killeroflegends

The motivation behind this post is, once again, all the unnecessary concern over the spot Mickie took on Monday. It is good to be concerned about the wrestlers, do not get me wrong, but give them credit for the spots they take and their ability to sell. Some people have said the one thing I feared they would say, that they should get rid of the spot where the wrestlers are tossed off the top rope. The WWE has already banned so much, including a pile driver. Mickie, and this is the getting old now, did not get hurt. It is selling. It is ring psychology. She took the spot, proved that women can take dangerous spots just like men, and showed a selling ability that even some men would die for. Even if she was injured in anyway, she proves that divas can have the heart to continue a match with a tough injury. Leg injuries are always tough, just ask Triple H. Nevertheless, it was not a real injury, the heels targeted the leg, and it was all part of the match to make the friendship between Mickie and Melina look stronger. I have discussed selling many times before, but must go there again.

Let me start by talking about Randy Orton. I have mentioned he is a good seller before. Remember when he faced Triple H at the 2005 Royal Rumble? He sold a concussion, which eventually led to his loss there. Was he really hurt? No. If he was, he got no time off. He wrestled again for the next few weeks, still acting like he was concussed at times. That is good selling. Continuous selling is important. The show does not end when the bell ring. In another example, look at the picture above. At Survivor Series 2007, Orton beat Shawn Michaels, but took a super kick after the match. That is a picture of him right after the kick. His eyes are wide open. Few people sell like that, ever. It looked somewhat awkward, like he may have been hit hard, and that he was really hurt. Was he? No. It is good selling.

Back to Mickie James. Monday was not the first time she sold an injury well, even after the match. Look at her match against Katie Lea at Night Of Champions 2008. She sold an arm injury in that match. She looked ravished after the match, not smiling and celebrating like nothing happened. Reports said she was slightly injured. If she was, she should get credit for still competing the next night, against Jillian Hall, who targeted the arm. Again, Mickie sold well. She even went on an international tour later that week, facing Beth Phoenix, who can really injure someone if she is not careful. From clips I have seen of those matches, Mickie looked absolutely fine. It seems like the arm injury was more good selling rather than actual pain. There is also a list of KOs Mickie has sold awesomely, going completely stiff and motionless. Was she really knocked-out in any of these situations? No. I will only mention one specifically. When Mickie James tried to regain the Women’s Championship a few weeks from Beth, she lost when her head got smashed into the ring post. She went completely out. I will admit it, I was scared for a second. Even after the bell rang, she was still not moving. Nevertheless, she was not hurt for real. Her selling was amazing there. She could have easily rolled out of the ring and started walking away right after the match, but selling does not end when the bell rings.

In the end, I will admit that I am basically retelling something I have said for weeks now. Mickie is an awesome seller. Some people believe that Mickie was really hurt because she was crying after the match. Emotion is a part of selling. Remember all the times Mickie lost to Beth earlier this year, and actually cried at times after matches? Was she really upset about losing? No. She is just good at showing emotion. I will not even mention her psycho angle. Moreover, as I have been hinting throughout this, the show does not end when the bell rings. If she is going to sell a leg injury during a match, Mickie knows she still has to make it look convincing after. It adds to the quality of the match, even if it is over. Moreover, it adds to her friendship with Melina. Give Mickie James some credit for her selling ability. Do not watch her matches in a box. Look at her previous matches to realize her talent in selling, then when she is selling an injury in the future, it may be easier to tell if it is real or not. For one thing, the opponents would not be targeting the injury so blatantly.

Shifting away from selling, I just want to make one final note on the topic of “The Show Does Not End When The Bell Rings.” Some criticize Mickie for being boring as a face, being too good, and needing to go back to her psycho gimmick. I may discuss a return of the psycho heel another day, but let me just look at the idea of Mickie being a boring, nice face. ARE YOU CRAZY!?…What I mean to say, I do not believe that is true. For a face, Mickie can act very heelish at times. She sometimes disregards the referees, stares evilly and seductively at her opponents, and has a pugnacious spirit that never gets boring. Just sticking to the point, even after the match ends, Mickie usually is still taunting her opponent and challenging them. Most faces, and even heels, just celebrate and forget about the opponent. Mickie is giving her opponent a bit of respect, showing that they are still a target. For herself, this makes Mickie James look aggressive. That is beyond a simple, nice, boring face. Mickie realizes that the WWE is not giving her a good gimmick, feud, angle, or much else much of the time, but she makes it up with her ring psychology and overall work. 

Selling and taunting your opponents are just some of what ring psychology is all about. Moreover, neither ends when the bell rings. The match may have ended, but not the show. You still must  continue to do your best at selling or interacting with who you must. Mickie James realizes this. Give her some credit. She is tough. She has a lot of heart. Most importantly, she has ring psychology down very well.

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