WWE has always been known as the land of opportunity in professional wrestling, but that has never been truer than now. The days of cookie-cutter Superstars are over, as talents from every walk of life are currently being used throughout the card. Major names that were once believed to perhaps never make the jump to WWE are now enjoying main event spots.
It’s a new day for WWE, and fans are reaping the benefits of it. This is arguably the most exciting time the company has seen since The Attitude Era, and it’s clear that the future has become the primary focus for everyone involved.
But the complexion of WWE is not the only thing that’s changed; the in-ring style has changed as well. Slower paced matches spotlighting technical mat wrestling are the exception now, instead of the norm. High-risk moves that take guys head over heels are expected, instead of surprising.
This is not the WWE of old, this is something much different. Despite how much some fans may love what they’re seeing, it’s become very obvious that this style cannot withstand the test of time. New is not always better, and that is definitely the case here.
Fans must be happy of course, but WWE must also do what is best for business. Longevity is vital, and this New Era is too important to end anytime soon.
#5 The story is not being told
When Bret Hart battled Shawn Michaels during their famous run, fans were more than entertained. The work done in the ring was beyond epic, it was instantly classic. They matched each other move for move, and they took fans on a ride until the final bell.
The same could be said of Stone Cold versus The Rock, Triple H versus The Undertaker, and Brock Lesnar versus Kurt Angle. All of these rivalries share more in common than just legendary names; they also share great storytelling.
Pacing is everything, and the time is just not being taken now the way it once was. Much of the blame for this lies with the booking of course; if guys only get 15 minutes for a main event, then they feel forced to cram too much into the match.
But much of the blame must also fall with the style, which is all flash with little substance. Matches are more stunt shows than chain wrestling, and the guys involved are putting themselves at serious risk as a result.
Pro wrestling’s very foundation is the storytelling. It’s what sets the business apart from every other professional sport. When fans do not get a story they can emotionally connect to, then the objective is not met for that match. If it happens too often, then it’s no longer pro wrestling, and the point is completely lost in the process.
#4 Fans cannot invest in the match
Fans cared about CM Punk versus John Cena. That rivalry was all about Punk attempting to grab the brass ring in an environment in which he was not supposed to succeed. John was seen as the corporate champion holding him back, and fans rallied to the side of The Second City Saint.
But this was more than just a storyline told through cross-legged promos. This was a story told in the ring that fans could emotionally invest in. Cena is at his best when he’s tested by talented stars, and that was definitely the case with Punk.
Their bouts worked because they matched up well against each other. There was no wasted movement, and no unnecessary bumps taken. This was the basic pro wrestling match, but told in such a way that fans could not watch without feeling it.
How many feuds can that be said of today? How many times do matches crescendo with five to six near-falls before a guy is finally pinned? More importantly, how many finishers are used until the final three count, which is disappointingly anticlimactic?
When guys go too fast, no connection can possibly be made. True dramatic moments are not created by near-falls, they are created by well-crafted matches that are evenly paced. High spots must be highlights, not filler until the finish comes. Fans must care about the matches again, and that will not happen unless the style changes.
#3 Not enough selling
A pro wrestling match filled with finishers ultimately does not work. It’s a good way to pop the crowd, as one near-fall after another typically gets a good reaction. But when a power move that usually gets a three count does not, the validity of the match itself comes into question.
The business is exposed every time this happens. Fans are very aware of how the game is played of course. But when one devastating move is followed by yet another devastating move because of a kick out at two, then it’s as if the truth is being advertised.
This is how matches happen in WWE now. A guy can get posted, take a finisher, kick out, deliver the same to his opponent who then kicks out, and the same thing happens all the time. Selling is the only thing that sets pro wrestling apart from performance art; it’s also the only thing that delivers realism for fans.
The explanation that Superstars are better and more athletic than the previous generation just does not cover it, and really never has. The more unbelievable the workers are, the less realistic the matches themselves are.
Weak selling is killing the product, and it’s becoming nothing more than one meaningless match after another. The talent level of the stars involved is secondary, as the main focus is becoming just how easy the matches themselves appear to be. The suspension of disbelief is key to the business being accepted in the first place, and no-selling destroys any chance of it happening at all.
#2 The talent is not growing
The combination of weak selling, no emotional investment, and serious lack of storytelling, leads to zero growth. It’s perfectly understandable; after all, how can a talent evolve when he or she does the same thing every week on TV with no change?
The main goal for anyone entering WWE is to eventually reach the main event. Anything less should be completely unacceptable. But for that to happen, a character must be born, then grow. That growth must come not only on the mic, but in the ring as well.
Gaining experience over time is the objective. Working someone better is the only way a Superstar can improve himself. But when that experience comes thanks to a style that’s already flawed, paired with unrealistic expectations, then there can be no possible growth.
Guys become action stars in the ring, daredevils that are there to deliver the big moments that will get them nowhere in the end. This isn’t about wrestling anymore, this is about one high spot after another, and when a talent gets caught in that routine, he will do nothing but stand still. No growth means no chance of elevating to the next level.
Fans have seen firsthand what happens when the mid-card takes over in WWE, and that’s what’s happening now. The company cannot truly move into the future until more main event stars are created, and that will not happen unless these issues are addressed soon.
#1 Too many injuries
This is not just a problem for the talents involved, but for WWE itself, and it’s not going away any time soon. Injuries are a way of life in pro wrestling, and that will surely always be the case. But heading into late 2015 and well into 2016, fans saw a dramatic rise in the number of injuries for WWE.
Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Neville, Randy Orton, Tyson Kidd, Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, Luke Harper, and John Cena, were all out of action. Sting went on the shelf with an injury, and has since announced his retirement. One by one, WWE Superstars have been hurt in the ring and have disappeared from the picture.
Each man has his own individual style of course, and not every one of them performed high-risk moves in the ring. But the fact that all of these injuries took place within months of each other, is a very telling fact. But perhaps the most convincing argument as it relates to the detrimental style of WWE is the departure of Daniel Bryan.
Daniel’s career was cut much shorter than need be, and the reason for that is his in-ring style. While fans certainly cannot blame him for his desire to entertain on a very high level, the most obvious question is the one that so many have asked to this point.
If he had tweaked his style and perhaps slowed down at least a half-step in the ring, could Daniel have added more time to his WWE career? He surely did not have to leave the way he did, and if he had just modified his game, he could perhaps still be an active wrestler today.
Fans want bang pow action from their WWE matches, and that is understandable. But when it comes at the expense of the talent’s health, as well as the overall quality of the WWE product itself, then it becomes clear that something must change. Until the company, and the Superstars themselves, can come to some sort of understanding, the fact is nothing will change at all.
Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Sportskeeda. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here
