Greetings jabronis,
Whilst the title of this column might suggest it’s a heavy debate pertaining to the future of Chritianity in the modern world, I’d like to immediately inform you that it isn’t. If you did think that, you’re likely on the wrong website. Apologies if I misled you.
Okay, so it’s undoubtedly the “subject of the moment” in the wresting world, and admittedly I’m a little late in joining the party (I wanted to see where WWE was going with the angle on Smackdown this week before I spoke)… But I want to share my two cents on the Christian situation. Before you delve any further into this article, please bear in mind that it will contain Smackdown spoilers – but they’re very tepid. Like a weak curry that a flamboyant, young male might order.
I shall let it be known from the outset: I’m pissed that Christian dropped the title after a mere 2 day reign. Super pissed. I’ve heard all the arguments that they could be sowing the seeds for a bigger storyline… But that doesn’t change my stance on being super pissed. No sirree.
You see – so what if the loss was part of a bigger storyline? (as both Chris Jericho and Jim Ross have suggested). The WWE fans all over the world – be it online, at home watching TV or live in attendance – had, on the whole, totally embraced Christian as champion. The reaction to him winning the belt at the Extreme Rules PPV was met with huge celebration, and every online fan in the land were typing ferociously, offering their congratulations to Captain Charisma. So then for Ross and Jericho to call us out for complaining and not understanding the “bigger picture” in the industry is just damn right insulting. Ross and Jericho ignore the fact that it’s the passionate fans that fill the seats, buy the tickets, and watch the WWE product. Without the fans, there would be no pro-wrestling. So surely it would be in WWE’s best interests to let the fans have what they were so evidently enjoying, rather than snatch it away from them? Lambasting their understanding of the business just seems mighty counter-productive to me.
Christian is one of the few (very few) Attitude Era survivors currently in WWE and he deserves better treatment than this. Wrestling is traditionally an industry where veterans are rewarded for the sacrifices they’ve made for the business. It’s why HHH and Taker always feature so prominently when thy can be bothered to come to work. It’s why Kane was given a long title run recently. It’s why Jerry Lawler is currently enjoying the most exposure he’s received in decades. It’s why Mark Henry gets a main event push (that will fail) on an annual basis (speaking of which – couldn’t Christian’s first defence have been against him? That would guarantee at least one successful title defence!). So where are Christian’s rewards?
Some will say that, despite being world champion for just 2 days, he climbed the top of the mountain regardless – and the record books will show that. And those folk have a point. WWE can never take that moment away from him. But what they have done is take the momentum from him. Big time. Why steal the thunder from someone who is so clearly at the top of their game and constantly involved in the best matches in WWE? What was so important that Christian needed to be stripped of the title so quickly?
WWE isn’t a seasonal sport – it runs for 12 months a year, every year. So I refuse to buy that WWE just had to rush the belt on to Orton. There’s no need to rush anything. WWE has literally forever (or at least until retirement beckons its performers I guess) to let its stories unfold. If the long term plans for the Smackdown brand involve Orton being champ, that’s fine. But at least have Christian drop the title to him on the next PPV. A one month reign looks far better on paper than a 2 day reign. Instead, WWE have cheapened the importance of the Heavyweight strap (3 different holders in the space of a couple of weeks) and made Christian look like a jabroni in the process.
So where from here? I honestly believe the immense backlash to Christian’s short reign has knocked WWE for six – I don’t think they predicted it for one second. A huge rift between WWE and its fans has developed over this, with all sorts of petitions and calls for a boycotting of the product doing the rounds as a result of Christian’s mistreatment. Of course, online petitions are generally about as effective as “drink in moderation” warnings that come on bottles of beer – but they exist nonetheless.
WWE bigwigs and its performers can bang on all they like about how much they don’t pay any attention to the online wrestling fans and “dirt sheets”, but it’s all lies – 100% pure lies. Ask yourself, why do so many performers constantly respond to online rumours about themselves?! (See various online chatter from CM Punk, Matt Hardy, Melina, John Morrison and Orton himself for recent proof of this). It’s because they’re human. And like any other human beings, they want to know what other people are saying about. So make no mistake about it, WWE staffers will be more than aware of how negatively the title switch has gone down with online wrestling communities.
And, quite frankly, how did they not expect it? WWE watched its fans enthusiastically embrace the dramatic storyline with Edge retiring and his best friend Christian vanquishing his best friend’s rival, winning the belt in the process. Then the very next week they expect fans to forget that emotional ride and turn their attention to Randy Orton – someone who has had nothing to do with the story we’ve just seen?! Bizarre.
This all begs this question, will WWE react to the fan pressure? I seriously doubt it. Vince is a man who rarely – if ever – admits that he’s wrong, and if we, the audience, don’t like something of his, he’d much prefer to shove it down our throats until we do rather than drop it.
On a slightly different note, a heel turn from Christian seems almost inevitable at this point. The main event talent on Smackdown is ridiculously shallow at the moment. The only heels who can be considered anywhere near to main event status are Mark Henry (who’s most noteworthy contribution to WWE in 17 years of employment is impregnating Mae Young with a hand) and Sheamus (who, despite being a two time world champion, has more recently jobbed cleanly to the likes of Evan Bourne and Santino. Oh dear).
Christian will get his rematch with Orton at the Over the Limit PPV and I’ll be watching with great intrigue. Will Vince give over to fan demands and return the title to Christian’s waist for a more elaborate reign? Will Christian lose and turn heel on The Viper, and become Smackdown’s top heel for the next few years in the process? Or could Christian turn heel AND recapture the title on the same night?
Or will Christian lose again, and stumble back to midcard obscurity? As much it pains me to say, that’s where my money’s going. The fans have spoken, and Vince will want to let them know that he ALWAYS knows best, and he will seek to execute this message by doing the exact opposite of what they desire.
But hey, I hope I’m wrong. I really do.
Over and out.
