Opinion: Is WWE in the midst of a decline or a renaissance?

Next Sunday, the men and women of WWE will converge in Philadelphia for the 2018 Royal Rumble event. The show marks the start of the annual Road to WrestleMania, and for the first time in history two different Rumble matches will take place. One of course will feature the male athletes in WWE, which includes a star-studded cast such as Bray Wyatt, John Cena, Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura, to name a few. This match promises to excite, and yet all eyes seem to be centred on the groundbreaking Royal Rumble match for the Women's Division.

After years of scratching and clawing their way into the spotlight, the female competitors in WWE are finally being given an equal playing field. In recent years we've seen Hell in a Cell and Money in the Bank contests enter the division, but the announcement of a Women's Royal Rumble is an entirely different playing field. Close to half of the contestants haven't even been announced yet, which only adds to the mystique of the match. Should WWE make use of the anticipation and deliver something unforgettable (Ronda Rousey's debut for instance), the division itself will be established for years to come.

Focusing now on the available talent pool, WWE has changed tremendously in the past few years alone. Aging stars like Goldberg, Sting, & The Undertaker have faded into the sunset, and in their place sit a plethora of talent waiting to grab that mythical brass ring. The beauty about the company today is that unlike years prior, there is no one singular king to the throne. Yes, Roman Reigns defeated The Undertaker (proverbially passing the torch), but the Brand Split helped to diversify the main event scene. Although it can be assumed that the WWE fanbase watches both major shows (RAW and SmackDown Live), one could simply stick to one weekly product if a particular brand doesn't draw their interest.

Of course, for all of the positives present in the business today, there are a number of deterrents that could impact the company (and in some cases, already have). For starters, the fact that so many superstars are on an even playing field in terms of star power means that it's hard for athletes to emerge as unique. This has caused WWE to rely on talent established elsewhere to give their product a sense of freshness and legitimacy. On paper this is a perfectly applicable solution, but the problem is that the river is starting to run dry. There are only so many dream matches left to bring to life, and things could grow dire if new stars aren't established soon.

So how does the Royal Rumble event fit into this recent shift in product? To put it simply, this is the first year where the focus isn't primarily on the stars of the past. Indeed, the Royal Rumble (or Rumbles for that matter) should not feature past headliners acquiring one final shot at the grand stage.

What it should do, is give fans is a clearer guide into the future, show them who exactly they can depend on, to carry the company forward for the next generation of talent.