{"id":1824,"date":"2017-01-12T08:15:33","date_gmt":"2017-01-12T13:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprowrestling.com\/?p=1824"},"modified":"2017-01-11T22:43:36","modified_gmt":"2017-01-12T03:43:36","slug":"the-golden-legacy-looking-at-smackdown-live-champions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2017\/01\/12\/the-golden-legacy-looking-at-smackdown-live-champions\/","title":{"rendered":"The Golden Legacy: Looking At Smackdown Live Champions"},"content":{"rendered":"
Welcome to the debut edition of Golden Legacy<\/strong>! Here, championships are recognized for the special recognition they can bestow on the men and women of Professional Wrestling, especially the roster of World Wrestling Entertainment.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Just what does being a champion mean?\u00a0That answer carries one direct answer in my honest opinion.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
In theory it means the organization sees enough in a particular talent or tag team to put championships around their waists with the belief they can not only work consistently with a variety of talent with different styles, but all also capture fan interest big enough to increase television ratings, live event attendance, and WWE Network subscriptions.\u00a0The formula for a successful championship reign encompasses a few factors.\u00a0Talent must actually possess the above traits to carry the grind as usually even when a champion may not be prominently featured on TV, they are almost certainly working the weekly live event loop and key international tours where championship defenses carry much interest to fans overseas that only get to see them in person twice a year maximum.<\/div>\n
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All images from WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Second, it really depends on how much the company has invested into making a championship and its champion valuable and credible. As we\u2019ve seen with World Title reigns of Chris Jericho<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Jack Swagger<\/strong>, and US Title runs by Cesaro<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Dean Ambrose<\/strong>, endless non-title losses, infrequent title defenses, and a parade of cheap victories can turn what should have been a game changing reign into a mere footnote of what could have been.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
If a talent finds themselves right where they were prior to their reign or in an even worse position then the championship itself is devalued and the audience is trained to never take it seriously or the talent contending for it. So many factors to consider!<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Before we delve into the current champions, here are some very key factors utilized in analyzing their reigns to date:\u00a0Length of title reign, successful title defenses on TV, PPV and all live events, quality of challengers, etc.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
To be comprehensive, we merged the reigns of both the Women’s (Raw <\/em>and Smackdown<\/em>) and the Divas Championship. We also don\u2019t recognize WWE\u2019s history of The Fabulous Moolah<\/strong>\u2019s run being a single reign lasting over 10,000 days. In reality, she had 8 reigns, many of which were under the NWA banner before the WWF acquired the belt.\u00a0To be comprehensive, we combined the histories of the WWE Title, Universal Championship,\u00a0and World Heavyweight Championship (2002-2013) and the (2002-2013) and the WWE Tag Team (2002-2010) and World Tag Team Championships before both were merged.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
With all that out of the way, let us see how everyone reigning in their respective divisions have been faring.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This week, we take a look at the four reigning\u00a0Smackdown Live<\/em>\u00a0champions.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
All information is accurate as of 1\/11\/17<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

The WWE World Championship<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Current Champion:<\/strong> AJ Styles<\/h4>\n
Reign:\u00a0<\/strong>1st
\nDate Won:<\/strong>\u00a0September 11, 2016
\nEvent:<\/strong> Backlash ’16<\/em>
\nWon From<\/strong>: Dean Ambrose
\nDays Held:<\/strong> 123 days
\nSuccessful Defenses<\/strong>: 41
\nCurrent Ranking<\/strong>: The 45th longest reign in company history<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notable Title Defenses:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Television and Pay-Per-View:\u00a0<\/strong>Smackdown Live<\/em> 9\/26\/16,\u00a0d. Dean Ambrose;\u00a0No Mercy<\/em><\/strong> 10\/9\/16
\nd. Dean Ambrose and John Cena in a Triple Threat Match;\u00a0Smackdown Live<\/em> 10\/18\/16,
\nL. to James Ellsworth (retained via DQ);\u00a0TLC<\/strong><\/em> 12\/18\/16,\u00a0d. Dean Ambrose in a TLC Match;
\nSmackdown Live<\/em> 12\/20\/16,\u00a0d. James Ellsworth;\u00a0Smackdown Live<\/em> 12\/27\/16,\u00a0d. Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin in a Triple Threat Match.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Live Events:\u00a0<\/strong>In September through December 2016, Styles either retained against Ambrose in singles matches or Ambrose and Cena in Triple Threat Matches.\u00a0In January 2017, he has retained against John Cena<\/strong> and Baron<\/strong> Corbin<\/strong> in Triple Threat Matches<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

