10 Times WWE Tried Too Hard To Be REAL

It doesn't take much of a brain to see WWE's brand of professional wrestling for what it is, even if naysayers still think "it's fake" is a mic-dropping argument. The fact that sports entertainment may not be "real" in the traditional sense of a sport doesn't make it any less enjoyable to its fans. Still, WWE (and other promotions) have to take the extra step of suspending the viewer's disbelief to pass the product off as plausible.

To do so, WWE has gone out of its way to add small doses of realism to its product over the years. Not only does it give the presentation a bit of an edge, but it also reminds fans that the entertainers backstage are also real "tough guys and gals."

However, in an attempt to shake off the image of 'rasslers being "too soft" and present the product in a grittier, more realistic light, WWE has often taken things a bit too far. While some of these bits of "reality" created great entertainment, many others went down in infamy as some of the most regrettable decisions in WWE history...

Said to be Shane McMahon's brainchild, WWE made a desperate attempt to improve third-hour viewership by introducing Raw Underground in August 2020. The last-hour segments boosted ratings during its debut but failed to retain fan interest within a few episodes.

The shoot-style fights were intended to add more realism to Raw but headed in the other direction instead. Big names from the MMA and wrestling worlds, especially Ken Shamrock, criticized the concept while also offering advice. Many thought it was a terrible idea, as it delegitimized pro-wrestling. Why would Dolph Ziggler lose every rasslin' match yet tear it up during "shoots"?

Aside from the clunky slugfests, the overall concept of Raw Underground was never truly established. First, there were the dancers straight from the Ruthless Aggression Era, and then they disappeared. McMahon originally announced there were no rules, although he ended up stopping the combatants (rather easily sometimes) when they "went too far." The only talent that benefitted from the ordeal was Dabba-Kato. Still, even he ended up being food for Braun Strowman's 1,000th push attempt.

Raw Underground was meant to improve ratings and introduce a grittier third hour, but it failed on both accounts. By the fall, the third-hour series disappeared amidst a COVID-19 outbreak and never came back. It was all thrown out within a few months and showed just how disorganized the company's creative had become.