The WWE Network is an amazing streaming service offered by WWE for the simple price of $9.99 / £9.99 a month. This was originally advertised as housing hours of WWE content unedited and uncensored.
While this isn’t strictly true, due to edits being in place for music, profanity and nudity, it is still the perfect one stop shop for all of your WWE / WCW / ECW needs.
When the WWE Network first launched, every PPV in the history of the company was made available and every PPV following the release was made available, live, for the monthly subscribers. A limited number of WWE Raw episodes were available and new content such as Legends House, slowly filtered into the innovative service.
Currently, we’re looking at a much better picture, three years following the launch of the product. Every single WWE Raw episode is available, including the much sought after ‘Raw Bowl’. The vast majority of SmackDown is there too. NXT also props up the list, along with more original content than I could talk about in this introduction.
However, despite all this brilliant content and the thousands of hours that have already been uploaded to the streaming service, there are still certain things that fans are clamouring for and we’re going to take a look at the ten things we can’t wait to see on the WWE Network!
#10 WWE SmackDown (2008-2011)
Towards the end of last year, the remaining WWE Raw episodes had been uploaded and they started to bring us new SmackDown episodes from where they had been left in 2002. They boxed off four years in relatively quick succession and that just leaves us with the tiny omission of the SmackDown episodes of 2008-2011.
This covers the switch to HD programming and though these years saw a general decline in all areas for WWE, it is still good to have there, not only for completion sake but for the good storylines that did happen on the show in this period.
Edge was still on top of his game for most of this time and his feuds with both The Undertaker and Alberto Del Rio are definitely worth a watch. We will be able to see the matches that led up to that historic retirement of the Rated R Superstar.
Jeff Hardy was drafted to SmackDown in the middle of 2008 too, even capturing the WWE Championship for the first time in his career at Armageddon 2008. It will be really interesting to live that again, as Jeff Hardy was one of the most charismatic individuals WWE has ever had.
He also then feuded with his brother Matt Hardy and CM Punk, before heading off to pastures new.
Punk’s rise following this would also be included, as his reign as the World Heavyweight Champion and the Straight Edge society were the main focus of SmackDown before he was traded back to Raw.
SmackDown certainly had an entertaining four years and though it wasn’t as enjoyable at the time, as it seemed the product was in decline, it will be nice to go back with a renewed appreciation of the talent that was there and the entertainment that was broadcast during this era.
I do believe this will be on the Network fairly soon and could potentially be the first drop of 2017!
#9 WWE ECW (2006-2010)
WWE’s version of ECW ran from 2006-2010. As part of the brand extension, talent could be traded between the three main shows. However, ECW never really lived up to any sort of expectation and was basically a developmental brand in the end.
Up-and-comers such as CM Punk got the ability and the stage to show off and improve their skills to make them ready for the big time of either SmackDown or Raw. To be fair to them, it worked somewhat too.
There were some really entertaining parts of ECW that would be a welcome addition to the Network. It started off completely different, though, with Paul Heyman originally being in charge. However, as he parted ways just months into the launch of this third brand, the show quickly lost its identity.
It would be interesting to see the contrast between this and the original show headed by Paul Heyman. Every ECW episode from the old company is currently available to stream on the WWE Network. To see the new brand after seeing the old would put things into perspective and it would also allow us to see why it never really came up to standard.
It’s another show that needs to be there to complete the history of the Ruthless Aggression Era and the start of the PG Era.
The nostalgia factor is a big reason to upload it too. Many ECW alumni made the show what it was and several veterans of WWE such as Big Show, Kane and Big Daddy V were all there to give the show some legitimacy.
Joey Styles and Tazz were quite obviously amazing on commentary and I could sink hours into watching the 191 episodes that are yet to be uploaded. Hopefully, they will be dusted off and added to the library this year!
#8 WWF / WWE Heat (1998-2008)
WWF Sunday Night Heat was a big part of my childhood and a big part of building the Pay-Per-View events of the Attitude Era especially. When it first launched in 1998, Shane McMahon was at the helm as an excited, fresh-faced commentator.
This was to get him ready for more of an authoritarian role on WWE TV as part of the Corporation headed by his Father, Vince McMahon.
Anyone who’s watched any old Pay-Per-View on the WWE Network will have been treated to highlights from the show that preceded it. It kind of replaced the WWF Free for All show that was broadcast before certain Pay-Per-View events in the early nineties.
However, this featured more mid-card talent and allowed for last minute matches to be added if there was to be an event later on in the evening. It was like a little taster to entice more people to purchase the production. You could liken it to the Pre-Shows we’re now used to.
The weekly broadcast, however, was more of a C-Show as it had mid-card matches on it and never any real talent after the first couple of years especially. Unfortunately, Heat declined in popularity as fewer big names were making appearances on it, and in 2008 production on the show stopped for the very last time.
513 episodes of the show are missing here and it’s a big part of WWE history. However, with the show only being an hour long, we could potentially see 4 years at a time being added, which means the drop could be done in under 3 months. Hopefully, we’ll see this in 2017 as it will be a fantastic extension, especially to the Attitude Era PPV events.
