10 Reasons Why You’re Watching WWE Wrong

1. Watching WWE In The First Place

roman reigns braun strowman
WWE.com

If you took to Twitter to express your disapproval of the sudden promotion of Jinder Mahal, you played into WWE's hands. Reacting to anything, positively or negatively, is considered a boon for a company which has bragged very recently about its "unequivocal engagement" with fans.

Watching in a state of agitation is still watching. A message is being conveyed to WWE that you remain invested in the product. The only way to effect real change - or save yourself the bother - is to not watch. The Mahal business didn't quite come out of nowhere. WWE promoted Darren Young without warning or storyline logic at this exact point last year. WWE isn't and never has been a meritocracy, and watching the same product and expecting different results is the literal definition of lunacy.

If you want to watch a wrestling company that does operates as a meritocracy - with a carefully established tier of talent advancing only when it makes sense - watch New Japan Pro Wrestling. Ostensibly everything that company does makes sense, increasingly violent ring style aside.

Bad Luck Fale on the surface is a comedown as an IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenger, but he's a former IWGP Intercontinental Champion who hasn't been jobbed out within an inch of his life, and his immense physical presence justifies his contendership.

His challenge makes sense, whereas Mahal's doesn't (at least according to storyline logic). If you want wrestling to make sense, watch Wrestling Dontaku and cover the Backlash name in irony.

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!