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WWE deserves a lot of credit for the gutsy decisions they have made this year and while some of them have been mired in controversy, one could argue that they have ultimately been best for business. It is also apparent that these decisions have moved the company forward in a way that any other choices would not have, and in a positive manner.
Again, not all these decisions were popular in the beginning and some even had the fans threatening to swear off the company entirely, but the company trudged on and made the best out of it what they decided to do. Some questionable moves even turned into the most stellar programming that they have put on in quite a while.
With that being said, and another calendar year heading towards its final months, here are five bold moves WWE has made so far this year. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and tell us what bold moves you think the company made this year.
#5 Introducing the 24/7 title
It wasn't exactly what The WWE Universe wanted in the beginning, and they let the company know that several times, but it became exactly what the fans didn't know they needed. Fans grew to love the belt over time and it has created some of the most memorable moments in recent history.
Beyond that, the rules and slap stick comedy nature of the belt has made it pretty easy for WWE to integrate it into mainstream media. One example of this was when DJ Marshmellow won the title on the season premiere of Friday Night SmackDown, thus creating some interesting cross -promotion.
Another great example was R-Truth taking the 24/7 belt to Fox Sports studios and had some of the television hosts try to beat him for it. Sure, it was comic relief and mostly just a plug for that week's edition of SmackDown, but it served that purpose perfectly. It's also a great way to fill time in between segments and has made for some interesting stories.
#4 All women's WrestleMania main event
This match definitely wouldn't have been possible ten years ago. In fact, five or ten years ago, matches from the women's division were seen by many fans as an opportunity to make a trip to the concession stand. The women weren't given a lot of chances to contribute to the shows in a wrestling capacity. The entire women's division was an afterthought at best and midcard television filler at worst.
While the Women's Revolution did play a huge role in changing all that, the main event match still wouldn't have happened without Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch. Think about it! If it wasn't for Lynch turning into "The Man" at the right time and Rousey coming into WWE, the historic all women's main event might not have taken place.
If nothing else, WWE had the right pieces in place at the right time and moved forward on one of the biggest decisions in their history. They also did so in a way that didn't make the match feel out of place and were able to gain a lot of mainstream attention in the process.
In the end, this just fell perfectly into WWE's lap over the course of several months and they executed ever part of it perfectly. Every single segment between Charlotte, Rousey, and Lynch had fans wanting more and questioning what the company had planned next!
It was perfect to say the least.
#3 KofiMania
There are honestly no words that do justice to the movement known as KofiMania. Not only is that evident by how organically the fans got behind Kofi Kingston from the very beginning, but also by just how brilliantly the company planned the whole thing. In fact, this was arguably some of their best underdog storytelling and it captivated fans at every turn.
While KofiMania did feature a lot of uniquely timed twists and turns, the biggest one had to be that WWE took the chance and did this in the first place. The company took a chance on a guy that was seen by many fans as a solid wrestler who would be a mid-carder for his entire career and turned him into a legitimate champion, complete with a title victory at WrestleMania 35.
Kingston would go on to prove himself as a main eventer during this time and provided some great matches in the process, but this was still a big risk for WWE to take because it came completely out of left field. Luckily for the company, the combination of The New Day's star power, Kingston's underdog story and his undeniable charisma was enough to make this whole time period a success.
In the end, hopefully this is the start of WWE taking more chances like this. Think about it! The move worked for guys like Kingston, Daniel Bryan and other underdogs. Why not keep digging and see what kind of gold they can bring up to the main event next?
#2 Hell in a Cell finish
It's no secret that the finish of the Universal Title match at Hell in a Cell was one of the most controversial decisions of the year, but it seems like the company wanted it that way. In fact, it seemed like it was all part of an ongoing plan to change the very landscape of Monday Night RAW.
Maybe The Fiend did get the raw end of the deal, especially since he didn't win the title and got buried under a pile of weapons, but it's not like he looked weak during the match. WWE even went so far as to have him kick out after a chair shot to the face and survive multiple Stomps -- he even attacked Rollins mere moments after the match was stopped!
The point is that WWE did all this for a reason and it's hard to argue that The Fiend didn't come out stronger for it. Not only was that extremely evident by how fans rallied behind Wyatt after the way everything went down, but also by how much they turned against Rollins at the same time.
All in all, it achieved a lot of objectives over the course of one night and is something that the company should genuinely be praised for.
#1 Creating The Fiend
What was WWE thinking?
No, seriously, who sat down and thought a sinister Mr. Rogers with an alter ego was what WWE needed? Of course, the idea ultimately worked and has been paying off in spades over the last couple of months, but one has to remember the remarkable amount of risks that it took to get there.
Not only did WWE have to create an enthralling lore around The Fiend character, which they had to add to each week, it also had to make sense in the long run. For example, some thought The Firefly Fun House was done after Rollins burned it down during a RAW main event, but the segment seemed to only serve as an example of how Wyatt's universe worked.
In fact, Wyatt came back the very next week on Friday Night SmackDown and subtly told fans that anything was possible if people believed enough. He then went on to prove it by bringing Rambling Rabbit back to life with a kiss and thus furthering the lore of what The Fiend is capable of.
As if all that wasn't crazy enough, WWE took their newly demented creation and had him defeat Seth Rollins for the Universal Title at Crown Jewel. If nothing else, that is a firm sign that the company's risks with the character have been paying off and that there is still a lot of unrealized potential with the character.
Where things go from here is anyone's guess, but with Wyatt finally champion again, things will certainly be interesting.
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