wrestling / Columns

2014: A Game Changing Year in Wrestling (Part 1)

December 22, 2014 | Posted by Len Archibald

It is customary at this time of year to be bombarded with “Best Of” lists celebrating virtually every facet of life in some way. It is no different at 411Mania, with “Best Of” lists for movies, games, wrestling events and the like. While looking back at the year that was 2014, something struck me as clear as day when it comes to professional wrestling; I do believe that we will look back at 2014 in hindsight as a year where several major shifts took place that will eventually rock the wrestling world. All in all, while 2013 had its moments, but was essentially a “down” year for the industry, this year we witnessed several massive moments, changing of the guards, climaxes and seeds planted that may bring events to a head in 2015.

2014 began much like how it ended; in a holding pattern. WWE’s top stars were still John Cena and Randy Orton, as the two were engaged in a “heated” rivalry for the newly minted WWE World Heavyweight Title that caught the imagination of very, very few fans. In the background, Daniel Bryan had emerged as the true hot act of mainstream professional wrestling, gaining a following and becoming the face of a movement where the fans ultimately made it clear that they were going to back their man, no matter what Vince McMahon threw at them to try and convince them otherwise. Brock Lesnar had been placed in a feud with The Big Show. Little did we know that one of the two would end up with one of the single best kayfabe years in history. CM Punk had been feuding with The Shield, and was making very little noise. Sting’s signing to WWE sat atop the usual rumor mill, along with stories of the start/stop progress of the WWE Network.

The wrestling world outside of WWE seemed to be in desperate need of a shot in the arm. Ring of Honor had come off a strange 2013. TNA continued to be the punchline in a slew of jokes that predicted their demise – and events did not warrant much hope. CHIKARA was still gone. New Japan was pumping out considerably entertaining fare, but outside of hardcore supporters the Japanese promotion struggled to gain substantial footing in the West. There seemed to be no relief for fans who longed for a viable alternative to WWE’s death-grip on mainstream professional wrestling. The year opened with a whimper and no end in sight of any radical change in direction for the industry.

Then the 2014 Royal Rumble happened. Cans of worms were opened. Fans began to revolt. A Network was born. A Warrior passed away. Some promotions rose from the dead and others ascended to take the next step to absolute greatness. A Beast broke a streak then broke the Champ, before taking the #1 title in the world hostage. New stars were given opportunities to grab “the brass ring”, while old ones broke their silence and obliterated (or reiterated) severe managerial flaws in the #1 promotion in the world. Take a trip down memory lane with me as we look at some of the defining moments of 2014.

THE DEATH OF THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR

With the entry of Bruno Sammartino into the WWE Hall of Fame, fans salivated over the fact that even the most hardened of superstars against WWE could return to be given their due as contributors to the vast history of WWE and professional wrestling as a whole. The two most notable exceptions for the longest time apart from The Living Legend was Randy Savage and The Ultimate Warrior. Warrior’s inception into the 2014 HOF was met with much fanfare. Erasing the hatchet job that was “The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior”, WWE welcomed back the Ultimate One with open arms. Warrior looked happy and healthy with his wife and two children, even if some fans noticed that he seemed a little winded during the HOF ceremony. But…Warrior always looked a little blown up during his bouts.

Warrior was signed on as an Ambassador for WWE, with hopes he would make various appearances on behalf of the company in the name of goodwill. The night after WrestleMania, Warrior addressed the WWE Universe with the passion that endeared him to fans of all generations throughout the 1980’s and 90’s:

“No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own. Every man’s heart one day beats its final beat, his lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others, and makes them bleed deeper, than something larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and make the running the man did live forever.”

One day later, The Ultimate Warrior passed away and broke the hearts of fans who followed his storied career. The timing of reconciliation between Warrior and WWE was too eerie and too coincidental to ignore. Was he aware of the cold hand of death placed on his shoulder and made a final decision to leave his legacy for his family before he crossed into the great unknown? We will never know – and that has haunted fans for the entire year.

CM PUNK: THE GREATEST SELF-PROMOTER SINCE…VINCE MCMAHON

To say CM Punk’s name has taken over headlines of every professional wrestling media outlet over the past few weeks is perhaps the understatement of the year. Thing is, CM Punk’s name has been on the lips of fans since his hasty departure the night after the 2014 Royal Rumble. Fans used every opportunity they could to make sure he was not ignored; momentum that Punk used to obliterate nearly every other story this year. Put this into perspective: Sting had entered a WWE ring for the first time in his career at Survivor Series 2014, which should have been enough to break website servers – and Punk breaking his silence on Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast overshadowed that.

