10 Modern Wrestling Tropes We're Totally Sick Of
7. Show-Opening Promos
Not every show-opening promo stinks. Such segments being positioned at the top of a card doesn't mean they automatically suck, and episodes of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite, and more will often kick off with a decent-to-good diatribe from a high-level talker or two, with promotions at least wise enough to keep those who work the stick away from this crucial tone-setting slot.
The content of these things can be fine; it's the formula that stinks, but only when it becomes a habit.
Where's the excitement in a wrestling show that starts off the exact same way every single time? It gets dull when you know you're going to have to sit through 10-15 minutes of talking before getting to the action 99% of the time, even when the segment is used to set things up for later in the evening. Even that's a formula, though. Fans know that when someone comes out to for the opener, their rival is only ever a few minutes away, making the whole thing a joyless, repetitive slog.
Show-opening promos can be effective when used sparingly, but they've lost much of their power through overuse. An episode of Raw or SmackDown starting without one feels like a rare treat as a result.