The Breakdown:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Phenomenal One calling himself the “Face That Runs The Place” or “The Champ That Runs The Camp” aren’t mere catchy monikers that happens to rhyme. They\u00a0happen \u00a0to be absolute truth.<\/div>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Since his arrival in January 2016, AJ Styles has captivated fans and pundits alike in just about everything he has been involved in. Whether it was his memorable series with the likes of Chris Jericho<\/strong> and John Cena or his thrilling pursuit of the WWE Championship against Roman Reigns<\/strong> in a pair of PPV classics, all eyes have been on him and aren’t going to be taken off any time soon.<\/div>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Once the Brand Extension Draft came and went, it was readily apparent Styles was going to be a vital player for the Blue Brand. \u00a0After dethroning Cena in an all time classic at Summerslam ’16,<\/strong><\/em> a World Title run, a once thought to be pure fantasy, was seen as inevitable.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
What is most amazing is that Styles has displayed the same attributes that defined him as a world class wrestler and World Champion in TNA, Ring of Honor<\/strong>, and New Japan Pro Wrestling<\/strong>. He only has one competitive mode and that is full blast.\u00a0Even multiple losses to perennial underdog James Ellsworth<\/strong> (who had massive assistance from Ambrose) failed to deter his momentum. Throughout his feud with the Chinless Wonder and Lunatic Fringe, Styles maintained a credible presence of a champion.\u00a0Nor did an ankle injury suffered in his victory over Ambrose at TLC<\/em> slow him down.\u00a0His visibility is at the perfect level for a World Champion. He appears on every Smackdown Live<\/em> and if he isn’t competing he’s effectively building to a major title defense.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Which brings us to the Royal Rumble<\/em><\/strong> on January 29.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
While Styles has been the dominant force on Smackdown Live<\/em>, John Cena has been away building a career outside of the squared circle; but that doesn’t mean the former 15 time World Champion no longer has lofty aspirations.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The two will collide in San Antonio at the massive Alamo Dome where “Big Match” John will attempt to claim World Title No. 16 against a man who he once thought was going to be just another vanquished\u00a0 loud mouth.\u00a0 Styles has had Cena’s number though time will tell if he’s able to turn him away one more time.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Regardless of the final outcome AJ Styles has proven his worth as an elite talent on WWE’s roster. This should not be his only taste of gold and I don’t expect that to be the case.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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Smackdown Women’s Champion<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Current Champion:<\/strong> Alexa Bliss<\/h3>\n
Date Won:<\/strong>\u00a0December 4, 2016<\/div>\n
Event:<\/strong> TLC ’16<\/em><\/div>\n
Won From:<\/strong> Becky Lynch in a Tables Match<\/div>\n
Days Held:<\/strong> 37<\/div>\n
Successful Defenses:<\/strong> 14<\/div>\n
Current Ranking:<\/strong> The 73rd longest<\/div>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Notable Defenses:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Television and Pay-Per-View:<\/strong>\u00a0Smackdown Live<\/em> 12\/13\/16,\u00a0L. to Becky Lynch (retained via count out);\u00a0Smackdown Live<\/em> 12\/27\/16,\u00a0d. Becky Lynch<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Live Events:\u00a0<\/strong>In December 2016, Bliss successfully defended against Lynch and Lynch, Natalya, and Carmella in Fatal Four Way matches; January 2017, successfully defended against Lynch.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

The Breakdown:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
When Alexa Bliss was among those from NXT promoted to the main roster during the 2016 draft, plenty were both surprised and cautiously optimistic about how she would fare.\u00a0 The improvements she made during her time at Full Sail could not be denied; both her in-ring efforts and character nuances had become bright spots within the NXT Women’s Division.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
She would be insulted if anyone was at all surprised her efforts of late have been nothing short of stellar.\u00a0 Since her official in-ring debut (ironically a pinfall victory over current rival Becky Lynch) she established herself quickly as the top villainous of the division and eventually its champion.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Lynch carried many deserved accolades for her work internationally, in NXT, and on the main roster as part of the Women’s Evolution but Bliss still managed to defeat her in a pretty good tables match by the end of 2016.\u00a0 They’ve been joined at the hip ever since engaging in many hotly contested battles.<\/div>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Things have escalated to the point Daniel Bryan will be putting them inside a steel cage on the January 18 edition of Smackdown Live<\/em>. Expect Bliss to retain the title once more, very possibly with another assist from the elusive La Luchadora.\u00a0 Once Lynch directs her attention towards whoever is under the mark, it’s an open field for the next challenger to step up.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Nikki Bella and Natalya are embroiled in a bitter rivalry and it’s not impossible that whoever emerges victorious would then make a run at Bliss. Naomi is also a viable possibility once she returns from injury. The wild card is the impending return of Mickie James who reminded everyone how good she is against NXT Women’s Champion Asuka back in November.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Bliss should maintain high visibility as the Road to WrestleMania unfolds. \u00a0(On a personal side note, I would love to see her enter Orlando still reigning as champion, she has more than earned that honor.)<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

