The five biggest decisions WWE has made in recent times

Kayfabe in its original sense has long been gone. Reality almost always seeps into storylines and character formations. Fans and their reactions are no longer influenced totally by WWE.

With kayfabe being broken, dirt sheets ever-available and social media being the biggest influence, fans know more about the WWE product than ever before. With a new age come new responsibilities.

In this digital new era, WWE has focused very much on its social presence, which has made fans participate more with the product and the company has made some moves that were not even conceivable few years back. It has strived to get excitement back into the product some way or the other and done what they think would be best for business.

Here are the 5 biggest moves WWE has made in recent times -

1. WWE Network

The WWE Network is the most major business move made by WWE in recent times

The biggest move since social media became top most priority has been bringing the WWE Network. It’s a platform where you get quintessentially everything throughout the history of company.

The idea was announced in 2011. After a series of will they, won’t they and a few aborted attempts to bringing this business model into place, they finally launched it in 2014. The subscription model had always been quite a hiccupy affair for the company with the problem of also getting distributors for its PPV events.

The Network has seen many roadblocks like, not having a million subscribers by end of 2014 as envisioned, delays in launching the Network to the rest of the world, stock freefalls and low subscription numbers. But it has managed to sail through it by giving free trials and continuing to expand it beyond borders.

Anything and everything you ever wanted to remember to see again and again is now just a subscription away. Sometimes they even give you a free month without subscribing, that’s why WrestleMania 32 was free to all new subscribers.

Additionally, they’ve also made many interesting shows, the diversity of which is quite remarkable given how great the production and post-production team are. Unique setups, concepts and styles have certainly added to the range of things the business can do. Be it Table for 3, Stone Cold’s podcast or Swerved! – WWE Network tries to offer a lot from legends to present day superstars- whether they’re eventually successful or not.

2. Uniting the WWE and World Heavyweight Championship

The new WWE World Heavyweight Championship is unveiled

The company took quite a bold step in having Brock Lesnar squash John Cena at Summerslam 2014. But the next night on Raw it took a bolder decision of uniting the WWE title and the World Heavyweight Championship.

For some time, Randy Orton, John Cena and Daniel Bryan had been carrying both titles, so it was just a matter of when the titles would be unified since many in the WWE Universe were already talking about it. Brock Lesnar became the first to hold the unified title and it has since adorned the shoulders of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Sheamus , Triple H and Dean Ambrose.

The WWE Championship was always the company’s premier title. The World Heavyweight Championship was the one reminder of Vince McMahon’s conquest of WCW and these two were the two biggest prizes sports entertainment offered. But the WWE Championship always mattered more. By unifying them WWE made it into THE biggest prize in sports entertainment.

But since the brand split is coming soon, it seems one more title will be revealed.

3. No More ‘Divas’

Lita unveils the new WWE Women’s Championship

One of the most memorable and remarkable things to happen at the biggest WrestleMania event of all time was the announcement that all WWE Divas will now be called ‘Superstars’ - a move clearly indicating WWE’s intention of making them equal, at par with men who are also called ‘Superstars’. A new title was revealed which was very well received and is taken to be way better than the butterfly belt could ever be.

For long, WWE gave just a fraction of screen time to the women on the main roster while NXT was revolutionizing the business with quality programming that included great wrestling moments and matches with female performers.

Soon, the hashtag ‘Give Divas A Chance’ trended worldwide and McMahon took note and went on to provide the audience with some improvement. There still a long way to go but WWE is making an attempt towards going over there and if Stephanie McMahon, a woman, is set to take the reins from Vince McMahon, it doesn’t seem impossible that women could main event WrestleMania.

4. Shane McMahon’s Return

Shane McMahon returned to a glorious reaction

Shane McMahon left the only company he’s ever worked for in 2009 since he himself says that his ideas were never being heard and it was getting immensely frustrating for him to work for his father which in turn was ruining their personal relationship as well.

The younger McMahon stayed away from WWE entirely without even making a single appearance until this February; after 7 long years, he returned to a gallant ovation by the crowd. They still cared. They always will.

Also, he seems to be the only McMahon that is just so great as a babyface authority figure. The company needed someone to pick up the business after a plethora of injuries left major stars out of competing at the biggest WrestleMania of all time.

His return left everyone ecstatic with joy and he has stayed on television ever since. His return increased the ticket sales for WrestleMania 32 and WWE’s social presence. He may have returned as just an on-screen character but it remains to be seen if he will be involved again in the business,.

5. Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman are one of the greatest alliances WWE has ever seen

Brock Lesnar is an anomaly. That much is clear. And that’s why his return in 2012 was so universally welcomed. And that’s why he’s in a unique position to compete with both WWE and UFC.

When he returned 4 years ago, he came with a T-Shirt that had UFC sponsors on the back of his t-shirt. And now while he’s signed with WWE he is advertised for UFC’s next major PPV.

He is allowed to do business with another entity many considered to be competition to WWE even if the WWE doesn’t think so. Lesnar will also walk down to the octagon with his WWE theme song.

He is the man who squashed John Cena and he’s the man who crushed a 21-year-old fairytale by breaking the Undertaker’s WrestleMania winning streak.

From his spectacular return to being a part-time superstar, Lesnar’s unique position is because of him being an anomaly and hence being a big draw. The WWE knows that and so does UFC.