WWE: Vince McMahon's Will to Succeed at Any Cost

Nothing lasts forever.

Week in and week out, WWE rules the land as the world’s No. 1 professional wrestling company.  Fans watch Raw and SmackDown, buy the pay per views, read and debate the product online.  

We do it so much, so often, that for many of us, it has become a routine that we can’t see ourselves straying from.

Since the day that World Championship Wrestling closed its doors back in 2001, there has been no legitimate direct competition for Vince McMahon and WWE.  No one has been able to make a dent, because no one has really been able to even take a swing.

The truth is, the house that McMahon built has grown to such epic proportions since then, that in many ways, it is bulletproof from any outside influences.  WWE is a constantly dominating presence in the business, and it seems sometimes as though it will never end.

Be honest, can you imagine pro wrestling without WWE?  If it all ended today, and the company shut down, what would it do to the business?

What would it do to all of us as fans?  I mean, I have nothing else to do on Monday nights, do you?

Not every fan sees it this way, of course.  Many point out that Raw’s ratings have not been very good since CM Punk won his latest WWE Championship, and that the pay per view buy rates are sometimes less than stellar.  Maybe these are warning signs pointing to trouble down the road.

Another issue is the fact that there have been some glitches with WWE’s new network, which is set to hit this year, on April 1, the day of WrestleMania 28.

April 1.  April Fool’s Day.  Coincidence, or karma?  Stay tuned for that one.

The word is that the company is rushing the launch of the network.  The announcement was made back in September, and now here we are with April right around the corner.  Will they be ready?

Perhaps my earlier comment about WWE being bulletproof is not that far off the mark after all.  Well, maybe not at least in Vince McMahon’s mind.

We’re talking about the guy who brazenly stepped over every promotion in the territories back in the day.  He bought up valuable TV time, snatched up even more valuable talent, and positioned his company to be the leader in the business.

This is the same guy who revealed the closely held secret of the sport to the world.  He told everyone on the outside that yes, it’s all predetermined, and no, these wrestlers are not really trying to hurt each other.

And, let’s not forget that this guy faced down a double-barrel standoff from WCW, and never blinked. He not only weathered the storm, he conquered it, and closed the doors on the biggest competition he has ever had.

If anyone thinks that Vince is not confident in himself, and his company’s ability to succeed, then you are gravely mistaken.

So, why wouldn’t he aim his sights on developing a television network in less than seven months, and then decide to debut it on the biggest night of the year for the company?

At this point, after all he’s done and all that WWE has accomplished, this whole network thing is just a cakewalk.

I know what you’re thinking.  “Not everything that Vince touches turns to gold.  Remember the XFL?” Okay, you got me.  But, hey, everybody gets one, right?

The future of not only the network, but WWE itself, hinges entirely on Vince McMahon’s will to succeed, and the support of those around him.  Period.  

Are the odds stacked against him?  Of course.  But, he’s been there, done that.  

Is his product being criticized for poor ratings and lackluster programs?  Yes, but it’s happened before.

Is he crazy for trying his hand at Hollywood with movies featuring WWE Superstars?  You better believe it.  Will that stop him?  Fat chance.

For better or worse, Vince McMahon is the ultimate overachiever.  Everything he does, he does on a grand scale.  

Go big or go home.  Vince wrote that.

When it comes to WWE, and its complete domination of the professional wrestling world, the fact is that sooner or later, something is bound to happen.  Whether it’s a new rivalry with an upstart promotion that leads to a possible demise, or whether it’s done by their own hands, WWE is not exempt from the one constant in life that never changes.

Nothing lasts forever.  Just don’t tell that to Vince.

***** This just in!!  Wrestlezone.com is reporting that the WWE Network's debut is being pushed back to the fall of 2012,  Guess Vince perhaps has been feeling the pressure after all? *****