Opinion

3 Things I Learned from Ep. 1 of “Rhodes to the Top.”

Tommy Starr breaks down a few things he’s observed from “Rhodes to the Top”.

Published

2 years ago

October 7, 2021

Tommy Starr

Trigger warning: Controversial opinion coming.

The pilot episode of “Rhodes to the Top” was eye-opening for many reasons, and while it would be simple enough to piece together some form of a standard review of the show, that alone would not do this show a proper disservice. While watching this show from start to finish, I was incredibly dumbfounded with recognizing just how low the bar has been set for the standards of the wrestling business in 2021. Perhaps, it was my ultimate revelation that my perceptions and visions as to how professional wrestling should be conducted are far removed from the reality of what modern wrestling fans crave. In a bizarre, arbitrary sense, modern wrestling lives in an artificial dual reality where today’s fans will claim that they want “behind-the-curtain” peaks into the personal lives of the individuals behind the wrestling persona, when in actuality, we could not care less about the personal lives of those individuals. However, this revelation of mine was roughly facilitated after watching this program, not necessarily “learned.” These are the the three REAL things I learned from Ep. 1 of “Rhodes to the Top:”

1. Cody is the greatest “worker” in wrestling today.

In other words, Cody has successfully “worked” everyone in the business into buying the propagandist notion that he serves more value to AEW than he truly does. This includes, not just the fans watching the product and buying the tickets and merchandise to support the company, but also includes the people IN the business itself. He dresses the part of the executive, he proclaims his love and passion for the wrestling business (kayfabe), but in actuality (real life), his bona fide life does not reflect this in anyway. His primary focus is to become a TV star, plain and simple. We see this in the current reflection of AEW’s television shows; his on and off screen absence, his perceived input on the direction of the product vs. actual input on the direction of the product (i.e. Cody’s decisions vs. Tony Khan’s decisions), and the growing fan resentment all paint the picture of what the genuine and authentic Cody Rhodes is– professional wrestling’s modern day grifter or “worker.”

2. Brandi is a product of feminized “blank slate equality.”

The dynamics of social norms relating to gender differences and race relations in modern western culture have been at war for decades. So in essence, I can not wholly blame Brandi Rhodes for her adopted ideologies, as her familial upbringing and education probably had a profound impact on the way she views the world. As the title suggests though, the result of Brandi’s educational fostering is to see the world through the lens of blank slate equality (link to article on this is in the cited sources). An example of this became apparent right out of the gate within the first two minutes of the show when we hear Cody explain that Brandi is the, “first black female executive in wrestling history.” This is something that we, the audience, are intended to view as a landmark accomplishment in the record books of professional wrestling. However, at no point in the hour long episode does anyone explain her position as Chief Branding Officer, whether or not she is qualified for this position, or how her position significantly moves the needle of the product. So in short, it would seem that we are supposed to adopt the notion that Brandi is qualified for this position solely based on her gender and skin tone as opposed to her qualifications and business credentials.

As Martin Luther King Jr. once stated, “There is nothing more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” And when it comes to this subject matter, Brandi is quite ignorant of the reality she is in. In fact, her authoritative power over individuals is quite dangerous, particularly the wrestlers. Why is Brandi better suited or qualified to influence the female wrestlers to act or perform a certain way simply by having an artificial “label” attached to her? Why is she qualified to govern a female wrestler that has more experience and skill than her? The final point when it comes to my revelation about Brandi Rhodes is her mission to force women’s wrestling as a focal point of the programming and establish it on a level-playing field as the men (hence the term blank slate equality), despite the lack of fan interest or marketability with the majority of the women’s roster to warrant that decision, as well as the simple truth that historically speaking, women do not draw in wrestling to the level that the men do. Regardless of the social propagandist notion that this is due to “sexism” or “misogyny,” we can merely pinpoint this fact down to wrestling’s targeted audience and preference for content. Women are AN attraction in pro wrestling; they will never be THE attraction.

3. Modern wrestling LOATHES Kayfabe.

Kayfabe has been dead for over thirty (arguably forty) years, but the evolution of the internet and insider leaks about the business present modern wresting fans with a natural craving for behind-the-scenes and exclusive content that may have not been as prevalent or accessible during wrestling’s heyday. Much of the episode is dedicated to this exclusive content realm. There is blatant and open discussion on how promos work, heels and babyfaces mingling with one another (i.e. Brandi & Jade Cargill being bitter rivals on TV vs. coexisting friends in reality), as well as the flagrant and shameless disclosure as pro wrestling being “fiction-based,” while simultaneously trying to maintain the realness of promos and wrestling bumps.

