10 WWE Creative Secrets The Writers DON’T Want You To Know

You can't run from Vince McMahon - and some have actually tried...

Vince McMahon no idea
WWE

Elements of this list might be somewhat out of date, provided you subscribe to the notion that WWE is infinitely better with Paul Levesque at the helm. Or the notion that he is at the helm.

It would be acting in immense bad faith to suggest that Triple H is doing Vince McMahon's bidding with his father-in-law's hand wedged several inches deep up his arse. If Triple H were just some puppet, GUNTHER isn't getting pushed like he is. The Way aren't inexplicably reforming on Raw, even though, to the main roster crowd, Triple H might as well have promoted them all from MLW.

But it's all very slippery over in WWE. Vince didn't strike this Endeavor deal so that he can plant the seeds of the next chapter in the #DIY saga. Vince's influence is growing, seeping into the product as a more compelling backstage drama unfolds. Is it too cynical to suggest that he's biding his time, knowing enough to know that the timing to take it all back isn't ideal?

"Papa H" and his take on the product is still garnering acclaim and generating very strong business at present.

Vince, nonetheless, is back, and if you should have learned anything about the man in your experience of following wrestling online, it's this: he is a terrible storyteller but an excellent promoter and even better businessman.

He desires total control, he will seize it eventually, and he will inspire more of the following...

10. Their Worst Creative Shortcut

Vince McMahon no idea
WWE.com

WWE has a secret shortcut with which they pad out the excessively overlong and stilted promos on television. They don't want you to notice how often they rely on this crutch because it exposes them as hacks.

This crutch is scripting the talent to, in effect, read out the 'Championships and accomplishments' section of their Wikipedia pages. The Miz is the most galling repeat offender: how many times has he told you how often he has won the Intercontinental title?

Almost as many times as he's won the bloody thing, which underscores how little the title used to mean - for years and years and years - before GUNTHER actually brought the prestige back to it.

The Miz isn't alone in parroting this hideous exposition. On the May 15 Raw, the debuting JD McDonagh read out Dolph Ziggler's 'Championships and accomplishments' section to explain why Ziggler was a scalp at whose expense he can make a name for himself.

This expository shortcut also exposes the fact that far too many wrestlers in WWE have won titles as part of an undisciplined overarching approach to creative. Over time - and yes, for now, Triple H has corrected this by booking multiple lengthy reigns - Vince McMahon's mental whims have converged to make almost everybody a champion at some point or another.

Apollo Crews, on the same broadcast, made mention of the fact that he is a former United States and Intercontinental champion - and he otherwise talked about how this was his second chance.

Had to get it in, though.

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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!