“The Most Necessary Attribute”:
By Saven S. Intensity: Exceptionally great concentration, power, or force. (From American Heritage Dictionary)
Right from the start, I will make it perfectly clear to every reader out there that this is the quality that I believe makes your ordinary run-of-the-mill jobber a superstar—intensity. It’s what I believe to be lacking in many current active superstars that otherwise have a tremendous amount of potential. When discussing the existing state of affairs in the world of sports entertainment, moreover the wrestlers themselves, the “intensity factor” always comes into play (the word used as defined above, specifically). This inaugural column will detail this most crucial and valuable personality trait, how it transcends over to work ethic, and why those who have it will inevitably find success in the sports entertainment business (pending all else is well concerning backstage matters, and things that are not necessarily in a wrestler’s control).
What makes great matches is what the wrestlers themselves put into it. That’s a pretty simple concept, which I think most everyone can grasp. A counter argument to this may be “well, what about if they don’t have enough T.V time to build their matches up?” If that’s the case, I’ll tell you right now that it is very possible to have only 4 minutes of total television time and still be effective in a promo. Again, it’s how much intensity a person is able to utilize while on camera (case in point: I believe the air time JBL had while confronting Jericho recently on RAW was limited, yet it came off strongly and had me interested right away). How can a match without any buildup be any good? Example: A while ago, on Velocity, Chris Benoit and William Regal put on what I consider to be a 5-star match. It was one of the most brutal matches I had seen in a while up until that point. The pictures of the black and blue bruises and welts Regal sustained in the match can still be seen on WWE.com (under his profile) for those of you who are unaware. Only a few minutes in duration, they went all out, and more importantly- had the fans enthralled. Yes, on Velocity. It’s the visible intensity which gets the fans hooked. You can have two guys, that people know absolutely nothing about, put them in a ring together, and as long as they seethe this incredible factor no matter what people will be entertained. This is what breeds success.
I’ll give a brief summary of the currently signed WWE RAW Superstars who I think have the exact credentials of a person that has the ability to steal the show (whether utilized on television frequently right now or not):
Beth Phoenix: The most skillful and naturally talented WWE Women’s Champion I believe I have ever seen. Every time she enters the ring, it seems as if she is matched with sub-par divas. That’s because she’s that good. If there were other divas to match the Glamazon’s abilities, the division wouldn’t look as weak as it does right now. A Phoenix/Victoria feud would be ideal (after all, how many times can we see Phoenix/James?)
Bobby Lashley: The most dominant powerhouse in the WWE didn’t get the fans behind him for sitting idly and not doing much in-ring work. This guy has grown to impress even the skeptics with his in-ring ability and his trademark explosiveness. There are not a lot of wrestlers that can make simple shoulder tackles and clotheslines look devastating, as Lashley can. Sure it helps that the man is a walking mountain, but that still doesn’t take away from that hard hitting action he brings to the ring. All that’s left to complete the package is indeed some better mic work and decent feuds to elevate him to main event status once again.
Charlie Haas: I’ve always been a Haas fan. He definitely has the in-ring capabilities and technicality to get it done. The only problem is lack, rather complete absence of, air time. The fault lies with management on this one. Charlie Haas is one of those guys that have all the tools to become a superstar. Looking back at his re-emergence when he challenged Benjamin and was actually in contention for the Intercontinental Title and then seeing where he is now, it shows how much the company has dropped the ball with him. Given a chance, I have no doubt that Haas has the ability to rally the fans behind him.
Hardcore Holly: No doubt one of the most intense superstars to ever set foot inside the squared circle. When you see Holly walk down the ramp, you just know that whoever his opponent is is going to get the holy hell beat out of them. Hell, even his partners take somewhat of a beating—have you seen some of the tags he’s given Rhodes? He definitely is a smash mouth wrestler that’s exciting to watch. Personally, I believe he’s better off in single’s matches in which he can showcase his toughness. But, then again, he’s currently wearing gold so something must be working there.
JBL: Like I mentioned above, if there was a world title for speaking on the mic, JBL would pull a Samartino with it and hold it from now until the end of civilization as we know it. Commentator or as an in-ring performer, he always cuts a strong promo and knows how to use his talents to get under the skin of fans. You can feel the emotion when he speaks- that is what brought him to the top of the game and helped him stay there for so long. Judging by his commentary, it seems that we share the same views on what makes a wrestler great in the professional wrestling business. When JBL says “I like him” on television regarding a particular wrestler, you can tell he is genuine in his sentiments and is always consistent with his opinions.
