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| Ohno's body issues couldn't have been a work, could they? Photo Credit: WWE.com |
The Shield went from doghouse to penthouse as the Corporation Nouveau's secret police. Ziggler's feud with Dean Ambrose may not seem like a big deal, but only so many spots to fight in the main feud exist, and Daniel Bryan, Cody Rhodes, and Miz all also have that spotlight on them. The fact that Ziggler is even tangentially associated means they have him in mind. Ohno returned to NXT this week, and in no certain terms (a D+ player at best) had his recent history foisted upon him as a reason why he wasn't featured despite being medically cleared. All three are cogs in their respective machines. I wonder if theirs are cases of WWE rising above the rumored pettiness and doing what's "best for business" (oh God, kill me now), whether those stories about "heat" were overblown or machinations of hit-craving webmasters, or whether WWE planted them as a means to reestablish kayfabe in the post-Attitude Era.
Occam's Razor suggests that the first explanation - that fundamentally, WWE's changing front office means changing attitudes on how to deal with employees they feel are unruly - is the best one. Maybe the former Chris Hero didn't meet stringent body standards within the company, but now that he's back, they're going to make a story out of it because that kind of angle building is en vogue in the company on the whole. Maybe instead of de-pushing the Shield for a hotheaded mistake one of its members made, maybe WWE Creative decided that the mature thing to do would be to let their, or more specifically Reigns', discipline come privately. Maybe Ziggler really did mouth off to the press for real like someone angling to get released from the company for whatever reason. Actually, Ziggler's tale seems fishiest to me, even if he's getting the least return on his setup. Regardless, I have an easier time believing that with more and more real business types mingling with and diluting the vengeful carny influences within the company that WWE is "growing up" than anything else.
But like many hardcore wrestling fans, I can't stop my tinfoil-hat wearing conspiracy-theory toting tendencies be completely put to bed. The Triple H interview with David Shoemaker deliberately lays out how much disdain the front office has for the wrestling news media. Judging by the reactions of several newsletter writers, the feeling is mutual. Putting all those pieces together gives me this strange sensation that maybe WWE has its act together enough to organize enough leaks within the company to intentionally drop bad information in order to further the story.
Again, reality-based story threads are in play, and they have been since CM Punk sat bow-legged on a stage in Las Vegas and aired grievances we all thought we wanted him to feel deep in his heart. The trick isn't that these things are real; it's that we think they're real. When Ohno mentions he's been medically cleared to wrestle for weeks now and is met with the "D+ player" response, those of us in the know feel resonance with reports that Trips thought he was a bit doughy and needed to hit the irons a bit harder. For those not in the know, the explanation is a believable new thread, not something too insidery. Even if the reverse psych payoff doesn't indicate something a bit more insidious backstage with the principles, like with The Shield, hey, maybe they feel working the sheets is a victory in and of itself.
Again, I don't think intentional leaks are the most plausible answer, but at the same time, WWE still clings to some notion of kayfabe. The definition of that word may have changed from "pretending everything is real" to some nebulous thing that involves keeping stories hidden or surprises nigh without ridiculous swerving all the time, but WWE at least seems to have some idea that they need to keep their guard up. Doing that by misleading a bunch of industry "insiders" who write trades for niche audiences might seem shortsighted, but again, execution of an idea is everything. If WWE is working the sheets to add a real life angle to their stories, they're doing so in such a way that has a widespread appeal, which is intelligent.
But then again, I could just be feeding into conspiratorial lunacy. Even if WWE is moving past its carny roots into something a bit more modern and theatrical, then they're trending positively. People make mistakes, and sometimes, those people entertain fans. No need punishing the audience because of some bullshit code of conduct.
