ASK TITO: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns at WWE Day One, Cody Rhodes's Flaming Table in AEW, Omicron COVID-19 Variant, and More

Follow Mr. Tito on Twitter by going to the following link: @titowrestling

The greatest columnist on the planet is back with more weekend Excellence in Column Writing where I answer your questions in column form. And what does it cost you? NOTHING but effort to just come to our NoDQ.com site. NO paywalls, no Patreons, no Premium Subscriptions, etc… Just come to NoDQ and read. That is all that is required of you to read these fine columns. Because I’m not a money whore, nor have I ever wanted to be for this hobby, I want these columns to be read freely by you and help promote the website that I post on.

It’s funny that in my 23+ years of doing this, there have been MANY imitators of the Mr. Tito experience and yet they either become too polluted asking for money or become raging egomaniacs once they obtain an audience (or both). Folks, it’s not easy to churn out weekly content for an audience of thousands and then take the heat of any feedback after you post the content. Try doing that for 23 years (give or take a 3 year break from 2006-2009) and retain the thick skin that I have whenever any readers attack you or even when fellow members of a website try to gang up on you because of your success. It’s not for everyone, which is why I have lasted the test of time.

For the rest of 2021, I’ll be bringing the heat on my usual Tuesday rants and then the Ask Titos on Saturday. Then, my last 3 columns for 2021 will be on 12/25, 12/28, and 12/31. The 12/25 column will be my annual “Wishlist” column that I post as a holiday special. I try to make it a point to post columns on holidays as a gift to my longtime reader but also to give people “something to do” after they’ve devoured the Thanksgiving meal or opened Christmas presents (made much easier with phones or tablets to read now, too). 12/31 will be my annual Predictions column in which I review my 2021 Predictions made a year ago while making my 2022 (& beyond) Predictions. That Predictions column is probably my most favorite column among my longtime readers.

But what about that 12/28 column, which falls on my usual Tuesday. Folks, that’s just one column that you don’t want to miss out on… Let’s just say that as a consumer of WWE and AEW for the past year, I’m quite disgruntled and angry with their products. Other than saying that, you’ll just have to tune in for that colossal column that is already forming in my head. It will be one that would make my old “Bad Tito” columns look weak in comparison.

Other than that, I have nothing planned for 2022…

What I do have planned for today is to answer your questions as submitted via Email, Twitter, or the Comments section below, mostly having a bias towards Current Events questions and using older questions as filler as needed.

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ASK MR. TITO – Your Questions, My Answers

Do you believe that the COVID-19 Omicron variant will affect Pro Wrestling during 2022?

No, I do not… Maybe masks will be required at sporting events and maybe proof of vaccination will be required (courts will shoot that down), but I project that you’ll be able to fully attend any Pro Wrestling event during 2022. Why? Well, 2022 is an Election Year, right, where all of the House of Representative seats are up for grabs and various Governor or Senator jobs are up as well.

Welcome to politics. If you compare Coronavirus from 2020 versus the Delta variant throughout 2021, the Delta has been a more deadly form of COVID-19. Yet during 2021, there were fewer quarantines and mask requirements. During 2020, nobody knew what this virus was and there weren’t any vaccines created yet either compared to 2021. In addition, 2020 was an election year and several states took it upon themselves to get a bit too aggressive on their quarantines to slow down the economy and create chaos. While some of that was done due to uncertainty, there is some evidence showing that there was some intent too.

2022 is another nationwide election year and if you’ve noticed with President Joe Biden, he emphasized recently that there would be “no new quarantines” in spite of the new COVID-19 variant named “Omicron” arriving and appearing to the most aggressive variant yet. His focus has been on attempting to require the vaccine and/or boosters instead. There are politics at play here, as what he doesn’t want as a 2nd year President is for the economy to tank again due to aggressive quarantines. However, massive deflation from a quarantine induced recession could reduce that inflation problem…

I’m not telling you anything new… COVID-19 has been politicized by both sides from day one and you’re seeing it on display from Washington and the States. They won’t be pushing quarantines this time around but will push the vaccine requirements harder instead. They know that the courts will stop them but can show “we tried”. Quarantines are out of the picture, as the Democrats don’t want the economy to tank during 2022 and Republicans in the states anti-quarantine.

