Last year, I watched WrestleMania 35 at MetLife Stadium surrounded by 80,000 people. This past weekend, WrestleMania 36 it came from an empty gym and many closed studio spaces in front of the zero crowd. For the first time in its history, the annual event – a live finale of some major wrestling news – was pulled ahead of time. It was a paradox.
A recent epidemic has turned TV into a headache. CNN chef Chris Cuomo, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, reads the news from his basement, while in the evening the talks show Last week Tonight evening they moved from the studio to the white wall in John Oliver's bedroom. The lack of audience hasn't done much to contribute to the programs around the news, which has remained the same (one person still talks to the camera). But this situation is more of a problem for pro wrestling: Independent promotions around the globe are forced to close – no less than physical contact in the sports arena – while executive-sponsored promotions like WWE and AEW broadcast weekly shows from closed sets with significantly reduced teams. A temporary measure, one hopes, even if there was no worse time for WWE, who has spent the past few months at their biggest event of the year.
The company's branding program is related to the viewer. Some call & # 39; Mania a "Super Bowl of Entertainment Game" to explain it to outsiders, while fans and promoters have dubbed it "The Showcase of the Immortals" and "The Granddaddy of & # 39; Em All" – a fitting synopsis of regal tongue-cheek.
But the road to Wrestlemania was much higher than usual. Last month, during the sports season all were permanently postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus – NBA in the US, IPL Cricket in India, 2020 Tokyo Olympics and UEFA Euro 2020 in 12 different countries, to name a few – The WWE found itself in the spotlight. back for their production, premiering March 13th of Friday Night Smackdown. The show was streamed live in front of the vacant WWE & # 39; s Performance Center in Orlando, a venue often reserved for incoming talent to train and develop their skills. It will be the first weekly show to take place on the site, as the company puts down a number of endless games (instead of broadcasting bout a yesteryear), while focusing on the threats brought directly to the camera. WWE may have been Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Over the next few days, fans were wondering if WrestleMania would move forward as planned on Sunday April 5th this year at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. March 16, less than three weeks from the event, WWE finally announced that WrestleMania 36 it would not happen at Raymond James, but instead it would be broadcast overnight, April 4 and 5, from an empty working center; reporting behind the scenes they would continue to disclose that the show will be screened in advance, March 25 and 26, with the thrill of watching it live.
In retrospect, it seems silly for us fans to have been expecting a gathering of 75,000 people at a time like this, but it never happened. The long-standing WMA WMA is that "the show must go on" – for better and for worse.
For the past few years, the company has been on fire constantly. A Part of last Sunday Today since 2019 it outlined the high expectations of the WWE for its employees (or “independent contractors,” as they say), many of whom were very active and very low-income. Similar concerns arose this year about whether WWE might be asking too much of its wrestlers and their health, especially Roman Reigns superstar, who was already in the main event WrestleMania 31 through 34., and was a major key during the construction of this year's operating center. Reisss, who has a history of Leukemia, will come straight out of the papers at the last minute, but the question has finally been: was WrestleMania 36 possible at all?
WWE CEO Paul Levesque (aka Triple H wrestler, and Vince McMahon's brother-in-law) recently identified dreaming of running away as a corporate responsibility, especially during trying times. He added, "Now more than ever, entertainment is needed." It's a concept the company has stood by for decades; in the days following 9/11, the first mass gathering in the US was, in fact, an episode WWF SmackDown on September 13, when the company provided not only entertainment, but condolences from stars such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. If anything else, McMahon & # 39; s announcement in the show, he says that "the American spirit lives here, in Houston, Texas," he felt hidden at a time when so many people didn't even begin to make the tragedy. The show went on.
However, in all the wonderful atmosphere of WWE moving on, several others left a very pleasant taste. Over the Edge Pay-Per-View in 1999 ended tragically in the struggle for Owen Hart, after a string of wire failures. Hart dropped about 80 feet and died in the middle of the ring. His death has been announced to the crowd at home, even though no information has been passed on to the fans in attendance. The show went on.
