HATE IS A STRONG WORD
UPDATE (6/30): Images not working. Always happens after a while. All that will change when my new website goes live in nine days and counting. Check this column later and see if it is functional.
Thursday night. June 24th. I sat in my surprisingly comfortable and cushioned front row seat. I was in Essington, Pennsylvania, which is a short drive outside of Philadelphia. A nicely air-conditioned Ramada Inn ballroom. Ring of Honor, my preferred wrestling promotion, was presenting "Survival of the Fittest," a tournament pitting twelve of the best workers in the country against each other. For the first time in a live event, I was able to witness "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson compete in not one -- but two matches. He was phenomenal. CM Punk, one of my favorite wrestlers, defended the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championship as well as handily defeating the rising star known as Hydro. Yes, it was a beautiful, wonderful, magical night.....marred by only one detail.
It was time for the final tournament match before the six-man elimination finals. Five participants had qualified with only one to go. The match was the reigning Ring of Honor World Champion Samoa Joe vs. Matt Stryker. At my first ROH live event, I liked Stryker from the get-go. Good worker. Interesting and unique (unibrow) look. A real mat wrestler. No over-the-top gimmick or outfit. His "character" was that simply he was a good wrestler. Not the most inventive personae, but it is something I have grown to like from my "pure" wrestlers. So, I was looking forward to seeing Matt Stryker that evening. Especially in a high-profile (albeit non-title) match with the ROH Champion.
Stryker's music hit. He walked out...and like a bucket of cold water in the face, he was met with the most powerful negative reaction I have ever heard live. Terrible boos. Rude calls that, while part of live wrestling, seemed unnecessary. Particularly "Die, Stryker, Die!" After all, this was Matt Stryker. A good wrestler. He could go. Why was he receiving this reaction? I knew that he wasn't a lot of fans' cup of tea. In fact, I knew from past experiences that some folks simply didn't care for him at all. At a couple live events, a few rabble rousers threw negativity his way, but they were in the minority. In the ROH internet forums, some people claimed a great dislike of Stryker, but I didn't think it was quite that intense. "What is this?" I asked myself. "Did Stryker make a huge heel turn at the last show?" No. ROH stars' heel/babyface designations are not always clear, but if Stryker was a huge bad guy now, why was he beat down by the main heel stable, Generation Next? Why did he tag with big face "Hurricane" John Walters? No, he wasn't classified a true heel. Even if he was, this reaction wasn't heel heat. This was bad heat...
...and I was not pleased.
Instantly, I looked around. Sitting to my right was a large fellow who actually shared my like of Stryker. To my left, a handsome young man in a wheelchair who had been cracking me up all night. He didn't like this. Seated right behind me was, coincidentally, the manager of my local video store. He was with me too. I decided to cheer as loudly as I could for Stryker to help drown out some of the hate. I enjoyed it. It was fun battling with chants against other fans. I also wanted to see Joe lose desperately. It had been fifteen months since he captured the championship belt. So, he always (predictably) wins his matches. An underdog defeat would have been so sweet. In the end, Matt Stryker lost to Samoa Joe. As Stryker exited the ring, I let him know that our's was the "Matt Stryker Section, baby!"
After speaking with a few fans later, I learned that the Matt Stryker hate is a very real and potent thing amoung Ring of Honor fans. But why? Why Stryker? At the risk of sounding arrogant, I like to think that after consuming so much wrestling over the many years of my fandom that I have pretty good taste in my personal likes and dislikes. How could the vast majority rally against someone I held in such regard? I was determined to find out. Hence, today's column.
--STRYKING OUT--
At 5'11" and 217 pounds, Matt Stryker is almost exactly the type of physical specimen I like in my wrestlers. Muscular but not overly so. Short enough so not to be a hoss-like hinderence, but tall enough to go toe-to-toe with those over six feet. His weight is perfect. Lean enough to be a cruiserweight flyer but with enough mass to be a believable heavyweight.
