I’ve been writing on the Internet for almost the last two years. I’ve seen various opinions of people and writers. Despite wrestlers and promoters opinions to the contrary, the Internet Wrestling Community has a strong say in the world of pro wrestling. Obviously they don’t directly make any booking decisions, but they make sure their voices and opinions are loud and clear when attending wrestling shows. And while people like Vince McMahon and Triple H can say that it really doesn’t matter, you know they think about it all the time in the back of their heads. But over the last month or so, something that I personally have never seen before is taking place. Now as I’ve said I just started writing during the last couple years. But I’ve been around on a couple of message boards for a long time. Usually, everyone has the same opinion on a storyline. And if it isn’t the exact same opinion it usually varied by just a small degree.
The recent Daniel Bryan/Triple H/Randy Orton storyline, however, has driven a huge wedge in the Internet Wrestling Community. It is one that I myself personally have never seen before. There have been no in betweens from what I have seen so far. People either really like the current storyline or they absolutely hate it. I cannot remember a recent storyline that has caused so many differing opinions among fans. Over the last couple years there have been storylines that started strong that everyone liked (Rock/Cena, Nexus, Summer of Punk) to begin with but agreed that they all fizzled out towards the end of their respective runs due to the WWE’s poor booking to end big stories. But again, everyone agreed those stories started strong and ended week. That lasted about one week with the current storyline dominating the WWE right now.
Every part of this storyline has been picked apart by wrestling fans everywhere. I guess we can start small and work our way up. First lets look at The Shield. If you’re a fan of this storyline, then you like that The Shield is once again being used in a main event program. If you don’t like it, then you wonder why The Shield are being used as nothing but hired henchmen. They don’t have any set motive. I have no problem with The Shield’s current position. Remember a couple of months ago when people were complaining about The Shield falling down the card? Well now they are involved in the main storyline of the WWE. They are back in the spotlight like we wanted. And why are they working for HHH? Remember when they worked for Heyman, he said that he paid The Shield for their work. The same could easily be happening right now. No need to go into further explanation.
Next we have the Big Show. For me, this might be the only problem I have with this program. Anyone who reads my writing knows I’ve never been the biggest fan of the Big Show. He’s better as a heel to me, but I’ve also been done with him for the last few years. This started off fine. But in the last couple weeks the focus on Big Show has taken away from Daniel Bryan. At least with Cody Rhodes, it seems like a separate issue. But Big Show is directly affecting Daniel Bryan. In some ways, it seems like the WWE is setting up Big Show for a Title match down the line. Once again, an Orton/Big Show match is the last thing I want to see. Big Show’s crying has been over the top the last few weeks. If it were up to me, I would have Big Show go against the orders of HHH at Night of Champions and have him off TV for the next couple weeks.
One of the biggest complaints coming from this storyline is the “neutering” of the WWE roster by Triple H. This has kind of taken a step back in recent weeks. But there were a lot of fans in an uproar over how the roster just stood their and did nothing during the beatdowns of Daniel Bryan. First of all, if the roster revolted right away, then we would be farther along in the storyline progression then we’d like. This story is going to take time to tell. It can’t be rushed in a couple of weeks. Once guys like Big Show, Dolph Ziggler, and a returning Cody Rhodes finally stand up to HHH, the pop they will get is going to be HUGE. I can almost guarantee it. If the WWE rushed this, we would complaining about how there is nothing else left to tell in this story. Cody Rhodes and hopefully Dolph Ziggler will be made huge stars because of this.
People also don’t like the fact that Daniel Bryan continuely gets beat down to end the show. Well, I haven’t heard this effect Bryan’s popularity for one. Bryan is still over with the audience. And it isn’t like he is being beatdown by one person. Bryan often times defeats his opponent and looks strong in the ring, only to get taken out by The Shield after. And again, once this whole storyline gets into second and third gear, everything will get better. Bryan will eventually get more people on his side and then they we won’t have to worry about this. I’ve seen some people say this is going to get just like the nWo with their constant beatdowns. I think the WWE knows not to go that route. And again, we are only a month into this. If the constant heel beatdowns are still happening in November, then we’ll talk.
And then of course there is the man who is front and center in all of this: Triple H. The Game has long had a bad rap with the Internet Wrestling Community. Many people feel like he is responsible for holding down a lot of people during his career. Booker T at Wrestlemania 19 is often used. Chris Jericho is another example. While I have never been the biggest Triple H fan, I do think he’s given a bad rap at times. I think he’s done just as much good for wrestling as he’s done bad. To me, he isn’t this evil guy who buries people left and right. Many people think Triple H is just stroking his own ego in his current storyline. Some think this will just be a way to get Triple H in the spotlight again and put himself over. Again, I say to everyone: WE ARE ONE MONTH INTO THIS THING. If Triple H really is the wrestling mind he thinks he is, he will know that it would be horrible for business to have him come out on top in the end.
While Daniel Bryan may not have been the hand picked star the WWE wanted, he’s the guy who is most over with the WWE Universe. They have a star in the making with Bryan. Daniel Bryan not going over in the end would be bad for business. If it were me booking this storyline, I would have Daniel Bryan win the WWE Title at one of these October PPVs. I would have Bryan face HHH at Survivor Series for the WWE Title, with Bryan having Triple H tap in the middle of the ring. Triple H, so hell bent on getting the WWE Title off Bryan, brings in Brock Lesnar to face him at the Royal Rumble. That is where the rift between HHH and Vince starts, and it escalates their feud to Wrestlemania.
Meanwhile, I would have Damien Sandow cash in his MITB contract and join HHH’s New Corporation. Then when Cody Rhodes comes back, you have a ready made feud for the World Title. Big Show might have a one off match with Triple H at some point in the next couple months. And if you wanted to turn The Shield faces after all of this, you could easily have them just stand up to Triple H after he goes mad with power and starts to show cracks of vulernability.
One thing is for sure: With no John Cena or Sheamus on TV for the next few months, the WWE is just about as unpredictable as you could imagine it. Everything on TV seems fresh and new. Daniel Bryan and CM Punk are the top two faces in the WWE. That’s something I never would have thought would happen. The same people complaining about the product now also complain when John Cena is on TV all the time. Some people will just never be happy. To them, I say just stop watching. This is the most entertaining and unpredictable the WWE has been in quite some time. You shouldn’t be giving up so early on a storyline that is in its infant stages. Give it time, let it play out, and enjoy the ride we are about to go on.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
