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Tribute to the Troops is an annual tradition that all fans of WWE must be familiar with. This year, it came to us from the Naval Base San Diego, where the men and women of WWE put on a show for the armed forces of the United States with much gusto.
It's extremely difficult to do a 'Best and Worst' countdown for a show, considering its very nature. Tribute to the Troops is designed to be a feel-good event for those in the armed forces, so no real storyline development happens during the show. It is a Live Event, in a unique environment.
It was heartening to see the men and women in the armed forces sing along, chant along and cheer for their WWE Superstars. The product knowledge showcased by some of these men and women was great to behold.
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#1 Best: Return of familiar faces
There are certain names associated with Tribute to the Troops, and we were glad to see them in attendance at the show, for this special edition. Lilian Garcia tugged at every single heartstring with her fabulous rendition of the US National Anthem.
The man who conceptualized 'Tribute to the Troops', WWE legend JBL was back at the commentary table as well. Whatever your views on the man may be, it is impossible to deny that he has been an integral part of the WWE landscape over the years, and deserves his spot at the table.
There was a special vignette featuring the original American Hero, and the subsequent turncoat, the legendary Sgt. Slaughter. That makes 3 legends returning right there!
Tribute to the Troops was almost like a reunion (both brands were on the show), and everyone associated with the big event seemed like they were just out to have fun.
#1 Worst: Two Machine Gun Kelly performances
We are aware that Machine Gun Kelly has a following among the youth of today, but he's certainly not a sensation like The Beatles or The Rolling Stones were.
One man's music may be another man's noise, but in our opinion, Machine Gun Kelly is neither, but just an inoffensive and underwhelming artist. He did not add to the show at all, but instead, in some ways took up the time that could have been better used by the Superstars of the company.
There were two performances by Machine Gun Kelly and his motley crew of artists, and in our opinion, that was just one too many. They were little more than a bathroom break, in the middle of the proceedings.
Of course, you may have a better opinion of Kelly's music than we do, and if so, we'd love to hear from you in the comments below.
#2 Best: The setting
Old school fans of WCW will remember the 'Hog Wild' pay-per-views that took place in outdoor settings. These days, based on the amount of WWE content that is produced, in similar looking settings, this was definitely a welcome change.
The WWE Universe at the arena comprised of men and women in uniform, and this just added to the overall experience of the show. WWE should really consider doing outdoor shows, once in a while, for a change. They're always great to watch and immerse ourselves into.
Fans always talk about a 'fresh' product, and fresh settings can definitely contribute to the same.
#2 Worst: Multi-person matches without stakes
The wrestling at Tribute to the Troops was not bad at all. The matches, however, lacked the stakes of a pay-per-view, RAW or SmackDown Live, and therefore, did not capture our attention like those events would.
Every single match at the show was a multi-person affair without any real stakes. No storylines were advanced and no titles were on the lines. They were just matches, for the sake of entertaining the audience.
If one were to choose to miss 'Tribute to the Troops' for instance, he/she would not miss any real developments in the never-ending soap opera we fondly dub sports entertainment.
#3 Best: Charlotte Flair
Charlotte Flair had an extra spring in her step during her triple threat match against Ruby Riot and Carmella. The armed forces assembled at the base were all familiar with Ric Flair's legacy, so they all 'wooo-ed' in unison at the woman who was following in his footsteps.
When Flair started strutting like her two time Hall of Fame father, the audience unanimously erupted. Flair carried the match like a great ring general, with her two significantly greener opponents.
Special mention for Mickie James, who was great in the ring, despite the fact that she took the pin in her multi-woman tag match. We saw signs of the old Mickie James return, once again.
That concludes our special 'Best and Worst' for 'Tribute to the Troops' 2017. Did you catch the show? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below.
