The ZWI: 2019 Wish List

As we inch oh-so-closer to 2019, and with Impact Wrestling devoting last week and this to a “Best Of” couple of episodes, one thing is clear: it’s time for lighter fare. It’s time for our Top However-Many Lists, time for Best Matches/Wrestler of the Year awards, and time for lists of predictions that will somehow all turn out right!

This columnist typically likes to use the end of the year column not to look back, but instead to look ahead. There is normally a list of desires that we here at ZWI compile, and once completed, we give them to you to read, and to then let us know whether you agree or not. This year, however, there’s a slight tweak to the format. Incredibly, after nearly thirteen straight hours at ZWI Headquarters in early December to make it happen, the list had one item, and one item only. We let it rest for a few more days, and returned, and still couldn’t come up with anything more pressing.

So, while the staff is somewhat let down that our list has a single, solitary wish on it, we are also happy to celebrate a rare moment of total unity amongst ourselves, especially during what was a turbulent year.

Without any further ado, ZWI – in association with 411mania.com – is proud to present our 2019 Wrestling Wish List!

1. E_Li_Drake returns to Prominence

As stated above, this year has been turbulent. When 2017 turned into 2018, things seemed to be falling in place, specifically as it pertained to Impact Wrestling. E_Li_Drake was riding high as its World Heavyweight Champion, and with Chris Adonis watching his back, there didn’t seem to be anyone on the roster that could bring the Gravy Train to a stop.

After defeating 19 other men in the Championship Gauntlet, and getting by obvious Corporate Favorite Johnny Impact at Bound for Glory, Drake was as high on life as he’d ever been. Of course, as most of us remember, Impact management had something special planned to try to derail the Train.

I’ve griped about it enough this year, so let me just say that the obvious collusion between Impact management and Austin Aries to get the belt off of Drake is my absolute pick for Worst Story of the Year for the sport of professional wrestling. Knowing that Aries is a competitor more than capable of winning on his own, and then seeing him set obvious bait for an impromptu shot at a championship that he hadn’t yet earned made it all the more disappointing.

To be fair, Drake did get a few more opportunities to regain his belt, but always came up short. The man tried to play it cool, and looked to move on to new challenges, as he looked to Feast or Fired to bring him another shot at a belt.

The best laid plans… Drake had figured that Adonis would be down to do the actual fighting in Feast or Fired, but he didn’t count on Adonis freaking out over the very real possibility of losing his job in the match. While I was gravely disappointed in Adonis for ditching Drake in this manner, I was also so proud to finally see a wrestler in Impact realize how unnecessary a gamble Feast or Fired really is. Sure, Drake just ended up kicking ol’ Chris to the curb anyways, but at least it was for something in which he believed.

As it turned out, Drake would wind up winning a shot at Impact’s Tag Team Championship, the timing of which seemed mockingly ironic, since the man with whom he would have teamed had just ditched him / been dropped by Drake.

Seemingly in a boat without a paddle, it was time for Drake to think quickly. He got Moose to incredibly agree to put his briefcase – one that guaranteed Moose a match for the Impact World Heavyweight Championship – on the line in a Case for Case, Winner Takes All match. And, since at this point Moose hadn’t yet realized his killer instinct, Drake was able to beat Moose, and get himself back in the big picture.

Unfortunately, he still came up short, and his chances at another World Title match seemed slim. But he still had his Tag Title briefcase, and he would cash that in at Redemption on April 22, inexplicably choosing Scott Steiner as his partner. In the span of three months, the man who was on top of the world was now begging legends to help him out. The team won the championship, but would lose them roughly a month later when Steiner accidentally hit Drake, leading to Z and E to get the pin and become new champs.

And from that point on, Drake has basically gotten lost in the sauce. He had Trevor Lee looking to emulate him, but that ended up going nowhere. He’s messed with Abyss and Joseph Park, and is now looking to meet Abyss at the upcoming Homecoming show in a Monster’s Ball match. If Abyss were an active competitor – and not a Hall of Fame legend whose best days have passed – this would be a huge match. As it stands, it’s basically a curiosity in just how much violence Drake will be able to survive. More so, does Drake have what it takes to kick things into another gear, and get to Abyss’ level?

If I’m being honest (and I am), my hope as both a columnist and as a fan of the sport is that Drake hurts Abyss. That he devastates the monster so totally, that Abyss realizes that his days of messing with the top dogs of the promotion are done. That he taps into an area of himself so vicious and lusting for blood, that it scares even himself. That Impact management sees this all and realizes that sending a Hall of Famer after the man that’s used to the company trying to hold him down was a silly, silly move. And that, when the match between Brian Cage and Johnny Impact is over, that Drake relives that sadistic interlude and destroys whoever holds the World Championship.

All we want for 2019 is for Eli Drake to return to the top of the mountain. To not have to worry about side projects or anything that’s not a direct path to the World Heavyweight Championship. We’ve seen how Impact can conveniently grant title shot after title shot to guys like Aries, Johnny, Eddie Edwards, and even Moose; it’s time for Drake to force their hand and force those opportunities to fall into his lap over and over and over.

The very idea that the best part of 2018 for Drake was possibly the Eli Drake Gravy Train Turkey Trot dismays me. It was a fun night, and he was hitting some comedic high notes, sure… but it also showed just how far away from the ultimate goal he truly is.

In 2019, Drake needs to find that same fire that he had midway through 2017. He needs to realize that he basically sacrificed a year of his prime to a company that had no interest in spotlighting him. If we get what we want, then sooner or later, E_Li_Drake will be the World Heavyweight Champion again, laughing as he destroys everyone that management sends his way.

If he can find that fire at Homecoming, then this could be a very painful year for the Impact roster. And we here at ZWI are absolutely fine with that. We’ve heard that’s not an insult.

Here’s to a great 2019! Thank you all for supporting us here at ZWI!