wrestling / Columns

The Fuse of the Future is Lit: The Future of Professional Wrestling is Bright

November 24, 2014 | Posted by Len Archibald

Before we begin, I would like to take the time to thank all once again for the great discussion and sharing your memories of Eddie Guerrero. He was a once in a lifetime performer and as I go back and watch old footage of his performances, it becomes even more clear just how great of a talent he was. I am at a point where I would place him easily in my Top 5 of all time favorite grapplers.

Also, since it was asked of me from reader MikeK – I will make a short attempt to answer why I feel Stone Cold Steve Austin is given a “free pass” when it comes to the lack of development of new talent from his end. I can’t give any actual facts of the matter – just my simple opinion – but I do feel the situation is threefold: one, I don’t believe Austin may get as much of a free pass as one may feel. 2002 was the height of Austin’s backlash as the events of him walking out and his issues with domestic violence gave fans a reason to legitimately hate the man. Austin was built up in the same way as an unstoppable face that we see John Cena today. “KICK, WHAM, STUNNER” became a punchline for how Austin would treat those who attempted to take his spot at the top similar to the “CENA WINS! LOL!” meme we have all come to enjoy. At the same time, Austin’s run at the top was significantly shorter than others, so the perception of him “holding talent back” was less because there was less time for Austin to be seen in that manner. Compare that to Triple H, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes and Hulk Hogan who had used their political clout to stay on top for DECADES and you can see where the unevenness may come into play. Finally, as much as it was mentioned being the biggest moneymaker in the era that made the most money should not absolve Austin of having that kind of political power to decide who he would like to work with or “show ass” to – the truth of the matter is in a strange way, it does absolve him. Austin’s run at the top probably created more millionaire professional wrestlers than any other time in history. Because of that, there are several talents within the industry who will feel forever indebted to The Rattlesnake simply because if he didn’t catch on, most of that talent would not have enjoyed the success they did. I don’t have any other answers than my opinion, but my feeble attempts at logic have brought me to this conclusion. Hope that helps!

Let’s call a spade a spade. The majority of us wrestling fans are cynics. We have experienced the highest highs (WrestleMania III; WrestleMania X-7) and the lowest lows (Chris Benoit) so it’s not a far stretch to expect smarminess, sarcasm and doubt over our favorite form of entertainment in the comments section at 411Mania or generally any online wrestling community. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has something to say, and more times than not, it is not good. One of the absolutely fascinating aspects of professional wrestling is the love/hate relationship it has with its passionate audience. This passion is based on one constant: at some point our lives, a moment, a promo, a move, a story, a performer or the atmosphere of an event absolutely chilled us to the bone and hooked us. Hulk slamming Andre, Bruno Sammartino losing the title for the first time in nearly eight years, Dusty Rhodes’ “Hard Times” Promo, Mick Foley’s “Cane Dewey” Promo – something pulled us into the world of professional wrestling and fell in love with something that had a clear understanding of mythology, theater and sport. We see what wrestling is capable of when it is at is absolute best; the “Holy Trinity” of Flair vs. Steamboat showcased two gladiators from opposite ends of the moral code outside the ring, but clear equals inside of it. Savage vs. Warrior beautifully told a story of a man who needed to lose his way to find it, and another who needed to discover that love truly conquers all. Hart vs. Austin emerged from the ashes of Shakespeare: a hero buckles upon his discovery that he is the last nobleman in a world of scoundrels – and discovers his greatest nemesis has more “Hart” than he does. We know greatness when we see it the first time: Brock Lesnar’s debut, the ominous gongs that went with the mammoth Undertaker appearing from the dark 24 years ago, so one can’t blame a fan for wincing when they hear the names of Samba Simba, the Ding Dongs…and Claire Lynch.

