10 Things That Happened BEFORE Wrestling Matches WWE Won't Tell You

by Michael Sidgwick

1. WWE Creative Is Very Insistent That Roman Reigns Looks Strong

CM Punk Roman Reigns
WWE.com

Obviously, WWE isn't going to tell you who is set to win a match.

Unless of course that wrestler holds a midcard championship, and their defeat is a foregone conclusion, but regardless: WWE doesn't want you to know the extent to which they're pushing a name act because it would ruin the fun, create resentment within the locker room, and generally show their hand.

WWE didn't directly tell the audience that they were to receive Roman Reigns as their new God. They effectively did - hence why he was rejected by the fans so thoroughly - but they didn't beam the mandate into their eyeballs. They did however tattoo the instruction inside of the eyelids of their talent, as infamously recounted by CM Punk on the Art of Wrestling.

"Make sure Roman looks strong. Make sure Roman looks strong. Make sure Roman looks strong."

Punk was told this expressly and repeatedly when feuding with the Shield before the matches in late 2013. It was a sensible directive delivered so adamantly that it became a suboptimal meme that fans weaponised to criticise the push.

Basically, WWE's booking was so on-the-nose that it felt less like a TV show and more like an instruction.

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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!