10 Reasons Wrestling Will Never Ever Top The 90s

3. Authority Figures Actually Made Sense

Austin McMahon
WWE.com

Eric Bischoff's association with the New World Order lent the nascent stable an obnoxious level of meta intrigue, but miles more effective was Mr. McMahon. In finally embracing the maelstrom of heat generated in the fallout of the Montreal Screwjob, McMahon's rise as the company's top heel mirrored Steve Austin's ascent as the hottest act in a shifting wrestling landscape.

Their rivalry was born from serendipity. The story only really made sense with those particular characters - and yet, WWE has exhausted it beyond coherence and intrigue in the ensuing nineteen years (!). The last volume of the anthology series saw non-wrestler Stephanie McMahon clash with non-wrestler Mick Foley for eight months over nothing before it petered out weeks before WrestleMania - where these things are meant to get resolved. It was if WWE doesn't know how to write television without an authority figure at its core. Whether it makes sense or creates excitement is immaterial, for some reason.

Nowadays, General Managers are used as a pointless plot device. Kurt Angle punishes heel wrestlers for some transgression or other by making them wrestle. This phenomenon is known elsewhere as management instructing their employees to perform the duties set out in their contract.

Is it any wonder RAW is so mundane in 2017?

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!