The truth is that ever since the death and corporate assimilation of WCW and ECW, mainstream professional wrestling has been in a lull. A combination of several factors contributed to this. The ill-fated turn of Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania X-7 effectively drove away a good segment of the fanbase who refused to watch programming where their hero sold out. The terrible botching of the InVasion angle and the impatience to just wait out the contracts of the bigger names from WCW to pay off what should have been the easiest cash grab in the industry’s history deflated like a wet balloon. Ring of Honor saw a high point in in-ring skill and a passionate fanbase and was crushed under the weight of an owner’s scandal and strange booking decisions that turned away their own. Eddie Guerrero died. Then Chris Benoit betrayed us all. TNA nearly committed suicide with the decision to run head-to-head against Vince McMahon on Monday nights. WWE programming has been stuck in a holding pattern with a star who has sat on top of the mountain for nearly a decade with no risk or change in direction that has stunted the growth of several performers who could have been massive superstars by now. To emphasize this point, the company has had to dip into the well of the past to overshadow their lack of development of new stars with old ones. They now boast a champion, who while looks and acts the part when he’s there – is just not there enough.

In spite of all of this, my friends – something strange is brewing. A fuse has been lit over the past few weeks. Unforeseen injuries, new promotions willing to take risks, a class of fresh world-class talent from the independents who may be the most all-around gifted group in wrestling history and what amounts to a new life for a company on the brink of death all point to signs that while professional wrestling may not be years away from a new “Golden Era”, events are certainly planting the seeds for it to happen sooner than later. We are in a true “transition period” in the business; one that is going to see some painful attempts to re-create magic, but like that age-old art, will unveil their greatest tricks through misdirection – and we just may see something that will thrill us that we do not see coming.

Over the past few months, the wrestling world has been closely following the exploits of Jeff Jarrett and his new promotion, Global Force Wrestling. I wrote a column about it that sparked some amazing debate about Jarrett’s vision and the audacity of some of its ideas. There are still murmurs that the non-announcement of a television deal, much less an actual roster of talent is quickly hampering the new promotion’s value in the eyes of fans. Upon hearing that GFW will co-promote New Japan’s WrestleKingdom show from the Tokyo Dome in January 2015, some eyebrows were raised, but doubt continued to linger. The declaration of Jim Ross serving as the lead play-by-play announcer for the show was certainly a loud enough shot to underscore Jarrett just may not be playing around. Puro has a tremendous following in his native land of Japan; the number of international fans have been also been growing at a consistent clip as those who tire of North America’s seeming abandonment of the sport of professional wrestling have nestled their fandom with the hard-hitting and tight ballet of Strong Style. The Information Age has allowed fans caught up in the hype of professional wrestling more options and outlets to discover a style that fits what they decide exemplifies a successful wrestling event. 15 years ago it would have been thought impossible for a promotion like CHIKARA to find an audience, but the YouTube Generation has proven that if it entertains, the medium used to reach them is moot. For the first time in a long while, an absolutely different style of professional wrestling outside the norm of WWE will have a truly global platform for new eyes to view its product with legitimate buzz. AJ Styles has gained a growing cult following as he performs like a man possessed as arguably the best talent in the world in 2014. The Bullet Club faction has been built strong enough to translate to North American fans as gaijin rebels hellbent on dominating the foreign Japanese promotion. WrestleKingdom’s success or failure relies on how well Strong Style can be interpreted to a new set of fans who have never experienced New Japan and having someone as familiar as Jim Ross to call the action serves as an easier sell to those who may have been interested but did not want to slog through commentary in an unfamiliar language. A successful Pay Per View will open a great new chapter for New Japan, GFW and professional wrestling as a whole as it will show the possibility of an alternative being able to penetrate a global audience.

