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Some believe that the absence of competition since The Attitude Era has made WWE enter into a state of complacency, resulting in a comparatively less exciting product.
Being a wrestling fan can be trying when you see things going on in the WWE that leave you scratching your heads.
Fans have long been clamoring for a change and here are 5 things that WWE needs to do that could infuse excitement into the product again.
#5 Reduce the amount of content being produced
WWE produces a lot of content and it's extremely hard to stay in touch with all of it. Superstars can be seen performing five days a week on shows like RAW, SmackDown, NXT, WWE Main Event, 205 Live, etc. The list goes on.
Add numerous PPVs and WWE's habit of inconsistent story telling, and it becomes difficult to follow all the action. Moreover, due to a lot of wrestling, matches do not feel special. It is very common for a fan to skip a match on a show only to get to see the same match some other day.
Some encounters need to be special and fans should be teased for a while before delivering it to them (much like The Rock vs. Cena I). Speaking of the content, WWE should definitely reduce RAW to two hour format.
RAW is filled with fillers and backstage events that hardly make any sense. With the pressure to fill in something in the three hous slot, writers often produce material of substandard quality.
Moreover, it is difficult to stay tuned to a TV show for straight three hours.
#4 Focus more on wrestling
If there is something WWE needs to learn from the popularity of Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, etc., it is the importance of wrestling.
After all WWE is (or is supposed to be) all about wrestling. Vince Mcmahon did add a great touch to improve traditional wrestling by infusing interesting storylines, but in-ring action should remain the crux.
No one remembers a RAW episode that didn't start off with a promo from some authority figure. They invariably dominate the in-ring action and hog the main event spot.
Segments like The US Championship Open Challenge saw some great matches and the fans loved it. This must be enough for WWE to realize that people are more interested in watching two superstars compete than to see Enzo Amore try and woo Nia Jax!
#3 Reduce use of scripts
What if Stone Cold Steve Austin had never delivered the famous Austin 3:16 speech? What if The Rock had a catchphrase that went 'sufferin succotash'? It is a guarantee these megastars would not have been anywhere near the the heights they've reached.
Considering the current roster, there are a lot of superstars that have that kind of potential, but they are bound by heavily scripted promos that limit them. Although John Cena stands out of the crowd, there could have been many like Kevin Owens, The Miz, Roman Reigns, who could have achieved great success if allowed to have their own way on the microphone.
Sadly, they are fed heavily scripted lines. WWE should encourage the talent to develop their own personality and get over with the fans (instead of pushing Roman Reigns, let him get over on his own!).
This way, the fans will be intrigued and the talent will gain enormous confidence.
#2 Let there be some logic please!
There's an old joke about wrestling that people fight for belts when they aren't wearing any pants! Professional wrestling is like a soap opera that is beyond all logic.
We as fans have embraced this reality since kayfabe died. However, even die hard fans need a little bit of logic to sustain their interest. Alas, Creative does not always satiate the fans.
Fans already have a hard time accepting the fact that two grown-up men have to settle all their personal issues (son's custody, divorces, etc.) via a wrestling match and WWE pushes the limit every now and then.
How come warring factions unite whenever Survivor Series is around? How do people go from smiling one night to mocking crowds after a sudden heel turn? Why is a loyal patriot a heel?
The thing is, these questions are numerous. WWE needs to see things from the point of view of its mature audience.
Trying to please a certain demographic will make it lose its loyal fanbase.
#1 Listen to the fans, let them have their say!
When do we feel great? When things go as we expect. WWE, often doesn't agree that it needs to give fans what they want in order to make them feel entertained.
We all know wrestling is a scripted sport and that wins and losses are decided on the table. This makes a strong case for management to listen to fan reactions and settle the outcomes accordingly.
The last time WWE was forced to listen to its fans saw the amazing successful story of Daniel Bryan. Thereafter, we have been forced to accept Roman Reigns as the owner of the yard who can't be taken down by multiple AA's, Cesaro as someone who doesn't have 'it', Finn Balor as someone who is not over with the fans, Kane who is strongest in his 50s and many more.
Do you know some more suggestions? Sound off in the comments section.
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