10 Times WWE Marketing Was Pure BULLSH*T

4. The Spin After WrestleMania

Hot Mess Steph
WWE.com

In a transparent bid to harmonise a narrative beyond its control, WWE, since the Great Izod Rebellion of 2013, has attempted to reimagine the 'RAW After WrestleMania' as the warped, "bizarro-land" version of the flagship.

"Expect a different reaction from the WWE Universe," Michael Cole invariably says, a pained smile creeping across his face. JBL no longer commentates, mercifully, but when he did, he said "The WWE Universe boo who they normally cheer, and cheer who they normally boo!"

It is a quite audacious promotional gambit. WWE very often offers a product that is the opposite of what the 'WWE Universe' wants. But that's your f*ckin' fault, guy, and you are literally weird for thinking it. The trend has reached a laughable nadir in recent years. "Roman Reigns is one of our most popular stars," Cole said in 2017 and 2018. "But tonight, these contrarian f*ckheads are gonna jerk themselves off," before following up with a searingly insincere "...and we love it!"

This crowd reaction isn't a subversion, of course; it is an intensification roared by the most committed, boisterous, and sh*t-faced hardcore fans. It is a risible attempt at spin, but really, they can't exactly say "The WWE Universe, there, telling us to eat sh*t!"

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!