Orton/Edge
By Scott Keith on 29th May 2021
Scott,
The WWE totally oversold that Edge v. Orton match as the wrestling greatest match of all time or whatever. Is there a chance that the match has a long reach as a cultural milestone? It certainly doesn't hurt that the match was very good.
I feel like that particular match, despite being cringey af in execution from a production standpoint, provided a proof of concept that crowdless matches won't need to be completely devoid of atmosphere in perpetuity.
Off of the top of my head, I'm can't be certain that the WWE was the 1st to market with punching up an event that had not actual attendance or not, but I'm not sure of any example prior to that match either.
They already did an empty arena match with Rock v. Mankind in 99 off the top of my head, and that was a BIG deal. Plus of course Lawler v. Funk was the trailblazer there.
I think once crowds return for good, WWE is going to erase the fuck out of 2020 and we will not see them waxing nostalgically about basically anything from that era. I mean, my god, have you tried to go back and watch any of the PC era shows? Or the AEW Dynamites from QT's secret gym in Atlanta? It's like fingernails on a chalkboard now.
To paraphase Axl Rose, we already left that era and it's better off left behind.