10 Reasons Why WWE's Problems Aren't Going Away

5. Too Many Talents Are Stigmatised As Failures

Saudi Trouble
WWE.com

It was incredibly difficult to resuscitate a career even before a vast generation of talent was in place to make people not care about that career.

Look at the recent discourse surrounding SaudiGate: it's a shame these talented men and women may or may not be mired in an international incident, but hey ho: the NXT lot will save the day!

Too many WWE stars are stigmatised as just "guys" to get over; in totality, the roster is comprised of too many acts that have lost or otherwise not been promoted as stars to come off like stars. Andrade has lost routinely, and his wins never informed any arc of which to speak. He is a midcard act who exists, which is some indictment, given how talented he is.

That's the WWE experience.

Before his latest big push, Rey Mysterio shared the same experience, which will inevitably account for great work unrewarded by a stellar rating. Buddy Murphy broke through, and then WWE forgot about him. It's impossible to get behind and invest in him (or anyone) because the fanbase knows it to be pointless without the trust earned through long-term, focused booking.

Every roster needs an average hitter or a journeyman; WWE's problem is that they are indistinguishable from the stars because they were once introduced as stars.

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!