Thus, if you have bought WWE tickets for a 2022 show, feel safe that it will still happen. Just get that vaccination + boosters ahead of time, as you might be asked to provide that at the door for said WWE or AEW event. Buy a nice mask, too.

NOW – That won’t stop another country, outside of the United States, like CANADA from postponing WWE shows due to rising concerns over COVID. Canada knows that once Omicron hits a big city area, such as New York, that puppy will spread like fire throughout the United States. As you may recall from watching other sports, Canada had much tighter quarantines than other countries and was real protective about their border with the United States during 2020.

*****

What are your thoughts on Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns happening at Day One?

For one, we’re wasting a top notch match for a minor Pay Per View and experimental show at that on New Year’s Day. That said, I would be watching that finish closely. Obviously, if Brock Lesnar wins and becomes the WWE Universal Champion, then place your money on Roman Reigns winning the 2021 Royal Rumble to cause a rematch to happen at Wrestlemania 38.

However, if Brock Lesnar LOSES to Roman Reigns at Day One, it depends on the finish on where they’ll go next. If Roman uses heel tactics to screw Brock out of winning, then they could rematch at Royal Rumble. From there, if Brock wins, Roman would have to somehow find a way back into the Title picture. I could seriously see a Royal Rumble event where Roman (a) loses to Brock but (b) enters the 2021 Royal Rumble to win it.

BUT if Brock Lesnar not only loses Day One but any rematch before Wrestlemania 38, that is where things get interesting. I’ve heard goofy rumors that WWE would try Drew McIntyre but if you’re going to sell out that Dallas football stadium, he’s not the guy to do it. Roman has already defeated him before at a Wrestlemania, anyway. Nobody else on that Smackdown roster is even worthy right now.

If Roman Reigns is NOT wrestling Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania, here are his potential opponents:
(a) Rock (depends if he’s free)
(b) Bill Goldberg (very likely if Rock or Brock won’t wrestle him)
(c) John Cena (they just tried it recently at SummerSlam)
(d) Undertaker (from Texas, dissatisfied with their prior Wrestlemania match)
(e) Steve Austin (highly unlikely, but he’s from Texas and hasn’t had a comeback match since 2003)

Roman Reigns needs a star equal to him to perform against at Wrestlemania, period. Thus, you have to pull in an older name. I believe that it’s “Brock or Rock” with a mild chance of Bill Goldberg or the Undertaker sprinkled in. As I stated a few weeks ago, the Undertaker could have a strong chance with the show being in Texas and again, he was so unhappy that he couldn’t deliver a great match for Roman at Wrestlemania. It’s a pride thing.

Man, I’d lose my mind if Steve Austin was somehow the opponent. I know that is a pipedream, but if Austin made a comeback for just 1 match, the wrestling world would explode and WWE would fill that stadium in Dallas easily.

The opponent needs to be the Rock, though. Before the “Bloodline” storyline gets old or stale, it needs a major star to vindicate it. Rock is that guy, unlike anybody else, as he has loose family ties to Roman (distant cousin). WWE should pay the $10 million or so that it takes to rent the Rock for one night. I know that everyone is suggesting that Los Angeles is a better choice for 2023’s Wrestlemania 39 show, but Rock will be 1 year older and the Bloodline storyline could be over by then. DO IT NOW!

I project that Wrestlemania 38 will be “Rock or Brock” with a slight chance of Bill Goldberg or the Undertaker. If WWE is going to force Drew McIntyre again, you might as well pencil in reduced WWE Network subscriptions and lost ticket sales because his star power doesn’t equate to Roman’s.

*****

What did you think of Cody Rhodes going through a flaming table on AEW Dynamite?

Insanity. He’s an Executive Vice President of AEW to the company and a father to Brandi’s child. Yet, there he is, allowed to get slammed through a flaming table that Brandi poured lighter fluid on during national television. Cody or Andrade could have been been (a) burned badly or (b) impaled by a part of that table.

