In this April 3, 2016, file photo, Roman Reigns holds up the championship belt after defeating Triple H during WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. AP photo
It’s Super Bowl weekend for wrestling fans.
Traditionally, when World Wrestling Entertainment throws its biggest show of the year, WrestleMania, it’s a jam-packed weekend of action and pageantry, held in a football stadium that attract 50,000 fans or more from all over the globe.
Thanks to the coronavirus, these are not traditional times.
Travel restrictions and mandates prohibiting large gatherings have greatly impacted WrestleMania, and also presented WWE Chairman Vince McMahon with a choice.
He could either postpone the show, pushing it back to the fall, when it’s conceivable (though not guaranteed) that America will have returned to “normalcy.” Or, he could say damn the torpedoes and do the improbable, run a WrestleMania in an empty arena, forcing everyone around the world to sit at home and watch the show via Pay-Per-View or the WWE Network.
McMahon chose the latter.
WrestleMania was moved from Tampa to Orlando, home of the WWE Performance Center, where the company’s future stars train. Wrestlers, referees, commentators and camera operators will only be allowed in the arena.
There also won’t be a WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, which is traditionally held in front of thousands the night before WrestleMania.
Furthermore, the show will run over two nights, Saturday and Sunday, instead of just one.
Another wrinkle? All matches will be taped, which means they’ve already taken place by the time fans are sitting in front of their televisions watching the show this weekend.
In this May 18, 2012 photo, WWE chairman Vince McMahon attends the Republican state convention in Hartford, Connecticut. AP photo
If that wasn’t enough of a nightmare for McMahon and the WWE, it also appears top stars are pulling out of the show. ESPN reported Joe Anoa’i — known to wrestling fans as Roman Reigns — has pulled out of his WWE Universal Championship match with Bill Goldberg. A multi-time survivor of leukemia (as recent as late 2018, early 2019), it was reported Reigns pulled out, citing concerns of a potentially comprised immune system. It has also been rumored that Mike “The Miz” Mizanin will also miss the show do to an illness.
It’s certain WWE will do well this weekend with viewers. Those within the industry and hardcore wrestling fans are craving new content by the minute. While it will have anything but the traditional feel to it, it’s still WrestleMania. WWE is likely also counting on casual wrestling fans, ones who haven’t watched wrestling in a while, to tune in simply to have something to watch.
But I must ask: Is it worth it?
A wrestler who is arguably the biggest star in the company will not be performing. There are many matches on the card that will certainly be entertaining, such as Brock Lesnar facing Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship. Randy Orton will face Edge, who retired a week after WrestleMania 27 due to neck issues and will be in his first singles match since that event. John Cena – who has spent most of his time tackling Hollywood these days than fellow wrestlers – returns to take on “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt. Heck, WWE even signed former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to a contract recently, and he will serve as host for the event.
But I urge you to think of your favorite WrestleMania moments. Maybe it was when Hulk Hogan bodyslammed Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania 3. Maybe it was when “Stone Cold” Steve Austin had blood pouring down his face while trying to escape Bret Hart’s sharpshooter at WrestleMania 13. Perhaps it was when Shawn Michaels told Ric Flair “I’m sorry, I love you” before superkicking Flair in the face and ending his WWE career at WrestleMania 24.
Now, take that moment and remove the crowd from it. Do you get the same satisfaction out of it? Can you even imagine those moments happening, or having the same meaning, if they came in an empty arena? For me, that answer is a resounding no.
Any professional wrestler I know (and I know a few now) will tell you that a crowd is what makes a wrestling event. Without a live audience, it practically cripples a show. Yes, WWE can physically run WrestleMania, but should it? Will it be remembered in a positive light? Or will it will be a lost show in an otherwise epic run — like WrestleMania 11 (a forgettable show in Hartford, Connecticut that was headlined by “Bam Bam” Bigelow going against New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor in the main event).
Like everyone else, I’ll be watching WrestleMania this weekend. But like everyone else, I would have been just fine waiting a few months more to get the real WrestleMania experience as a viewer. Instead, we’ll be treated to a, well, phony experience instead.
Dave Dyer – 621-5640
ddyer@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @Dave_Dyer
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