A successful Pay Per View will also open the eyes of talent who may want to find work outside WWE, which will give both NJPW and GFW leverage on what world-class talent they could acquire. If Jarrett is truly serious about GFW serving as a throwback to the NWA, where it had a “Traveling Champion” stopping in different promotions to boost that location’s visibility, it would be a great idea to use the entire Bullet Club as GFW’s “core”. Global Force Wrestling could manage to have 7-10 “floaters” – performers who will serve as GFW talent who just happens to be contracted to make more appearances for another promotion. Perhaps they act as gatekeepers to keep the anarchy of the Bullet Club out of their “home” promotion. Some could be champions and would challenge different members of the faction when they arrive – or The Bullet Club could invade each promotion at a time to flex their dominance, trading physical victories and moral losses with the rival promotions’ talent. It would be like the nWo taking over WCW, then showing up at the ECW Arena to take on RVD, Sabu, the Dudley’s and Tommy Dreamer before attempting to conquer Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, EC III and Bobby Roode in TNA. Maybe the Bullet Club escapes with the TNA Tag Titles and challengers “chase” them around the world in various promotions to try and win them back. Maybe AJ Styles is crowned the first ever GFW champion and puts the title up in an impromptu match with Adam Cole in ROH – and loses, therefore keeping the Bullet Club in Ring of Honor for a month before AJ wins the title back via nefarious means and is chased off to AAA. It is an intriguing thought – and is just one of many strange directions GFW could make.

New Japan, on the other hand is currently in a no-lose situation. 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. 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. WrestleKingdom 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.

The first four episodes of Lucha Underground has been aired – you can read Csonka’s latest review HERE – and for the most part, it has enjoyed some mild critical success on its spot on the El Ray network. The Robert Rodriguez/Mark Burnett promotion has used a cinematic look, an air of telenovella and fast-paced athleticism not common in mainstream professional wrestling and has felt like a true breath of fresh air. 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.

One of the reasons several fans were less than thrilled over the TNA storyline that culminated with Bully Ray putting owner Dixie Carter through a table was that Dixie, as an untrained performer was placed in a situation where she was painted in a strange victimized role that mirrored that of the troubling concerns of domestic violence in society. The case was made that if one of the Knockouts was the one who took Carter out of the equation that the storyline may have been more universally accepted. There was also a counter-point made that TNA – and WWE have fostered an environment that does their female gladiators no favors as they are portrayed as catty and manipulative, but not really dominant when it comes to their athletic prowess.

In a few short episodes, Lucha Underground has made strides to change all that. LU has no “Divas” or “Knockouts” and portrayed as limited fixtures in what they are capable of inside the ring. Mixed-gender tag matches don’t require the male partner to tag out if he’s in there with a woman. The finale of Lucha Underground’s second episode saw Chavo Guerrero turn on his allies and go on a rampage that culminated with him knocking out his partner Sexy Star with an echoing chair shot. The moment rang uncomfortable in this current era where male-on-female violence in North American professional wrestling is all but banned. 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.

It will be a fine line for the new promotion to walk as our current PG/PG-13 climate will view these moments with a more critical eye. While aspects like Dario Cueto’s Evil Authority Figure may seem old and out of place in a promotion that feels like a new creation, the key takeaway is this: Counter to how WWE portrays talent like Daniel Bryan being too small of being the company’s Champion and main attraction, there is no mention of Puma’s size (5’10”, 163 pounds) and there is no discussion of what he can’t do. He’s made to look like something plucked from legends – Konan exclaims that, “The myth of his family’s tribe has shown him his destiny” and he is treated like such from all facets of the promotion from Vampiro’s and Matt Striker’s commentary to how he is treated by his peers in the ring. WWE will need to be cognizant of this when introducing talent like Adrian Neville, Sami Zayn and Hideo Itami to their main programming. At the same clip, 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. Lucha Underground is showing potential in their arena – awesomely titled “The Temple” to mold their stars as larger-than-life entities without the need to focus on reminding their audience of what they aren’t.

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.

This brings us to our good friends at Total Non Stop Action. Our very own Dino Zee penned a great column about the promotion that just will not die; a feeling that was crystallized upon the announcement of TNA finding a new home for their television programming on Destination America, the Discovery Network’s sister station. Pretty much from the get go in 2002, there has been a strange call for the death of the Tennessee-based promotion. While there is no argument from me that TNA’s management has overall hurt their brand more than helped, I cannot and will not put myself in a position where I need to justify a belief that bad management should equal the absolute disappearance of options for other talent to ply their trade.

