Pro Wrestling Writer's Block

This week, I’ve been stuck in a hotel, with ample amounts of time to write about all things wrestling. Yet, I struggle to come up with any appropriate topics. Sure, I could praise to the high heavens about New Japan Pro Wrestling or Lucha Underground, but let’s be real here, those articles don’t get much love outside of the hardcore audience. There’s also NXT, but unless a live special is imminent, they don’t really move the needle either. For me, there’s a balance of writing just to write, and writing something people will actually read. To find the middle ground, that leaves the WWE.

And right now, that product is downright awful.

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Post-WrestleMania Blues.

WWE usually puts their best foot forward from the Royal Rumble until the Raw after WrestleMania. This has been a familiar trend for years, and for whatever reason that effort nearly all goes away until the build-up for SummerSlam. Sure, there’s a random solid PPV in between, but overall it feels like they are just shooting in the dark for much of this doldrums-like season. Just look at the upcoming Extreme Rules PPV. Top two matches -- Orton/Rollins and Cena/Rusev -- are re-matches from WrestleMania. Then we have two question marks in Bryan/Bad News Barrett and Nikki vs. most likely, Naomi. Finally, the WrestleMania main-event challenger, Roman Reigns, gets Big Show. Yes, the Big Show.

Oh, how could I forget the "Kiss My Arse" stipulation that rounds out the card. I fear for what the final two matches will be on this PPV.

Between Vince’s inner circle, and the writers, it feels like everyone just takes a long mental break and we, the fans, suffer for it. I can’t remember the last time I watched SmackDown, hell I’ve skipped the past two weeks of Raw and am better for doing so, according to most reactions. I find it amazing how much buzz -- for both the usual fans and mainstream audience -- WrestleMania can create, and within in a week or two, wrestling’s not cool again. To keep all those eyes on the product, quality needs to remain high, but year after year, it does not.

The Roster.

There are times when wrestling hits a low point, which can be attributed to the current roster of gimmicks that simply don’t connect with fans. Maybe the talent is just not there, and time is needed to build up interesting characters to attain a bigger fan base.

That’s not the case right now.

Current champions: Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Nikki Bella, and The Brass Ring Club. We could nit-pick here and there, but overall that’s a solid list, no problems there. The main roster is full of talent, some of which is not being maximized; Mizdow and Miz are two that jump to mind. I don’t need to run through everyone, but when you employ people like Wyatt, Rusev, Paige, Ambrose, Harper, Ziggler, Neville, and many other quality wrestlers, there should rarely be a boring show.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention what’s lurking in NXT, as well. There are about ten people that could be brought up and suddenly WWE would become can’t-miss TV. For whatever reason, we're relegated to the WWE dinosaurs that clearly no one is interested in watching on a regular basis anymore. I won't name names, but they rhyme with Bane and Captain Insano.

Me, The Fan.

Maybe, it’s just me.

Maybe, I’m being too critical or am simply burned out from sports entertainment. I tried taking a break, that didn’t help much. Tried expanding my horizons, by focusing on Lucha Underground, but they don’t have the day-to-day news that keeps my attention. Aside from catching up on non-WWE matches on YouTube, I’m at a bit of a loss.

I finally got around to watching the Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling video, and its creator, Max Landis, ended with the line:

"A lot of wrestling sucks, but when it’s good, it’s f****** great".

While he’s not wrong, it’s like saying "I go to the same restaurant five times; four times it sucks, but that one day, it’s great!" No one would do that, you would stop going to that restaurant. Wrestling should be no different.

Right now, WWE is making me feel like not watching, and I haven’t. Vince & Co. is so critical of wrestlers being boring, well you are boring, your writing is boring, and your product is boring. If you had any true competition, you would not win with how things have been going over the past couple weeks.

To avoid ranting, I’ll stop there -- looks like I can finally drink my frozen Powerade, thanks a lot, hotel "fridge" -- and end with some constructive criticism. WWE, we know how awesome your shows can be, so how about a little consistency?

Mondays are boring without you.