Nov 29, 2008 - 2:54:24 PM By Greg Parks, Special to MMATorch SPECIAL TO MMATORCH: Article from PWTorch Newsletter #1055 cover-dated December 29, 2008...
About two weeks ago, former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar defeated MMA legend Randy Couture for the UFC Heavyweight Title. This was only Lesnar's fourth MMA fight since leaving WWE and embarking on a new career path. But what led Lesnar, and others since him, to leave WWE behind is what is interesting to me.
Lesnar could be considered an anomaly: A farm boy growing up, Lesnar grew tired of the travel and wasn't used to being away from home so much. Most people, at his age and his position in the business, are those who generally enjoy traveling and seeing new places. In that way, I'm sure WWE didn't panic and think, "Lesnar left because of the travel! What if others do the same? We need to change things!" Like I stated above, I think they considered Lesnar an anomaly. And looking back, he was, as not a lot of people have left the business due to the travel demands; they may privately complain about it, but in the end, they put up with it. Some don't though, and that's for later in the column. Brock Lesnar initially left WWE to pursue a career in the NFL. Most assumed he regretted not trying out for the league upon leaving college. After he flamed out there, Lesnar got into MMA.
Brock Lesnar wasn't the only collegiate wrestler to leave WWE on top and get into shoot-fighting. Bobby Lashley was hand-picked by Vince McMahon to be the next big thing, come hell or high water. Lashley got the prime position of being at Donald Trump's side at WrestleMania 23 in 2007. However, Lashley had little of the in-ring ability, connection with the crowd, or mic skills that Lesnar had. It became clear that without some dramatic change, the Lashley experiment was going to blow up in Vince's face. After suffering an injury, Lashley decided not to come back to pro wrestling and asked for his release. Many rumors were bandied about as to why Lashley opted out of his deal. He then turned his attention toward MMA, but didn't have the name value of Lesnar, so he wasn't snapped up by UFC. Instead, he is scheduled to make his debut with the American Fight League (AFL) this December.
The common denominator these two former WWE stars have in common is their amateur background. When Jim Ross was Vice President of Talent Relations, he recruited a lot of amateur wrestlers. That number has gone down under John Laurinaitis' watch. WWE could've soured on amateur wrestlers, thinking they were brought up as "real" wrestlers to look down on professional wrestling, and thus would have no problem walking away from the industry. That could be the reason WWE is snapping up so many second-generation superstars: Having grown up in the industry, they know exactly what they are getting into and would be less tempted to walk away. WWE hasn't completely turned its back on amateur wrestlers: ECW's Jack Swagger is the most prolific example of a former collegiate wrestler who has recently made it big.
So many others have left WWE and pro wrestling behind. Lita, Trish Stratus, and Rob Van Dam (for the most part) are just a few examples, even though they may have left for different reasons. Then there are those who have turned down WWE offers or left the company for the freedom and fewer dates of TNA. They include big names such as Kevin Nash and Sting. Especially for older wrestlers, TNA is perfect- you can live a relatively normal life, you're not on the road 300 days a year and you can still make a relatively good living as a pro wrestler.
What could WWE do to make those wrestlers NOT leave? Well, it would take a complete and dramatic overhaul and a philosophical change within the company, starting with Vince McMahon himself. And frankly, I don't see that coming. There might be a day when WWE has to cut down their schedules to compete with TNA for wrestlers, but that time hasn't come yet. WWE is still seen as "the big time" by most of the younger generation, and its generally the more established wrestlers who are seeking the easier schedule. If the economy gets worse, that could lead to WWE cutting down the house show or travel schedule. But then they couldn't do vignettes and video packages bragging about how much tougher they are than "real" sports stars because of how often they wrestle and how they're on the road constantly. For some reason, that's a badge of honor for Vince McMahon.
