The Strange Case of Mr. McMahon

Everyone has already discussed the ramifications of Royal Rumble 2015 and how it has affected the fan’s psyche. There is nothing more I can add about Royal Rumble itself. Everything that needs to be said regarding the Royal Rumble has already been said. Instead, I want to focus on the psyche of the WWE and the ringmaster Mr. McMahon. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the perfect literary analogies for one Vincent Kennedy McMahon and the WWE. Jekyll tries to do good things, just as the WWE tries to entertain us. Last year, they gave us a wonderful moment that we all wanted to see with Daniel Bryan defying the odds and becoming champion. They gave us the rise of the Shield and the Wyatt Family. The fall soon followed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQB0rHS2qrs

Optimism shined last year after Wrestlemania. Just as quickly, Hyde resurfaced to crush our dreams. Another post Wrestlemania lull transpired as some expected. The Shield quickly broke up, and many of us were not ready to part with them yet. The breakup left many unsure. The Wyatt Family quietly disbanded after numerous PPV losses. Everything seemed to fall apart right on schedule. I’ll admit that I was duped into believing last year would be different. The celebration of Daniel Bryan’s victory created new hope for some wrestling fans.

What happened last Sunday has nothing to do with Daniel Bryan fandom. This has everything to do with listening to your audience. For years, the wrestling in World Wrestling Entertainment has been forgotten. I’m not questioning the wrestling itself, but the focus. The focus is clearly on sports entertainment and not professional wrestling. They had WWE films in the background. They were rolling out The Network to prove their online innovation.

Wrestling created the phenomenon that is Titan Sports or WWE as we know it today. This all started with professional wrestling. Vince McMahon and his wife Linda McMahon founded Titan Sports in the 1970s’ and seized control of the World Wide Wrestling Federation from Vince’s father Vince Sr. In the end though, 2014 was no different than 2000. 2000 was no different than 1992. The puppet master does not appreciate the puppets. The man pulling the strings sees wrestling as beneath him despite it creating his legacy.

The evidence is clear to me. How many times has Vince McMahon tried to expand beyond wrestling? There is the World Bodybuilding Federation from 1991 to 1992. McMahon also started a magazine called Bodybuilding Lifestyles. The World Bodybuilding Federation was a bust as expected with a mixed reaction. The Extra Fun League on the other hand was openly mocked by the media. Surprisingly, the ratings started strong and within a week only got half the viewers back. The XFL quickly fizzled out and remains a punch line to this day. Some even called the XFL tawdry as McMahon once called TNA. Many fans considered XFL football boring. The WWE and NBC reportedly lost 35 million dollars each. The XFL would not be the last attempt and another WWE Studios exists to this day. WWE Studios released legendary films like The Marine and The Chaperone. Clearly, not the best films ever released. I walked out of The Marine, but I’ll admit The Condemned is a guilty pleasure. Nevertheless, the films did not increase in quality until big name actors/actresses (like Halle Berry) and established studios (Warner Bros) became involved.

Vince McMahon has always tried to distance himself from the world of professional wrestling. Vince loves to brag about his accomplishments when people are yessing at NBA games, but that disappears when someone asks him what he likes about wrestling. Suddenly, Vince McMahon doesn’t seem so proud of his accomplishments. The WWE have taken numerous shots at other successful companies and individuals. Donald Trump is no stranger to this. The NFL has been parodied. The NBA has been insulted. Billionaire Ted was pretty low brow. Someone who is very successful comes off as very petty with his need to constantly take shots at others that have achieved the same level of success if not more. Some fans wonder if McMahon is taking shots at the IWC with his Jekyll and Hyde booking along with the uninteresting story-lines for fan favorites like Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrmAkJtJOHc

Maybe, wrestling fans are ashamed to tell their friends because the man at the center of it all is ashamed. Still, all of us who enjoy wrestling like it enough to comment on 411mania. We’re not ashamed to buy the products they pimp like the WWE Network. Most of us if we have another wrestling service like NJPWWorld don’t mind enjoying it. Honestly, someone like Vince McMahon should be proud of his accomplishments. He came out of his father’s shadow and surpassed him in the wrestling world, yet he appears to be a person that wants to prove he is above it all. I’m no psychologist, but the evidence is clear.

We want good wrestling and good entertainment. Most of us like some form of professional wrestling not “sports entertainment”. We like commentating from southerners like Jim Ross not mediocre product shills like Michael Cole.

How many wrestling fans cannot name their favorite wrestling match? I assume none. Everyone has a favorite match. Everyone has a favorite wrestler. Everyone has a favorite moment. However, all we hear is how the WWE is an entertainment product not a wrestling product. Most the content on the WWE Network relates to wrestling. We sit through the annoying instances of tout, twitter hashtags, and horrid 20 minute interview segments…for what? All we get in return is our intelligence insulted.

What happened to the Vince McMahon in that video above? I’m not saying the Attitude era needs to return, we don’t need our intelligence insulted anymore.

I don’t think anyone is mad at Roman Reigns. Imagine how different this discussion would be if Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble last year. Everyone is angry at the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the WWE. We constantly get that Jekyll euphoria of our favorites being involved only for the carpet to be yanked out from underneath them. Lately, we get more Hyde than Jekyll. If fans want something, they won’t get it. The WWE does not need to cater to every fan’s whim. No, the WWE needs to listen a little. People want to see pro wrestling and they want to see some of their favorites do well. Their favorites don’t have to win all the time; they need to be included in a positive way.

I have no issues with AJPW, NJPW, AAA, CMLL, Chikara, ROH, Lucha Underground, NXT, TNA, or any other wrestling promotion that accepts what they are. WWE is pro wrestling and it always will be. Mr. Hyde has taken over. Dr. Jekyll is fading away. The constant Jekyll and Hyde appears to be never-ending. The circus leader needs to admit his faults and enjoy the ride. Vince McMahon whether he likes it or not is a product of pro wrestling, and maybe once he accepts that we’ll all be happier. On a closing note, I want to know how each of you feel about the Jekyll and Hyde nature of WWE. What do you think WWE can do to remedy its Jekyll and Hyde nature. Are you frustrated or satisfied with WWE right now? Feel free to give your thoughts below.

In a bonus note, I want to suggest some alternatives for all wrestling fans. Don’t just support one company, support as many as you can. The other day I decided to pay 8.45 a month for NJPWWorld and I love it. There is a wonderful site called Strong Style Translations to help you set up an account on NJPW World (with pictures to help you navigate the Japanese site) if you want to give it a try. If you have Directv or Dish Network: check out Lucha Underground and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Lucha Underground comes on every Wednesday at 8:00 pm on channels 341(Directv) and 253(Dish). NJPW comes on AXS TV every Friday at 9:00 pm on channels 340(Directv) and 167(Dish). Also, NJPW on AXS TV has excellent English commentary. ROH is another alternative. I can watch them on Fox every Sunday at 11 pm. ROH lists where you can find them on television on their website. If you live on the East Coast, chances are you can watch ROH for free. TNA is still out there too every Friday from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm on Destination America channels 286(Directv) and 194(Dish). Highspots has 5 dollar DVD sales that are worthwhile sometimes. Also, any suggestions in the comments section are welcome. Alternatives do exist. I know there are plenty I’m missing. Let’s all help each other find good wrestling. If there is anything you want me to talk about in the future, tell me and I’ll address it to the best of my ability. Thank you to everyone who read the column and give me your thoughts below (good and bad).