4 Big changes WWE made in 2018

2018 was a year of ups and downs for WWE and its fans. It was a year of incredible highs in many ways with some exquisite individual performances. However, it was also a year of sagging ratings.

With 2019 having arrived, we take a look at some big changes WWE made in 2018.

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#4 The next step of the women's evolution

2018 was a massive year for the women of WWE

2017 was a huge year for the women on WWE's roster and to no one's surprise, 2018 was even bigger. We saw the first ever all women's Royal Rumble match which was won by Asuka, in January. Right after the Rumble, and I mean as soon as it ended, we got Ronda Rousey making her first appearance in the WWE.

Fast forward to WrestleMania, we got an incredible SmackDown Women's Championship match between Charlotte Flair and Asuka with Charlotte cementing herself at the top of WWE's women's division by beating Asuka and ending her streak.

Ronda Rousey made her incredible in-ring debut later on in the night, teaming up with WWE legend and Olympic gold medallist Kurt Angle to face and defeat WWE's power couple - Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

In NXT, we saw Shayna Baszler rise to the top while the second Mae Young Classic tournament introduced the WWE Universe to a number of new stars including Io Shirai and eventual winner Toni Storm.

The momentum for WWE's women continued into SummerSlam as Becky Lynch's heel turn on Charlotte saw the birth of 'The Man'. Lynch won the SmackDown Women's Championship at WWE Hell In A Cell and quickly established herself as one of the most popular acts in the entire WWE.

The year ended with Vince McMahon announcing that Women's Tag-Team Championships would be coming to the WWE soon.

#3 First female commentator on RAW

This was a huge change. Renee Young was named the first ever woman to be a commentator on RAW, a job that started as a temporary position and soon turned permanent.

Although Renee still has a little way to go to fulfill her potential as a commentator, there's no doubt that with a little more time in the role, she will soon be an integral part of RAW's commentary team.

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#2 McMahon's take personal control of RAW and SmackDown

The McMahon clan on WWE RAW

The end of 2018 saw a dip in ratings for WWE's flagship show, Monday Night RAW. As a response to that, Vince McMahon himself returned to RAW in early December and announced that the McMahon's would take personal control of both shows. He also promised to 'shake things up' with new matches and new faces.

#1 WWE forced to replace Roman Reigns as the top guy

Roman Reigns left WWE in 2018 after making his shocking announcement

2018 had its ups and downs. The most shocking part of 2018 had to be Roman Reigns relinquishing the WWE Universal Championship on RAW after announcing that he his leukaemia was in remission and that he needed to leave WWE.

Reigns had been pushed as WWE's top guy in the last couple of years and after finally coronating him, WWE was forced to crown a new Universal Champion to steady the ship.

Unfortunately, WWE probably chose the wrong option by having Brock Lesnar with the Universal Championship again to continue being the worst Universal Champion ever - one who barely showed up on television.

WWE has Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre on their mind as possible replacements of Reigns as the next top guy. Who will they go with in 2019?

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