We should WrestleMania 36 and move on? From a security standpoint, maybe not; no show is worth the life of the company's talent. Although, in the entertainment industry around the world a hiatus is underway – from Broadway to TV to movie theaters – one can see how Vince & Co could come to the conclusion that the pursuit was their civic duty. Both halves for the two-day event are open at an talking about the camera from Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, where she cited "current conditions" (without clarification) and the company's commitment to "provide for these difficult times" – among other competitors such as optimism, "perseverance" and "determination". ”
Still, WWE has the strange, or perhaps evil, ability to avoid direct references to real-world darkness and destruction, but to pull it off is the same. Of the 18 games this year, two have been filtered out of the venue for cinematic events, shot and staged as movies rather than live streaming of the games. One of the games, between The Undertaker and AJ Styles, took place at the tomb, ending with one of the competitors being buried alive; it's not really a bad escape from the stone weight COVID-19 it appears in space.
The mainstream radio broadcast at the Sky Performance Center, between the return of superstar Edge and his rival Randy Orton, poured into the background, and featured a nude photo of one man trying to hang another exercise machine. Intentionally or not, this moment sparked the death of Chris Benoit in 2007, WWE Wrestler has tried to make it out of its records, but it has been in people's minds thanks to recent Vice TV. Black Ring of Ring documents.
Words such as "epidemic," "coronavirus" and "COVID-19" correctly were absent from WWE programs in the weeks leading up to & # 39; Mania. However, their display was unusually large, in the form of hundreds of empty chairs set in every small recording area, shining brightly and purposefully. Through these weekly shows, the humble working center suddenly found itself playing the place of world star John Cena and bringing back the feel of '90s Stone Cold Steve Austin, his natural venue for a crowd of tens of thousands. The results were mixed, thanks to a large part of the original that always goes into the outside world.
During the build-up, Cena who was flirting with the Joker / Mister Roger hybrid Bray Wyatt gained an unmistakable intimacy, as the duo reduced their backstage appearances and got involved black theater, to fill the silence with much controversy (their second WrestleMania match was sorted out of place; the result was more successful).
Other TV segments suffered. Return of Stone Cold, with its constant cuts to empty spaces where the crowd's reaction was due, it felt disgusting, while New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski almost sounded in the execution, like "Gronk" a ring was played we are surrounded by reminders of non-followers.
As amazing as it may be, you can continue to escape such a point in this week's free episode New either Smackdown. WrestleMania, however, is an excellent platform for wrestling; it is usually a $ 9,99 monthly subscription WWE Network, but for the first time since the network's launch in 2014, the show was rediscovered Pay per view through other OTT platforms (Fox Sports and FITE TV) to $ 59.99. The company would say that the public is responsible, but a disappointing financial quarter and the dwindling Network subscribers seem to have the key word that the show can go on – live audiences are being judged.
In a typical year, WrestleMania is the grand finale of the genre, paying for months and days of news stories with a view to the spectacle. Wrestlers entry is up to 11 (that's why Triple H is featured like everyone from The forum in order The skin), the sets are ripe (WrestleMania 33 in Orlando had a traditional all-natural park built on its ramp), and the fire budget looks bigger than the GDP of other countries. Also this year, Raymond James Stadium arrived fully armed a great pirate ship, many thought they would take part in this year's festivities, especially since WWE had a fellow rapist, Japanese sensation Kairi Sane. The pirate theme continued with the design of the show, but the setting was reduced to black curtains and a few laser lights; Poor Sane couldn't find a special door.
Usually, the act of entering WrestleMania is about finding pops, or sensations in the crowd. Since its inception, the show has been showcasing the coming after of celebrities from that purpose; Mr T and Muhammad Ali at WrestleMania I; Joe Frazier in 2nd; Pamela Anderson at XI; Mike Tyson at XIV; Kim Kardashian and Floyd Mayweather at XXIV, along with my all-time favorite, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie e WrestleMania 29. The point is that the chaos and the situation, and the crossing you cross as deeply into the world as you can, even if it's just a night out, by getting married in the world of film, television, music and drama with a full view of the colosseum.
Hulk Hogan proposes Andre the Giant to WrestleMania III it is a backdrop for wrestling, not because it was never seen (big Andre had been promoted before), but because 90,000 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome they lose their minds. Star lovers Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth meet again WrestleMania VII from domestic drama to fine opera thanks to the emotional Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, and The Rock against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8 has proven that even a mid-level match can be a fantasy, because a very Toronto-based crowd. Rock is introduced as a hero (or "babyface") in the foundation, with Hulk Hogan playing the villain (or "heel"), but live viewers were backing up & # 39; 80s and 90 & # 39; s mainstay Hogan writing the show. So, the duo rearranged their narrative on the fly, changing locations as the game went on; viewer functions as a live feedback loop.