What the hell, Tony Khan? Why are you allowing a significant manager of your company go there and do it?

Furthermore, Brandi Rhodes, why are you even participating in an activity that could hurt the father of your child? I don’t give a damn how insistent that Cody was to do this spot.

Yeah, I know that “lighter fluid on a table” has been done many times before and that the impact of the wrestlers slamming through said table puts out most of the fire. We’ve seen it go horribly, too, where wrestlers have been burned too. Part of the fire was on Cody’s shoulders and on his boots/tights when he tried to go for the pin.

What if Andrade got hurt from that move? It was executed by the EVP and Chief Brand Officer of the company. He could sue the living hell out of AEW if he sustained any injury, even if AEW lawyers could argue it in court that Andrade willingly participated in said stunt.

Getting away from the “Liability”, “Loss of an EVP”, or “Loss of a Father” aspect of all of this… How is AEW Dynamite going to top this next week? You keep raising the expectations of fans by giving them shock value next week and then having to follow it the next. You cannot give a child a big cake one week and expect them to eat vegetables the next week.

This is AEW in a nutshell. Careless thinking by the EVPs and short-term thinking. Because AEW is under 1 million viewers, Tony and Cody are thinking that this spot will “get people talking” and maybe watch AEW next week to see what happens. Then, when they tune in, it’s the same horribly booked garbage that they tuned out of weeks before this fire spot. Your issues, long-term, are Creative and the Talent Roster. FIX those instead of trying short-term gimmicks like tables on fire.

And again, WHY are you putting your own EVP at risk in such a dangerous spot? And why is a Chief Brand Officer and Wife & Co-Parent of that EVP participating and allowing this dangerous spot to happen? Does she have no say in this matter or is she just naive? Good lord… What is wrong with the active participants in Pro Wrestling these days? Do they have no quality control or concern for safety?

*****

Does Randy Orton’s Pay Per View or WWE RAW matches records matter?

In case you missed it, Randy Orton recently beat Kane’s records for having the most Pay Per View and Monday Night RAW matches ever held by a single WWE wrestler. Good for him, as Orton has been with the WWE since 2002 and has been mostly durable with an injury spell here or there. That and Orton never left to try TNA wrestling or something else like that, nor has he retired and came back. With that, I’m sure that his bank account looks quite healthy by being one of the WWE’s most consistently pushed wrestlers. Just recently, he flirted with joining AEW but used that as leverage to get an even larger deal with the WWE.

Orton’s greatest asset his his longevity… Good for him and he’s been a rich guy for being dependable throughout the years and loyal as well. But is he one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time? Not even close… Orton has 14 recognized World Title reigns and we just don’t remember them. He is also often quoted as the “most athletically gifted wrestler” yet where are those “Match of the Year” candidates or winners at? You don’t see them anywhere.

The same comparison to Orton is what you see in the Baseball Hall of Fame. There are many players who stick around for 20-25 years to compile 3,000 hits, 300 wins, or 500 Homeruns which are the automatic statistics qualifiers to get into the Hall of Fame. But there are many who reached those stats in 15 years and were more consistently dominant than that 20-25 year player. I can easily suggest that John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Batista were far more successful in the WWE than Randy Orton ever was or currently is from that 2002 Ohio Valley Wrestling class.

In my opinion, Randy Orton should have convincingly defeated Triple H at Wrestlemania 25. That could have helped boost his career, but would it erase his attitude towards other wrestlers? If you ever watch a Randy Orton match where he is going to LOSE, he seems a bit miserable and disinterested in the fact that he’s losing. You can tell, simply by body language, on whether Orton is going to win or lose a match. Triple H has that same body language, as since 2001, you can easily tell when Triple H is winning or losing based on the energy he brings to a match. And Orton learned from Triple H, even though HHH wasn’t courteous enough to put him over at Wrestlemania 25.

Congrats on the longevity… But you’re Wade Boggs, Dave Winfield, Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray, or Paul Molitor in comparison to Baseball. State compilers who many seasons and were durable. There is VALUE in that, but you’re a notch below someone like Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, and other physically imposing or top drawing superstars.

*****

Thoughts on the 2021 PWI Tag Team List?

