Since I have a few hard deadlines coming up in my professional life, naturally I decided to pop in a write a quick column for the website! Over the past few days, I have spent some time thinking about my approach to being a wrestling fan for the last 12 months. Some of these thoughts trickle out on my Twitter/X account throughout the year, so you can follow me there if you want more up-to-date comments. Anyway, here are some of those random thoughts for you, in no particular order, and on no particular topic.
Cody Rhodes. I was not into Cody when he was in AEW and when I see clips of him on WWE TV, I am still not into him. And sorry that I am not sorry about that feeling. I actually cheered when he lost to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. For me, Cody represents what happens when you give someone too much creative freedom, which he had in AEW, and they are not the most creative or insightful person from a worldly perspective. In other words, his creative freedom in AEW rendered him getting booed non-stop before he left that company. And, unfortunately, that is the version of Cody that I am stuck with and that I remember when someone says his name. For sure, he has become a tremendous success in WWE and I know that – at some point – he will finish the story and win their championship. However, I cannot see myself ever getting on board that train.
Live Events. In 2023, I went to my first wrestling show in years when AEW brought Collision to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. My buddy and I had a great time both people watching and, eventually, squatting in a suite for the full show. As I recall it, the action was good, but cramming in the ROH tapings before the show was a bit much. My buddy and I left early to catch the train back to the shore, but we did not miss much at the end of the show. Aside from the merchandise stand being woefully too small, pathetically overpriced, and totally and wholly unprepared for the thousands of fans in attendance, the other item that stood out to me is that the Prudential Center is absolutely beautiful. I went to a Devils game there a few years ago with my brothers and it was great then – the visit to AEW Collision reminded me of how great an arena we have in Newark!
Live Events (Not Quite). Well, I tried to go to Impact Wrestling show, which would have been my first TNA/Impact Wrestling show in about 10 years, and it did not work out. This was their big 1,000th episode show at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in White Plains, New York, which is where WWE used to film a bunch of their syndicated shows in the 1980s. However, my attendance at the show was foiled by New York closing the Tappan Zee Bridge for repairs a few days before the show. Naturally, the bridge re-opened a few hours before the show started, but by that time I already changed my plans. Damn it!
AEW Collision. Just a bit more on AEW Collision as a television show, not so much about my visit to the Newark event. I really enjoyed watching Collision before CM Punk was fired. If he was in charge of that show (and, honestly, the internet wrestling scene is so muddied and false these days that I have no idea if it was true that this was “his” show to run), then he did a great job with that show. It was the only wrestling show that I moderately looked forward to watching on a regular basis. Admittedly, I stopped watching about a week or two before he was fired, but I am definitely not opposed to watching it again – especially if the style and feel is the same as it was while Punk was in the company.
Impact Wrestling on YouTube. In 2023, I continued to maintain my Impact Wrestling Insider membership on their YouTube channel. After taxes, it costs $1.06 each month and it is the best deal in wrestling. I get to watch their shows, commercial-free, on Thursday nights beginning at 8:30pm. You cannot beat that deal! After Anthem took over the show a few years ago, Impact Wrestling went from having among the worst production values in wrestling to among the best. Their shows look crisp and clean and their lighting is bright and engaging. There is a new television in my home office that gives me a better, crisper view of each show I watch, so the show should be easier to stream for me in the future.
In 2024. This year, I want to go to another live event. In fact, I would love to go to one live event each for WWE, AEW, and TNA. In addition, I would like to watch TNA’s Impact Wrestling show on a regular, weekly basis. There are many reasons why that show is the one that comes to mind (see production values comment above), but not the least of these reasons is that it is one show with a pre-show each week – and that is it! WWE and AEW have far too many shows for me to keep an eye on. I suspect that many fans, or would be fans, just do not have that type of time to commit to watching five hours of wrestling – for each company – each week. It really is too much.
Premium Live Events / Pay-Per-Views. Also in 2024, I want to watch WrestleMania on Peacock and I would like to watch one pay-per-view from one of the other companies. Years ago, when I created and operated TNAStars.com, I would support TNA by buying their Don West’s Deals packages every once in a while and then take whatever they sent me (usually DVDs and t-shirts) and send them away to readers of my website. With AEW’s merchandise tables so weak at live events and with DVDs essentially being eliminated by streaming, my way of showing support for these companies might have to come in the form of buying a pay-per-view once or twice per year. I was intrigued by the feeling and programs building around AEW World’s End, but was unable to watch the show because of prior commitments. My hope is that when I get intrigued by shows like that in the future (or, better, in 2024), that I will buy those shows to support the companies.
And there you have it, folks. Happy New Year! Do not get used to me writing a column on here on a consistent basis – unless, of course, I have more hard deadlines that I need to meet!