On Thanksgiving weekend, CM Punk informed the entire world of his situation with WWE, including damning stories of burnout, being fired on his wedding day and neglect from WWE medical staff in regards to a staph infection. Punk’s appearance on The Art of Wrestling crashed Cabana’s website and became the talk of the wrestling world, even forcing Vince McMahon’s hand to acknowledge the allegations days later on his appearance on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s podcast. Punk’s work was not done, though as he would later announce his signing with UFC as Dana White’s newest fighter, which got both the pro wrestling and the MMA world talking.

At the end of the day, CM Punk proved to be an ingenious self-promoter in the vein of a Don King – or dare I say it – Vince McMahon himself. 2015 is going to be Punk’s sink or swim year – don’t expect his name to go away anytime soon in the wrestling, MMA or even the Movie zones at 411, since Punk has signed on as a comic writer for BOTH Marvel and DC. Comic MMA Punk, indeed.

JEFF JARRETT GOES BACK TO THE FUTURE

I wrote earlier in the year about Jeff Jarrett’s latest foray into the wrestling industry as owner of Global Force Wrestling could provide a tidal wave with a simple, old school idea with a modern twist: a wrestling promotion that does not live in a bubble or self-imposed “universe”, but one that rightfully acknowledges all promotions surrounding it and the vast talent pool involved. Similar to the Territories of past years, GFW will host a champion and talent roster that will share and exchange talent with other promotions from around the world. It is an ambitious idea; one of the more risky ideas to come through the pro wrestling pipeline in a long time.

Upon the announcement of the new promotion, skeptics pointed to the secrecy and lack of information Jarrett had given fans. Jarrett has yet to announce a roster or a venue to tape shows. The biggest announcement made was GFW co-promoting New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom Pay Per View in January 2015. More skeptics came out of the woodwork and it seemed as if the flooding would not stop, until Jim Ross was officially announced as the lead play-by-play man for the NJPW event, giving Jarrett’s efforts instant credibility.

Jarrett has been making the media rounds to promote Wrestle Kingdom and has given more details on Global Force Wrestling: several partnerships have been formed with other promotions other than NJPW, like AAA and Ring of Honor. If Jarrett is able to re-establish the notion of the National Wrestling Alliance on a global scale, Jarrett just may have discovered a formula to bring professional wrestling to global heights the industry has not enjoyed in a very long time.

NXT ARRIVES, TAKES OVER AND EVOLVES

If there was one constant when it came to WWE, it was that whatever was going on at Full Sail University was consistently outperforming WWE main event programming and storylines on such a lopsided level, fans could not help but take notice of the difference in how present day WWE was run by Vince McMahon compared to the potential future output of WWE run by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

With the launch of the WWE Network, fans were given the opportunity to witness NXT in all its glory. Through their Takeover specials, we were treated with some of the single best wrestling shows all year and give a good indicator of the possible direction WWE is heading – if the company is serious about treating these stars like STARS when it is time for them to arrive as part of the main WWE roster. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze vs. Sami Zayn, the debut of Hideo Itami and Kevin Owens, the Fatal Fourway match for the NXT Title, Finn Balor’s showstopping entrance and Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville were all huge moments during each special. Women’s wrestling was treated with respect and given time as Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha Banks and Paige were all given moments to shine.

Over the course of the year, NXT has developed as perhaps WWE’s best hour of programming, giving time for characters to develop, matches to tell compelling stories and feuds to burn organically. With the arrival of Kevin Owens, the continued slow burn of Baron Corbin and the new life Sin Cara has found with tag partner and tag champion partner, Kalisto, expect NXT to continue to shine throughout 2015 – unless Vince McMahon discovers they exist.

NEW JAPAN TAKES AIM AT NORTH AMERICA

While NXT offers the best weekly wrestling show on television, and has brought back old school wrestling storytelling, New Japan Pro Wrestling rose up to become the most critically acclaimed promotion in the world in 2014, with new ground to explore in 2015. NJPW’s 2014 is going to go down in history as one of the single best calendar years of any promotion ever. New Japan’s in-ring talent and matches gave away snowflakes like a blizzard in Canada, gave new life to AJ Styles after TNA and effectively turned Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada into GODS in Japan. NJPW’s G1 Climax was a true celebration of the art and sport of professional wrestling.

On top of the gaijin talent like AJ Styles, The Young Bucks, The Bullet Club (and newest member Kenny Omega) and Alex Shelley, NJPW boasts world class athletes like Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii and Hirooki Goto – wrestlers who are BEGGING to be truly discovered by a new set of wrestling fans who have grown disenchanted with mainstream pro wrestling in the West. Wrestle Kingdom 9 is swinging for a home run; even if the $35 price tag for the PPV may seem steep to those who are comfortable with paying – sigh – NINE NINETY NINE for the WWE Network, a spectacular show will certainly bolster New Japan’s stock and credibility in North America. It certainly feels as if New Japan is making a major push towards true global visibility with their latest show and the prospects for what it could ultimately lead to for fans is exciting as those who are willing to give another promotion and in-ring style a chance may be pleasantly surprised and find a new appreciation for the artform.

