Selling matches

[KaiserGlider]

So here's something that bothered me on Raw and I want to get off my chest. First off, Seth Rollins being part of a random tag match against Owens and Joe less than 24 hours after his unsanctioned match with Triple H because he was, as Cole helpfully explained, "cleared by doctors to compete". I think it devalues the importance of his match with Triple H, because the story for that was that Seth was NOT cleared to compete, but would do anything to have that ONE match on that ONE night anyway just to get his revenge on Haitch. Yet despite all the work Triple H did to Seth's knee, there he is bouncing around the next night, flying over the top rope in a match that means nothing. Why would Seth, the supposed genius architect want to compete in this match? If he wants revenge on Samoa Joe for injuring him, why not wait to recover 100% and then get Joe in a singles match? And how did these so-called doctors clear Seth anyway when he wasn't cleared to compete at Mania - and that was before the HHH match. Must be the same professionals that treated CM Punk's staph infection.

Secondly, the Hardys were bouncing around the same way less than 24 hours after Jeff did that insane Swanton off a ladder through a ladder. And on a similar note, Charlotte came out looking all happy and smiley the night after she lost a championship match at Wrestlemania. Just another day at the office for her.

What I'm saying is, I miss the times when people would really sell the matches they had. I remember when Triple H and Shawn Michaels had their hell in a cell match, they came out on Raw the next night looking like hell and could barely walk.

[Str8Shooter]

Wasn't there a report that Vince doesn't want people selling matches the next night of the next week because he thinks people paid their money and they deserve to see the superstars at their best and not limiting themselves and limping around? In theory I can understand that I guess.

[Hanley!]

Yeah, Vince has outlawed selling these days, in his most recent step towards total insanity. Because there's no better way to improve wrestling than nothing having any meaning.

Is it any wonder that babyfaces can't get over in 2017? Selling is the main way that a face creates an emotional connection with the fans. Taking that away from them makes their jobs a lot more difficult.

The Seth example is particularly irritating because they had him go from too injured to walk under his own power to completely fine within the space of a week. They actually should have taken the crutches off him at least a couple of weeks earlier, so we could believe he was recovering. And then they still shouldn't have cleared him for action on Raw this week. The way they actually booked him was ludicrous.

[The Legend]

I think it's a case of it happened too much before, but it should happen a little bit now. Seth needed to sell what happened to him and his match. I also think it's limiting to the performer to think they have to have all the tools in their toolbox to get over on a particular night. Push them out of their comfort zone and rely on other abilities to get over and it would have been even better for Seth to show a different vulnerability.

I don't know if I would have put the same on the Hardys, if you have too many guys selling what happened the night before it makes the ones that need to showcase that less special.

[Hanley!]

I totally agree with John that it can be healthy to somewhat limit what a performer is allowed to do on a given night, because it encourages them to find other ways to set themselves apart within that more restricted range. Limitations are always good for encouraging creativity in any art form. Ultimately by giving the wrestlers too much freedom to wrestle their regular style every week, they're hurting their character development and stunting their growth as performers.