8 Big Concerns Raised By WWE's Injury Crisis
1. Is There Even A Solution?
And so we reach this: the scariest point of all. Anyone can analyse the causes of WWE's injury epidemic, but unfortunately, there's no quickfire solution to any of these problems.
Easing the ageing roster would require rebuilding WWE's broken star-making machine - something they've been trying to do for years. Further in-ring restrictions would render the company's already watered-down style unwatchable. Live events accounted for $144.4 million in revenue last year, and reducing the schedule would put a dent in that. An increase in multi-man tags, meanwhile, would necessitate a complete revamp of WWE's booking practices, and may turn fans away from the product.
Nobody likes seeing wrestlers get hurt, but facts are facts, and every available solution flies in the face of how WWE do business. Tragically, it may take a Katsuyori Shibata-esque catastrophe to force them into taking action. We sincerely hope it doesn't come to this, as WWE have shown an admirable dedication to cleaning up their product since the Chris Benoit tragedy, but there's your precedent.
For now, we can only hope that the company's wounded return to the ring fit, healthy, and at the height of their powers, with few others joining them in the treatment room.