Throughout TNA’s plight in its 12 year existence, for me one thing has been clear – even in WWE’s perceived monopoly on the pro-wrestling industry, there is not only a passionate audience to counter everything McMahon-ian, but there is world class talent that is capable of capturing the imagination of fans outside the WWE Universe. AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, Gail Kim, Velvet Sky, Awesome Kong, James Storm, Eric Young and Abyss have proven that homegrown talent outside of WWE can be cultivated and elevated. Kurt Angle found new life at TNA in 2006 and completed a decade long run that placed him on the top of my list as Wrestler of the Decade from 2000-2010. Jeff Hardy is still considered a viable, bankable commodity in the business.

TNA finding a new channel – albeit admittedly with a smaller audience, is still a victory for the future of Dixie Carter’s promotion and pro-wrestling as a whole. More options for fans to satisfy their wrestling fix is great for the overall vitality of the industry. Similar to Lucha Underground’s situation on the El Ray Network, TNA’s place on Destination America is that of a franchise builder; the network is currently seen in over 59 million homes and would love to find programming that can grown their audience. For professional wrestling fans, it should be seen as a major compliment that a channel considers this crazy world of ours capable of bringing in a new audience. TNA does not bring nearly the audience WWE does – but a million weekly viewers is still a sizable number that I am sure the executives at Destination America is excited to use as a base to develop their network.

Now, realistically new TNA programming on Destination America is not going to bring in one million viewers immediately. The lesson that all parties will need to learn – from the network to the higher ups at TNA to their fans – will be one of patience. There is no logical means of TNA to be able to pull in the audience they enjoyed on Spike TV for a while. Even then, TNA will need to embrace the fact that they are basically starting from scratch, and as such, needs to have a strategy in place to be nurtured for the next ten years. There cannot be any unnecessary spending on big name talent that will not create a proven return on TNA’s investment. For TNA to succeed, they need to realize there is no room to compete with WWE and they need to cultivate their own identity with the audience they will be able to work with and use their enthusiasm to grow. TNA needs to continue on the creative direction they have focused on over the past few months that have received rave reviews from fans and critics and not make any WWE-like knee-jerk reactions to ideas that may not catch on as quickly as they would like. The company needs to frame their business narrative as a promotion that has weathered the storm of unprofessional talent, boneheaded business decisions and a rabid opposition that will never be satisfied until they are completely out of business and survived. 12 years not a long time compared to WWE’s over half-century of existence, but it is still a sight longer than most North American promotions that have developed in light of WWE’s post-monopoly climate. TNA, Destination America and their fans need to celebrate this and not engage in an unnecessary and unwarranted pissing match with WWE and their fans.

The culmination of WrestleMania XXX gave fans an inkling of hope that the company may have turned a corner in their creative direction and showed there could be life after John Cena. WWE’s franchise player was not in the main event of their biggest show of the year since 2005. The Undertaker, long a staple of the Showcase of the Immortals lost as Brock Lesnar shocked the world and ended “The Streak.” Daniel Bryan defeated mainstays, Triple H, Randy Orton and Batista in the same night en route to winning the WWE World Heavyweight Title, climaxing an eight month storyline that was or was not driven by a heated sense of fan dissatisfaction the company had not witnessed in years. The Shield was positioned through an uneventful squash match that they are being primed to be the dominant force in the promotion for the foreseeable future.

Then the wheels fell off. Daniel Bryan was plagued with an injury that still has him out of action until possibly WrestleMania 31 (if ever.) Cesaro, who had fans convinced that he was in line for a major singles run after winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal had floundered directionless since March. The super-popular Dolph Ziggler was met with a lukewarm, start/stop build for his character’s development that has frustrated fans. Even the seemingly bulletproof Shield found themselves caught up in the negative perception of the largest wrestling promotion in the world, as Roman Reigns went down with injury for months just as fan backlash over his position as the next face of the company surfaced. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose were slotted in a heated rivalry over the Spring and Summer that created some great moments, but had their battles hampered by bad comedy, misguided insertions of other talent (Cena, I’m looking at you) and an indecisive finish to the first part of what will be a years-old feud as Bray Wyatt found himself taking Ambrose out of the equation. Wyatt himself has become the focal point of fan backlash as he is now perceived by some as all talk and no action.

