WWE TLC: The demise of Kane, once the most feared superstar of all

Barnaby Read 18:16 21/04/2015
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    • Demise: The once granite-like Kane has become less imposing in recent years.

    Last week in this column we took great joy in a plethora of Monty Python references which, in relation to the WWE’s handling of Kane ended with: ‘Now, something completely different.’

    The Big Red Monster has been The Authority’s suited muscle for a while and all the demon and terror seems to be lost from Hell’s masked madman.

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    His constant to-ing and fro-ing between corporate pawn and loose cannon has surrounded the character’s 18-year career ever since Glenn Jacobs was first introduced to the world as The Undertaker’s disfigured half brother by the late Paul Bearer in 1997.

    While the theme didn’t dominate Kane’s peak years during the Attitude era like it has in the last decade, he was still seen at the time siding with The Corporation and was a central figure to those epic disputes between heel and face.

    During this week’s RAW, Kane was once again thrust into the centre of the dispute between Seth Rollins and Randy Orton but with much less success. The simple fact is a Kane in a suit is of little joy to watch.

    Kane in a mask, with red light draping an arena prior to flames from the ring posts is a much greater spectacle.

    It seems that once again Kane will turn face, most likely as the gatekeeper for Rollins’ Heavyweight title defence against Orton at Extreme Rules on May 4 but the big question mark is over the director of operations’ (he handed his notice in on RAW) future in the ring.

    Both he and fellow Authority muscle The Big Show have become far less imposing, cumbersome Superstars as the years have worn on and their place in the company amid its bold young generation is harder to sell than ever before.

    Neither were ever the most electrifying of entertainers in the ring but they were so in many other ways.

    They could sell a spot, they could dominate the roster in the manner in which Brock Lesnar makes viewers believe it is the only thing that is possible and they could turn heel or face without it feeling like a matter of time.

    Both are legends of the WWE and deserve their time in the sun, but as it starts to fade you have to hope no legacies are left burnt.

    Now may be the time to put both out to pasture or use them as bumps up the roster for breakthrough acts. Failing that, at the very least, their presence could be made more mythical and appetite whetting as ‘Takers yearly call to arms at WrestleMania.

    The Deadman will be sorely missed by the WWE Universe, it will be a shame if Kane and Show are not.

    MOVE OF THE WEEK – Randy Orton’s RKO ‘Outta Nowhere’

    Orton has found the perfect man to sell the biggest RKO’s in history. First there was the absolute beast that he planted on Rollins at WrestleMania and then this week’s huge finisher inside the steel cage. It’s is a darn shame that Orton cannot use this when the two meet at Extreme Rules.

    TWEETS OF THE WEEK – #RKOOuttaNowhereII

    Orton’s sensational move on Rollins ended a night where he sought out as many wrestlers as possible in a bid to RKO them.

    It brought back beautiful memories of the Vines that flooded our social media streams so here’s a little recap of one of the best uses in social media we can remember.

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