#7 WCW Thunder (1998-2001)
As we know, the WWE library is not the only set of tapes that has a place on the WWE Network. WCW has every single episode of Nitro uploaded so you can follow the Monday Night Wars as they happened.
However, in 1998, WCW expanded their programming to include a second show known as WCW Thunder. It is reported that Eric Bischoff was not overly thrilled at this prospect as he felt it would damage the product and to some extent, he turned out to be correct.
A big problem was the fact it was taped. The ‘live’ advantage that Nitro had over Raw at the time was a little devalued as a taped show was now part of storylines and the WCW product. It took away the bragging rights somewhat.
As is the case with most expansion shows from any company, the first episodes featured high profile talent but it soon became a mid-card show that people had little interest in. While watching it back on a streaming service, I can see it getting a better reputation due to the fact you don’t have to wait weekly for it and it would be a nice compliment to the Nitro episodes on the Network.
Although some fans still believe that Thunder was instrumental to the death and demise of WCW as a company.
It is argued how many episodes there actually are to be added, but around 150 is a fair estimate. Some have it at 146 and others at 153. Nevertheless, these shows could be added to the Network fairly swiftly as it only ran for three years. It could potentially be done in one drop.
If this was added, it would complete the WCW saga and give the completionists and WCW fans something to be very happy about in the New Year.
#6 WWE NXT (2012-2014)
I went to watch WWE NXT the other day on the Network to see Seth Rollins meteoric rise to superstardom and the start of the NXT Championship. I also wanted to see Bray Wyatt’s humble beginnings and how the production has changed to how it is now.
Imagine my disappointment when I found that it only starts at episode 207! We’re missing the first 206 episodes of NXT and quite frankly, that’s rude.
But in all seriousness, this is something that would be an amazing addition to the Network and something I am most excited to see on there. It’s a great shame it isn’t already there. It shouldn’t take long to be backdated but it does not look likely to happen this year, unfortunately. I do hope I am wrong.
NXT was a TV series before it was the developmental brand for WWE. It was an hour of atrocious television in which each competitor was assigned a pro (interestingly, The Miz was Daniel Bryan’s pro) and was made to compete in demeaning games.
There were some decent highlights and it would be good to get at least the first season so we could see the beginnings of Nexus, but it’s the revised format we’re all waiting for.
I would hope that they categorise the two shows differently when they are both eventually uploaded but we will have to wait and see. With a lot of high profile shows still to be uploaded, it may not be for some time.
#5 WWF Shotgun Saturday Night (1997-1999)
Running for just 138 episodes between 1997 and 1999, Shotgun Saturday Night was an alternative show that had a smaller ring and was usually featured in a public place, to begin with. Nightclubs were the general theme, as the WWE were trialling an edgier product to see what would click with fans.
Once of the most famous moments was The Undertaker tombstoning Triple H on an escalator and Marlena revealing her ‘assets’ on the debut episode of the show.
There is nothing stopping this more adult-oriented show from being on the WWE Network as there are parental controls in place and the whole ECW library is on there, rated as Mature. It is another show that could be done in a month as the episodes were short.
It depends on how much restoration is needed of the original tapes and if there are any legal issues to contend with as there have been with many of the episodes of Raw.
It would be refreshing to see our favourite Superstars of the past in a completely different environment. I have seen the odd episode on YouTube, but it is just not the same when it is ripped from a VHS copy.
WWE can get to restoring these to their original glory and we can appreciate how this little edgy show assisted in making the Attitude Era as popular as it was. It has a good chance of coming this year given the consistency of uploads but it is most likely not high on the priority list.
#4 WWF Superstars (of Wrestling)
Before Monday Night Raw debuted in 1993, Superstars of Wrestling was the flagship show for the then World Wrestling Federation. From 1986-1993, it held this mantle, holding the high profile matches between big talent and exposing the magic of the WWF to audiences worldwide.
Despite losing its status as the A-Show in 1993, it continued to act as a B-Show for a while before eventually becoming a highlights show with the odd special match until 2001.
The show saw a good few title changes in its time. It even had one in 1994, where Diesel defeated his pal Razor Ramon for the Intercontinental title belt. It was back when the show only lasted an hour too so it was jam-packed with matches, promos and other segments that enhanced storylines and characters.
The reason I feel this is so important to be added to the WWE Network is because the eighties seemed a bit all over the place with continuity in its programming. Prime Time Wrestling was another show that combined matches from Superstars and Wrestling Challenge along with new content to create a two-hour weekly show which covered everything people had missed.
Wrestling Challenge is another eighties production that used both top and mid-card talent but was not considered the top show.
If WWE upload what was considered the A-Show first, this would confirm that this is the case and also give the fans of the Golden Era an opportunity to connect the Pay-Per-Views to each other as at the moment, the limited eighties content means you have to rely on the promos before the matches to grasp any of the stories.
Unfortunately for the fans of this era, I think WWE will focus on their newer and more relevant content before turning to piecing together the Golden Era. Hulkamania will run wild on the WWE Network one day brother!