Stryker graduated from the Les Thatcher Main Event Pro Wrestling Camp. He became a star of the Heartland Wrestling Association which features such other athletes as Chady Collyer and Nigel McGuinness. Stryker's style is comparable to those of the two other top wrestlers. Mat-based, technical wrestling. A pure wrestler. Yes, he incorporates strong style kicks from time to time, but Stryker is known for his technical expertise. Lots of submissions like the ankle lock, sharpshooter, Texas cloverleaf, and his finisher: a leg and knee submission called the Stryker Lock. He honed his skills in the HWA, earning the Tag Team Championship, Cruiserweight Championship, and Heavyweight Championship.
In 2002, Stryker was given a spot in ECWA's famous Super 8 Tournament. While not the winner, even having the privalege of being one of the eight means instant status as one of the best independent wrestlers in America. In 2003, Stryker was added to the incredible roster of Ring of Honor, the top indy in the country. He wrestled the likes of John Walters, Colt Cabana, and Chris Sabin. I was in attendance for the Sabin vs. Stryker match. Pretty good even if Sabin landed on his head towards the end. Partially Stryker's fault, I admit. This wasn't just any match, though. This was part of ROH's Field of Honor. All the up-and-coming stars competing for a high spot in the Top Five rankings over the course of a few months. In the end, Stryker won! He bested BJ Whitmer later that year in the finals.
Also in 2003, Stryker made two appearances on WWE television. A match with Shannon Moore on Velocity and with Spike Dudley on Sunday Night Heat. He was not offerred a contract (to the best of my knowledge) but the wrestling scene was taking notice. He earned a spot on a few NWA-TNA shows, but it wasn't a particularly memorable run. Later in the year, he wrestled in JCW's Jersey J-Cup. He went on to more success in Ring of Honor in 2004 as a semi-finalist in the Pure Wrestling Championship tournament. He also captured the #1 Contender Trophy and faced Samoa Joe for the ROH Championship. Stryker lost, but it was a good match.
--STRYKE FORCE--
Matt Stryker is a big name in the indy wrestling world....
.....so why does it seem like there are five Stryker haters for every one Stryker fan? It must be a combination of several factors. Some not his fault at all, but some, sadly, are valid arguments from the anti-fans:
"Booooring." In today's fast-paced, triple corkscrew diving splash, chokeslam over the ropes wrestling scene, a strict technical wrestler might seem boring to some. I can't deny that. To satisfy many fans, technical wrestlers sometimes need an edge. Chris Benoit is technical perfection, but he adds a lot of energy to it as well as mixing in some occassional brawling. American Dragon is a technical machine, but he is also more intense than Stryker and is all-around more impressive. The fact is that Stryker does more than just holds in the ring. In the aforementioned match against Samoa Joe last week, Stryker nailed Joe with a Death Valley Driver, went to the top ropes more than once, and was very expressive. For some reason, it just wasn't enough for the crowd. It was enough for me, though.
"He's not even the best Matt Stryker!" There are two Matt Strykers on the independent promotions. The first being obvious and the second being Matt Striker with an "i." I've seen him wrestle live at a World-1 show earlier this year. He's good, but I wouldn't go as far as to say he's better than Stryker number one. He's definately more handsome...but that's it. I prefer Stryker over Striker.
"Shave your brow!" Matt Stryker isn't a pretty picture. If he had no muscles, he would be terribly unattractive. Not that Samoa Joe should be on the cover of GQ, but I know that this fact isn't helping Stryker get over.
"No gimmick! No personality!" What the hell is Matt Stryker's gimmick? He has none. Not really. Of course, many great wrestlers' gimmicks were just that they were what they really were: good wrestlers. Dean Malenko comes to mind. In fact, so does WWE World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit. As far as personality is concerned...it is true. Stryker is awful on the microphone. I've seen and heard worse, but Stryker is up (or down) there.
