Does Wrestling's past damage its future?

[dablackguy]

A bit of a convoluted question, so I'll explain.

As is rumored for WM 23, Vince wants Hogan and Big Show in a match, similar to the Andre/Hogan match at WM 3. I'm of the opinion that the past of wrestling damages its future. In a sport that already has enough trouble leaving the past behind, we're seeing a lot of ideas and story lines reused in today's context that originated in a much more successful era.

Another example would be DX. Whether you find them entertaining or not, we all know the angle is a success, just like its predecessor was. But again, originates in a much more successful era.

Anyone who runs a business wants to mimic success, but I believe that when you recreate certain things (forget the creativity aspect for a second, though I'm sure someone will make that point) and you replace the original with something in the modern context, you're asking wrestlers/characters/writers to do things that they wouldn't normally do.

Wrestling has always been cyclical to a degree. But I think trying to do the exact same things that brought success at different times in a current sense not only tarnishes the past, but damages the future.

Thoughts

[Kane Knight]

I'm not sure DX is a success. It's been the focus of Raws which have been some of the lowest in this "era" of wrestling. If you want to call that success, when even Cena can draw better....

I don't think it hurts them, any more than literature's past hurts it. Reusing the same concept? You can see it in music, movies, TV, and writing. It's no big, as long as it isn't too derivative. A DX reunion is still a reunion. Hogan/Show will be awful, but not unprecedented.

[NeanderCarl]

Jim Cornette's golden rule is that you can recycle a gimmick or storyline a minimum of seven years after the original. Apparently.

[Chavo Classic]

Past doesn't hurt the future unless it's dragged into the limelight too often and unnecessarily. See WWE.

[Bad Company]

Hogan and Big show have a history anyway.

DX is fucking pathetic

[Stickman]

Hogan vs Big Show? Seriously?

[Gerard]

Looking forward to Hogan vs Show. As for dx, theyre ok i suppose but the one guy doing all the jokes etc cause ones too busy thumping bibles and thinks his shit smells of roses makes the gimmick feel watered down.

[El Fangel]

when even Cena can draw better....
Cena....Draw....I......:rofl::lol::rofl::lol:

[Avenger]

Hogan/Big Show is only being done so Hogan can bodyslam Big Show where WM3 took place.

[FourFifty]

I'd be more impressed to see Hogan/Miz.

[Kane Knight]

Cena....Draw....I......:rofl::lol::rofl::lol:

Say what you want, but Raw ME'd by Cena was pulling 3.6s. Edge's last show as champ, 3.6. In fact, for a long time, it seemed like the lowest a regular rating could go was 3.6. There would be some dips, but usually a couple of points one week.

Now, we come to the new DX era, and we're looking at half a point less on average. I won't even get into K-Fed.

I don't think Cena's a draw; in fact, I think he was more or less proving the point that the lowest you could go was a 3.6, because that's where the core base sat. But D-X came along, became the overwhelming focus of the show, and they managed to actually get more fans to tune out. but when you're getting less fans than Cena? Something is fucking wrong, and it's wrong to claim the angle is a success.

Note: Raw has bounced back both in number of viewers and in actual ratings, but both are kind of slight, when you consider how low they were a matter of two weeks ago.

Again, though, I'll say: When the fans who say "Cena's okay, I'll keep watching" are the ones who then tune out when the show is about you, you're not doing a very good job.

[Testicle]

I do wisht that the angles weren't reused as often as they are, but that is almost impossible since the writers blow and they can't come up with and new, inventive ideas

One that really bothers me is Tomko working with Christain in TNA, why does TNA need to use a WWE angle that wasn't even that great

[KayfabeMan]

If anything, wrestling's future damages it's past.