WWE Over the Limit 2011: Wait...I Just Paid $44.95 for This?

There has long been a belief across the internet wrestling world that both World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action/Impact Wrestling/Whatever They're Calling Themselves This Week need to reduce their pay-per-view schedules.

Many believe that they need to spend more time building intriguing stories and constructing a card diverse enough and full of multiple matches fans will willingly pay to see. Following the May 2011 Over the Limit pay-per-view event, there is no denying a need for change.

The first piece of evidence suggesting, at the very least, that Over the Limit may be a failure of an event was the lack of focus put on it by WWE. While the two main event matches from Raw were pushed to the fanbase, those matches being John Cena vs. The Miz and Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole, there was little else for the casual wrestling fan to get excited about.

Randy Orton and Christian had been engaged in a very intriguing program, but, judging from the SmackDown ratings as of late, it is highly unlikely any one has actually seen it. Add to it uninteresting mid-card matches and an overall card thrown together as late as Saturday evening and you have a show that was destined for, at best, mediocrity.

John Cena and The Miz, once a feud thought to have a bit of longevity to it, has become tired and stale. The Miz, a fresh, young, interesting champion at first failed to really establish himself due to bad booking on WWE's part and the fact that, despite whether some want to admit it or not, his in-ring skills failed to live up to the position he was put in.

The chemistry between Cena and Miz, despite all indications to the contrary, was often missing. While Cena has proven to be able to adapt to so many different styles utilized by an array of different opponents, he was unable to really gel with Miz and his inexperience at the main event level. What resulted were three very mediocre matches, the last of which, an "I Quit" match, was horrendously booked.

Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler wrapped up a storyline that ran from late November through April and into May, the longest program the company has run since the conclusion of the original Nexus vs. John Cena angle. Unlike that program, I would venture to guess that no WWE fan is sad to see the conclusion of Lawler-Cole, a storyline that started hot but fizzled as it ensued.

The match, if one could call it that, was exactly what it should have been at WrestleMania. Lawler dominated and defeated Cole before humiliating him in front of the entire WWE Universe (or those who, unfortunately, paid for the event) and gaining a measure of revenge.

While millions are happy that the feud appears to be wrapped up, it does not hide the fact that, for nearly forty-five dollars, fans do not deserve to sit through an angle that could have, and would have, been better suited for a Monday night broadcast.

R-Truth continued his impressive heel work but faced a clash of styles in his match with Rey Mysterio, a contest many fans seemed to care less about. Brie Bella and Kelly Kelly tried but years of disgraceful treatment when it comes to the Divas division has left the majority of the fans caring little about their work. Sin Cara failed to impress in his pay-per-view, largely due to what could have been an injury to the right knee suffered by Chavo Guerrero near the conclusion of the contest.

It is not as if the aforementioned Superstars did not work hard and try to put forth the best efforts and product possible. They did. But when a company cares so little for the event they are putting on, as it is apparent from the lack of hype given to this weekend's show, it is hard for fans and for entertainers to rise to the occasion and create something special.

It is a shame that Randy Orton and Christian's near-classic was wasted on a show so mediocre and pedestrian in its approach. The two SmackDown Superstars constructed a near-masterpiece for the World Heavyweight Championship, the best match this side of Undertaker vs. Triple H we may see all year. Both men brought a passion and energy to their work missing from every other match and angle presented to the WWE fans.

Since moving to SmackDown in the draft, Orton has shown a renewed passion for his work and it shows every time he walks through the curtain. As for Christian, he appears to be thriving in his role as a top tier talent on SmackDown. Time will only tell how much faith WWE has in "Captain Charisma" and whether or not they will finally pull the trigger on making him a featured talent on their show.

Was Over the Limit 2011 a bad show? Not by any means. Was it a good show? Absolutely not. And therein lies the problem.

In a society such as the one we live in today, where unemployment is up and the economy remains shaky, asking the blue collar professional wrestling fans (or sports-entertainment fans, since that is the preferred term in Stanford, CT) to pay nearly $50 for a show consisting of middling matches and idiotic angles usually reserved for the weekly television show, and repaying them with a single quality match, is ridiculous and irresponsible business.

Sure, they are the recipients of those wrestling fans willing to pay their price but the question becomes how many fans were alienated in the process?

Some of the most fondly remembered angles in wrestling history were those that took months, even a full year, to properly build. They kept the interest of the fans  and created an anticipation for the match that all-but assured pay-per-view and box office success. Today, with only weeks between each pay-per-view event, that excitement and anticipation has been replaced with apathy and boredom.

Is it time to restructure the pay-per-view schedule? How many pay-per-view events should there be? Like or dislike the Over the Limit pay-per-view? Voice your opinion in the comments section.