10 Times WWE Mocked What Fans Hated
4. Automatic Championship Rematches
Both casual fans and wrestling aficionados have observed former champions invoke their obligatory rematch clauses time and time again. Unfortunately, such a clause can lead to a series of repetitive feuds, as seen with John Cena and Randy Orton in the early 2000s. Although the strap should come with a few extra privileges, fans are likely to grow tired of the product when every week the same superstars hog the main event picture.
On the 17 December 2018 edition of Raw, WWE acknowledged the shortcomings of guaranteed rematches. Along with the promise of a "fresh start," the McMahon Family stood in the ring and made changes to antiquated rules. Shane declared WWE was doing away with automatic championship rematches - something fans were bored of seeing - in the interest of freshening up its product. WWE even conducted a poll to see what fans thought about the change.
Despite the positive reception, the new ruling didn't stick for long. Sure, some wrestlers never saw their automatic rematches, but most former champions did receive a second shot at the gold, something still seen in 2020 with Bayley and Drew McIntyre. Nonetheless, there was a moment when WWE joined fans in spitting on the out-of-date practice, however brief.