10 WWE Things That Are Impossible To Believe In

2. The First Match Of A Major Programme

The Miz And Maryse
WWE.com

At the Greatest Royal Rumble, there was more chance of a woman entering the stadium than there was a decisive conclusion to the WWE Championship match between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura.

Sure enough, the match ended in a double count-out purely as a means of prolonging the wider programme. It was simply the latest Sisyphean narrative spun by a company with no obligation to entice new pay-per-view punters in the Network Era. Hence the Rule Of Three, or in this case Four: outside of WrestleMania season and the subsequent Superstar Shakeup, particularly as we angrily stumble into the late spring months, WWE tends to regurgitate. The effect isn't sickening, however; it is a matter of acceptance.

We accept that the first match of a major programme isn't likely to end conclusively because there is so much recent precedent telling us to know better. AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens; Finn Bálor vs. Bray Wyatt; Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt; Everybody vs. Bray Wyatt, prior to his merciful marginalisation into the tag team ranks: each 2017 rivalry was stretched out, manifesting, in the end, as pure filler - which in the case of Wyatt was particularly rancid viewing, given the dismal premise of his incompetent boogeyman act. "They're saving something better for the blowoff" has entered the wrestling lexicon with a disturbing insidiousness.

But when we get to that blowoff, the intrigue has all but dissipated, adding to the malaise.

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!