10 Things WWE Fans Have To Look Forward To In 2018

2. Yet More Hate-Watching

Spiteful Man
WWE.com

The life of a WWE fan, or somebody compelled to check the various goings-on on their smartphones through muscle memory, offers very little at present beyond morbid fascination.

It's part of the fun. Just deciding what the absolute f*ck is going on half the time. Trying to determine just how WWE gets it so wrong with such frequency. Why is Bobby Lashley the all-smiling John Cena replacement? Why is Bobby Lashley the 46th all-smiling John Cena replacement? Is Bayley meant to be working an actual terminal puppy gimmick? Where are the tag teams? Why are the only prominent tag teams absolutely goons? Why, from the supposed minor to the major leagues, do NXT's major stars - to a man - become minor footnotes within WWE's abysmal non-narrative? Why is Roman Reigns the most-pushed WWE performer and, simultaneously, an utter failure? Why does Apollo Crews smile all the time, equipped with the knowledge that creative has nothing for him? Why is Finn Bálor - a man who won his first World Title at the same speed at which Hulk Hogan won his - the new Apollo Crews?

Less escapist entertainment, WWE TV is a fiendishly difficult puzzle we convince ourselves can be solved.

"Why?"

*Slaps head, mistaking it for the key to Simon Miller's wonderful eternal optimism, and instead enjoys feeling something for a change, otherwise numbed by the sheer ennui of WWE fandom, ends up really hurting himself.*

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!