If Wrestle Kingdom fires on all cylinders as they officially present themselves to North American audiences, 2015 is not only going to be another banner year for the promotion, but their partnership with Global Force Wrestling will end up being a game changer. They already have a large enough following to be easily considered the #2 promotion in the world. Having Jarrett serve as co-promoter and giving them a chance to broaden through Jim Ross’ familiar tones will only enhance the promotion’s perception as a major player in the industry.

LUCHA! LUCHA! LUCHA! UNDERGROUND

Rising from the ashes of WWE’s creative lull and TNA’s disappearance, was a little promotion called Lucha Underground – and holy holy has their programming been a blast to watch. Brought to you from filmmaker Robert Rodriguez and showrunner Mark Burnett, the promotion has enjoyed critical success on its spot on the El Ray network with athleticism and tropes of telenovela under a unique, cinematic look. Johnny Mundo, the athlete formerly known as John Morrison has shown he has not lost a step and carry many of the same attributes that gave his fans hope that he could one day carry the ball as WWE Champion. Ricochet, who is just as red hot as AJ Styles as a performer on the global independent circuit has donned as mask and re-invented himself as Prince Puma – quickly establishing himself as the #1 babyface in the promotion with Mundo not too far behind. The backstage manipulative antics of Puma’s confident, Konnan – showing great duality as Puma’s adviser while making some less than noble moves, has given the promotion a twisted perspective on how wrestling presents their storylines.

LU has also made strides to change the perception of female performers as well, as the promotion boasts no “Divas” or “Knockouts” and does not portray their female athletes as limited. The women in Lucha Underground are presented as not simply eye candy or as one-dimensional caricatures but as true equals who can attain superstardom status just as brightly as their male counterparts. Sexy Star is clearly being positioned as the #1 female star in Lucha Underground, a powerhouse who is portrayed as just as much of a physical threat as the majority of the men.

Do not forget about the potential storm brewing of Alberto El Patron possibly making Lucha Underground one of his homes. Obtaining one of the most mainstream of all Latino superstars – one who brings controversy and in some circles is considered a symbol of everything wrong with WWE’s culture is a major acquisition as it is known that mainstream professional wrestling has been doing all it can to woo the industry’s growing Latino audience. LU finding a place on the El Ray networks also positions the promotion to easily find its place as flagship programming designed to aid the network to grow.

ALBERTO DEL RIO DISCOVERS HIS DESTINY WITH WWE

One of the bigger stories this year revolved around the unspoken (but well documented) culture of ignorance within the confines of WWE. Over the summer, Alberto Del Rio was involved in a heated confrontation with Cody Barbierri, WWE’s Manager of Social Media over bigoted remarks. Del Rio slapped Barbierri and was promptly fired. There was no retaliation for Barbierri’s actions.

This story was the first subject I tackled upon my return to 411mania – and to say everyone had an opinion on the matter is an understatement. Race relations has admittedly never been the United States’ strong suit, and with the past circumstances WWE found themselves in regards how they treated character stereotypes of all races placed the company at the forefront of debate.

On October 23, Barbierri quietly left his position in WWE. Del Rio, now known as Alberto El Patron has gone on record to state his side of the story publicly. The incident has soured some of WWE’s coveted Latino market. We are unsure if this incident has served as a wake-up call to the WWE – as a publicly traded company, any allegations of racism would be warranted as a serious issue. Hopefully going forward, WWE will treat this incident as a reminder of how far the company has come since Uncle Elmer and Samba Simba – and just how much more work they need to do to overcome the perception of the promotion’s view of “outsiders” (not Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.)

BOOTISTA IS BORN: DEAL WITH IT

I have written about the strange and fickle idea of irony before, so here is something to ponder: a year removed from being nearly booed out of the building for his 2014 Royal Rumble win, Batista could make a return tomorrow after the overwhelming success of Guardians of the Galaxy as a conquering hero, main event a WrestleMania showdown with fellow Hollywood departee, The Rock and no one would bat an eye. In fact, Hollywood Batista vs. Hollywood Rock is beginning to emerge as the newest guaranteed box office attraction and dream match. What a difference a year (and blue gear) makes.

