Then came Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi inside Hell in a Cell.

From the moment this match was announced, it felt different. It felt important. It felt like a fight instead of just another match on the card. As I watched, I found myself getting lost in it the same way I did as a kid. That’s a feeling I honestly haven’t had in a long time.

I want to be clear….I have a lot of respect for guys like CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. They’re talented, and CM Punk especially has that natural believability that makes you pay attention whenever he speaks. I don’t think the problem is the wrestlers themselves. Sometimes I wonder if it’s the creative direction or the way stories are presented. Wrestling is at its best when it makes you forget it’s a TV show, even for a few minutes.

That’s exactly what Brock Lesnar has always done for me.

When Brock walks out, it feels like business is about to pick up. He has an aura that very few wrestlers have ever had. You believe he can destroy anyone standing across the ring. That’s something wrestling is slowly losing as many of those larger than life stars move on from the business.

That’s why Oba Femi caught my attention.

I really believe he has the tools to become one of those special attractions. He looks the part. He carries himself like a star, and he has the presence that makes you stop and watch. That’s something you can’t teach.

Now if I had one critique, it would be this…. I think Oba needs to slow things down just a little. After the big moves, I’d like to see him stay down longer and let the damage sink in. Sometimes he recovers so quickly that it pulls me out of the moment. It reminds me a little of the old Hulk Hogan style where a wrestler suddenly powers back up, but the timing doesn’t quite feel right yet. That’s not a knock on him. I think it’s something that will come with experience.

That’s also why I’m not completely sure he’s ready for Brock Lesnar to fully pass the torch just yet. I think he’ll get there, but I don’t know if he’s there today. The potential is obvious though.

Out of everything I watched on SummerSlam Night 1, this was the match that made me remember why I became a wrestling fan in the first place. While some of the other matches were good, they didn’t leave me thinking about them afterward. Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi did.

As for SummerSlam Night 2, I probably won’t watch it. Maybe I’ll miss a huge moment, and that’s okay. Night 1 already gave me what I was looking for. It reminded me that wrestling can still feel real when the right people are in the ring.

If WWE wants to bring back more longtime fans like me, this is the direction I’d love to see. Give us larger than life personalities. Give us matches that feel important. Most of all, give us moments that make us believe again, even if it’s only for one night.

The post Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi Reminded Me Why Wrestling Still Matters appeared first on Varner Vibes.

I really wish I didn’t understand how wrestling works. I wish I could go back to when I was a kid, sitting on the edge of my seat, thinking everything was real. Now it feels like everyone has to know what’s going on behind the scenes. Everyone talks about “storylines” and “booking decisions” like it’s all just a TV show. And honestly, it’s killing the magic.

For those who may not know, there used to be something in wrestling called kayfabe. Kayfabe basically means staying in character at all times. Wrestlers didn’t go on talk shows together if they were rivals. They didn’t post pictures on social media hanging out with people they were supposed to hate on TV. They made you believe it was all real. And that belief is what made wrestling so special.

Back in the day keeping kayfabe was everything. Wrestlers protected the business like it was a sacred thing. If you were a good guy, you traveled with good guys. If you were a bad guy, you stayed away from the good guys. Fans didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t and that’s what made wrestling larger than life.

Now, though, it feels like wrestling forgot how important kayfabe was. Every move, every match result, every “big surprise” is talked about online before it even happens. People post spoilers, and wrestlers themselves sometimes let too much slip. And while I still love wrestling because it’s a huge part of my childhood, I can’t lie it’s different now.

Knowing how the business works has ruined part of the fun for me. It’s like finding out how a magic trick is done. Sure, it’s still cool, but it doesn’t make you feel the same inside. Wrestling was supposed to make you believe, even if deep down you knew it was entertainment, you wanted to believe it was real while you were watching.

That’s what JBL was trying to say. Wrestling needs to protect itself better. It’s not just about keeping secrets it’s about keeping the feeling alive. Not every fan needs to know what goes on backstage. Not every storyline needs to be explained like it’s part of a script. Wrestling is supposed to make you feel something real… even if it’s not.

I’m glad JBL said what he said, because honestly, I thought I was the only one feeling this way. Wrestling still gives me comfort. It still reminds me of being a kid dreaming about becoming a champion myself. But I do wish the business would go back to being more careful. I wish it would protect the magic that made so many of us fall in love with it in the first place.

Protect kayfabe. Protect the magic. Wrestling deserves it and so do the fans who still believe.

JBL Comments Below:

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1837773/jbl-takes-issue-one-aspect-triple-h-handling-wwe-business

The post Wrestling Lost Its Magic – And JBL Is Right appeared first on Varner Vibes.