Intimate moments are increasing when thousands and thousands of witnesses are present, from Shawn Michaels completing the work of legend Ric Flair while gossiping I'm sorry, I love you ” at WrestleMania XXIV, in the loss of Undertaker Mania for the first time after winning by 21 straight, at WrestleMania XXX, the effect is met shock and surprise. Legends are born coming together in the air at WrestleMania, such as Edge supported by a sea of light cameras at WrestleMania X-Seven as he descended from the sun twenty feet. And Myths are born with the same power, as orphaned preachers shouting to meet the crowd; when everyone wrestled with Daniel Bryan – who has never been to a big event, but was drafted after being supported by fans – he was the ultimate winner WrestleMania XXX, commentator Michael Cole closed the show: "A miracle has come!"
Atmosphere helps develop the façade of wrestling. Performance punches are usually pulled and handed with open arms, but they are covered by the crowd keys. When fake attackers turn back and forth with hidden hand signals, the audience varies with boos and excitement. At WrestleMania 36, the much-anticipated clash between MMA boss Shayna Baszler and last year's head of the show, Becky Lynch, underscored the need for viewers over other bouts, as the clear sound of open-air punches is broken through the Performance Center. Other card games suffer for the same reasons; the other pilots continued to pretend to be in the crowd, behaving as though they were an automated pilot and standing in the empty stadium unresponsive. Some competitors in the games made the most "perfect" moves, rather than building on them with ebb-and-flow narratives; it worked previously in front of a live audience, but here, it was like watching a TV mag make an empty room.
However, while these big moments are ringing, many of the protesters who have made a name for themselves in the independent region – Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Daniel Bryan and Sami Zayn Ring of Fame – adjust their skill set accordingly. The roof spray working the slow rotation of the Performance Center was seen in many shots, evoking the collective bingo halls of the indie scene; there was no point in pretending WrestleMania 36 it was still the biggest stage. There will be no equivalent to the comatose chewing crowd Linda McMahon rising from his seat at WrestleMania X-Seven kicking her husband Vince in the groin – sabudi & # 39; s most opera wrestling contest – now why bother? Instead, a few of Bryan and Zayn's teammates just got in the mood for a happy voice, while Rollins and Owens used their silence, taunting it with a clear, understandable conversation. Both games strengthened the speed of the action, so the critics would not have made the tranquility as they did in the other games, where the lack of reaction of the crowd was felt the satcoms have stolen their funny tracks, or action movies with an imperfect mix of sound.
In addition, Rollins and the owners were also involved in the proper meta-analysis during the construction; Rollins had a record of great matches and big moments at WrestleMania, so Owens was looking for his own “WrestleMania” – an obstacle that was going up when the event was made to a crowd. The stakes have turned the strange atmosphere into a part of the story, and when the owners threw a 20-foot WrestleMania sign to put Rollins on the table, his esteemed wife said "how is this thing a WrestleMania moment?" it was a proper bookmaker, aimed at both Rollins, and to home listeners who doubted that this year's event would be entertaining.
However, something went wrong, as this year's WrestleMania was prepared for a large live audience response. The "Road to WrestleMania" headlines usually start in January with a Royal Rumble event, a match in which 30 competitors enter one and try to throw. Every year, it is packed with amazing performances, unexpected matches, and a big winner named in the title match at this year's WrestleMania event. Last January, Rumble was not featured, but three big pops were heard by thunderstorms (in line with one of the greatest in history, Stone Cold helps the Underworld to win the WWF title from rival Rock), as the crowd roared and raised their arms, waving a stubborn sea. Before WrestleMania even started, viewers' reactions were part of the action.
One of the three great Rumble moments a good return of the Edge, who was forced to retire after suffering a severe neck injury back in 2011. Between his nine-year absence and the WWE being able to keep his looks a little strange, his response was overwhelming. The following evening, Edge's road to WrestleMania will begin, as he will be injured and (on the news page) by his team-mate Randy Orton, setting up a retaliatory course that lasted a whole weekend – albeit in a game that felt too long without the audience to play.