We’re living in an era where we have deficits in Tag Team wrestling. WWE doesn’t care about it and purposely neglects it. Meanwhile, AEW acts like they care but they have the egotistical Young Bucks running that division.

Obviously, the Usos are the best pound-for-pound tag team in the world. No debating that… However, they weren’t a tag team for much of 2021 and that’s why they aren’t #1. The Young Bucks were champions for a good chunk of 2021 and consistently wrestling as a team. Hence, why they are #1. There really isn’t much debate, particularly as other teams in AEW have been heavily depushed in favor of the Young Bucks.

Hey FTR… The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, now is it?

Tag Team wrestling is just AWFUL now and that could be what solves many of WWE’s problems with trying to do 2-3 hour shows per week. Yet, they won’t invest in it because WWE’s analytics suggest that singles wrestlers are more profitable. However, I can recall a time during the 1980s and early 1990s when Tag Team wrestling was red hot with Demolition, Hart Foundation, Bulldogs, etc. and those teams headlined many WWF houseshows. Then, remember how popular those Edge/Christian, Hardys, and Dudleys feuds were? Remember how popular tag team wrestling was on the Smackdown brand for 2002? Hell, WCW had great tag team action with the Outsiders, Harlem Heat, and the Steiners for their growth period.

All I need to say… WWE neglects Tag Team Wrestling, AEW does it poorly despite trying. Those EVPs known as the Young Bucks need to be less about themselves and more about other Tag Teams. You’ve got that EVP money, so what else is there to accomplish?

*****

What do you think of Charlotte Flair reportedly breaking up with Andrade?

If true, good for her. As a grown woman who has worked hard to develop her own brand and name, she was seriously on the brink of throwing it all away. I believe that Andrade was staging a coup to get Charlotte out of the WWE and join him (and Ric Flair) in AEW. Things fell apart quickly when the Dark Side of the Ring documentary hit on the “Plane Ride from Hell” and it limited Ric Flair’s entrance to AEW. Then, I believe the whole title switching incident with Becky Lynch blowing up in Charlotte’s face was eye opening to her. She saw how only the bad publicity was going towards her and not Becky. Thus, she’s made changes.

It’s also very likely that Charlotte was probably hearing grumbles and negativity from Andrade about AEW and how he was used. He did nothing but complain in the WWE even though his size and inability to cut promos was the reason why Vince McMahon didn’t push him. It’s quite likely that Charlotte was hearing the same negativity from Andrade about his role in AEW that she heard while he was in WWE. Thus, she cut the negativity out of her life, reportedly.

If Charlotte did break-up with Andrade, I would expect Charlotte to resume good relations with the WWE once again. She’s probably realizing that WWE has taken great care of her and made her into the household name. Think about it… “Charlotte” isn’t even her real name and yet that’s how the entire world knows her. I believe that for 2022, you’ll see career turnaround for Charlotte and you won’t see any ridiculous segments, like the title switching, or heat backstage as we’ve seen during 2021 from Charlotte.

Sometimes, you just have to purge a negative force out of your life. I did that recently with someone and it feels fantastic. If you feel like someone is dragging your life downward or simply wasting your time with their antics, cut them loose. Let them be someone else’s problem because you don’t have time for their nonsense. Someone who is always negative towards you or is a bad influence on you or your family just isn’t worth time. If Charlotte truly did break up with Andrade, I commend her because Andrade is just one of those co-workers who is never satisfied even when things are changed specifically for them.

*****

Do you agree with the Undertaker’s “Mount Rushmore of Wrestling” choices?

In case you missed it, Undertaker gave his list during a show with comedian Kevin Hart and it consisted of the following 4 individuals (noting that the actual Mount Rushmore has 4 Presidents):

-The Rock
-Andre the Giant
-Shawn Michaels
-Steve Austin

Honestly, that’s a good list. He’s paying homage to the big man before him, Andre, while showing mad respect for the 2 biggest Attitude Era stars, Austin and the Rock. He’s throwing a bone to his best in-ring rival Shawn Michaels for the 4th spot.

That’s Undertaker’s opinion and he was in the ring and around 3/4 of those guys.