Other injuries, such as ones that have befallen Bad News Barrett just as he was gaining traction as a popular heel Intercontinental Champion, Christian, Rey Mysterio, and Bo Dallas have thinned out the WWE Roster. Ryback, who was injured for the majority of the year recently made his return to help even out the face/heel alignment, only for Sheamus to fall victim to injury. What should have been a surefire way to bring intrigue to WWE television – crowning Brock Lesnar as a dominant and unstoppable WWE Champion has fizzled through a lack of appearances and the perception that the money and power given to him has not been worth the lack of WWE focusing on their actual World Champion. Throughout all of this, there are slivers of potential greatness on the horizon.

NXT continues to be the best produced show from WWE. With focused storylines, easily definable characters, an emphasis on in-ring work and a passionate fanbase at Full Sail University, NXT is WWE’s prime example to show the company just may be heading in the right direction – even if it is a slow process. The slow-build feud between Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville is a great old-school rivalry that clearly outlines Zayn’s underdog mentality and Neville’s growing concerns as a champion who is willing to use whatever means necessary to win against his “friend”. NXT’s women’s division boasts some of the best female talent WWE currently has, with Charlotte, Bayley and Sasha Banks leading the charge. Tyson Kidd has somehow become rejuvenated in his role as the young veteran who is using his wife’s newfound popularity as a reality television star to propel his own desire to be noticed. The Lucha Dragons has become a showcase for Kalisto to prove himself as a talent who may be able to take up the mantle of a child’s superhero dreams come true, as his high-octane offense reminds several of Rey Mysterio. Enzo Amore is a talent on the microphone who just may be able to catch lightning in a bottle with his words and fan interaction. The Ascension has excited some of the fanbase as a no-nonsense team who can have the WWE Tag Division built around.

Hideo Itami and Finn Balor, two names along with Zayn and Neville as superstars on the independent scene have been introduced in NXT as big name acquisitions and have been treated as nothing less than real superstars upon their arrival. Kevin Steen – now Kevin Owens has been given vignettes hyping up his debut on NXT’s next major Takeover showcase on 12/11/14. The major difference between NXT and WWE – and one that I pointed out earlier when talking about Lucha Underground is NXT’s focus on allowing the talent to shine on their own and not undermine the unique abilities that have brought them to the brink of superstardom they are at. There are also other factors, such as the rise of Baron Corbin – who is positioned as a major player – as a reason to reign in any potential cynicism on the product.

Those injuries that have plagued WWE in 2014 in some cases have been a blessing in disguise. As we saw in the buildup to Survivor Series, a thinning roster gives WWE no other alternative than to give fresh faces a chance to make an impact. Luke Harper, who has always been considered a world class talent is now Intercontinental Champion and has an immediate natural rival in former Wyatt Family stablemate Erick Rowan. Dolph Ziggler has become the de-facto resident underdog in the wake of Daniel Bryan’s absence and has not only sustained his rabid following through his now expected consistent match output, but has been given an opportunity to develop his on-screen persona as an athlete who will not cower in the face of adversity. Seth Rollins has gone above and beyond the call of duty since turning heel and aligning himself with The Authority and has earned the right to be acknowledged as the #1 slimeball in WWE. Despite its lukewarm response, Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt has made the best of their situation as they feud. While John Cena continues to be the centerpiece in this universe, one thing is clear: the time of his single-handed dominance on the main event scene is shrinking. As new talent influxes themselves into the consciousness of WWE fans, Cena will be placed in a position where it will not be absolutely vital to depend on him at every turn. It does seem unlikely at times, as the “CENA WINS LOL!” train seems to keep rolling along – but if one truly analyzes the environment, Cena is quickly becoming the last of his era. Triple H has transitioned to a part-time performer. Batista may have only one final run left in him before he packs up for Hollywood for good. Chris Jericho and Rob Van Dam make appearances so sporadically that while their presence enhances WWE, they certainly do not affect their home promotion as much as they used to. Fans are ready to see something and someone new. The younger faces of WWE are beginning to outnumber the established guard and it is only a matter of time before the floodgates truly open.

