The Wrestling Talent Curse? – By Wrestle G

Hello NoDQ.com, readers it’s your boy Wrestle G back from some wrestling thoughts for you on what is a sweltering second heatwave in the UK currently. I am not a man built for the heat and the UK is not either but any excuse to get the BBQ out and get some ciders on the go is alright by me!

What a week we have had in wrestling hey? Two world title changes, the return of CM Punk and both major companies laying the table for their main events of their big summer show. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again we really need to appreciate it how good we have it as wrestling fans currently.

The main course of this column will be concentrating on Sami Zayn and the fall out of his title loss on Monday, but I’ve got a few thoughts from AEW Dynamite Beach Break this week:

Dynamite thoughts

*This was written before this week’s Dynamite episode, but I had to leave my thoughts on last weeks Awesome Dynamite episode.

Decent hot opener and importantly the correct winner in Ciampa. This feud has been ok, but I feel like we are veering back towards Jericho just not being able to command the stage as he once did. His return felt like he had some renewed vigour and the Ricochet feud seemed like a sensible feud to begin with. I’m not really sure where Jericho goes now? But I don’t feel the feud with Ciampa needs to continue as I think Ciampa has great value elsewhere on the card. I would love to know where people think Jericho is best placed to go from here.

Fletcher and Takeshita had another great match and Fletchers consistency might only be matched by Ospreay on the roster right now. Again, I think the right winner came out of this with Fletcher holding gold. The Aftermath was a bit strange with Mick Foley coming out and getting into it a little bit with Don Callis. There needs to be a decision here as to what you want Foley to do. Is he just a ‘Broadcast journalist’ or is he more of a Pipers pit type of interviewer. I think the latter suits more and I think it’s time to define that on TV. One thing I really do not want is for Foley to be anywhere near a match right now. We need to protect him as much as possible. He looked and sounded great, much better than the last time he was a regular on WWE TV. I’d give him a proper interview segment on Dynamite or Collision biweekly so that these interactions have more meaning and feel less random. I wrote about how Foley could be used in AEW in a previous column here if you want to check it out: https://nodq.com/opinions/foley-is-missed-by-wrestle-g/

Great to see Willow Nightengale return I have long been asking her to be the face of the women’s division in AEW I just think she has everything. Great in the ring, awesome ambassador in interviews, much like Bayley seems to hit that sweet spot in being popular with adults and children alike. The Right winner here again (theme emerging across this show) and glad to see Willow back in amongst it.

Jack Perry re-signed. Was only really the only outcome. If any performer in AEW needs some proper focus and consistency here its Perry. Let’s see if he gets it.

So, the main event crowned a new champion in Kenny Omega. From the first time Dynamite opened with the trainer’s room showing Ospreay and Kenny sat down talking about their histories and legacies it seemed clear this was the way AEW was going for All In. Given the booking of this Dynamite with MJF having a scrap in the car park with Ospreay and Ospreay interfering in the main event I think the door is still open for a 3 way dance, I think it’s going to be a close eye kept on how the fans react to MJF not being in the picture and I think its clever to keep that door ajar. The Match itself on Wednesday was superb, and the setting just added to it, everything felt that little bit different a bit more special than your weekly episode of Dynamite. I love the story they were telling about Kenny proving he still had it to be the top guy in the company and MJF sold like an absolute champ for everything. Nerdy shout out to MJF for attempting to re-create mick Foleys vertical head bump through the announce desk from 1996. Great call back.

So, Omega is champion and Ospreay is his opponent. I’m not sure where in the world the Death Riders Fit in here. But they are around. Look, for me because I didn’t follow New Japan religiously, I’m not as excited about Ospreay and Omega as someone who was invested in their feud. And I think this is really the last New Japan Feud that AEW will and can sustain for general interest. But I have very few doubts on the quality of this match and I know it would tear the roof off of Wembley if it had one. Can’t wait to see it in person and the hopeful Coronation of Will Ospreay being THE guy in AEW.

So now on to the main event of this week’s column

The Wrestling Talent Curse

9 days. Just 9 days we had Sami Zayn hold the WWE title. So many of his peers before him have reached that particular top of the mountain. Rollins, Owens, Balor, all reached the top of the mountain before Zayn did. A cursory look at the career paths of all of the above-mentioned performers the parallels are pretty similar. All made a name for themselves on the independent scene building up a core following. All rose to the top of the independents and got themselves signed, despite all of them not fitting the archetypal top guy ‘Mould’.