Batista had made his long-awaited return after a four-year hiatus from WWE after trying his hand at an MMA and acting career in Hollywood. Batista’s return muddled the WWE Title picture even further on the road to WrestleMania, as he made the simple declaration that he had come back for one reason only: main even WrestleMania and win the WWE World Heavyweight Title. Under normal circumstances, a first time one on one WrestleMania meeting between former Evolution partners branded as “The Future of WWE” with Randy Orton or even a WrestleMania 26 rematch against John Cena for the WWE Title may have brought considerable box office…But this was no normal circumstance, as Daniel Bryan had been crowned as the People’s Champion since the night after WrestleMania 28 and had been impatiently waiting for the GOAT’s official crowning as WWE’s Champion since SummerSlam. Once Batista fulfilled his promise and won the 2014 Royal Rumble, all bets were off and any remaining goodwill he may have had with disillusioned fans quickly dissipated.

“Deal with it!” became a new catchphrase and meme for those who did not want to see Batista clutter up the main event and take the spot that many felt rightfully belonged to Bryan. Following his Royal Rumble victory, Batista’s cheers evolved into indifference and as WrestleMania neared – deafening boos. “Bootista” was born, and to give credit where credit is due – The Animal ran with it as he took every opportunity to feed into the idea that WWE was not going to give fans what they want and engaged in one of the more organic heel turns in memory (even if it may have been unplanned.) By the time Evolution reformed, Batista was back into full on Hollywood douche mode and was wholly comfortable in that skin that culminated in the great all-blue gear he wore at Payback, giving birth to BLUEtista. Batista the heel has always been better than Batista the face, and even though his run was short-lived, it proved entertaining enough in its own right once he embraced his dark side and proved that a big, lumbering WWE-style Main Eventer can deliver the goods once they are freed of the shackles of the baby kissing babyface. Now Batista is slated as one of the main villains in the new James Bond film and the remake of Bloodsport. Soon it will be time for Batista to return and face his destiny against The Rock to see who the biggest Hollywood Crossover star is.

RICOCHET BOUNCES TO BECOME THE FACE OF INDEPENDENT WRESTLING

Outside of AJ Styles, there may not be a more decorated and celebrated pro wrestler in the world than Ricochet. A slow climb through the independent scene saw the man also known as Prince Puma in Lucha Underground explode onto the independent scene in 2014 as he made appearances in Dragon Gate, Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and New Japan, where he essentially dominated his competition.

This year alone, Ricochet won PWG’s Battle of Los Angles, was the youngest competitor to win NJPW’s 2014 Best of the Super Juniors tournament and Dragon Gate USA’s Open the Freedom Gate Championship. With breathtaking matches against YAMATO, KUSHIDA, Johnny Gargano, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Ryusuke Taguchi and Kota Ibushi, the former Helios has skyrocketed to become the newest face of independent wrestling.

Ricochet is the best wrestler in the world that most of the world has never heard of. Unfairly labeled by some as a mere “spot guy” due to his unmatched athleticism but Ricochet has proven that he is so much more. With a capable ground game and grasp on psychology that puts him leagues ahead of most “spot monkeys”, Ricochet used 2014 to hone a newfound dedication to the development of his physique. Once a scrawny kid, he has put on a ton of muscle mass without sacrificing his speed or athletic ability. A match with AJ Styles is on the horizon and has several already declaring their future meeting as a potential match of the year. Whatever happens, if Ricochet continues the momentum he has created, 2015 will bring nothing but major kudos and critical acclaim as he works to become the #1 face of independent wrestling.

Next week, I take a look at The Streak being broken, the rise of The Shield, the YES! Movement gaining momentum, Ring of Honor and TNA not dying, Jake Roberts and Scott Hall finding redemption, Sting making his shocking WWE debut and more. 2014 has been one of the most eventful years in recent memory.

I want to thank Larry, Ashish, Jeremy and the entire 411Mania staff for welcoming me back with open arms. I also want to give a hearty THANK YOU to all the readers here for making me feel welcome and allowing me to share my thoughts on this artform I love so much.

May you all have a safe and Happy Holiday season. Enjoy life like it is your only one.

Len Archibald is the former Executive Director of the Northwest Ohio Independent Film Festival, and is a current movie reviewer for WLIO in Lima, Ohio.

Agree or disagree with me? Let me know on Twitter!
Follow @THELenArchibald

ADAMS & ARCHIBALD AT THE MOVIES: EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS REVIEW

How does Christian Bale fare as Moses in Ridley Scott’s latest epic, EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS? Dave Adams and Len Archibald share their thoughts.

THE LONDELL SMITH SHOW: THE INTERVIEW FALLOUT

Londell Smith brings film reviewer, Len Archibald as a guest to discuss fallout from Sony Pictures pulling the release of THE INTERVIEW.

Adams & Archibald at the Movies on Facebook

W.A.R.: WRESTLING & RESPECT on Facebook

FOLLOW US ON 411!!!
http://www.twitter.com/411wrestling
http://www.twitter.com/411moviestv
http://www.twitter.com/411music
http://www.twitter.com/411games
http://www.twitter.com/411mma