10 Ways WWE Has Made Twitter As Important As RAW
5. Furthering A Feud
Heat.
A lost art in pro-wrestling today is the use of heat. Typically, heat involves a heel gaining momentum by beating down or getting one over on the babyface, usually through underhanded practices. The strategy of building heat was often a critical component towards furthering a feud between two wrestlers.
Unfortunately, these days feuds are often furthered along by the use of social media, specifically Twitter.
Take a look at the majority of the build for WrestleMania XXVIII's main event between The Rock and John Cena. The two were constantly tweeting back-and-forth, insulting one another as a way to increase anticipation for their epic clash in Miami.
Instead of a sneak attack or a group beating, feuds are now waged because of a few lines of text that a WWE superstar typed about his opponent. It's certainly a reflection of the times, but man oh, man has the industry gotten softer.
Could you picture Steve Austin in his prime using Twitter or posting a photoshopped picture of Bret Hart's head onto the body of a baby? Or how about Harley Race and Dusty Rhodes using a computer or smartphone to hurl insults back-and-forth electronically? It's hard to imagine, but that's not the case for today's stars like John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, the New Day, Enzo Amore, and many more.
Heat may be fleeting, but Twitter is here to stay.