What WOHW Needs...

World of Hurt Wrestling returned with an explosive show in May 2012 and almost two years later the hits have just kept coming. Whether they brought in "names" or just went out and put on entertaining matches standing on the merit of their mostly-homegrown talent, WOHW has filled their venues to the brim with excited and engaged wrestling fans.

On paper... Their formula needs no changing. But to me, the cynical, over analytical uber-fan, I see a promotion rife with potential to do something truly dramatic and powerful.

Let's first look at a few of the many things they do RIGHT every time:

-- exciting matches. This goes without saying. Those guys go out there and they LEAVE it out there. Is every match perfectly polished? No. But they are typically high octane and tell a story.

-- characters. Whether home brewed or honed elsewhere, World of Hurt is overflowing with outrageous, over the top and unique characters.

-- fan interaction. This, of course, is something most local promotions excel at; mingling with the fans (when it makes sense to do so) at intermission, autograph signings and posing for pictures. Independent wrestling should really be all about access. And one can't say they don't give it to you!

So all of those things are all well and good... But what are they missing? What can be improved?

-- storylines/feuds. I touched on this a few months back when I fantasy-booked their "Once in a Lifetime" event but other than a few exceptions (Starr/Danger vs Pure Dynamite, Heavyweight Title beefs, and Eric Alden vs Adam Badger) there really haven't been many feuds or consistent storylines for fans to invest in and/or follow. To me this is the greatest growth opportunity this promotion has before them. Obviously not EVERY worker on the roster needs to necessarily be embroiled in a heated rivalry or blood-fueled feud... But I think this can be improved upon. The heel turn of Danger at the last show is a fantastic start on the path to communicating to the fans that "something cool can happen" every show. They need to keep at that. It doesn't need to be world shattering stuff. It can be subtle... but it, overall, is certainly lacking on your average WOHW show. They bring in HUGE crowd every show... Give them something to latch on to... A storyline or four to care about... I love throwing two great workers at eachother and ringing the bell and saying "have at it"... But let's get a little heat behind it! A dominant heel stable would be an interesting, easy start in this direction, because so many feuds and stories can be built off of them. They sort of have the Frat Pack... But in name only, really. Commit to the group and see what happens.

-- new/different faces. Don't get me wrong. I love the old faces (and I know "everybody" wants to get booked at WOHW). However, one thing that made 787Pro/Ultimate Wrestling EAST exciting for their few months of existence was the inclusion of performers you "can't see" at an IYFW or WOHW show. That variety, I felt, was vital to wrestling in this area and WOHW has an opportunity to really jump on that idea and inject that variety in their shows. As noted on our Facebook page a day or two ago, rumors are swirling that a handful of 2CW performers might appear at the Rumble Royale event in a few weeks... And I heard just today that fans might expect a surprise appearance from an IYFW performer who doesn't typically appear in Whitehall... This kind of exciting variation in roster can really invigorate a locker room and, again, send a message to the fan that "you never know who you'll see" at a WOHW event.

I want to stress that I dig the WOHW product... But if they want to rise to a new level, I think these are a few easy things that could put them over the top.

Thanks for reading! Any feedback/suggestions, send to Paul@Wrestlefudge.com!