All of this highlights something I feel has been brewing for years. The fuse of the future of professional wrestling has been lit and we are counting down to a period where we as fans will enjoy substantial strides in the presentation and perception of the industry. If GFW, NJPW, TNA and Lucha Underground are able to stay the course, develop their brands in a positive light and grow their North American fanbase, it is not unfeasible for fans to have some major alternative options for professional wrestling within the next three years. Three years will also see the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that befell the entire industry when Chris Benoit murdered his family. This was the lowest point of the business – seeing how the landscape of pro wrestling has changed since then will certainly be interesting.

I am not one to go on a soapbox and make attempts to scold fans who feel they need to justify their fandom by showing brand loyalty. I am not on “Team WWE” or “Team TNA”. I do not subscribe to any promotion’s “Defense Team” the way I have read the heated arguments between fans who are anti-promotion. I am Pro-professional wrestling in any avenue. This is the artform I love and celebrate and the more of it there is, the more of it I can enjoy and the easier it will be for the industry as a whole to grow. We fans need to embrace the greatness and flaws of professional wrestling unconditionally – that includes ourselves and we need to become more aware of the environment we create when we decide to devote our time rebuking fans of other promotions – because they are not the promotion we follow or are loyal to. Wrestling also – as we need to fully understand – is a business. Making claims of a doomed industry without actually contributing to bettering it is counter-productive to our fandom. What are we doing? Are we spending money and supporting the stars we feel deserve a run at the top? Are we purchasing pay per views of outside promotions and contacting cable and satellite subscribers to let them know we would be more satisfied with their product if they provided the channels that program the wrestling shows we would like to see? Are we voicing our opinions about the product in a manner that is opposite of the expected trollish nature? How are we as fans presenting ourselves to those who do not follow professional wrestling? Will we continue to insist to deride children who cheer for John Cena, or are we at a crossroads where we can prove the naysayers wrong and show that we are not the unwashed and uneducated rednecks, social outcasts and misogynistic sociopaths that mainstream media outlets attempt to paint us all as?

I am a fan of professional wrestling. I have been a fan for over 30 years. There was a time when I used the ills of the industry as an outlet to embrace my disdain for the ills of the world, and as such, made me a terribly cynical person who lashed out with venomous rage at all who knew me. As someone who is a little older and a little more laid back, I have realized the amount of energy wasted on such trivial things was detrimental to my own development as a positive and rational human being who wants to make a substantial contribution to those around me. If that is writing for 411 for the enjoyment of the readers, or sharing my thoughts on movies on television or planning food drives in my hometown, I need to take responsibility in all facets of what interests me and illuminate why it interests me – not why I am ashamed of it. That mindset is proven to drive others away and can only end with me feeling like an outsider wondering why the rest of the world does not see the magic I see. At the end of the day, the decision to portray professional wrestling to all my friends – especially to those who do not follow it with excitement, passion and enthusiasm is my own. I urge all of us to begin to look at the future of professional wrestling in a positive light, not out of blind devotion to a brand, but out of a genuine belief that there is a new generation of fans who will obtain a feeling we received when we got caught up in a moment that solidified our fandom for good. If we exemplify that passion and embrace options given to us for that generation, that boom period we all pine for when pro wrestling is once again accepted in the pop culture lexicon will come to fruition once again. Only we can snuff out that fuse and stop the explosion from coming.

I wish you all a safe, festive and Happy Thanksgiving.

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

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READ LEN ARCHIBALD’S THOUGHTS ON PRO WRESTLING ON 411MANIA!
A Tribute to Eddie Guerrero
How Cities Affect Professional Wrestling
Who Will Main Event the Next 10 WrestleManias
A Brief History of a Wrestling Fan
The Art of Wrestling: The Heel (Part 2)
The Art of Wrestling: The Heel (Part 1)
Force of Nature: Global Force Wrestling
The New Wrestling War is a Civil War: Triple H vs. Vince McMahon
Who Can Slay the Beast
The Art of Wrestling: The Babyface
A Vision into WrestleMania 31
Why Cody Rhodes Deserves More
Alberto Del Rio & WWE’s Treatment of Non-White Performers

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