10 Wrestlers You Didn’t Realise Were Vitally Important To Their Promotions
3. Chris Kreski
It should worry the fans that acknowledge its creative rut - but remain optimistic of change - that WWE isn't just incapable. There is an unwillingness, too, warped by the arrogance of dominance.
It was clear in 2002, when Paul Heyman's SmackDown out-performed RAW. The nature of the first of three major fallouts is more complex than a jealousy denied and reframed as a philosophical difference, but an outsider, more often than not, has to lose a part of themselves to succeed. It was also clear in 2000.
Chris Kreski's sophisticated approach to plotting out stroylines - played down by Bruce Prichard in recent years, peculiarly, since the WWE of 2020 isn't remotely as compelling or effective - enhanced the WWF considerably from a nonsensical 1999. That awful year was penned, with naff gothic vibes and horrendous continuity, by Vince Russo.
Russo takes credit for the ratings, which didn't reach the sixes with Jarrett awn tawp, but Kreski delivered numbers and a far better top-to-bottom product. Russo's version of giving every talent something to do was naming somebody after a c*ck piercing; Kreski in contrast created a grand shared universe that interacted with itself to immersive, gripping effect, the most famous and electric illustration of which saw Chris Jericho win the WWF Title on a Dusty finish.
Kreski did it without Steve Austin; Russo is never quick to credit Steve Austin.
His exit incited the WWF's decline from a height it would never again reach consistently, which doesn't sound particularly good "for business".
He was replaced by Stephanie McMahon.