6 Things WWE Can Learn From Lucha Underground

There is no question that WWE is the dominant brand in sports entertainment in terms of viewership and revenue. However, a recent decline in ratings suggests the product may be getting a bit stale.

Conversely, El Rey Network’s flagship show Lucha Underground has received excellent reviews from the wrestling public and its unique presentation style has helped the show gain a rabid cult following.

Lucha Underground doesn’t have the sort of financial resources or distribution to become any sort of threat to WWE’s status as the top company in pro wrestling. That being said, there are still some things WWE could learn from the upstart promotion to help them reconnect with their fan base.

Moreover, while WWE has been stubborn about utilizing ideas and characters from other companies in the past, they have started to come around in recent years.

For example, if AJ Styles debuted in WWE back in the 1990s, he would have probably had his name changed or been given a ridiculous occupational gimmick as WWE was known to do during that period.

Had AJ Style arrived in WWE back in 1994 he may have been billed as ‘The Phenomenal’ Milk Man. Fortunately, WWE’s current creative staff allowed him to keep the name he helped establish in other promotions around the world.

We even saw WWE create their own version of the ‘BROKEN’ Matt Hardy ‘Final Deletion’ match with their House of Horrors bit at Payback in April.

Lucha Underground definitely has some things to offer - and now more than ever, WWE seems willing to accept good ideas that aren’t their own.

If you are looking for an example of how to use a professional wrestling manger effectively, look no further than Lucha Underground’s Famous B.

One of the things that make his character work is that his purpose for being there is clearly defined. He is in Lucha Underground to make wrestlers famous in order to get his cut of their earnings. They also devote time to establishing his character, like the segment in the first half of season 3 where Son of Havoc is watching Famous B's sleazy commercial on television. Moreover, B’s humorous antics outside the ring add flair to his client Dr. Wagner, who is a solid in ring performer but needs a little boost in the personality department.

Conversely, WWE has managers like Bob Backlund who want to “make Darren Young great again.” Why exactly does he want to do this?

Is Backlund simply a nice guy?

Are they longtime friends?

In the case of Backlund, there is no real angle or motive for his action, thus making the character difficult to invest in, which in turns means he adds little to the character he is trying to manage.

If WWE wants the few managers they have to be effective they need to clearly define their characters the way Lucha Underground does with Famous B.