Much of this discussion stems from David Hume’s argument that “You can not derive an ought from an is.” It is equivalent to saying, “Just because things are a certain way, it does not mean that it should be that way.” In the world of kayfabe, the argument is, “Kayfabe IS dead, therefore we OUGHT to have access to the inner workings of the business (i.e. terminology, character breaking, story/plot explanation, promo breakdowns, etc.).” The incredible thing when it comes to kayfabe is that the same rule never applies to magicians, carny workers, and politicians, who are among the greatest “workers” we have in society today; they have the capacity to perfectly blur the lines between “fake” and “real” without exploiting the real truth. It is what makes their art so appealing, and if that art is ever exposed (intentionally or not), it loses its appeal. It is absolutely mind-boggling to see how this dynamic has drastically shifted in the world of wrestling to the point where now, modern wrestling actually craves the destruction of kayfabe. Whether it is the dirt sheet sites, the behind-the-scenes access, and even podcasts, both the fans AND the wrestlers themselves actively destroy any and all notion that wrestling can be believable in any way, shape, or form.

Conclusion:

In many ways, “Rhodes to the Top” has given me an authentic, genuine perspective about where we are in society today, not just from the fake world of wrestling, but the real world of how divided our cultural norms and values are. However, it is my belief that the impact of this “reality-based series” will truly reflect itself on AEW programming in the future. For a “reality” TV show that tries to portray Cody and Brandi as the two most likable individuals on the planet, the true “reality” is the how their fan reception plays out on the wrestling show. In essence, the argument will then be centered around Cody and Brandi’s perceived “real world” vs. the fans’ perceived “real world.” That will probably be the most damning thing about this entire project.

Sources:

The Blank Slate: The modern denial of human nature: Forum for the future of Higher Education. Forum for the Future of Higher Education | A community of academic leaders and scholars who explore new thinking and ideas in higher education. (2017, June 9). Retrieved October 6, 2021, from http://forum.mit.edu/articles/the-blank-slate-the-modern-denial-of-human-nature/.
Jenkins, S. (2017, July 24). David Hume and deriving an “ought” from an “is”. The Ought. Retrieved October 6, 2021, from https://theought.com/2017/07/10/david-hume-and-deriving-an-ought-from-an-is/.

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

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Greg DeMarco’s 2023 WWE SummerSlam Review

The biggest party of the summer comes to Detroit, when WWE SummerSlam 2023 delivers an action packed event that easily exceeds expectations.

Published

2 months ago

August 7, 2023

Greg DeMarco

The biggest party of the summer comes to Detroit, when WWE SummerSlam 2023 delivers an action packed event that easily exceeds expectations.

WWE presents SummerSlam 2023 live from ford field in Detroit in front of over 59k fans–who provided an electric atmosphere. Overall the card featured either matches, many of them delivering at or above expectations.

Read on for my thoughts, and even some ratings!

How I am rating segments:

I am using “The Line of DeMarco-cation,” which is for entertainment. the line is if I was entertained. You can have three main results:

ABOVE the Line of DeMarco-cation
AT the Line of DeMarco-cation
BELOW the Line of DeMarco-cation

If necessary, i reserve the right to go WAY ABOVE or WAY BELOW. Significant segments can be rated. individual and overall ratings are totally subjective.

It’s simple: ENTERTAIN ME!

Logan Paul vs. Ricochet

Welcome to the biggest match of Ricochet’s career.
Samantha Irvin’s outfit matches Logan Paul, not Ricochet — SWERVE, BRO!
Ricochet is a star, and I love seeing him treated like one.
Rocket Mortgage is donating $5k for every move off the top rope? This match alone might accumulate half a million.
I know Logan Paul needs to catch a private jet to Dallas and that’s why this is on first, but this is the perfect opener.
If you didn’t know who Logan Paul was, you’d think he was just another member of the roster–and that’s the biggest compliment you can give to him. He’s a damn good heel, too.
Paul using Braun Strowman’s powerslam–will we get Logan vs Braun?
LOGAN MUST POSE!
SPANISH FLY STICK THE LANDING.
This might be the best match either have had in a LONG time.
Logan Paul just hit a Buckshot Lariat over the top rope and to the floor. Sorry Hangman.
I love that refs continue to have names – like former Greg DeMarco Show guest Eddie Orengo (as El Bandido Jr).
I’d love to know Ricochet’s powerlifting numbers. Dude is deceptively strong.
Logan Paul flew two-thirds of the way across the ring on the Springboard Froggy Splash
This match is spotty–yes–but watch and learn Young Bucks. They are strung together by psychology and it all makes sense,
LOVE that finish. Logan Paul wins (as expected), but Ricochet is protected.
Think about that – RICOCHET IS PROTECTED.
Hell of a match.

