10 Ways WWE Are Holding Their Own Wrestlers Back
An all-time great roster regulated to death.
It's hard to think of a time when WWE's roster was as loaded with talent as it is today. Raw, SmackDown, and NXT are all stuffed with legitimately world-class performers from top to bottom, and while the company don't always utilise this incredible resource as effectively as many would like, the wrestlers' pedigree can't be denied.
There's still one major area in which the roster is woefully lacking, however: star power.
Brock Lesnar and John Cena stand out as WWE's biggest names, but while Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose are great, they can't compare to the stars created in eras gone by. They'll never have the chance to become a Rock or Steve Austin, and that's a shame, because it isn't their fault.
The bulk of WWE's biggest names aren't even operating at half capacity, so restrictive are the rules and regulations the company enforce upon their employees. Their hands-on approach has its benefits, but it's also the main reason wrestlers aren't excelling like they used to, and as great as the likes of AJ Styles are, they could be doing so much more if they weren't operating in such a stifling environment.
10. Worthless Accomplishments
WWE storytelling largely revolves around "making history" and "creating moments" these days. They're no longer content to let such situations unfold naturally, and will now jam them down the audiences' throat at every possible opportunity. If there's a record to break or a milestone in sight, you can bet your life that WWE will reach for it, regardless of whether it makes sense to or not.
Such historic moments used to mean something, but they've become worthless in 2017. John Cena's 16th World Championship, Sasha Banks and Charlotte headlining Hell In A Cell, The New Day's record-breaking Tag Team Title reign: each felt like an inevitability, not an accomplishment, because WWE booked them to happen without good reason.
The prestige has been sucked from these achievements. Where once they'd be used to push a wrestler's career to the next level, WWE's flippancy has destroyed their value. Sure, Big E can call himself a record-breaking tag champ, but it would've meant so much more if it wasn't just a petty stunt to write Demolition (who were suing the company at the time) out of the history books.