Notice how he doesn’t have Hulk Hogan there, which is the real shocker to me. That said, Undertaker had to deal with Hulk Hogan’s politics during late 1991 and saw Hogan in person until his 1993 exit from the company. If you’ll recall, Hogan was acting like he had neck problems before their Survivor Series 1991 match and so that caused Undertaker to work REALLY SAFE with Hogan in that match including the Tombstone with missed the canvas/chair by about 4 inches… After the match, however, Hogan was selling a neck injury backstage as if the Undertaker hurt him.

I can understand why Undertaker doesn’t have the Hulkster on there… I’m sure that Bret Hart was probably a close runner-up for Taker, as he loved working with the Hitman the most fro what I’ve read or heard.

It’s a good list… Mine would probably be Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Steve Austin, and John Cena for the modern era (1980 and beyond). I exclude the Rock from mine only because in a wrestling context, he needed Steve Austin and he wasn’t as strong of a babyface as Austin, Cena, or Hogan were. Business started to decline during 2000-2001 when Rock was the #1 babyface. John Cena carried the company on his back for 10 years from 2005 to 2014 as the #1 babyface and with a much weaker roster to complement him. Taker has longevity on his side but he was never the top guy on the roster for most of his career.

*****

What are your thoughts on the 2021 NoDQ Hall of Fame?

In case you missed it, here is the LINK to the 2021 NoDQ Hall of Fame votes. What people need to realize is that this is a fan voted Hall of Fame. NoDQ just presents the ballots and the readers of the website vote on it.

I’m hearing a ton of blowback on Brodie Lee getting in… For one, the category is called “Deceased Superstar” and it was a poll that included Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper, Chyna, New Jack, Daffney, and Brodie Lee. Thus, if you think that Brodie just got in among all candidates for the Hall of Fame, you’re wrong. Secondly, again, this is READER DRIVEN and their recency bias lead them to vote for Brodie Lee from feelings he probably gave them in the past year from his passing with AEW.

And I don’t want to hear complaints from people who DID NOT VOTE. It’s a poll driven Hall of Fame vote and if you didn’t vote, you cannot complain.

For the others, it’s hard to deny entrants of Shawn Michaels (Male Wrestler), Alundra Blaze/Medusa (Female Wrestler), Eric Bischoff (Non-Wrestler), or the Hardy Boys (Tag Team or Faction). Those are fine picks, although I’m surprised that Shawn Michaels beat out Rock or Ric Flair… And I know that she’s not technically a wrestler, though she has a few matches and was once Women’s champion, but why are so many people discrediting Sable? She was HUGE during 1997-1999 and never gets credit for the legitimate draw that she once was.

Eric Bischoff doesn’t get the credit or respect that he deserves, so I’m glad our Hall of Fame put him in. WCW was a dumpster fire due to mismanagement from 1989-1992 and he not only fixed many of their financial and efficiency problems, but he changed the business for the better by 1996. Those storylines during mid-1996 were revolutionary along with pushing the Cruiserweight division that you actually cared about. Sadly, as I wrote in the “Day that WCW Died” a few years ago, Eric Bischoff decided to become a TV character by joining the NWO and that caused him to lose the Monday Night War by taking his eye off the prize.

NoDQ’s Hall of Fame is fan driven, which is why I don’t give the Observer’s that much heck about theirs because it’s reader driven. THAT SAID, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter feeds its readers with nothing but propaganda on how great New Japan, the Bucks, or Kenny Omega are and eventually, those remain subscribers join that group think. We, here at NoDQ, don’t shove propaganda down your throats as Uncle Dave likes to do. We have a whole variety of opinions posted on the website for you to enjoy and decide upon.

*****

Do you agree with Booker T about Triple H being a bigger star than CM Punk before Triple H started dating Stephanie?

Yes, I do, actually… Triple H with Degeneration X was a big deal and sold a ton of merchandise. That said, how much of DX’s success was due to being on the midcard with the hottest singles competitor ever for a given 2 years of time named Stone Cold Steve Austin?

