PWTorch.com - CALDWELL: The Top 5 Best Things In Wrestling This Week

CALDWELL'S TAKE
CALDWELL: The Top 5 Best Things In Wrestling This Week

Dec 20, 2014 - 11:25:27 AM

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By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

Coming at you on the weekends is a new Caldwell's Take feature - the Top 5 Best Things About Pro Wrestling This Week.

With industry-leader WWE struggling heading into the new year, it seems like the wrestling industry is in a bit of a funk. But, there's plenty of good out there to be interested in or excited about.

That's why I present This Week's Top 5...

(1) Seth Rollins's growth as a heel. Perhaps a fire was lit under Rollins when his supposed main event Tables match against John Cena was bumped to the top of the second hour of the TLC PPV. Regardless, Rollins had a great Monday night on Raw both on the mic reacting to his loss to Cena and in the ring against Cena inside a steel cage main event.

Jim Ross listed several fundamental characteristics of top heels in wrestling during his Livecast interview with Wade Keller on Friday. Moaning, lying, cheating, gaining unfair advantages, leaving when it gets too hot, and being a coward. Rollins's character is nailing most of these categories, making him prime to help WWE create interest in a big match down the road. Sting, perhaps?

(2) Jim Ross on the Livecast. Ross and PWTorch editor Wade Keller had an informative, spirited, and intelligent conversation about not just Ross calling the Tokyo Dome Show, but big-picture topics in pro wrestling, such as wrestler health, time off, and managing talent. Especially those Millennials.

If you want to hear Ross and Keller have an important discussion about a lot of the topics C.M. Punk brought up in his Colt Cabana podcast interviews, listen to the Livecast HERE.

(3) New Japan World. New Japan's answer to WWE Network has a ridiculous number of hidden gems featuring big-name American wrestlers, current events and shows, and classic matches featuring top Japanese stars. And then there are "Day in the Life" short documentaries on Tanahashi and now Okada available for viewing at NJPWWorld.com. These big-time, big-league stars could be shown lacing up their boots and it would be captivating.

(4) Del Rio's first ROH opponents. Ring of Honor put together an intriguing trio of opponents for Alberto Del Rio's first month in the company. Christopher Daniels, A.C.H., and Roderick Strong represent a nice collection of stars, styles, and experience to really see how Del Rio fares outside of the controlled WWE environment. It will then be interesting to see who ROH pits Del Rio against on the March 1 PPV from Las Vegas.

(5) Surprise Royal Rumble Guesses. Greg Parks and I had some fun on Thursday's Livecast going through the list of WWE Alumni to guess potential Royal Rumble surprise entrants. There's the hopefuls (c'mon, it's Sean Waltman's turn), the absurds (Papa Shango, not The Godfather), the surprises (Bully Ray?), and the Great Khali. And, hey, Ken Shamrock will probably throw his name out there once or twice as well.