There’s a constant back and forth between generations of wrestling fans as many of us grew up watching some of the best talent in history and today’s product often feels like it lacks the same direction or simpleness.
What we mean by that is over the last twenty years there has been a huge shift from talent freewheeling their promos to being overly scripted.
Bobby Heenan Explains the Art of a Match
Now, we get overly long banter that feels more like rambling than not, and few have been able to put it into perspective better than one of the best in history.
It’s the simple things
In 2004, Heenan published his book Chair Shots and Other Obstacles: Winning Life’s Wrestling Matches, and in it he detailed how easy it’d be for him and Paul Orndorff to get over with the fans in a few simple exchanges.
“Today’s style is different from what it was just a few years ago.
“I could get in the ring right now with Paul Orndorff – who is retired – and get heat.
“I would do an interview about what I think of him and he does one on what he thinks of me.
“We could stand there in the ring. When the bell rings and we look at each other, I’d back off in the corner and we’d walk around.
“Finally, we would lock up. Then, I’d pull a cheap shot on him and jump out. I’d argue with a fan or tell the referee to check him for a foreign object. I could stall and take time until the people would be so upset that they would want to see Orndorff come get me.
“We could tear the place down today and really get the fans riled. I could do it just pulling his hair and then telling the referee I didn’t.
“That is, if the referee didn’t see it.
“Everybody does everything in front of the referee nowadays.
“All the heat goes on the ref and, with all due respect, no one bought a ticket to see the ‘Earl Hebners’ of this world. Everybody pulls hair, hits each other with chairs, and there are no count-outs or disqualifications for it.
“But if I snuck something or pulled hair and then the ref asked me if I did that, I’d shake my head wildly and make my hair go all over for all to see and yell, ‘No!’ as loud as I could.
“The place would go nuts for Orndorff and me, and we wouldn’t have to go through a single table.
“That’s called working.”
This is similar to what Jesse Ventura has said about being a heel as the best heat came when they had to be creative about their cheating so they wouldn’t get caught.
Nowadays, it’s all accepted without a second thought as the basic rules are generally ignored in what we consider more video game wrestling than wrestling, but that doesn’t mean today’s styles can be tweaked to make it more engaging and fun.
What do you think about Heenan’s breakdown of a match, and should things go back to simpler execution? Let us know in the comments below.
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