10 Ways WWE Can Prove The Critics WRONG At WrestleMania 37

7. Do Something Significant With Kevin Owens

Drew McIntyre
WWE

When WWE goes high on a wrestler, it usually means f*ck all. This is a longstanding point of consternation.

You are a biased smark if, for example, you don't fan yourself like a southern belle with a melting fanny when Shinsuke Nakamura gets his old music back and impresses in a Gauntlet match. That is because WWE has done nothing with Shinsuke since. The messaging is as stark as it ever was: do not invest. Investment is punished. And it's not just Nakamura. It's never just one performer.

Kevin Owens feuded with Roman Reigns for several months, losing via chicanery every time, and appears directionless on the Road to WrestleMania. That such a key act can wither into irrelevance underpins the extent to which this is booked week-to-week. KO's lack of direction also exposes the lack of any meaning to this: a top wrestler who took the Ace of the brand to his limit should be awarded with further "opportunities," no? Isn't that how this works? Under the amorphous "opportunity" concept that has plagued WWE's storytelling approach in recent years?

How does it work, actually?

The answer is that it does not - but mapping an arc for Kevin Owens would indicate that the last however many months actually mattered. That investment matters. That this isn't just something tossed out, rinsed and repeated to fulfil the obligation of a TV deal.

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!