You stepped away from the wrestling business in 2017. What is your biggest observation returning just over three years later in 2020?
Taking time away from the business is something I never plan on doing again. I followed loosely in my time away and I have returned with some interesting perspectives. One of my biggest complaints in covering the business everyday for a living from June 2007 to February 2017 was the lack of new stars. WWE has done a much better job than people realize in creating new stars. They are not all the names we thought they would be (like Finn Balor) but some are (Charlotte Flair, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Kevin Owens, etc.).
I knew Vince was high up on AJ Styles so his ascension does not surprise me. It is hard to fathom Finn Balor could not find footing outside of NXT and is still there to be relevant but Vince clearly lacks a vision for him. Another takeaway I have is the emergence of the independent scene and the amount of viable options other than WWE. Impact Wrestling is so much better with wrestling people in charge. No offense to Dixie Carter but you see what happens when people who understand the wrestling business get to call the shots. Viewership is down because they do not have a major TV deal but it is a much more enjoyable product. AEW is exciting but I am frustrated by so many pundits showing obvious favoritism towards them. It is important to be fair and some of the coverage towards AEW shows a blatant disregard for objectivity. Especially when WWE is heavily scrutinized for every move they make. It has gotten to the point where WWE could do the exact same thing AEW did and get criticized, while AEW will get a pass. It is fine for fans to have a favorite promotion but publications should be held to a higher standard.
All and all my advice for anyone feeling burnt out – take some time away and come back. It really does help, especially if you find yourself disinterested in absolutely everything. The bad part about pro wrestling is there is no offseason so you never really get a chance to “miss” it. That is one thing that keeps me interested in professional sports is that when one season is winding down, another is coming back. The offseason provides a chance to regroup and realize how much you missed it.
I am very optimistic about the future of the pro wrestling business even during the pandemic and coming off horrendous Raw viewership numbers. The wrestling business is alive and well and I am excited to cover it into the new decade.
Do you think WWE will resume Edge vs. Randy Orton when Edge is healthy?
WWE expects Edge back and he and Randy Orton are due a “rubber match.” The original plan was to blow-off the program at SummerSlam but of course that will not be happening. I could see WWE doing Edge vs. Orton at WrestleMania again but that is still extremely preliminary. Edge needs to get healthy and WWE is focused on booking Orton against Drew McIntyre. Orton is over like rover right now and it is too bad we do not have live crowds to hear just how loud the heat is. The program with Edge really helped Randy and we can all hope his momentum will carry over in the program with McIntyre.
What is this about Charlotte Flair potentially having opportunities in Hollywood?
It is funny how rumors start. Charlotte took some time away with rumors running rampant as to why, with some reports getting very personal. As it turns out, she took some time away to deal with issues stemming from her breast implants leaking and to have surgery to fix a cosmetic issue from a previous operation. We reported here on WrestlingNews.com that surgery was successful. She remains out indefinitely but there are plans for her to return sometime before the end of the year. Regarding outside opportunities, it has been rumored she has interest in reality TV, scripted TV and now Hollywood! Charlotte Flair is not only one of the most talented workers we have seen develop very quickly but she is also the daughter of one of the greatest of all-time in Ric Flair. I am sure she has plenty of opportunities on her plate and she will have to manage them with her professional wrestling career. It remains to be seen what that looks like, however, the opportunities should not surprise anyone.
With Dominick Mysterio getting so physical on Raw, is it safe to say WWE expects Rey Mysterio back?
The latest kayfabe update on Rey Mysterio is that his “vision is improving” and his “optic nerve is intact, completely secured and back in its socket.” In other words, he can see again and there are likely plans for his return to television. The last I heard he had still not agreed to a new WWE contract but the latest update suggests they are close. Otherwise, WWE would have used the eye angle to write him off television. So given the fact Dominick was physical with Rollins on Raw and WWE is publishing positive kayfabe updates on Rey, it is safe to say they expect him back.
The next installment of Ask WNC is scheduled to run on Friday, July 31, 2020.
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