John Cena: I am by no means the world’s greatest John Cena fan, but nevertheless, he does relate to this column. Short and sweet- the reason Cena appeals to the majority of the fans is because of that “Superman” ability to keep on fighting and persevere. The thing with Cena is that he knows when to break out his intensity. And when he does, it is damn impressive. While he may not be the most technically sound performer in the world, he has the concept of professional wrestling psychology. He possesses another crucial factor and that is the “time factor”. Cena knows exactly at which point in a big match he has to take it up another level. Two examples that come to mind are the Last Man Standing match he had with Umaga at the Royal Rumble (2007) and his match against the Great Khali in which he managed to F-U the “Punjabi Giant” off of the set. Yes, I do believe “some natural intensity” is in order for a man to do that.
Lance Cade: One of J.R.’s favorites. Cade is another wrestler that prefers the smash mouth style of wrestling. The big, 6’5”, 261 pound native of Nashville, Tennessee always brings his A-game and passion to the ring. A superstar that has the size and ability to kick your head off, Cade is another superstar that I believe would excel in single’s competition if given the opportunity. He reminds me a lot of an in-ring JBL, and that’s a good thing. When people see a wrestler like Cade, they expect to see something great from him being so massive and aggressive. Luckily for the paying fans, he delivers when he steps between those ropes. Even though very athletically gifted, Cade can make you cringe with the simplest, yet more effective, of moves. A club to the back never looked more devastating.
Mr. Kennedy: While I do believe he has what I think makes a wrestler great, he is not consistent with his intensity. Many other wrestlers fall under this category (i.e. Carlito quickly comes to mind). If he would just bring the same passion to the ring that he does on the mic, he would be a contender for the WWE Title. Hell, he’d probably when the damn thing quicker than it would take you to repeat his name twice. Definitely, my forerunner for the greatest comeback of the year, Kennedy can take it all if he just stays focused and starts kicking some heads off of necks. He ended 2007 with a clean victory over the Heartbreak Kid. This leads me to believe that my prediction isn’t so far off. It’s just up to him to get in there and get the job done on a weekly basis.
Randy Orton: Like Mr. Kennedy, Orton seems to suffer from consistency issues. Throughout his entire feud with Michaels, I didn’t see the passion that made Orton so great earlier in his career. The Legend Killer went from kicking Foley in the head, down a flight of stairs, to being superkicked by Michaels for 6 consecutive weeks. Though, the current WWE Champion, he needs to bring the attitude back into the ring—the same attitude that made him a main-eventer to begin with. Although, I must say, I did like what I saw in terms of getting that intensity back when he completely decimated Matt Hardy with a kick to the head, in order to send a message to his brother Jeff. If Orton regains that ruthlessness permanently, he’ll prove to everyone once again why he deserves to be the champion.
The Highlanders: I wish these guys would be on television every week. They had a great thing going with those Highlanders/Cade & Murdoch/ London & Kendrick confrontations a little while ago. As mainstream heels, the Highlanders would work wonders. They’ve already shown that they have the attitude to back up their in-ring intensity. Bringing sort of an unorthodox style hasn’t hindered them either. They still manage to get the job done. Both Rory and Robbie have some kind of inner Mephistophelian thing going. I personally think that alone should make them Tag Team Champions. Having them destroy Holly and Rhodes in a series of unprovoked attacks could prove to the general audience just why these guys form a team to be reckoned with.
Shawn Michaels: There’s really not much to say regarding the success of Shawn Michaels. Like Cena, the intensity of the Heartbreak Kid comes out only when it has to. But when it does, it is immense and leaves everyone on the edge of their seats. Though usually going on heart most of the time (which is what he is notably unique for), Michaels does have the intensity to cut through anyone and everyone on the roster. When Michaels wants to, he can undoubtedly demonstrate his rage and cause some major damage. Just a little Sweet Chin Music is all it takes.
