(I saw this on SEScoops.com, and I thought it might be fun to do on a weekly or biweekly basis. Submit your EBWF wrestler related questions to ebwfmailbag@gmail.com if you'd like your character mentioned on an installment of the mailbag! )
Q: What is your opinion on the results of the 2013 Royal Rumble? Do you think Ambrose was a good pick to win? - Gary R.
A: Well it certainly wasn't my pick. Ambrose is a guy with limitless upside. He always has been. I'll say this; one of the things (I feel) that led to the WWE dropping down from the number one spot in sports entertainment/wrestling/whatever you want to call it is because they spent so much of their time and so much of their resources on the same three or four top guys. So, when one or two of those guys ultimately left the company, they had no backup main eventers to slide into that spot. It just wasn't believable that Kofi Kingston or Tyson Kidd would occupy a top spot in the company, because they had beaten those guys down for so long. Occasionally, the EBWF is guilty of that too. They'll randomly pull Randy Orton or Edge or John Cena out of the woodwork and just drop them into the main event to sell tickets. So, I applaud the decision to put Ambrose over in the Rumble. I think it was a bold and risky move, and it paid dividends to the company. In one night, they plucked a guy out of the tag team division and made him a star. Time will tell if it was a good pick, though.
Q: Have you heard any reasons about why Ken Anderson looks to be leaving the company? I kinda liked him. -Lisa J.
A: There haven't been any rumors that I've heard of at the moment, but considering Anderson's history it could just be the usual stuff. The guy is injury prone, and by some accounts he's a sloppy worker. I know at one point Randy Orton had some beef with him over a botched brain buster suplex that almost paralyzed him. But that was years ago. Who knows? Maybe the guy just needed some time off to reenergize.
Q: I've been a pretty longtime fan of SHIMMER and Ring of Honor, and I was wondering what you thought about MsChif winning the Rumble. Is she in the EBWF for the longterm? Allison W.
A: You're a big fan of SHIMMER? Uh, okay. I can't be for sure about the contractual details of MsChif signing with the EBWF. I do know that Divas tend to have one to two year contracts with the company, so if we're going from previous history, I'd say she's at least here for the extended short term. I thought it was an intriguing move bringing MsChif into the company, especially considering the reports I've heard that her body has been breaking down for the last year or two on the independent scene. There was some news shortly after she left AAW in November that she went into surgery to repair her knees, whether that coincided with her signing with the EBWF I can't be sure. But it's an interesting thought.
Q: Why has Randy Orton been so obscure as of late? The last time he was in a main event was last year. He's one of the highest paid guys in the company and he's hardly ever in the main event. What gives? - Pablo G.
A: What would you prefer? Orton in every main event, never losing and having the longest reigning EBWF World-- oh wait, that already happened. Listen, I'm a fan of the guy but his role right now is helping the company put over young up and coming talent. Just because he gets paid a lot, doesn't mean he has to headline every PPV. It's nice to see veteran guys like Orton and Cena step aside to let some new talent burst through the glass ceiling. Don't complain.
Q: With all the unexpected winners at the Royal Rumble, do you think this is a new direction that Chris Jericho is taking the company? -Gabe P.
A: I actually don't think that this is a Jericho thing. By most accounts, Jericho's baby was CEOD, and you had your Rated RKO vs. Rock and Sock Connection. That would be considered the "safe" option if I were booking a PPV card. Now, think about the guy that fought tooth and nail to push Brian Kendrick into the main event last year, despite all of the pushback from the television network and the board of directors. That was the definition of a risky move. And it definitely wasn't Chris Jericho. Here we are in 2013 and it's happening again. One can only wonder who is really making the decisions behind the scenes.
If you have questions, email ebwftalent@gmail.com to get them answered, and remember to include your name!
