The X-Factor: Just a lousy 2018 Submitted by Victor Mariscal on 12/09/2018 at 04:47 PM
2018 is almost over, and I’m glad. Many of us are.
The year had highs, but too many lows to save it. I look back at them wishing I could forget: Brock Lesnar retaining in New Orleans; Sasha and Bayley’s Team Hell No ripoff; the Raw tag team scene; Bobby Lashley’s failed babyface run, and by extension his feud with Sami Zayn; John Cena getting squashed; Crown Jewel; Backlash; and finally, just about every NXT call-up.
Woken Matt? Mixed.
Then there’s Baron Corbin. Just, ugh.
Let me put it in perspective.
At Armageddon ‘99 on 12/12/99, the McMahon-Helmsley Era / Faction was born. With Triple H and Stephanie leading, DX would go on a tear. Both The Rock and Mankind were their main enemies, and the latter got fired when they were forced to fight each other for their jobs on the 12/27/99 Raw. 14 days after that, The Rock and much of the roster took to the ring threatening to haul ass if Mankind wasn’t rehired.
It’s no small coincidence that 2000 was such a great year. With The Authority, their rivals often had to sit still and take it. With Corbin in charge, among other things we’ve gotten the worst Raw of 2018, maybe ever.
The Faction’s enemies never allowed shit to go unanswered. We got damn good matches from this angle too. In the end, the Era / Faction lost at King of the Ring 2000 when The Rock took the WWF title from Triple H by pinning Vince McMahon, Mick Foley was named the commish the next night, and their tyranny was over.
Why couldn’t there be any mutinies when the Authority was in power? There should be one now.
Anybody who cried burial when Corbin lost in Brooklyn last year needs to wake up. Corbin is a terrible wrestler and a soul-sucking heel. Cena did us a huge favor.
And Corey Graves, he’s no Jerry Lawler, just plain insufferable as Corbin’s de facto mouthpiece.
Really miss John Cena right now. Polarizing or not, he gives his fans hope. In a world so screwed up, we need that. Plus we need a conquering hero on Monday nights right now.
As bad as WWF 1995? WCW 2000? I’m gonna say no, but this year still sucked.
It wasn’t all bad. When I do my 2018 Awards you’ll see what was great.
I was gonna talk about Xavier Woods calling fans “entitled”, but I feel I’ve discussed that topic myself enough times.