Ten, fifteen, twenty years ago, it seems fewer wrestlers got out of the business at such a young age as wrestlers of today, especially those at the top of the card. What has changed in those years to cause wrestlers to leave? I don't think it's anything in the wrestling business that has changed, but I think there are several reasons. One reason is the deaths. As more and more dead bodies pile up, significantly, ones that are either gruesome or famous in nature (Benoit) or those who the younger wrestlers grew up following (anyone else), it gives pause to the younger guys to take stock in their own life, and really make a decision if this is a business they want to be associated with. Unfortunately, too many wrestlers have an "it won't happen to me" attitude. All these deaths and very little inside the wrestling business has changed; why should the attitudes of the wrestlers? In the end, I think this has little to do with wrestlers leaving over the years, but it should be a reason they seriously consider.
Another reason for walking away could be, as discussed above, TNA as an alternative to WWE. While they wouldn't be leaving the business completely, they could wrestle sporadically for TNA and also have a life outside the business, something most people don't have when working for WWE. Most of those that have left WWE and left the business were offered deals, or at least talked to by those in TNA. And you can pretty much guarantee what their first pitch was: the schedule. For some people, like Rob Van Dam and Chris Jericho, WWE is the only option in pro wrestling for them. It's "go big or go home." They just don't have the interest in being on a #2 team, even if that team does have a cable TV deal. Even the wrestler who do leave the business know they can pretty much get back in any time they want, and in a high-profile role, with TNA. WWE probably wouldn't want them back if they walked away at one point, but I'm sure TNA wouldn't have a problem taking in a Bobby Lashley. This is especially true as long as TNA puts a high price on those with a WWE or WCW background.
The third reason for these guys walking away is true for at least Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley, that being the lure of Mixed Martial-Arts. Countless other former pro wrestlers have gotten into the MMA game after they were squeezed out of the wrestling business. That list includes Ludvig Borga and Sean O'Haire. But none of them reached the high-profile status of Lesnar. What reason would they enter the MMA game? Firstly, the wear and tear on the body is a lot less, even though it is real. You don't wrestle 250 times a year, you may have only a handful of matches in a year's time. While WWE may be proud they put in more work than a UFC or another MMA organization, the athletes may be more tempted to go to MMA to save their bodies. Another reason could be the need to be involved in a "real" sport. Pro wrestling is not seen as a "real" sport by anyone, aside from a few sports columnists in the country who may write about it once in a while. MMA may be a fringe sport, one that's not feature on SportsCenter every night, but it is much more legitimate than professional wrestling. The competitive juices can really get flowing in athletes, especially former wrestlers, and fights where the outcome is determined may not satiate them.
No matter how many wrestlers leave WWE for the glamour of MMA, the schedule of TNA or the allure of having a real life, WWE will always be able to replenish. There are thousands of independent wrestlers throughout the world who would kill to be in WWE. The problem is when established stars, as Lesnar, Lashley, and even Van Dam were, start to leave. WWE's hand will be forced to make new stars, something they seem hesitant to do. Maybe that's why those John Cena indoctrination videos focused so heavily on his commitment to the business.
PWTorch contributor Greg Parks welcomes your feedback at g_man9784@yahoo.com. Read his Smackdown reports at PWTorch.com every Friday and listen to him every-other Monday night after Raw with a VIP Audio show with James Caldwell.
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Don't forget Bam Bam Bigelo tried MMA and lost badly as would most WWE
"superstars". Brock is only good because he was a great amateur wrestler
and because he cuts weight to get down to the 265 pound limit.
Rick
01 Dec 2008, 08:06
Also, Big Vito and Kid Kash have taken turns at MMA. For the lesser-known
midcarders and curtain-jerkers, MMA offers a chance to parlay their
physical traits into a more viable trade.
It makes sense because in the basic world of MMA, wins generate bigger
paychecks. I wouldn't be surprised if, between sponsorships and bonuses,
Kash and LeGrasso are on par or close to what they were making in WWE and
working much lighter schedules.
That said, the odds of them getting gobbled up by UFC a la Brock are
probably slim. Those guys are now in their early 30's with no real track
record of success unlike most TUF tryouts. They'll probably linger in
fledgling promotions like AFL, although Strikeforce certainly offers a
potential TNA-esque alternative for them.