The problem is that aside from his King of the Ring 1996 punishment, Triple H NEVER had any issues with WWE Creative. In fact, he benefitted from his backstage politics and mostly got his way. CM Punk has always had WWE Creative against him, as WWE wanted to release him back when he was working with ECW. Then, there were creative forces against him on the main WWE roster. Both Money in the Bank cash-ins were botched and CM Punk was made to be a joke as World Champion. Then, when WWE fans got CM Punk naturally over during 2011, Vince McMahon wasn’t having it as he wanted Alberto Del Rio to become champion. Meanwhile, Triple H’s feelings were hurt by the “doofus son in law” comments from the Pipebomb and Triple H piled on to bury CM Punk through Night of Champions 2011.

Now, had CM Punk obtained favorable Creative AFTER Money in the Bank 2011 and they kept pushing him as a top star, CM Punk’s star would have eclipsed Triple H at any point in his career. Period. 2011 was CM Punk’s year to burst out of the scene as the #1 guy or at least the clear #2 guy behind only John Cena. BUT HE WAS BURIED.

That’s the difference and what “company man” Booker T completely misses.

CM Punk should have been a huge star through 2011 but WWE Creative, Vince, and Triple H purposely sabotaged him. Go watch SummerSlam 2011, Night of Champions 2011, Hell in a Cell 2011, and Vengeance 2011. CM Punk had his shoulders pinned for 4 straight Pay Per Views in a row. That is NOT how you treat a potential top star. The Survivor Series 2012 was damage repair because Del Rio was failing as champion and CM Punk’s 2012-2014 World Title reign saw limited amounts of RAW main events and barely any headlining of Pay Per Views. That’s not how you treat a World Champion, along with turning him HEEL midway through the reign.

I’ve been right on this topic for over 10 years now, most of the internet and WWE personnel have not.

*****

Do you agree with WWE’s decision to stop selling DVD or Blu-Ray discs of their events?

Read the STORY WITHIN THE STORY on this news headline… It’s not that WWE is going full blown digital, it’s that they probably have a large stock of UNSOLD INVENTORY of WWE licensed DVD or Blu-Ray that nobody wants or that retailers are sending back to them. THAT is the story here, folks… You don’t see the movie industry, for example, giving up on DVD or Blu-Ray. Why? Because people are still buying them, as they like to have physical copies of the events in their personal library. Speaking as that kind of consumer, I buy physical copies of various Marvel, Star Wars, or other movies that have come out recently. If a streaming service cuts them off, you don’t have access to said favorite movie.

That’s the issue… WWE’s DVD/Blu-Ray events aren’t selling and that is why the are going all digital.

And why would anybody buy the events, aside from being a loyal fan? For just $4.99, you can get the WWE Network and watch those same events with commercials or pay $9.99 for the model without commercials. In my opinion, past wrestling events are tough for me to rewatch because the emotions just aren’t there. I’m the same way with rewatching NFL games… Pro Wrestling and the NFL are better to watch LIVE or for the first time rather than repeat viewings.

But let’s not get away from the TRUE story… WWE isn’t going all-digital because they WANT to, they are going all-digital because they HAVE to. Go to any Walmart or other places that still sell home video. You’ll find stacks of WWE events to choose from because nobody is buying them. There’s a good chance that the big retailers have the ability to return said stock of WWE videos at full price and that really hurts the WWE’s bottom line.

DVD and Blu-Ray mass production are both around $2 to $4 each when you factor in disc, recording process, labels, printing for the case, the actual case itself, and the packing. Then, you factor in royalties with might add a few dollars and then shipping. Probably around $8 and then Walmart would sell said discs for $15-$20, right? Even if Walmart slashes prices to $10 per show or special, there is still some slight revenue to be made. But if nobody is buying WWE events at a discounted price, then why make more of them if you are WWE? Especially if Walmart is able to return unsold discs back to you.

You gotta read the “story within the story” within these (I’m sounding like Colin Cowherd now)… The WWE isn’t going all-digital as a strategy, they are going all digital because they HAVE TO. If you look at their merchandise numbers, they are in a severe decline. It’s very likely that a landfill somewhere will be consuming many of these unsold discs soon while the WWE implements their all-digital strategy. This is a Nick Khan move, as he’s shedding things that aren’t making money for the WWE. When people don’t buy your DVD or Blu-Ray discs, things like this will happen and cause someone watching those analytics to change.