Winner: Logan Paul (pinfall brass knucks shot)

WAY ABOVE The Line Of DeMarco-cation.

Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes

That video package–amazing. It likely telegraphed Cody’s win, but I don’t think many expect Cody to lose.
I love when people question Brock’s presence. Did you hear that pop?
Cody got a hell of a pop, too.
You can tell how much Brock Lesnar respects Cody Rhodes, as he opens up the arsenal for him.
I love that Brock simply stands center ring as the ref counts Cody out. Brock wants to win–doesn’t care how. That’s a little detail that shows how brilliant of a character Brock Lesnar is.
This is the fifth time Brock has gone for the count-out–and I love the psychology.
Now Brock does care how he wins–he wants to break Cody’s will.
Wait, is this Cody Rhodes’ mystery twin brother Cory Rhodes?
That top rope Cody Cutter was fantastic.
Not sure when Brock’s shorts got ripped, but it adds to this fight.
That’s what this is, a fight. And that is Brock Lesnar at his finest.
It might have been a happy accident, but Cody’s hand bouncing off the bottom rope before he finally grabs it to break the Kimura is another amazing little thing.
Brock is so slow and methodical, but snatches people up for the F5 in a flash. So good.
Cody Rhodes wins, after THREE Cross Rhodes. Good shit.
Interesting that the show of respect from Brock to Cody is considered Cody’s arrival.
Or maybe it’s just the arrival of “The American Nightmare.”
I will be very interested–as will all of you–to see what’s next for both men.

Winner: Cody Rhodes (pinfall, three Cross Rhodes)

WAY ABOVE The Line Of DeMarco-cation.

NOTE: Very interesting that Roman Reigns was featured in the PayBack promo, as well as Logan Paul. I wouldn’t expect either to be on that card.

Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal

I have to admit, it just feels right to have Slim Jim back in my wrestling.
This better be good since it cost us Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus.
I hope Sheamus got a full entrance for the crowd.
Oh look, Omos still works here!
Chad Gable is so damn good.
Austin Theory is in this match? And didn’t get an entrance?
At WrestleMania 30, Big E was in the Andre The Royal Giant Memorial Battle Rumble, didn’t get an entrance, and didn’t even get to carry his Intercontinental Champion. And I don’t even think his elimination was mentioned by commentary (I’d have to go back and check).
Santos Escobar eliminating Austin Theory at least makes sense.
LA Knight barely breathes and the crowd gets ELECTRIC.
I haven’t made as many bullet points because this has actually been a really good battle royal!
I’d love to know who the agent was–fantastically done.

Winner: LA Knight (last eliminates Sheamus)

AT The Line Of DeMarco-cation.

MMA Rules Match – Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler

Some of the shots during the entrance make me want WWE to get rid of stages altogether, and stick with this type of entrance.
Also, it’s a reminder that I hate major wrestling events in daylight.
This being an MMA Rules Match seems to be a missed opportunity at having a special guest referee.
The fans DO NOT CARE About this match, and I see why.
I am all for Ronda being able to go out how she wants to go out, and the talent pushing their own idea forward. But sometimes, you gotta say no.
Some matches also play much better in an arena instead of a stadium (Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair from WrestleMania comes to mind). This is one of those matches.
Whenever NXT had an “unsanctioned match,” the ref wore all black. That’s what we should have done here.
Now we have doctors checking on Shayna? Really? I know we want to put over how tough she is, but…..
The crowd pops out of relief when it’s over.
Do this on Raw, not here. Give Becky and Trish this spot.

Winner: Shayna Baszler (technical submission, Kirifuda Clutch)

BELOW The Line Of DeMarco-cation.

Intercontinental Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. GUNTHER (c)

My Peacock membership doesn’t let me see the video package here, and I am fine with that–it’s been a while since I’ve seen that AFLAC Duck, though.
Ludwig Kaiser must love doing the entrance, but honestly the act might be getting stale?
Corey Graves very poetic in pointing out that “records are meant to be broken.” That’s one of the core values of WWE at this point.
It does appear GUNTHER will be going it alone tonight as Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci are headed to the back. Let’s see if they stay there.
Interesting placement for this match, right after the ill-received MMA Rules Match.
Didn’t the internet tell us Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor was going on fourth?
Btw, this match is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage. Money talks, BAYBAY!
GUNTHER truly lives the “Ring General” gimmick.
As the match progresses, I honestly can’t see Drew winning here.
The simplicity of the finishing sequence really adds to GUNTHER: top rope slap fest, McIntyre crotched on the ropes, splash, lariat, powerbomb. Nothing fancy–trademark GUNTHER.