The Intercontinental Championship:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Current Champion:<\/strong> Dean Ambrose
\nReign<\/strong>: 2nd
\nDate Won:<\/strong> 1\/3\/17
\nEvent:<\/strong> Smackdown Live<\/em>
\nWon From:<\/strong> The Miz
\nDays held:<\/strong> 8
\nSuccessful defenses:<\/strong> 4
\nCurrent Ranking:<\/strong> Tied with Chyna’s third reign for the 144th longest
\nPrevious Reign:<\/strong> December 1, 2015 to February 15, 2016
\n\u00a0 \u00a0Length:<\/strong> 64 days<\/em>
\n\u00a0 \u00a0Ranking<\/strong>: Tied with Christian’s fourth reign for the 69th longest<\/em><\/h4>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notable Defenses:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Television and Pay-Per-View:\u00a0<\/strong>Presently none to date on Television or Pay-Per-View<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Live Events:\u00a0<\/strong>On January 7 to 9, Ambrose successfully retained against Dolph Ziggler.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Special Dark Match:\u00a0<\/strong>After last night’s edition of Smackdown Live<\/em> concluded, Ambrose successfully defended against The Miz.<\/div>\n
\n

The Breakdown:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
One thing we learned from Dean Ambrose’s 84 day reign as WWE Champion is he doesn’t enjoy engaging in personal discussions.\u00a0 His trip to the Steve Austin Show<\/strong> on the WWE Network resulted in several moments of uncomfortable silence as Austin attempted to delve into the life story of the former Shield member.\u00a0Which is why The Miz<\/strong> may rue the day he opted to publicly out the relationship between The Lunatic Fringe and broadcaster Renee Young<\/strong> on a recent edition of Smackdown Live<\/em>. Once the wrath of Ambrose has been incurred very little can be done to curtail it or the damage done along the way.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Miz had previously turned back an Ambrose challenge on the December 6 edition of Smackdown Live<\/em> thanks in part to Maryse<\/strong> and a miscue from James Ellsworth<\/strong>.\u00a0But that was before his vulgarity towards Young (resulting in a slap to the face) and Maryse’s retaliation with a slap to Young backstage.\u00a0All the anger and rage Ambrose had swirling within was unleashed on the self-professed A-Lister and yielded him his second Intercontinental Championship. He won’t have to look very far for hungry challengers.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Since his 2016 resurgence, Miz has lived and breathed the IC Title and I would argue is a big reason why the title is enjoying its greatest prominence since its 80s and 90s glory years.\u00a0 His rage filled tirade on the Talking Smack<\/strong><\/em> showed he will be going for his seventh IC title with deadly intent.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
On the January 11, 2017 edition of Smackdown Live,<\/em> the two engaged in a fiery confrontation that saw Ambrose get the upper hand and leave Miz in a crumbled heap courtesy of Dirty Deeds.\u00a0\u00a0 And as if that weren’t enough, he also retained the title against Miz after the cameras stopped rolling.\u00a0Miz will be back with a vengeance however and he performs best when the bright lights are on. Ambrose expects this and welcomes it with insane glee.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Should Ambrose be able to survive that onslaught, the very fed up and equally angry Dolph Ziggler is very likely looking to augment his return to old ways with gold.\u00a0 He put his career on the line in order to win the IC Title once before so definitely not one to take lightly.<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Whoever he encounters, Ambrose should continue to enjoy a regular presence on Smackdown Live<\/em>. His devil may care attitude and all around down to earth appeal assure him constant activity and popularity which is something Daniel Bryan<\/strong> and Shane McMahon<\/strong> will continue to build off and market to full potential.\u00a0The IC Title no longer feels like a step down for a former World Champion so I feel Ambrose is in a pretty solid spot all things considered. Whether or not this run is for the long-term during WrestleMania season though remains to be seen.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

