Booking or Matchmaking, Shelley, Kazarian, Cena, MJF and MORE – The Wrestling Estate Mailbag Week of June 12, 2023

The Wrestling Estate’s newest weekly series is back again! This week, I answer YOUR burning questions about the goings on in the world of professional wrestling with two massive pay-per-views on the horizon. If you’d like to have your question answered in future weekly mailbags, feel free to email us at thewrestlingest@gmail.com.

Q: What do you make of the comments Frankie Kazarian made about AEW over the weekend? — Joey I., Las Vegas

I’ll preface this by saying I’ve always been a fan of Frankie Kazarian. I first became aware of him back when NoDQ.com was my primary wrestling news source (in large part thanks to the NoDQ Arena). I had just gotten into TNA, meanwhile, Kazarian had just left TNA to make the life-changing decision to sign with WWE. I hadn’t seen him work before, but I figured as a former X-Division champion, he would have the high-flying, quick-tempo style that would make him a star in the Cruiserweight Division I loved so much. As the story goes, Kazarian wrestled a few times on Velocity, but walked out on WWE after refusing to cut his hair, only to return to TNA and cut his hair shortly after returning. Oh, what could have been…

Kazarian opened up on his time in AEW to Kurt Angle on The Kurt Angle Show. Kazarian talked about re-signing with AEW in 2021 and how in hindsight, he probably would have let his contract expire. Kazarian wasn’t rude and didn’t come off as bitter, but he basically said in as many words how the way AEW presents pro wrestling wasn’t resonating with him. “It just became apparent to me that what I like and what I appreciate about pro wrestling and the way I like it presented was not happening at AEW and that’s not an indictment at them,” Kazarian said. “It’s just what they perceive as good television wrestling and what I do are different things. And just the business model, everything. Again, it was one of those things, I feel that I have so much more to offer than what I was being utilized for at AEW. So I bet on myself and I made the decision to walk away and I’m very thankful I did. It’s by far the best decision I could have made.” I believe I know what he’s getting at, but it’s worth noting the way AEW’s presentation style has evolved since its inception.

In the beginning, back when the company was still searching for its identity, it really did feel like a wrestling variety show with a little something for everyone. The Inner Circle angle catered well to those used to WWE-style factions, Cody Rhodes‘ various storylines were good theater for old school fans, and The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega did well with catering towards newer wrestling fans more hung up on moves and action over storytelling. So-Cal Uncensored (SCU), Kazarian’s faction at the time, fit somewhere in the middle of all of this, and were heavily featured on those early Dynamite shows. Eventually Scorpio Sky got over as a singles star while Kazarian and Christopher Daniels began to fade into the background. However, Kazarian evidently has plenty left to offer, and as the AEW style began to appeal more and more to “hardcore fans,” he became less and less involved on television. Kaz didn’t go too in depth on what his specific grievances were, but it’s pretty easy to read between the lines here. AEW is able to make the matches people want to see, but the product has gaping holes in its storytelling, is a little too frenetic for its own good and isn’t getting the guys and girls over quite the way it used to.

On top of that, domestic ticket sales are down, and though the Wembley Stadium show is going to do big business for the company, AEW is also on the verge of launching a new TV show for which ticket sales are also down. Since Kazarian didn’t go too far into specifics, I can’t really comment as to what he exactly he meant with his take but based on some of the verbiage he used, such as “presentation” and “business model,” it’s safe to assume he just became disillusioned with the product. The data says he’s probably not alone.

Q: I saw your tweet last week on the difference between booking and matchmaking. Can you elaborate? — Ian M., Pensacola, Fla.

Sure! I just feel like the word “booking” or “booker” is one that gets thrown around with a little too much frequency. When I was working on my capstone project at Temple University journalism school, I got to go backstage at an Williamstown, N.J.’s Old Time Wrestling (OTW) with unlimited access to the talent (similar to a Behind the Mat). Brian Johnson, aka The Mecca, was running the show that day and I think I may have called him “the booker” during our interview. He explained how he doesn’t like to use that word because a.) He wasn’t actually “the booker” in this case and b.) true bookers don’t really exist anymore.

