Do you remember your first wrestling memorabilia? Not just toys from the store, but something your parents bought you at your first live event. It was the first time you saw your heroes live and in person. I was like proof that Superman existed. So, when they bought you that t-shirt or foam finger, you regarded it as a sacred heirloom.
My first memorabilia was an Undertaker shirt with frayed sleeves, like The Undertaker’s original costume, and a Razor Ramon razor necklace. I wore the necklace until the lettering wore off. The shirt I wore until it no longer fit, then I kept it in a drawer hidden and safe like a reliquary. And like religious symbols we cherish these items as a tangible connection to the thing we love so much: wrestling.
With that, welcome to the Love-In! Lets’s get into the 5 Reasons to Love Wrestling this week.
5. KO Already Gets His Money in the Bank
Fight, Owens, Fight! At least for five more years. WWE’s resident Judas, and closest wrestler to my body-type since Mick Foley, has signed a new deal with WWE that will see the temperamental prize fighter in a WWE ring for many more years to come.
Owens himself declared that he sees no reason not to finish his career in the WWE and has no plans on leaving, even after his new contract is up. This is great news for WWE fans as ‘KO’ is one of the best performers in the company.
Much like his former best friend Chris Jericho, Owens has a habit of keeping himself in the main event picture regardless of proximity to the championship. This is a credit to how over his angles and storylines are. Eventually, KO and Sami will implode and we can’t wait to see it! Think about that. They’ve managed to make a feud we were all sick of potentially fresh and exciting again.
‘KO’ was one of the best heel champions in recent memory; plus, his in-ring work and mic skills make him a valuable asset to the company. I love that we’re getting five more years of him and I hope we get even more after that.
4. Say, Man… Wanna Buy Some Pancakes?
ABC, Always be closing. Who wouldn’t wanna buy a pancake from a friendly neighborhood Swissman. Also it’s gluten free. #TheBar #SDLive pic.twitter.com/TPBCj9f8QM
— Swiss (@ClaudioCSRO) May 2, 2018
I’d love to hate on the gluten-free pancakes, but I used to make paleo pancakes from coconut flour. They were amazing… but I digress. Seeing the ‘Swiss Cyborg’ enjoy himself is awesome. Think about the crappy booking Cesaro had until teaming with Sheamus.
Cesaro was unhappy with his WWE run, but this tag team seems to be curing his blues. The Bar isn’t only one of the best WWE tag team since the New Age Outlaws, they’ve become a mainstay in the tag division and are having a blast together.
https://twitter.com/WWESheamus/status/994027693132992512
Since joining The Bar, both members have been rejuvenated and it’s great to see them having fun doing what they do, instead of grumbling backstage about booking. Not that the grumbling is unwarranted.
3. Can a Giant Climb the Beanstalk?
Big men in the Money in the Bank ladder match isn’t uncommon. Baron Corbin won it last year after all, even if he did squander it by mouthing off about concussions backstage.
This time, the ‘Monster Among Men’ Braun Strowman qualified for the MITB match and not only is this a big deal for the match itself (see entry two on this list), but it guarantees a spectacle at the upcoming pay-per-view. Imagine the destruction Braun is going to bring to the match. We know ‘KO’ will be in it, so we can look forward to more of Braun freight-training into him.
Unfortunately, that means no Bobby Lashley for now, but a lot can change in the weeks leading up to the event. Braun’s qualifying match was fantastic and even made it to our ‘WWE Matches of the Week‘. As Josh ‘Who Wants Some’ Howey pointed out, this was a competitive bout.
Not only were they able to keep Braun strong, they allowed the former Universal Champion Kevin Owens to get in his offense. The match was a blast to watch though as we all love seeing ‘KO’ get his mouth shut. Again, a testament to what great heel he is. I can’t wait to see Braun brutalizing people with ladders, and hopefully climbing to the top to claim his prize.
2. Has Vince Seen the Light!?
https://youtu.be/HOQ0dxBJ_jo
Greg ‘The Highlander’ Lambert reported recently that the poor reception of the Backlash main event may have some intriguing ramifications. Most fans over the age of 12 hate Roman Reigns. It’s not even Roman’s fault, we just have a bad taste in our mouths from being force-fed Cena for years. Now it looks to be more of the same.
I’ve said time and again that the reason these guys are pushed, despite fan complaints, is because they sell merch. Kids love them, and parents spend the most money. However, it seems as though Bob Dylan was right the times they are a’changin’.
Apparently, Ol’ Vinny Mac was none too pleased about fans walking out of the main event at Backlash. Though reports about this are conflicting, let’s hope it’s true. If Vince finally realizes that Roman isn’t the next Steve Austin, then we can all move on (and hopefully to Braun Strowman). In fact, give me more Bray and Braun and I’m a happy man.
Regardless of my biases, Roman has got to move down the card for awhile or become the heel he always should have been. I’d watch a devious, heel Roman fight Braun the Barbarian for the Universal Championship each and every week, and we’re this much closer to getting it.
1. Greatest Money in the Bank
https://twitter.com/Goldust/status/993661822719885313
We are weeks away from Money in the Bank and I am already jazzed. Seriously, this is like waiting for Christmas that year I knew I was getting the Cobra Hammerhead. The promotion for this pay-per-view has been stellar and I’m not talking about graphics and video packages.
There are MANY #SDLive Superstars waiting for their chance to qualify for the #MITB Ladder Match! pic.twitter.com/2EeJWK85Rj
— WWE (@WWE) May 10, 2018
The fact that every superstar is vying for a pot underlines the importance of the match. MITB is already a draw because of the uniqueness of the match and its implications on storylines year round. However, this is the first time every superstar has campaigned so heavily to be a part of it. Not only that, main eventers are qualifying for the match.
This year’s MITB isn’t just going to be a stepping stone for a mid-card talent. Instead, the matches are filling up with top-level talent in what should be some of the best matches the event has ever seen. So far the men’s match will feature Braun Strowman, Finn Bálor, The Miz, Rusev, Kevin Owens and Bobby Roode… with more to come. Each of these men is deserving of a championship run and is a premier talent.
For the women so far we have Ember Moon, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss. With plenty more to come, the match already includes the two former Women’s Champions and a former NXT Women’s Champion, as well as two of best wrestlers in the company. (I love me some Ember Moon.)
These matches are shaping up to be some of the best MITB bouts ever and the way they’re being built up shows some real forethought in the writing. Here’s hoping the match lives up to expectations.
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