Were The WWE Right To Fire Zahra Schreiber?
Promptly released from her developmental contract following the discovery of seemingly pro-Nazi imagery on her Instagram account, former NXT prospect Zahra Schreiber is the latest in a long line of high-profile scandals that have rocked the industry in 2015. Schreiber was previously known to most for her involvement in another rukus earlier in the year also involving her now-boyfriend Seth Rollins. Simply put, the young woman has become a bit of a bad news magnet.
With social media and near-bufferless video bringing us closer as a society than ever before it’s become clear that we need to be careful about the opinions we keep, and what we share online. Professional wrestlers are in no way an exception to this rule, and should probably be even more careful considering their statuses as role models to millions of fans.
Her imagery might have in actual fact been innocent in nature, but her attitude towards offended fans and perceived lack of empathy at the time gave WWE little choice but to sever ties with her. This isn’t the first time we’ve dug into the bad choices of our 'heroes', and it definitely won’t be the last.
At 57 Should Sting Be Challenging For The WWE Championship?
With social media and near-bufferless video bringing us closer as a society than ever before it’s become clear that we need to be careful about the opinions we keep, and what we share online. Professional wrestlers are in no way an exception to this rule, and should probably be even more careful considering their statuses as role models to millions of fans.
Her imagery might have in actual fact been innocent in nature, but her attitude towards offended fans and perceived lack of empathy at the time gave WWE little choice but to sever ties with her. This isn’t the first time we’ve dug into the bad choices of our 'heroes', and it definitely won’t be the last.
At 57 Should Sting Be Challenging For The WWE Championship?
Finally performing with the WWE, Sting has fulfilled the dreams of countless fans, but his current title programme with Seth Rollins, for me, is an odd and troubling development for the legendary ‘Icon’. Seth Rollins has worked tirelessly over the last couple of months to prove himself as a legitimate champion, and excellent displays against John Cena and Dean Ambrose have helped establish him as one of the organisation's premier superstars.
Other than being able to hold the distinction of being one of the few WWE superstars to wrestle Sting, there isn’t really much else for Rollins to achieve in beating a guy on the wrong side of fifty. The flipside is even worse: In today’s ‘Reality Era’, dropping the title to a guy who was struggling for relevancy ten years ago would be a complete disaster. Another case of thoughtless booking from the reliably haphazard WWE creative.
Holm or Tate?
Like many I was completely stunned when UFC president Dana White announced that Holly Holm, and not the actual number one contender Miesha Tate, would be the next to challenge Ronda Rousey. Yes, Tate has lost decisively to Rousey on two separate occasions, and Holm’s undefeated status undoubtedly left her as the viable money-making option, but if the UFC wants to cement its status as a legitimate sporting organisation, they really need to start putting matches together based on actual quality, and not just dollar value.
Holm will undoubtedly be the best striker Rousey has encountered so far, but she hasn't earned her shot yet. Facing the champion this early into her UFC run will probably be a massive mistake, not just for the Albuquerque native, but potentially for the company in the long run.
SuperSlam or SummerSham?
Wrestling fans are a weird bunch, and that was made painfully apparent mere moments after the conclusion of SummerSlam’s main event. Granted, the ‘Taker/Lesnar finish left a lot to be desired, but did that really result in the card being one of the worst shows in WWE history? Not a chance. From its epic entrances and big match feel, the show’s main event served as a perfect do-over of their less-than-stellar WrestleMania effort. And if that wasn’t enough we were also treated to an incredible Owens/Cesaro throwaway match and another Cena/Rollins gem.
It might not have been the event of the year that I originally claimed it to be, but SummerSlam will probably be remembered in time as one of 2015’s best shows. Fans have been spoilt over the years and for some reason feel entitled to get the results they want. If you are a member of this demographic ask yourself this: Would you refuse to watch a movie just because it didn’t go the way you wanted?
The UFC ‘Goes Big’
Seasonal campaigns are becoming all the rage for the UFC as they look to continue their global expansion, and on the strength of what we’ve seen so far this year it looks as if this strategy is working perfectly. ‘GO BIG’ is the UFC’s campaign for the fourth and final quarter and is set to feature some of the biggest and best matchups in the organisation’s history. In the final months of 2015 we can expect fights such as Chris Weidman versus Luke Rockhold, Chad Mendes versus Frankie Edgar, and of course, the hotly anticipated clash between José Aldo and Conor McGregor.
Speaking of the Irishman, it was McGregor who dominated the launch press conference this past Friday thanks to another tirade of instant classic soundbites (Break out the red panties!) directed not only at Aldo, but also high-ranking members of the neighbouring lightweight division. His antics may draw the ire of some, but McGregor continues to help push the UFC to the next level of public consciousness. If the world’s top MMA organization is to truly ‘GO BIG’, it will be undoubtedly be attributed to the antics of superstars like ‘The Notorious One'.
