7 Better Uses Of WWE Raw's Awful 3rd Hour

3. More Highlight Packages

Neville Zayn Raw 2014
WWE.com

WWE can be criticised for several reasons - repetitive matches, identikit scripted promos, contrived backstage confrontations, counterproductive commentary...

We could go on.

One thing they are peerless at is the video highlight package. Kevin Dunn routinely manages to extract diamonds from coal. Even more impressively, he and his team worked their magic to such an extent that they even made Limp Bizkit sound listenable on the legendary hype video for The Rock and Steve Austin's clash at WrestleMania X-Seven.

The promo work between Rollins and Reigns prior to their match at this year's Money In The Bank was underwhelming, but you wouldn't have guessed that had you only tuned into the event itself. The hype video - and those which documented their history together - were so good that it retrospectively made their confrontations look like appointment television.

The rest of the roster could benefit from similar production truck wizardry. Several talents - including the better mic men and women - naturally struggle to carry the longwinded segments imposed upon them by the three-hour format, the majority of which deliver the same messages over and over again.

By re-contextualising just one or more such encounter into a video package, the need for these interminable and ceaseless segments would be avoided, leaving ample time for more wrestling and interviews with talents who aren't usually allocated much in the way of mic time.

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!