But why did it take Zayn a lot longer to finally be the guy? I think bizarrely the answer lays in a very unusual place.

His talent.

Now before I delve into this more, I’m not for a second going to suggest that Rollins, Owens or anyone else that ever wins a world title isn’t talented. (there may be exceptions to this but that is a whole other column!) But I am about to argue that Zayn’s specific talents have led him away from a consistent main event run.

Let’s look at the origins of Sami on the indies. He made his name in Ring of Honour under a mask as El Generico. Let’s just look at this name for starters. El Generico might be the hokiest on the nose moniker there has ever been. A gimmick that seemed and sounds destined for the middle of the card for even an independent promotion.  What Sami managed to turn it into was one of the most popular acts on the independent circuit which cultivated one of the most important Indy promotion feuds with Kevin Owens. This feud amongst their other general work across ROH and PWG in particular launched Sami toward the eyes of WWE who subsequently offered him a development deal.

In the hands of someone else El Generico becomes a Luigi Primo level gimmick with an eye roll and a small chuckle as someone makes fun of Lucha Libre. But in the hands of Sami, it became beloved. The first signs that Sami possessed a skill of making people care about his work and stories, that importantly he could take ownership of something and make it a success.

This story of success and work continued into NXT winning the NXT championship and showing that he could make things work without the crutch of the mask. It was now his emotions, his face as one of the top stars of the development brand. Without Sami the introduction of Kevin Owens to NXT may not have been as impactful as it was. Them continuing their feud on the Black and Gold gave some of the WWE audience a chance to see exactly what made them so coveted by HHH to sign.

Sami again was rewarded for his ability to make the best of a situation with his debut on the main brand, taking on John Cena’s open challenge in Montreal, a match where Sami separated his shoulder before the bell even rung. Still managing to get the fans involved and toughing out the match, he laid his marker down on the main roster on day 1 as someone who could adapt and thrive.

Since his arrival onto the main roster there have been countless opportunities that Sami has been given to take the lead and ensure they go well, maybe no bigger than the Jackass match at WrestleMania 38. A Match that could have been a laughingstock, a match that could have endured crickets, ended up being one of the most entertaining and memorable matches on the entire card. Sami credits it as one of his best matches and from a delivery and expectations standpoint. I think he’s absolutely right to do so, he follows this up as ending up being one of the emotional ties in the Bloodline Saga, raising that storyline from good to great.

So, with all this history of being good, why wasn’t Sami a world champion until a few weeks ago? In a world where there have been world champions who haven’t got the resume or reps in the ring of a Sami Zayn? I’m a firm believer that some performers can be too talented. They also can be too nice and too accommodating to requests. I think that is what has happened here.

Why put Sami in the main events to get a great match and a good angle, if you can have an ok angle in the main event with someone who is over, but an ok main event AND put Sami on the undercard and get a great angle, story line and match out him there. You win twice, right?

And look I’m not here saying Sami Zayn is the greatest wrestler to ever live and he is far better than any of the champions WWE have had. But in an era where two world titles have been the norm for the majority of his run, more than 1 run seems to me to be more than deserved. But yet, here we are….

So, my question is this, can you be too talented? Or can your talent be a curse? I’d lean towards not so much a curse, but I think with Sami we have seen someone’s talent being greater than their Ego. We never hear of a backstage moan from Zayn, we never hear of anything other than Sami Zayn being a good soldier. When you have that concoction of great skills but a team player maybe you miss out on the rewards.

I am so thankful that even if it was for 9 days that Sami got to etch his name in World Championship history. I think history will look kindly on his achievements. But should it have been more? Should other performers have had more? It’s fascinating to me that in this business sometimes it’s more than just talent that dictates your opportunities and legacy.

I don’t think it will be the last we ever see him hold the gold. But if it is, he has absolutely nothing to regret about his career.

But what say all of you? Did Zayn deserve more opportunity? Who else in the history of wrestling was given assignments away from the top of the card because they were so reliable? Let me know in the comments below.

You can as always also find me on X via – @Wrestle_G or on TikTok via: @wrestleg

I will be back soon with more wrestling thoughts,

But until then,

Cheers,

G