice pop.  Steiner then proceeded to rip on the audience and run down some of the women in the crowd.  Steiner received massive heat for this.  Rob Van Dam then came out to a huge pop from the crowd and was then beaten for most of the match by both Steiner and Gunner.  After a Van Dam comeback, RVD hit the "Five Star Frog Splash" on Gunner for the win.  RVD then high fived most of the front row fans.

Bully Ray vs Jeff Hardy.     

Bully Ray came out to a ton of heat and tore a part signs in the audience.  Ray then topped Steiner's heel promo from earlier and received the most heat of the night.  Jeff Hardy then came out to the biggest face pop of the night.  After a short match, Hardy hit the Swanton Bomb for the win. 

You can view these lives event pictures on our new live event section, here. 

Hogan's Fallout Continues

In response to our blog post yesterday, ( The Hogan Effect - 2011 ) more news has came out regarding the title change plans from the Bound For Glory Pay Per View last weekend.

Hulk Hogan posted the following on his Twitter ( @HulkHogan ) this morning:

"Goodmorning HULKAMANIACS,can't wait for all the Rood fans that turned to haters to see the big picture,thank God we still have real marks HH"

Meanwhile, former WCW President Eric Bischoff also posted the following on his Twitter ( @EBischoff  ) this morning:

"Having a blast watching Internet marks react. Candy from a baby!"

Now while both Hogan and Bischoff seem to be into fooling "Internet marks" and supporting "real marks", most know that Impact Wrestling has always been a "smart" wrestling crowd of fans who are more "in-the-know" than the average fan.  Hogan and Bischoff however feel as though they have an edge over wrestling "marks".

This is nothing new to most hardcore fans.  Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff at one point booked several angles to mess with their fan base and try to make them second guess what is real and what isn't.

Looking into this further, both Hogan and Bischoff are now trying to convince wrestling fans that this was the plan all along.  If you think logically about this, why would two men with years of success in professional wrestling have to justify to a bunch of "Internet marks" why Bobby Roode did not win the World Championship and have another wrestler pull off the upset on free television?  Why push one wrestler to the moon, promote them heavily on your show to win the championship and have a supporting player capture the title?  Again, on free television with little promotion?

Again, much of this may be speculation.  Maybe Impact Wrestling spent a lot of money on promotional pieces for Bobby Roode only to have him "miss" the championship this time and then capture it from an "on-screen" friend.  (Again, please see the RSS feeds on our side bar for spoilers) 

Also, maybe it's speculation that Impact Wrestling decided to have one of the greatest wrestlers of all time in Kurt Angle not "put over" the up-and-coming star and help launch a main event career.

Then again, maybe and Hogan and Bischoff just want the vast majority of the "Internet marks" to debate this topic to get them to view the next few episodes of Impact Wrestling and create interest in the product.

Somehow, the latter doesn't seem likely.  But, this is the Internet and "Hogan Knows Best".

The Hogan Effect - 2011

Regardless of any preconceived opinions, Hulk Hogan is still arguably one of the biggest names in the history of professional wrestling.  Many fans now in their 30's, 40's, and 50's look back on what many consider the "good ol' days", that included Hogan and company.

However, those days are long gone and to some they weren't that great either.

Putting aside the past rivalries and backstage issues that included Hogan in the 1980's and 1990's, things seem just as heated at times in this era as well.  Over the past year, Hogan has found himself in more than one controversy.  Hogan has endured a continued war of words with his now ex-wife Linda, having the Ultimate Warrior create a video piece called "Karma is coming to collect" which ran down Hogan's entire life in a negative way, and he has also seen some controversy in his current wrestling role.

Ah yes, professional wrestling.  Where it all began.

Over the past two years, Hogan has been involved with TNA/Impact Wrestling.  While, Hogan's true role in the company has never been revealed, it is widely accepted that he along with former WCW President Eric Bischoff have input in the storyline direction of the company. 

Which leads to Hogan's current controversy, Bobby Roode.

Now while not every fan knows who Bobby Roode is, he has been a solid in-ring performer and up and coming star in professional wrestling for many years.  Roode, who has been with Impact Wrestling since 2004, has survived the wave of talent that has come and gone in that time frame.  Roode has worked mostly as a tag team wrestler during this period and became a main fixture of the show.  Bobby Roode really became a relevant player in professional wrestling during 2011 as he won the "Bound for Glory" tournament to determine who would face the World Heavyweight Champion at Impact Wrestling's self-proclaimed "biggest show of the year".

It almost seemed inevitable that the up-and-coming Roode would dethrone the legendary Olympic Gold Medalist and World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle live on Pay-Per-View.

As most by now know, this did not happen.

Rumours began to swirl that Hogan lobbied for Roode not to capture the World Heavyweight Championship.  Rumours also circulated that Hogan felt Roode was not ready for a run as World Champion.

Now, while this site is not dedicated to rumours, we feel this is a relevant news story.  With Roode losing in his World Championship match, the company built up a star only to fail on their biggest show of the year.

The biggest kicker in all of this?  The World Championship has since changed hands on a taped edition of Impact Wrestling free of charge.  The title changed hands to a wrestler who had been the exact same shoes Roode was prior to winning the World Championship, only without the monster push.  (Read the RSS feeds on the right hand side of this page for spoiler alerts)

Whether this all rests on Hulk Hogan's shoulders is irrelevant at this point.  Unfortunately for him, he is now being blamed for another resentful moment in the wrestling business.