#3 WWF Livewire (1996-2001)
This was an extremely fresh concept when it first debuted in 1996. It allowed fans to call in and pitch questions to talent and others, such as the owner Vince McMahon. It was a cross between kayfabe and reality at times and really did blur the lines at certain stages of the programme.
Stone Cold Steve Austin was one of the most famous guests on this show. There is no doubt it was exciting to watch and forums and the like rate it highly when looking back at WWF programming.
The other most talked-about segment from this show was when Paul Heyman phoned in under a fake name to basically have a go at Vince McMahon and his product that was ‘stale’ at the time, making the shift from a gimmick-heavy era to more of what we know and love today.
The owner was visibly shaken by the incident but handled it pretty well. You can access these little nuggets of history on YouTube from personal VHS tapes but it’s not the same as having a nice clear version to enjoy.
Shows like this are important if you’re watching the WWE from a certain period of time and you want the full story and experience as it was when it was originally aired. A lot of people also revere this show as it was like a bridge between the failing gimmicks and the attitude boost that followed it.
Unfortunately, it did become a recap show in the end like a lot of good ideas and only lasted a few years before being discontinued.
Despite being underrated in its importance I don’t think we will see this on the WWE Network any time in the near future, as much as I would love to. There is too much other content that would push this small phone-in show down the pecking order.
#2 Ohio Valley Wrestling / Florida Championship Wrestling
Developmental territories, where a Superstar goes to develop their skills, their character and their attitude before coming to the main roster to strut their stuff. Back before the wonderful world for NXT, this fell on other promotions’ shoulders.
Ohio Valley Wrestling was the development territory for the WWE from 1998 up until 2008. There have been so many Superstars that have passed through this promotion and it would be great to see how they developed into the immortals we know today.
Batista, Randy Orton and John Cena just to name a few, were all present in this promotion before they made it to the big time. It would be amazing to have this sort of archival footage accessible on demand. It would certainly add a little more context to their careers and their uprising.
Florida Championship Wrestling took over the responsibility in 2008 until the development of NXT as a brand in 2012. This is where our modern crop of Superstars got their breaks. A really famous part of this history was when CM Punk showed up to wrestle Dean Ambrose, who was portraying a heel in the developmental promotion.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe this was filmed professionally which is a great shame. But WWE could be hiding the footage somewhere. Here’s hoping if they do have it, they stick it on the Network.
Developmental territory footage is an essential part of the experience for an enthusiastic wrestling fan. This is why NXT has become so popular. It is also essential for the promotion, as they can see what works and what doesn’t before firing it out to the main audience.
Hopefully, we will see this in the future and get a complete look at the process of building and marketing a wrestler.
#1 Uncensored, unedited Pay-Per-Views
There is only one annoying thing about the WWE Network and that is the shortcuts that were clearly taken to get all the Pay-Per-Views up in time for release. There are some on there at the moment that are completely butchered. WWF Survivor Series 1998 comes to mind when mentioning this sort of censorship.
All mentions of ‘WWF’ are blanked, the one-finger salute is also blurred and there are a couple of other edits here and there that really spoil the experience of reliving the Deadly Game. This is not the only Pay-per-View that this has happened to, of course.
Nudity is also censored on the Network despite there being the option to raise the rating and use parental controls to prevent access by youngsters. Jaqueline and The Kat exposed their chest areas in Capital Carnage 1998 and Armageddon 1999 respectively. Both are pixelated on the Network.
I completely understand some censorship, when it comes to the music for example. However, I do think a little more effort could be made to gain the rights for it so that The Undertaker can come out to Limp Bizkit just like he used to.
You would hope they can get the rights to show the Insane Clown Posse performing for the Oddities too but this seems like a distant dream that will never happen at the moment.
A part of the problem is due to the fact that they used Home Video versions or ‘Anthology’ versions when they placed them on the Network, which was before they settled for the various lawsuits they had around content and the ‘WWF’ brand.
It would complete the experience if WWE could go back and systematically replace all pay-per-views affected by this oversight. We can only wait and see if this will happen in the end.
What would you like to see?
There we have it, 10 things we’d like to see on the WWE Network. We’ve already been given so much but we always want more. It’s hard not to when we know there is so much content that the WWE still has.
I have barely scratched the surface with this list. WWE has footage of a lot of old territories from the eighties too. Whether it’s in any condition to show is anyone’s guess, but I bet they could do something with it.
With so much modern content still to be added, though, it’s possible they could be getting this out of the way before treating the older fans and those who enjoy the classic content to the footage they own from the different hubs of wrestling.
I would say that the things listed have the biggest importance for me on a nostalgic and a personal level, but what would make you excited to watch it every day? Have you got the WWE Network? If so, what would you like to see on it next?
Have I hit the nail on the head or would you like to see the service go in a different direction? Please leave a comment and let’s discuss!
Regardless of what comes next, I think we can all agree that the WWE Network is a fantastic service and something we’re all very lucky to have. Long may it continue!
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