10 Common Misconceptions About Modern Day WWE
8. WWE Don't Care About Good Wrestling
There’s a strong belief among certain sects of wrestling fans that WWE no longer care about the in ring action, and that they’re all about the soap opera. While the McMahons themselves have often referred to WWE as an entertainment company rather than a straight-up wrestling promotion, the past 12 months show that the in ring side of things is as important as ever.
Raw and SmackDown typically feature at least a couple of decent matches every week, but that’s only scratching the surface. The NXT TakeOver specials routinely produce Match of the Year candidates, and the UK and Cruiserweight Classic tournaments were built entirely around the strength of the actual wrestling.
On the main roster, last year’s Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks feud produced countless great matches. Everything AJ Styles touched turned to gold, whether he was working with Roman Reigns, John Cena, or almost anyone else. Dolph Ziggler and The Miz had a great series of matches, Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn’s Battleground showdown was phenomenal, and barely a PPV passed by without showcasing some great in ring action.
WWE’s storytelling is as contrived as ever, and they still have a nasty habit of burying potentially great matches under shambolic endings (see: the Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins feud). Still, the idea that WWE don’t care about great matches just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny anymore.