10 Ways Wrestling Is Ruining WWE
7. Creative Bankruptcy
When fans erupted at the sight of Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose's fists connecting for the first time in years, it wasn't just a wave of Shield nostalgia rushing through the Monday Night Raw crowd.
Their arc may have started with 'The Architect's wicked 2014 chairshot, but it was sharpened and refined by the redemptive road Seth Rollins has been on since first turning babyface last year. That wasn't always clear, but WWE smartly honed in on his deep sadness and regret during the Triple H storyline. He literally said as much, even though his response wasn't exactly dwelled upon by announcers more keen to get to videos of Triple H dressed up as a medieval king, or some such nonsense.
The point was, his character had been on, and remains on, quite a realistic pathway. The reunion with Ambrose was his latest big step. Gimmicks sell t-shirts, but characters sell tickets, and should Rollins' journey lead right back to the promised land, it's likely that thousands more will join him than the passive few willing to get on board with his unconvincing chase against Kevin Owens in 2016.
Seth, sadly, is in the minority. WWE make it abundantly clear how it's best to forget the actions of a performer almost immediately after they've happened. Quick, watch another match. Watch the last match. It's all moves, and none of it matters, but there's still another thirty guys to throw out there to silent crowds before Raw finishes. Fantasy book a Shield reunion in your own time, we've got a Kalisto match to watch.