Smackdown Tag Team Championships<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Current Champions:<\/strong> American Alpha<\/strong><\/em>, Chad Gable and Jason Jordan<\/h4>\n
Date Won:<\/strong> 12\/27\/16<\/div>\n
Event<\/strong>: Smackdown Live<\/em><\/div>\n
Won From:<\/strong> The Wyatt Family in a Fatal Four Way Elimination Match also involving Heath Slater & Rhyno and The Usos<\/div>\n
Days Held:<\/strong> 15<\/div>\n
Successful Defenses<\/strong>: 4<\/div>\n
Current ranking<\/strong>: Tied with Steve Austin & The Undertaker, The Acolytes’ second reign, and Hardcore & Crash Holly for the 181st longest<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Notable Defenses:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Television and Pay-Per-View:\u00a0<\/strong>Smackdown Live<\/em> 1\/10\/17,\u00a0d. The Wyatt Family<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Live Events:\u00a0<\/strong>In December 2016, Alpha successfully defended against The Usos, Breezango, and The Vaudevillians in three Fatal Four Way matches<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

The Breakdown:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n
Success is no stranger to either Chad Gable or Jason Jordan, especially when it pertains to tag team wrestling.\u00a0 It was like the union of peanut butter and chocolate when they came together in NXT and they really haven’t looked back since.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
As they clashed with The Revival<\/strong>, fans salivated at the prospect of\u00a0 the pair being unleashed on either Raw<\/em> or Smackdown<\/em>. The loud reaction when Smackdown Live<\/em> GM Daniel Bryan drafted them to the latter showed many were ready to get behind them.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Surprisingly though it’s been something of a peak and valley run so far for Alpha.\u00a0 Some crowds have not taken to them yet and several unforeseen setbacks cooled them off after a hot debut in July 2016.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
They made it into the finals of a tournament to crown new Smackdown Tag Team Champions, only for The Usos<\/strong> to damage Gable’s leg and remove them from the field.\u00a0 In the meantime, the unlikely success story of Heath Slater<\/strong> and Rhyno<\/strong> drew much attention away from them.<\/div>\n
\n
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Photo: WWE.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
They became the #1 Contenders for a hot minute but the Wyatt Family stepped in and claimed not only their title shot but the titles themselves from Slater and Rhyno at TLC ’16<\/em>.\u00a0 They seemed unstoppable from that moment forward.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
However these weren’t the first rodeos for Alpha when it came to overcoming frustration and setbacks.\u00a0 When The Hype Bros<\/strong> went inactive due to an injury to Zack Ryder<\/strong>, they took full advantage of their first legitimate bite at the apple and came through in spades. One miscommunication between Luke Harper<\/strong> and Randy Orton<\/strong> is all it took for them to hit Grand Amplitude on the Viper and realize their dreams.\u00a0Proving it wasn’t a fluke Alpha retained their gold in a return match against The Wyatts after another miscue between Orton and Harper.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
So where do they go from here?\u00a0\u00a0 It’s an all important question to which the answer will determine just how successful they will be as champions.\u00a0The one glaring obstacle is lack of steady, credible challengers.\u00a0 The week after they claimed the titles, they defeated Breezango<\/strong> in under two minutes eliminating them as an immediate threat.\u00a0The Ascension<\/strong> and Vaudevillians<\/strong> are capable tandems but below average win-loss records and lack of visibility make it difficult to invest in them as serious threats.\u00a0The Usos and Alpha have unfinished business and could really light it up in the ring,\u00a0but will it happen?<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Another key thing is how they develop as personalities.\u00a0 Gable has great charisma and Jordan has improved greatly since the pairing formed so it is imperative they be given every opportunity there is to speak and get that across to those yet to fully embrace them.\u00a0A consistent television presence will also go a long way in rallying fans behind them. People tend to enjoy and support talent who they know they will likely see on any given week.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The sky’s the limit if the ceiling isn’t too low.\u00a0 We’re only 15 days into their run so it will be interesting to re-visit this in a few weeks\/months.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
That wraps it up for this edition of Golden Legacy.\u00a0 Next week, we will examine the five champions of the Raw brand, so stay tuned!<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the debut edition of Golden Legacy! Here, championships are recognized for the special recognition they can bestow on the men and women of Professional Wrestling, especially the roster of World Wrestling Entertainment. Just what does being a champion mean?\u00a0That answer carries one direct answer in my honest opinion. In theory it means the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1834,"featured_media":1848,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,4,3,320],"tags":[145,168,155,147,329,148,354,398,47,430],"class_list":["post-1824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-smackdown","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","category-wwe-women","tag-aj-styles","tag-alexa-bliss","tag-american-alpha","tag-dean-ambrose","tag-intercontinental-championship","tag-smackdown-live","tag-smackdown-womens-championship","tag-tag-team-championships","tag-wwe","tag-wwe-championship"],"modified_by":"Jamie Greer","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1834"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1824"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1824\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}