*****

Should the WWE discontinue its Cruiserweight Title?

If the WWE doesn’t want to take it seriously, nor do they want to retain smaller wrestlers that Triple H kept signing… Then, yeah, get rid of it. Why not?

205 Live has been unwatchable and it’s just horrible how the WWE tapes it right after Smackdown. I was at a taping during 2018 in Pittsburgh and the fans were worn out after cheering for 2 hours during Smackdown. Plus, nobody knew who any of these guys were. Nobody watches 205 Live, period, nor do they care if Cruiserweight action appears on NXT, either.

In my opinion, both WWE and AEW are missing out on pushing weight classes in their promotions. Boxing, UFC, and New Japan does it… Why not WWE or AEW?

Instead, both promotions push that “anyone can be a main eventer” and that’s why we get STUPID things like smaller/lighter wrestlers defeating taller/heavier wrestlers in a match. It just doesn’t make sense and that’s why we have weight classes in other sports. The optics are what both Tony and Vince keep missing and that causes casual viewers to turn away.

All I need to show you is Conor McGregor. He wrestled in lighter weight classes in UFC and was arguably its biggest star when he fought. People respect weight classes because it’s actual science, physics, and logic wrapped into one.

*****

Did you ever consider starting up your own Pro Wrestling website?

A few times, honestly, and I laid the HTML groundwork while I was at the other place (he knew about it, as he helped with the CGI design). What I soon realized is that I don’t have time to be a webmaster of a wrestling website and it would take away the FUN of writing about pro wrestling being a hobby for me. Honestly, my full time job is paying me more than I could potentially ever make from a website or my columns and that job lines me up to take other jobs as well, if desired.

What people have to realize is that operating a Pro Wrestling website is HARD WORK. Yeah, you’re working from the comfort of your home, but you have to be responsible for keeping that website up, posting content, watching for any breaking news, and competing with other websites. Then, you to deal with Domain Name costs, always rising Bandwidth costs, and the Ad Revenue offerings can change on you without notice. With NoDQ, Aaron is handling most of the posted news content while managing the business side of the site. With Lords of Pain, Calvin handled the business but he was paying individuals to post news content for him. And there are no days off unless you have a trusted back-up to watch news postings that are out there. You also have to build a community of readers and maybe convince a few people to post things for free just for the opportunity to work for your website.

It’s tough… I looked into it, saw the hard work that it would involved, and I backed out. It would require it to become another full-time job for me and consume all of my time. Instead, I can just write columns for free and keep it fun without burning myself out.

If anyone thinks that operating a wrestling website is easy, think again… There is a reason why most of the popular wrestling websites have been here from decades and why only a few new start-ups have made a dent.

Thinking back, too, if I had to rethink anything with my “Mr. Tito” brand, I would have started up a YouTube channel instead of a new website. For those early 2010s, that stuff paid up well on content and that’s where many of the eyeballs are at right now. That said, YouTube is lowballing people on ad money and not including wrestling content on algorithms to be easily seen in the last 5 years. That would have been a bad proposition, too. Anyone who is providing content on YouTube these days is “working hard for their money”. For some of the top wrestling YouTube channels, they are producing multiple videos per day just to rack up YouTube ad revenue through quantities whereas in the past, 1 strong video posting would pay you handsomely.

My best advice for anyone who wants to do this for a living is to join a bigger website as a content provider and then when your stuff becomes popular, spin that off into another site and your followers on social media will follow you. Otherwise, starting a website or Youtube channel from scratch is HARD WORK and you better get used to being a “starving artist”. But if you are successful, get smart and form a LLC so that you can expense things like a business…

For me, just being a content provider has worked and doing it for free, as a hobby, has kept me sane. If money joined the picture, I probably would have gone insane. Seriously.

So just chill… Until the next episode!

Comments and feedback are welcome. Follow and Tweet me @titowrestling or login in below to post comments.

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