25 Ways WWE Has Ruined Raw

14. Brands, Not Wrestlers

wwe raw set
WWE.com

WWE's insistence on referring to their wrestlers as 'Superstars' is grating, and not just on a cosmetic level.

No longer content to let their performers get over on the strength of their work and personality, WWE have turned the vast majority into walking, talking brands, particularly on Raw - the show with the most exposure. These aren't believable human beings, but underdeveloped marketing tools designed primarily to sell t-shirts and tickets. Nothing more, nothing less.

Seth Rollins is no more than a thin collection of 'Kingslayer'/'burn it down' motifs. It's been a long time since Dean Ambrose last resembled a lunatic, but 'Unstable' looks great on a shirt. Michael Cole will call Braun Strowman 'The Monster Among Men' dozens of times throughout a Raw broadcast while only spouting his real name once or twice. Speaking of the big, beardy brute, how fake did his dialogue sound when forced to fit "I'm not finished with you yet" and "get these hands" into a sentence last week?

What a load of bulls***.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.