"Wildman" Marc Mero vs Adam Groom WWF Superstars 04-13-1996
Reinventing yourself is hard
Here I am, speaking on a subject like I'm some kind of expert. What am I a podcaster? No I'm something far worse, a blogger. I don't think I'm speaking out of turn here though. The benefit of being a blogger not a podcaster is there's nobody to interrupt me except my own train of thought. LFO's SUMMER GIRLS IS LESS A SONG AND MORE A SERIES OF FACTS. Sorry, train's getting back on the tracks here. Reinventing yourself is hard. I'm not speaking from a ton of experience , but I've had my moments. Like everyone I've had those moments of self-improvement where you reflect and try to change yourself in a positive way. I've also had moments of shelf improvement where I look at an Ikea Bookcase I built and know I need to do better next time. It requires commitment and dedication . I don't know how people do it. I'm not talking about the bookcase, well I am talking about the bookcase too, but I really mean the reinventing part. I know how exhausting it has been to make smaller positive steps in my life, I can only imagine having to reconfigure my entire existence.
Especially in front of a worldwide audience. That's what Marc Mero had to do
You guys are getting some real Bill Simmons style half assed internet research right here so buckle up buckaroo. Marc Mero was barely out of wrestling school when he was given the gimmick of Johnny B Badd. I don't know who had the idea to do a pro wrestling Little Richard, but that man was a genius. The gimmick was over-the top and cartoony , but it worked. The early stages were rough and there is the whole Marc Mero is actually white thing that still blows my mind and maybe we can unpack another day , but eventually Mero grew into the role. The character was turned face and became a great mid-card babyface for WCW. Mero even won an Observer award for Most Improved wrestler in 1995, pretty impressive for a wrestler so gimmicked up. WCW and Mero had a parting of the ways and the World Wrestling Federation came a calling. Johnny B Badd would be perfect for the mid 90s WWF and this was a real chance for Vince to get behind a new character. The only problem is Marc Mero didn't own Johnny B Badd, WCW did. WWE still signed Mero to a big money deal either because they didn't realize that or thought that they could make Mero work anyway. It was a lot of confidence in Mero, but the problem was Mero had never done anything else. He had been midcard Johnny B Badd from the beginning of his career and now he had to make a change, in front of a brand new audience, with all the expectations of a huge contract around him. He was destined to fail. Look, I haven't revisited a lot of Marc Mero stuff, but it's easy to say he didn't live up to the lofty expectations put on him. How could he, he should have been part of a tag team called The Kate Bushwhackers because he was running up that hill. You can chalk it up to booking, injuries, Vince, Sable, himself, it ultimately doesn't matter because the result was the same. Reinventing yourself is hard enough, it's harder when everyone is watching.
Well, right now the only ones watching are you and me as we take a look at one of Marc Mero's first WWF matches against Adam Groom. Mero is out first and man he is absolutely jacked here. Mero is so tan that he doesn't even look like a real person anymore. During the entrance we get a recap of his burgeoning feud with Hunter Hearst Helmsley, complete with Marc Mero sweeping Sable off her feet. The opponent tonight is Adam Groom, a chubbier wimpy than usual. That's not the only thing that stands out about Groom as he has no color scheme to his gear. White boots, black kneepads, multicolored singlet, someone call the fashion police and charge him with manslaughtering my eyes. I could be on E. The network, not the drug. I couldn't be on E the drug
I hate Jamiroqui.
Virtual Insanity my aunt fanny.
Mero takes control early with a headlock ( every goddamn wimpy match starts the same lately), but gets whipped into the ropes. Mero comes back with a ONE STEP SHOULDERBLOCK. That doesn't sound impressive, but it looked rad as hell . Mero got a lot of distance and speed coming off the rope. Mero looks to the crowd ala Macho Man Randy Savage. Some would say it's kind of ripping of Macho Man.
Me
I'm saying that.
Mero hits the ropes and hits a headscissors followed by a quick Japanese armdrag. I did not expect that. Big backbody drop to Groom by Mero and now Mero is climbing the top rope. I thought I'd never say this, A BIG DOUBLE AXEHANDLE off the top. I'm not even being sarcastic. Mero got so much height and his body like squatted in mid-airt hat for once in my miserable life I saw a Double Axe Handle that looked good. Mero keeps going back to his Macho taunt, probably because this was the only idea he had. A big running knee by Mero to Groom and then Mero clotheslines Groom out of the ring to the floor. Mero hits the ropes and ROPE ASSISTED FRONT FLIP TO THE OUTSIDE. Well I certainly didn't expect that. Mero took the coward's way out and used the ropes, but he could have easily done a no hands flip if he wanted too. Still super impressive for mid 90s WWF and a guy that size. Oh I get it. He's the Wildman. That was a wild move. Character development. He rolls Groom back into the ring and A LEGDROP FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE RING TO THE INSIDE for the pin and the win. I'm sure it has an actual name that's escaping me, but either way that's one of my absolutely favorite wrestling moves and Mero's is as good as anyone.
Guys, do I love Marc Mero now? What is happening? I'm floored by this. I assumed Mero was bad. People told me Mero was bad. People either lied to me or I'm basing this off of this one wimpy match. OBVIOUSLY THEY LIED. This was a shocker, I'm going to be honest. I think we're going to have to take another look at the Wildman. I thought reinventing yourself was hard,
But for maybe one night, Marc Mero made it look less hard.
I didn't want to say it was easy. Nothing's easy. Not even earth girls. Don't let the movie fool you. Why didn't Julie Brown have a better career. Train's leaving the station now. Bye Bye
TLDR Review
Marc Mero is Johnny B Good. Adam Groom is Johnny B Badd at color coordinating. Billy Shakespeare did indeed write a whole bunch of sonnets
If you're interested in more condensed version of my thoughts, You can check out my Twitter where I talk about wrestling or stress out during Boston Celtics games. Hell, I'll even take suggestions for matches you want to see reviewed. You can also check out my Youtube where I make weird videos where I put on wigs in front of a camera to mask my true identity.