10 Architects Behind WWE's Demise

8. Stephanie McMahon, Again

Stephanie McMahon
WWE.com

Stephanie McMahon has lost sight of whatever the f*ck any of this is meant to be offscreen and on it.

She was raised to feel above all of this. She snarls to let you know. She ushered in the era of hacks scribbling squabbles in crayon, and she played perhaps the most damaging character in the history of WWE TV. As the Authority, Stephanie expressed her perpetual disappointment at the state of things. Nobody was worthy of the mythical 'A' in the longest-running episodic job evaluation in history. She rolled her eyes at the faces, the heels, the General Managers. Everybody. You could only weep, violently, and wonder what you were still doing.

Imagine Stephanie b*llocking Stan Hansen. She would have.

An exhausting and obnoxious source of drama - people work hard and scared all day to not be reminded of administration when they escape at evening - there was no resolution to it. It was like getting nipped in the blue balls for about three years. It was all so abrasive on a sensory level. That voice. That voice. That smug cadence, that screeching bravado. Of course you can tell Brock Lesnar to get out of your ring. You are management.

This is all for you, Damien.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!