10 Improvements WWE Have Already Made In The New Era
9. Authority Taking A Backseat
Aside from the move away from devious authority figures, this week’s Raw was light on any General Manager/Commissioner-based segments. Stephanie and Mick appeared at the top of the show to announce the Universal Championship, and that was all. They sat back and let the talent get on with it, which is exactly how it should be.
One of the biggest complaints over WWE’s product in recent years has been authority figures occupying air-time that should belong to the wrestlers. While SmackDown shows that this theme isn’t quite dead yet, Raw was a huge step in the right direction. Fans watch the show to see wrestlers doing their thing, not staff putting themselves’ over at the talent’s expense, and if WWE continue down this path, they’ll be onto a winner.
Over on the blue brand, Bryan and Shane featured a little more heavily, and Bryan’s insistence on raising Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose’s hands as the show went-off the air was entirely unnecessary, but they weren’t the focal point. Neither staff member was involved in the show’s central story, and that’s crucial. As the SD roster expands with the likes of Shelton Benjamin and Rhyno, there soon won’t be much airtime left for the GM and Commissioner, and their appearances should only diminish.