10 Major Challenges Facing WWE In 2018
2. WrestleMania Realities
If it wasn't already, the fix was in when the crowd couldn't even find the energy to react to Roman Reigns' systematic dismantling of The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33. Entering hour six at that point, they'd literally seen enough.
Carefully extended and promoted by WWE over thirty years, the 'Show Of Shows' was justifiably longer than the traditional monthly shows for much of its lifespan, but the Network-era endurance efforts have forced further introspection on the unnecessary size of the 'Grandest Stage'.
WWE's cack-handed efforts to force 'WrestleMania Moments' (TM) in every other segment have resulted in more and more bloat instead of refining a card to create them organically. As predicted many years ago, the well of megastar combinations is now running dry too, with the company seemingly not interested in elevating enough talent from the main roster to the same gantry that supports the creaking limbs of the past greats.
This may open up the WrestleMania card to a host of talents for the first time in a generation (veteran nearly-men Dolph Ziggler and Zack Ryder have never even had a singles match on the card), but the company has padlocked viewer expectations far higher than the once-revered glory of a secondary title.