WM 17 did have a buffer, but it was before the top 2 matches, not the main event itself. That's another interesting approach.

 

My local show does like a 10 min intermission, and they cut it short at times, so a lot of the crowd will still be at concessions/merch when that one starts.

Couldn't that be the real reason for the buffer match? They want to send the crowd to the concessions stand or the merchandise table one last time before the main event.

 

Could be, but I doubt a 5 minutes divas match is enough at a major stadium to go get in line for those things and make it back in time. Maybe it is if you're okay with skipping ring entrances.

 

Compare that to the attempted quick-fix of Hunter/Orton where they hit both their finishers in the first few minutes to try and force a reaction straight away, and it backfired and the match never recovered.

And what always gets forgotten is that right before the match, the "burned out" crowd gave Austin the biggest pop of the show. Taker/Shawn didn't somehow rob them of their voices; HHH and Orton just worked a match no one wanted to see. Lack of a buffer match had nothing to do with the match sucking.

 

The idea that crowds need a buffer match might be the dumbest thing invented by WWE. How many people have actually been to cards and thought "Man, I sure wanna see a shit match right now to cool myself off?"

 

 

I know from being at WMX8 that it didn't matter what happened after Hogan-Rock, people were going to be chattering to each other about what they just saw. Hell, a bunch of people left the building afterwards.

I think it's less about pacing than it is that they tend to place them after really long, hot matches. It's an extra 10 minutes for the crowd to piss or grab a drink, since it's a safe bet that the majority of them weren't going anywhere for the last 40 minutes.

I'm doubtful on the whole idea of the buffer match needing to be lower card guys, but I definitely feel like there should be a buffer between emotionally charged matches. For me, watching something like 6/3/94 or 12/6/96, etc. is a very emotionally invested experience. The wrestlers involved in those matches had big feuds going on and even if you hadn't followed those, the way the match was worked draws me (and a lot of people, as I understand it) in as the match progresses. And that tends to make the matches a bit...heavier for lack of a better word. It takes more energy from me, the wrestling fan, to watch those matches than, say, one of the lead-in 6 man tags. So if there is need of a "buffer match", it's more something like a 15-20 minute tag or 6-man with big names that will be having a big match next major show. You're not sticking jobbers in there, but you're allowing the crowd and people watching the whole show to get a little of the mental energy that goes into watching a great wrestling match back.