10 Things That Happened BEFORE Wrestling Matches WWE Won't Tell You
7. Vince McMahon Tells Wrestler That RAW Doesn't Matter
It's quite easy to infer that WWE TV matches are worked in autopilot.
Even if you aren't able to determine this personally, helpfully, Bryan Danielson has confirmed it - and he was actually nice to WWE on the way out. He revealed that he could enter the ring and work the required standard without even a thought. Finn Bálor was also euphemistic in his approach, claiming that he was refreshed upon his 2019 NXT return as the patterned main roster matches had become routine displays of muscle memory. WWE doesn't want its performers to go full bore on RAW. That's the job of the writers.
But WWE wouldn't actually tell you that. It would reveal that your investment is held in contempt.
WWE wouldn't, but Shayna Baszler did, unwittingly ruining every other Monday Night RAW match as a waste of your time.
Speaking to Renee Paquette on Oral Sessions, Baszler revealed that in the grim empty Performance Center era, she wanted to work a unique, shoot style-informed match with Natalya. She did. Vince loathed it, cut it, and ordered Shayna to work a "headlock, takeover, dropdown" special.
His justification?
This is barely snark: "It's only RAW," he effectively said, advising Baszler that she can do creative stuff on PPV, but Mondays are reserved for the gentlemen's three formula.
It's no wonder that they're relying on an egg to save it, Jesus wept.