It has been obvious in recent weeks that the technical quality of the matches in WWE has escalated.  This has been attributed to a new iniative by the company to add more realistic moves and details to its program.  As an idea, I like it.  Especially with the booming popularity of MMA, it seems like an appropriate way to generate interest, as well as a viable direction in which to grow sports enertainment.  Although naysayers may argue that this is a step away from the entertainment tradition wrestling has evolved from, there is no great danger of that aspect disappearing.  There is showmanship in technical sports (Frankie Dettori's flying dismount, Willie Mays' basket catch), why not technicality in a showmanship sport?  Not always having moves connect, setting up for one thing and then changing to another gives the feel of more immediacy and greater spontaneity to matches, as well as being engaging to watch.  It offers the potential for those intriguing twists, those differences that make the difference.

The difficulties with incorporating more realism will come in the execution.  One is that very entertainment tradition wrestling wants and needs to retain.  That aspect has always taken a certain precedence over technicality, so moves have been used and sold based on an almost hyper-realistic presentation.  How often have we watched guys like Shawn Michaels or Kane take beating after beating and then somehow miraculously stagger to their feet and gain the upper hand in a match?  This is a bit difficult to reconcile with the idea of one-punch knockout power.  That was the downfall of the Big Show v. Undertaker match at No Mercy.  Even with the exposed turnbuckle, it was practically a 180 degree spin to try to sell the idea that one punch could fell someone like Taker, who has always been able to take such extremes of punishment and still carry on.  It would have worked so much better if Show was facing someone like Evan Bourne.  The contrast of styles, while not utterly unique, would have added depth and underscored the challenges presented in the ring by a guy like B.S. (odd that his acronym works out to that huh? lol), instead of leaving everyone scratching their heads and wondering what in H*** happened to the Undertaker.

Additionally, the viewing audience is quite educated on what these moves should look like and the effects they produce, as a result of the popularity of similar sports.  Consequently, when technical moves are applied, they must be done correctly, in realistic situations and with appropriate results if they are going to be effective for the audience.  This requires knowledge not only on the part of the performers applying the moves, but also those selling it.  Different shades and highlights are necessary and ways to accentuate details.  Triple H did quite a nice job in that respect in his match with the Undertaker two weeks ago on SD.

Finally, it will take some time to experiment with this new pallette and see which moves are effective and which fall flat (after a KO, no doubt ;-).  Just as the jab is an under-used art, the full potential of which has yet to be developed in MMA, so too will the incorporation of  greater realism need to be  explored and amended in order to further the metamorphosis of pro wrestling.

(c) BE 2008