Triple H: With his intensity factor at an all time high, the Game is another superstar whose success just cannot be argued. You can tell that after he hits one of those Spinebusters, and everyone in the audience is on their feet, that the emotion Triple H radiates is nothing but authentic. He feeds off of the energy of the audience, and knows how to motivate himself and bring out that intensity. It is actually easier said than done. But if anyone knows how to motivate, it is the Game. Cutting a promo (such as the one he and Flair did on RAW), setting up for the Pedigree, or just wearing a face of ire before pulling a sledgehammer out from under the ring, Triple H commands the masses with the passion and ever-present intensity that he makes look come so easy. Once Triple H breaks it out, he pretty much owns any match he’s in, giving the opposing wrestler a hard time to get a response from the crowd. It is what makes him “that damn good.” And in essence, that is what the professional wrestling business is about. If a wrestler can do what the Game does, and be consistent with it, then it’s only just a matter of how far they want to take the success that will come to them.
Umaga: Perhaps the most naturally intense (there is a difference) individual on the RAW roster, Umaga seems to be mentally focused and genuinely obdurate in personality 24/7. I know he gets my vote in terms of lack of rage control. For a wrestler to take chair shot, after chair shot, after chair shot, and hardly be phased takes a lot of intensity and adrenaline which is used to just tune out the pain and remain standing. Moreover, you know when Umaga hits his opponent; he hits them with all the force he can possibly muster with each shot. He’s one superstar who is consistent with his abilities in the ring. Like I mentioned with Cade, when the audience sees Umaga coming down the entrance ramp, they automatically expect to see an aggressive mauling of the opponent. And I don’t think anyone can doubt that Umaga manages to amaze with the amount of destruction he is capable of leaving in his path. I find myself saying “good lord, that’s gotta’ hurt!” a lot during any of Umaga’s matches. His aptitude to give, as well as receive, some vicious shots repeatedly is what makes him so great. He’s one superstar that lives up to his given moniker—“The Samoan Bulldozer”.
William Regal: I cannot say how excited I am to possibly seeing the in-ring return of William Regal; and, possibly against Triple H no less! The entertainment value this feud has is endless. I definitely see chemistry between the two, and if given the time it deserves, the outcome of these two superstars clashing for a good period of time will be time well spent. Both individuals take what they do extremely seriously, bring an equal amount of intensity to the ring, bring a great deal of technical prowess, and most importantly- have in-ring psychology. It is the quintessential wrestling feud and I hope that I spent my money wisely in hoping to see them face off at the Royal Rumble this year. Solely, Regal has proven himself to being one of the greatest technicians ever. Not only being a great technician, but an intense one- which is rare, in my opinion. Looking back, only a couple come straight to mind: Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, C.M. Punk (obviously more recently), Kurt Angle, and William Regal himself. Not to say that there aren’t many other great technical wrestlers past and present, but only few stand out as having the “intensity factor” that I’ve been stressing as vital. William Regal knows how to beat up his opponent, and make it feel as if the guy being stretched out in ways never thought possible was you. That’s how you know how effective you are as a wrestler. It can only be done if one possesses intensity.
Only going into the superstars of RAW in detail, it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t list the superstars of the other brands that I thought also had “the quality”:
Smackdown:
Batista
Dave Taylor
Deuce
Drew McIntyre (rumored to be moving over to the RAW brand)
Edge
Festus
Finlay
Jamie Knoble
Kane
The Undertaker
ECW:
Big Daddy V
C.M. Punk
Elijah Burke (on and off)
Kevin Thorn (top of my list on all three brands as far as intensity is concerned)
Shelton Benjamin
With that said I hope that what I believe to be the most beneficial factor any professional wrestler should have— intensity—came across to you readers clearly. While it is hard to grasp the concept and differentiate it from other characteristics professional wrestlers possess, I believe that the wrestlers that make it evident to the audience are the ones that are the most successful in the pro-wrestling industry today. It is a factor that is best utilized when it is naturally encoded in a person’s personality, a factor that is hard to manipulate for effective, and a factor that is damn difficult to learn. It’s a factor that separates your card-fillers from your main eventers. Where it takes you depends on how well you are able to use it. Intensity to a professional wrestler is like knowledge to a mathematician. Without it, you’re nothing.
That was a look through the Eyes of the Dragon.
Until next time.
All questions, comments, suggestions—feedback of all sort—is welcomed. E-mail me at TheDragonSleeper@yahoo.com.