10 Early Wrestling Predictions For 2018

4. We Will See A UK-Based* Pay-Per-Piew

Braun Strowman Wwe
WWE

*As opposed to a return to the UK-Exclusive pay-per-view which, the fatalistically-named One Night Only excepted, were unilateral bores of no real significance. They were house shows you paid to sit and watch at home.

The recent Manchester-based TV tapings signalled a renewed drive to get the taste-making, loyal British audience firmly back on board. Interestingly, WWE's sister stronghold has weakened in recent years. One such UK-Exclusive pay-per-view, Insurrextion 2003, emanated from Newcastle, England - a city omitted from the autumn live event loop in 2017, as a result of sparse attendances and listless atmospheres in ensuing years.

The old WrestleMania rumour is a long way off, if not off the table altogether, but the momentous Manchester happenings suggest WWE is in the process of conditioning its fanbase to expect big things - a logical launchpad to base a B-level PPV on British shores. The time difference is a less significant factor in the Network era, and an actual, canonical, proper PPV on the global stage - a Backlash, a Clash of Champions, or something brand new - would test the appetite for the elusive "localisation" grand plan.

The new Wembley Stadium is equipped with a roof, too, guaranteeing a great forecast.

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!