That was in February 2015. Eight years later, this thinking holds true. While Triple H (or is it Vince McMahon?) has the final say in WWE Creative, the company employs a glut of writers to pitch ideas and work hands-on with the talent to mixed results. Gedo has booked NJPW for as long as I can remember now, but Japanese wrestling is a different ball game. The closest thing one might get to a booker is Tony Khan. As far as we know, he is handling the creative onus and while he may have “advisors” he can talk to and while I’m sure he talks to the talent themselves, he is the one who has to own and take credit for what plays out on AEW TV. Despite this, Tony isn’t much of a booker. He is, however, a sound matchmaker who can make matches the people want to see. Think of it like micro and macro economics. Matchmaking is putting together matches and cards people want to see, while booking is all of that, plus taking a more hands-on approach with talent. If a wrestler did something off-color in the ring or something the booker didn’t like, they would hear about it.

In Tony’s case, I don’t think he cares about that. I also don’t think he’s concerned about furthering talent under his the letters, “A-E-W.” I think he is totally content with taking a talent like Jay White from NJPW and letting him do his own thing without making a plan for him or figuring out things to add to his character he can use to get over. I don’t think he sees that. I think instead, he sees, “Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega in Toronto.” Could Tony tell you what Omega is going to be doing in 12 months? Nine months? Six months? Three? Two? One? A booker could, so I would be one to refrain from having the conversation over whether or not Tony is a good booker and instead suggest to you he is not a booker. He is, however, a good matchmaker, and that’s always going to be enough for at least some of his audience.

Q: What did you think of Alex Shelley winning the Impact World Championship over the weekend? — Andrew T., Long Beach, CA

I love me some Alex Shelley. Always have, similar to Kazarian. I first got exposed to Shelley when he wrestled AJ Styles in a one-off match on TNA Impact in 2005. After he formed The Motor City Machine Guns with Chris Sabin, I began to see both Sabin and Shelley individually as guys who could follow in Styles’ footsteps and become serious main eventers in TNA. Of course, Sabin, and now Shelley have both gone on to fulfill my prophecy in modern day Impact, but there’s just one problem. Nobody watches! But this isn’t meant to turn into a rant on the current Impact product.

I’m very happy for Shelley. He’s someone who always “got it,” and I think it’s evident in his longevity. He made his debut in TNA as one of the youngest wrestlers on the roster and always seems to have a good handle on when to evolve and when to reinvent himself completely. He’s always cut awesome promos, and his career got a second life in Japan when he formed Time Splitters with KUSHIDA, one of my favorite tag teams of the time. Now he’s the Impact World Champion, and I will say, he should make for a better champion than Steve Maclin. I’ll also be curious to see whether Shelley’s title reign is more substance or novelty, as I still think he can elevate the belt at 40-years-old.

It also means a Motor City Machine Guns world title match is probably going to be on the docket sooner rather than later, and that should get people talking about the Impact product.

Q: Who wins this roast battle in 2023? John Cena or MJF? — Mike W., San Diego, CA

Last week, we did a roundtable discussing the Forbidden Door concept and dream matches we wish we could make if companies and contract weren’t a barrier.The answer I gave was Roman Reigns vs. Kazuchika Okada, but if I could take MJF and have him wrestle the John Cena from five (or even three) years ago, that would probably be it. The question your asking is a reference to a meme I saw on Twitter, so luckily I’ve had time to give this some thought. Cena cooks MJF in that kind of promo setting. MJF may have a few clever lines, but Cena is a quick, cunning linguist (muh-muh-muh) who can use his stature and reputation to crush anyone he comes across like a pebble. Look at what he did to Austin Theory.

I’m sure MJF can give him a ton more material to pull from, just because he is a better worker than Theory and puts himself out there more. Cena would have a field day, meanwhile, there isn’t much left for anyone to say about him that hasn’t already been said. “He’s a bad wrestler,” “He’s uncoordinated,” “He holds guys down,” “He dated Nikki Bella,” “He has a bald spot,” “He’s part time.” Those are probably the six go-to lines with roasting Cena. You can’t really roast his acting – he is in a different league than The Rock as an actor – and he’ll be sure to have a few different comebacks he can go to for each of these talking points.

MJF often gets compared to Roddy Piper, and rightfully so. It’s so easy to have respect for MJF’s hustle and willingness to borrow from the past, but Cena is likewise a generational talker and I think he’s only just begun to get the due respect for that. He is in that Dusty Rhodes tier of babyface promos, and I don’t think many people would argue. So to answer the question, in a roast-style promo battle? Cena catches MJF. However, if the stars aligned and MJF’s prime came even two or three years before it did, these two could have sold a ton of pay-per-views.

You can follow The Wrestling Estate on Twitter @thewrestlingest and Jack Goodwillie @jackgoodwillie.