10 Major Challenges Facing WWE In 2018

6. On The Inside Looking Out

Cody Rhodes
WWE.com

Sasha Banks may have revealed to WWE Network subscribers her depressingly giddy thrill at 'wrestling at a No Mercy' during an appearance alongside Bayley on 'Ride Along', but she shared with her Instagram and Twitter followers her similar excitement at getting to watch Wrestle Kingdom 12.

They may not be allowed to say it, and they ordinarily hide it, but most within the system are acutely aware of the successes of those away from it. Chris Jericho shared Vince McMahon's enthusiasm for his New Japan sojourn, but 'The Boss' is currently no 'Y2J'.

Elsewhere, Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes have spent New Years Eve together around The Miz' house over the years, but has 'The Show Off's head been turned by his friend's fantastic foray in the Far East or Ring Of Honor reinvention? His current employer hasn't exactly provided him with ample reason to stay, despite a recent feigned farewell.

Broadly speaking, wrestling has reached commercial and critical peaks during periods of fiercest competition, so the challenge of keeping talent satisfied and satiated may reap untold benefits for fans and performers alike. There's an alternate side effect...

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation for 10 years. Alongside the production of daily written, audio and video content covering WWE and AEW, he also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot on the UK's wrestling podcast charts with over 10,000 episodes and 70,000,000 total downloads. He also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House!, Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast, and has guested on long-running Sunderland AFC podcast Wise Men Say. With WhatCulture, he has provided in-person coverage of some of the biggest pay-per-views and Premium Live Events in wrestling history, including WrestleMania, Survivor Series, All In & Double Or Nothing in destinations such as New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. He has also been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana, 411Mania and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in music and culture magazines The Crack, Pilot as well as Sunderland AFC's premiere fanzine A Love Supreme. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it every other Saturday at the Stadium Of Light, and at Cribs gigs nationwide.