The following is sent in by a reader (Philly) regarding his view on the result of the Brock Lesnar vs John Cena match at Extreme Rules 2012.
Dear WWE,
I hope that the result of the Brock Lesnar-John Cena match is indicative of a more intense storyline and not a return to the PG WWE era. Yet again, placating to a demographic that isn’t in control of its own wallet and will be lapsed fans in several years is a BAD strategy.
What I’m speaking about is that WWE continues to focus its energies on legitimizing a character who is only “over” with kids under eleven year olds and single mothers.
The last time I checked, I am a married professional with no kids. I have more dictation over how much money I pump into your company than some kid who will be moving on to MMA or comic books in a few years.
WWE shouldn’t be wasting its money on people who think Daniel Bryan is “too small”, that Batista is in the “top 10″ of the greatest wrestlers of all time or that John Cena is NOT some kind of phony excuse for a male.
The Cena character is stale and unless this storyline leads to Lesnar “taking out” Cena and running roughshod on the WWE, you’ve just lost a much more important demographic who has much more disposable income: those of us who constantly choose between WWE and the latest UFC effort.
To be fair, I clearly remember when Cena was about to be storyline-”fired” after losing to CM Punk last summer. WWE’s website and Facebook were full of misspelled comments from mothers who threatened to “boycott WWE” and “not take their kids to shows.”
I wonder if Lesnar’s promo with Johnny Ace pre-Extreme Rules was a parody of how these useless fans hold up the company.
Kayfabe psychology suggests that it took a man who constantly reminds us all to “Rise Above Hate” to use a chain and steel stairs to beat a man who was the superior fighter.
I hope that Cena immediately reminds all of these folks how much of a scam that the entire “Rise Above Hate” and subsequent “B.A. Star” marketing campaigns are.
Then again, why am I explaining this? When did you actually have writers who know what psychology means, let alone kayfabe?
To make it a little more “real”: In real life, the Cenas of the world do not succeed without hating something. Everyone hates something. Not in the B-horror-movie type of Kane hate either.
If this was a ploy so Cena could “take some time off”, hopefully Cena returns sometime in the winter a la Hulk Hogan in 1996.
I’m not one of those “Let’s go back to the TV 14 era” fan, although I will say wrestling fans who are more likely to spend money on your product actually know what Ring of Honor is.
Or else, less money in my household will be spent on WWE PPVs and WWE merchandise. Look at my WWE Shop account if you don’t believe me, look at the cable bills from my address if you need more reinforcements. If “Rise Above Hate” continuously refers to “Rise Above Character Development”, then my wallet will “Rise To Dana White.”
Stop directing your company to kids who piss their Randy Orton pajamas and cry on their Rey Misterio pillow cases when John Cena loses.
Remember how awesome pre-Wrestlemania 13 Austin was? The intensity and unpredictable drama from that era has been missing from the WWE for years. The intensity and unpredictable drama that Brock Lesnar has bought back to the WWE is making me want to watch just to see what he does next. Great job WWE, now just don’t screw it up.