"Damn Jesus push." What is a "Jesus push" anyway? Well, it is the term I heard one hater label Matt Stryker's ascent in Ring of Honor. Without being particularly over with the crowd, Matt Stryker was given the Field of Honor tournament, spots on nearly every ROH event since his debut with the company, and most recently a main event match. That is the "Jesus push." Shot to the top as if by miracle. At least, in the eyes of some fans. To me, Stryker has been handed the ball because he's a good worker and the ROH bookers believed he would eventually get over with the crowds once they saw that. A reasonable assumption that just didn't pan out.
--STRYKE ZONE--
What to do with Matt Stryker. In my mind, there is only one option: turn him into a Rock-like heel. Back in The Rock's earlier WWF days as Rocky Maivia, he received similar reactions. Horrible and somewhat undeserved bad heat thrown his way while he was a babyface. There was just something about Rocky that people hated. He seemed like a decent wrestler to me. Good sense of timing. Clearly very athletic. Still, people slammed him so much that the writers decided it best to take advantage and turn him into a monster heel. It worked, and it could work for Matt Stryker too.
Now, Stryker is no Rock. Especially on the microphone. The concept, however, is similar enough. At the next show, Matt Stryker can get on the mic (or if he isn't able to do it properly, it can be done through a manager) and rant against the overly-demanding Ring of Honor fans. He'd be a huge heel because, like Rock, his heat would have its beginnings in legitimate hate.
By the way, if there is any doubt that someone as seemingly uncool as Matt Stryker can be turned into something special, take a look at this picture of The Rock pre-heel turn...
I rest my case.
--CONCLUSION (I'VE RUN OUT OF BAD PUNS)--
So, why do most Ring of Honor fans seem to hate Matt Stryker? It is both many things and nothing. Valid reasons and utter bullplop. For my money (and I do spend a bit of it on ROH), I like Matt Stryker. I don't find him boring or worthy of ridicule. In fact, I suspect that even if he does turn completely heel in a recent show, I'll still cheer for him all the same. Ring of Honor is Stryker's best bet for a steady job right now. WWE gave him a couple matches, but many indy wrestlers can say that. Also, frankly, I don't think he'd fit in well there right now. Usually, they need an edge that Stryker doesn't have yet.
ROH is Stryker's biggest opportunity right now. I hope he succeeds and isn't booed out of any more arenas. Semi-regular ROH worker Jimmy Rave was recently let go and told he didn't have a spot at any upcoming shows. Much of it is due, he claims, to negative fan reaction to him (even as a babyface) both at the events and on the ROH message boards. I'd hate to think that could happen to Matt Stryker too.
Good luck, buddy...from everyone in the Matt Stryker Section.
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Love him? Hate him? Only watch Raw and Smackdown and have no idea who he is? E-mail all comments to Trophar@Lycos.com and I'll try and get back to you.
The Beauty in Wrestling archives website will be ready in ten days and counting!
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MAILBAG - THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
Your article is very enlightening, and really grasps with what irks me the most about all these notions, from the sheer ignorant statement(s) "That 'rasslin is just a bunch of actors and choreography"...Thank you and I'll be sure to read again!
-Rachel
My personal sport of choice is bodybuilding. But since I do not compete is it not a sport and that I am not an athlete? I would say that I am in fact an athlete and that I am in fact participating in a sport. However the argument that could be made is that I can measure my progress by the changes in my physique and the increase in strength.
-Dan Kitinoja
I must disagree with your assertation about Motorsports being even less of a sport. I think you clearly underestimate the required fitness levels and tolerance to stresses that motorsports involves, there is a reason why you never see a top driver who is out of shape. Each driver at the top whether it be Nascar, Indycar, F1, WRC, Speedway or MotoGP has to endure massive strains. F1 and IndyCar have huge G-Forces to deal with, WRC has the constantly changing directions and surfaces, MotoGP and Speedway have the constant struggle to keep your body in tune with the bike at each turn.
-Ieuan Johns