Has JoMo lost his mojo?
11/03/2011 16:22
John Morrison hasn’t won a match since August.
In that time, the high-flyer from California has been smashed by Cody Rhodes, squashed by Mark Henry and creamed by Wade Barrett. Tough competition, sure, but six months ago this man was the No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship. Now, he’s tasting the bottom of Drew McIntyre’s boot on “WWE Superstars.”
What the hell happened?
“I’m not Superman, homie,” The Prince of Parkour cracked when WWE.com approached him about his recent ring woes.
Morrison may have shrugged off our questioning with easygoing humor, but it was clear these disappointments have been eating at the talented Superstar. That’s because less than a year ago WWE fans thought JoMo was Superman. His comic book physique and out-of-this-world athleticism had the WWE Universe convinced that he was sent from another planet to change the face of sports-entertainment. But his recent stumbles have stripped him of that otherworldly mystique, leaving him looking oddly human in defeat.
“It’s true I’ve lost some matches over the last couple of months,” Morrison plainly stated. “Maybe more than some. A lot. Most.”
The Shaman of Sexy’s losing streak can be traced back to an incident in early May when a brutal attack from R-Truth put him in the hospital with a neck injury. He underwent surgery, but The Prince of Parkour was so desperate to get back in the ring that he returned before summer was even over. The competitor wasn't ready and it showed as R-Truth beat him in two consecutive bouts. Morrison eventually defeated his former friend in a Falls Count Anywhere Match on Raw, but the victory wasn’t as sweet as it should have been. (WATCH)
“I finally got some sort of comeuppance,” Morrison said. “Unfortunately, it was like a month too late.”
JoMo’s frustration with his comeback revealed what’s really been troubling him. Although his neck injury was serious, it didn’t stop him from performing dazzling maneuvers like Starship Pain and the Flying Chuck. What it did do was make the superhero question his invincibility for the first time.
“I came back a little bit too early,” he admitted. “Physically, I’m here. Spiritually, I’m out of my mind. I’ve got all these things going on in the periphery.”
This disconnect has been all too apparent in The Prince of Parkour’s worst moments, specifically a September bout against WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio, which saw Morrison get dismantled by The Mexican Aristocrat in less than a minute. It was a clear sign that JoMo isn't quite ready to hang with the big dogs and needs to do something drastic if he wants to fight his way back into that spot.
“What I need to do is cut everything off and go back to square one,” Morrison asserted.
For JoMo, this doesn't mean training harder or hitting the gym more often — he’s already in tremendous physical condition. It’s about recapturing the confidence that he's detached from over the past few months.
“What was it that made me want to get into this business as a little John Morrison?" the Superstar asked himself. "I’ve lost touch with that. And for me to be a success I need to get it back.”
Maybe then John Morrison will be ready to take flight again.
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