10 WWE Things That Must Happen Before WrestleMania 38
8. More Characters, Fewer Cartoons
Though WWE prides itself on being an entertainment company, not a wrestling promotion, its character base is inherently shallow and hampered by cartoon-ish presentation.
Why does Drew McIntyre carry a sword and wear a kilt to the ring? Your audience knows he's Scottish. It's evident from the moment the first syllable leaves his mouth and he was considerably cooler when he wasn't carrying these goofy props around. Similar criticisms can be applied to Riddle's overcooked (overbaked?) stoner persona, scooter and all. Karrion Kross' parter MMA cosplayer/part supernatural gimmick looks nice but lacks substance. Alexa Bliss, 29, plays an infant on television. Dexter Lumis is maybe, kinda, sorta a serial killer with nothing going on between the ropes. Akira Tozawa is a ninja. The list goes on.
The best and most compelling characters in WWE - Bayley, Sasha Banks, Roman Reigns - are those unhampered by cornball presentation. Incidentally, these are also the names doing the most to move WWE's numbers in the right direction these days. The lesson should be clear there.
Personalities over cartoons.