Winner, #ANDSTILL the Intercontinental Champion: GUNTHER (pinfall, powerbomb)

ABOVE The Line Of DeMarco-cation.

World Heavyweight Championship: Finn Balor vs. Seth “Freakin'” Rollins (c)

I presume we will get a bunch of Judgment Day shenanigans here, but I really needed Seth to go on last to further establish his championship. Instead, we are smack in the middle of the event (according to the Peacock slider, anyways)
Seth Rollins’ entrance + 58k people = a beautiful sight
The worst thing about this, to me, will be when Balor and Rollins are partners after Balor turns babyface.
Love Rollins tossing the vest at Balor.
Love the more unique start to the match.
Interesting that Rollins, with a win, moves to 5th all time for SummerSlam wins? I had no clue! Mr. SummerSlam anyone?
We keep naming refs, and I love it,
If you want an “inside look” at a match, start paying really close attention for a few minutes starting with the triplicate of dives from Seth Rollins. You’ll see a few things that the cameras picked up.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the Buckle Bomb into the barrier from Balor to Rollins. Should have known they’d do that, but it never crossed my mind. Brilliant.
Decent amount of overlap in the offense of this match and the one prior–in hindsight, they may have wanted to put GUNTHER/McIntyre on before Rousey/Baszler.
Fans boo’d the crap out of Damian Priest when he came down–but popped like hell for Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley.
I really enjoyed the story told with the Judgment Day. When Priest called for the briefcase to be used, it would have worked. When Balor called for it, it wasn’t going to work, and Damian Priest knew it. But he let Finn Balor sink himself anyway. That will definitely play again later when they fully implode.

Winner AND STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Seth Freakin’ Rollins (pinfall, Stomp on the Money In The Bank Briefcase)

WAY ABOVE The Line Of DeMarco-cation.

WWE Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka (c) Bianca Belair

Very odd having Asuka enter second.
Charlotte Flair with the ode to Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 35 (IYKYK)
Did I miss the C4 ad read? I saw that Bianca Belair entered with some, which made me thing THAT was why she came in last, and now the C4 branding is around the ring, but no real mention? Or did I miss it? Was it only for Peacock Premium subscribers?
Very choppy match so far–and Charlotte has to basically stop the match to have Jessika Carr fix her outfit, leaving Belair and Asuka in the corner waiting until Asuka realized what was happening and tried to cover. The Double Natural Selection that followed was quite clunky.
Bianca nowhere near Charlotte Flair when the moonsault hit–is Bianca really that good? I seem to ask myself this during every big time Bianca match, dating back to WrestleMania 37 when I felt like Sasha Banks had to carry her.
I find myself wanting to fast forward to the finish, here. I’m not, but I kinda want to.
ANOTHER REF NAMED! Thank you, Michael Cole.
If IYO SKY cashes in here (which is easy to expect), I really hope it’s not right after Charlotte wins, getting her to #15. Granted, she could cash in DURING the match and make it a 4-way. But of everyone, I think Charlotte needs to eat the pin tonight.
We have now had medical personnel tending to one of the participants in the middle of each women’s match tonight–first Shayna Baszler, now Bianca Belair. Seems like a misstep on someone’s part.
Bianca with the heroic comeback, and a beautiful 450 Splash on Charlotte during the Figure Eight.
Charlotte gets misted but Bianca gets the pin???
Makes sense if we do the cash in here. as Bianca is hurt.

Winner, AND NEW WWE Women’s Champion: Bianca Belair (pinfall, small package)

Aaaaaaaand here comes IYO SKY.
I love Corey Graves telling Bianca to get the hell out of dodge.
IYO and Bayley take out everyone, and she is indeed cashing in.
Over The Moonsault, new champion, and the crowd goes nuts. Women’s Money In The Bank briefcase is still undefeated.
Nice World Of Stardom reference by Michael Cole, too.

Winner, AND NEW WWE Women’s Champion: IYO SKY (CMITB cash-in, pinfall, Over The Moonsault)

AT The Line Of DeMarco-cation.

There were some rough spots, but the cash in saved it for me.

Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match: Jey Uso vs. Roman Reigns (c) with Paul Heyman

I am timing this from the second Jey Uso’s theme hits through the end.
Man, Mike Rome is on one, and I am not sure if that’s a good thing. He doesn’t sound as fantastic as he usually does.
12:34 from Jey’s music hitting to the bell ringing.
Roman is so slow and methodical, I don’t know if he realized Jey was going to dive so soon. Jey connected with Roman’s back, but that could have been really really bad.
I know this is Tribal Combat, but given the use of stairs earlier tonight, we might as well consider the stairs legal.
You know it’s an important match when Roman Reigns hits The Drive By, as he did on Jey Uso.
Table, Kendo Stick, and more early.
Jey clotheslining Roman over the top rope (with the Kendo Stick) and hitting the dive makes me think Jey got slightly lost earlier when he did the dive to a kneeling Roman’s back.
That was a MASSIVE powerbomb onto the chairs!
35 minutes in (remember, since the start of Jey’s entrance, so 23 minutes into the match) and this is definitely just a touch slow. The story is amazing, so that’s my only complaint so far.
I have to wonder if Roman knew he was bleeding when he hopped the barricade to go into the crowd.
Aaaaaaaaaaaand here’s Solo Sikoa. That should surprise no one. We gotta get the whole family involved, right? At least the whole Bloodline.
Solo declining to help Roman up might be starting Solo’s arc in the story, but it wasn’t apparent enough and commentary had to fill in the blanks.
50:22 since Jey’s entrance is the point where Jimmy shows up (pulling Jey out of the ring).
Jimmy hits the Superkick and leaves.
Spear through the table that was set-up about a week ago and Roman Reigns pins Jey Uso at 52:09 (from th estart of Jey’s entrance).

Winner AND STILL Undisputed WWE Universal Champion: Roman Reigns (pinfall, spear through the table)

AT The Line Of DeMarco-cation.

“At” might surprise you, but this was WAY too slow. Bell-to-bell it was roughly 40 minutes, and that was about 10 minutes too long. But the story is worth it in the end.

WWE SummerSlam 2023

Total Matches: 8

ABOVE the Line of DeMarco-cation – 4 matches (3 WAY ABOVE)
AT the Line of DeMarco-cation – 3 matches
BELOW the Line of DeMarco-cation – 1 match

One “bad” match and seven “good ones, four of those I’d call “great.” Three of the great ones I labeled as “WAY ABOVE” the line, which easily makes up for one match that was lacking. Hell, when even the Battle Royal is good, you know you watched a damn good show.

Overall Rating for WWE SummerSlam 2023: 9/10

Let me know your thoughts! Drop a comment and tell me your ratings, and what you think of the Line Of DeMarco-cation.

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Opinion

King’s WrestleMania Rewind: Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka from WrestleMania 34

Chris king is back with one of the most underrated matches in WrestleMania history–Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka!

Published

6 months ago

April 2, 2023

Chris King

WWE WrestleMania 34 Charlotte Flair Asuka

Chris king is back with one of the most underrated matches in WrestleMania history–Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka!

We look back at Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka at WWE WrestleMania 34. ‘The Empress of Tomorrow’ put her unprecedented and historic undefeated streak of 914 days on the line against ‘The Queen’s’ SmackDown Women’s Championship.

For years, this was considered a dream match while Asuka dominated the roster in NXT, while Flair won numerous championships on the main roster on both Raw and SmackDown. The Empress made her long-awaited debut on the September 11th episode of Raw and began to tear through the competition.

Asuka outlasted all twenty-nine other women in the historic first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match to challenge for the title of her choosing. At Fastlane, she made her choice.

The WWE Universe was so excited for this match myself included. Both superstars delivered a fantastic performance on the Grandest Stage of Them All executing counter after counter. Asuka showed off some nasty-looking kicks to her opponent, and Flair hit a thunderous Spanish Fly off the top rope. Flair was seconds away from defeat at the hands of The Empress but she locked in Figure Eight and Asuka was forced to tap out.

I can’t even begin to explain how shocked I was at this outcome, as nearly everyone expected The Empress to continue her undefeated streak and walk away with the women’s title. This controversial decision was the downfall of Asuka’s momentum. She would ultimately win the SmackDown Women’s Championship at the 2018 TLC pay-per-view in the triple-threat ladder match.

Fast forward to this year when Asuka has recently returned with her Japanese-inspired persona Kana. Kana is dangerous and ruthless and is heading into a championship with Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 39. The Empress has regained all her momentum and is highly favored to walk away with the Raw Women’s Championship. Let’s hope that Asuka and Belair can tear the house down and deliver an A+ grade match both women are fully capable of.

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!