These other big Rumble moments worried Washington's Wrestler, who, after being voted out of Vince McMahon in 2009 (both in-story and behind-the-scenes), was dismissed from the company for the next few years – an arc-based redemption ever.
McIntyre is back with a big badge in 2017 after attending an indie roundup, and back in January, he came in during the unique Royal Rumble. Fuzzy matches tend to fill up the wrestlers pretty quickly (one man comes in every 90 seconds), so a tight ring is a constant thing. However, who entered this year's # 1 was WWE Champion and former UFC artist Brock Lesnar – a lump of short bicycle beef – so everyone who came in immediately walked out, followed by Lesnar standing in the empty ring and insulting the crowd, waiting for his next victim. That is, until McIntyre shuts down the slope to take on an outstanding champion, taking her out of the ring and become a fan of the fast-paced crowd. This was the first audience for the uninitiated, and it was accompanied by the songs "Thank you, Drew!" The second pop number came about an hour later, when McIntyre you have completely won the game, all but guaranteed to fight one-on-one with Lesnar in front of a cheering crowd.
McIntyre went on to win the title from Lesnar on Sunday, closing the show as the new WWE Champion and the company's new face, but his latest newsletter couldn't help but feel incomplete. No one in the audience could impress him when he came down, no one could turn around when he had finished the bones, and there was no throwing sound that should accompany the large body. Despite keeping up, it felt like another case of bad luck for the Scottish star.
WWE couldn't confirm its normal feel for the main event, but the ownership of the two-dimensional live theater setting with shocking results yielded impressive results. While the infamous "Boneyard Match" painting between Style and The Undertaker left a fancy, it didn't feel like it had a local feel, the "Fit Match" between Cena and Wyatt revealed a unique highlight. Space has never been a problem, because the game has come down to dreams: first, the Wyatt & # 39; s Wistt Roger-esque "Firefly Funhouse" host – a set of children's TV shows full of weird dolls – and then, various places with martial arts.
Wyatt's supernatural insult can even change Cena's physical appearance. In the middle of the dark arena, Cena emerged both as the first, white rapper Persons, "The Doctor of Thuganomics" – a poorly dressed actor – and one who was down, slightly irritated) "Ruthless Aggression" Cena of his 2002 disappearance, when neighboring clips attacked the psyche of Cena, which emphasizes on his doubts and concerns as a player over the years.
The shape of the dreams even sends Cena to meet later, for the first time in the WWF Saturday's Main Event the 1980s – an era in which hip-hopper Hulk Hogan was the most popular creature – and then the WWF's WWF rival Monday Nitro in the 90s & # 39; s, when Hogan has reclaimed "Hollywood Hulk Hogan," a heel and member of the mega-popular, anti-authoritarian villain group New World Order (or nWo). In both cases, Cena's progressive, child-friendly character for over 15 years, represented Hogan, once again performing the biggest songs of a star who was always (and probably will always be) unfairly compared.
The "match" had only one or two moves, but it involved the kind of common-sense games WrestleMania, which took place in front of a live audience, would not admit. Until the re-edits and rewrites of past WrestleMania in the process: WrestleMania XXX, during the time that Wyatt attempted to document the babyface Cena succumbing to his violent urges by whipping Wyatt into the chair. In fact, Cena declined to bounce back in 2014. But here, instead of Wyatt's sweet night, with a picture from both Manias placed on top of one another, Cena finally said it – only for Wyatt to disappear. Before the game was over, Cena was already lost.
Funhouse's match proved what was possible in the fight against a few pieces of planning, as well as splitting WrestleMania into two categories (its countdown time has been split by 7-plus hours in recent years), it was a great thing to come out. at the weekend. Although it is an unpleasant event from time to time, WrestleMania 36 has forced its creators to think outside the box, albeit for just a few days, though one wonders if the outdoor season is finally on the cards. Monday Night Raw, which is WWE to deceive as the "longest running weekly program in the US," had its episode tonight before WrestleMania launched, and their company has begun advertising May Pay Per View, a proper name for Money in the Bank, with no sign of slowing down.
The entertainment world may have hit the pause button, but with WWE, business as usual.
