6/22/2002...The Day Wrestling Changed

Let me first begin by noting that I do, once again, watch WWE and TNA religiously...

With that being said, the more I watch the more I am disappointed and the more I ask myself why I continue to put myself through what I refer to as un-entertaining Sports Entertainment. The product is stale. There is absolutely nothing worth looking forward to right now. It's the same talent, with the same gimmicks and storylines, fighting the same ppl in the same main event matches. No character development to speak of with no influx of new talent. Needless to say, not overly enthuised or encouraged with the product we are currently and have recently been privelaged to in the past year and a half. The lack of suitable alternatives with the funds to compete don't help either. Ready to take a ride? Please follow me on this journey and I promise it will all make sense in the end as I believe I have pinpointed the exact moment I learned to dislike "mainstream" professional wrestling.

The journey recently begins about three weeks ago, Jimmy James and the Billdozer asked me if I was interested in stopping by the zone for the ROH PPV. I obliged, not having seen a ROH show in probably 2 and a half years. I originally began watching ROH, upon the advice of The Billdozer and Jimmy James, at its inception about 7 years ago and loved it. After a few years of traveling to live events and reading results, etc. I for some reason just stopped paying attention. No real explanation, hopefully it was vagina. I kind of stopped watching wrestling in general actually, WWE included. As time went on I eventually got reeled back into "mainstream" wrestling, but for some reason did not re-attach to ROH.

So I'm at the zone, watching ROH, not really knowing all the talent but recognizing some of the current performers. Being a past fan, and obviously impressed by what I was watching, I asked Jimmy James if I could borrow some DVD's to catch up from my "ROH hiatus." Needless to say I walked out of the zone that night with a grocery bag of DVD's.... Fast Forward to about two nights ago, being bored and waiting for the Real World to come on, I decided to pop in Undeniable from 10/07 when Nigel beats Morishima for the ROH title and upon the conclusion of that DVD, for the first time in almost 4 years I regreted losing interest in professional wrestling. Before you feel like I'm sitting here getting all teared up, let me just clarify that it was not specifically this show that caused these feelings. It was a great show, far better than any other wrestling being offered these days, but it was more the memories the DVD brought back in regards to the ROH product as a whole. Back when I began watching ROH it changed my whole perspective of how I viewed professional wrestling. This DVD specifically brought back one special memory, a moment I will never forget and would like to refer to as, "The Day Wrestling Changed."

"The Day Wrestling Changed," refers to my absolute fondest live wrestling moment ever. It revolves around "driving" down to Philadelphia with a group of my friends to see the ROH "Road to the Title" show. The show itself is still to this day the best live wrestling event I have ever seen, Wrestlemania 16 and Royal Rumble's included. Top to bottom fantastic. If you watch the opening sequence of the Low Ki and Amazing Red match and don't get a hard-on then I question your love for professional wrestling. It will blow your mind and change your opinions of professional wrestling as you know it. As of that moment and this event alone I became hooked on wrestling for the sake of wrestling and not entertainment. Why did I become hooked? Because I thought to myself, "this is what professional wrestling is supposed to be about." A 16 man tournament to see who got to go on and fight for the strap. No unrealistic storylines, no run in's, no promos. "Road to the Title" made me forget about "Sports Entertainment," and fully recognize, understand and appreciate "Professional Wrestling." The venue was the Murphy Rec Center in 95 degree heat with the smell of sourcraut in the air. Two camera's, a couple hundred people max, and a group of the most talented performers I, still to this day, have ever seen, but had never known. This spectacular included some of the best matches I have ever had the previlage to see in person or on video. Obviously I have not and will not see every match ever performed, but I have watched professional wrestling consistently since 1985 and that night in Philly provided me with memories that I will never forget and have yet to be matched by anything WWE or TNA has done since. Athleticism, innovation, and flat out pure wrestling as I had never seen before. The atmosphere in the Rec Center was amazing. I was almost speechless. 3+ hours of matches that I would never think to fast forward through. The crowd ate it up and loved each guy for different reasons. No distinguished faces and heels...just a group of performers doing what they do better than most in the world. No cheap finishes, just clean wrestling matches, amazing spots and public displays of respect pre and post match. Each match tried, and more times than not, succeeded in out-doing the one before. As close as you may get to heaven for true wrestling fans.

It was that day and event that single handedly changed everything that is wrestling for me. I honestly could make an argument that this specific event along with the first couple years of ROH is the reason I am rarely impressed with anything I see from today's product. Looking back I am mostly excited, but also a partely disappointed. Of the 16 guys in the tournament that night, at least half have moved on to try and play with the "Big Fish." Most have failed in their attempts and are now small contributors to what we are regularly FORCED to watch on a weekly basis in professional wrestling. None of them have made the impact they should have. Their talents wasted by "Sports Entertainment." We all know what could have been and what should be, but will it ever happen? That is a good question.

MikeyBear