Every Wrestling Secret WWE Tries (And Fails) To Hide
3. Vince McMahon As The Voice Of WWE
2021's post-WrestleMania Raw understandably struggled to build on the remarkable momentum of 'The Show Of Shows', what with a live crowd and firework-shooting pirate ship being replaced by the all-new (but mostly the same) ThunderDome. But it wasn't entirely without the traditions of similar post-game shows from years past.
The Viking Raiders returned, for example. As did Charlotte Flair, who was conspicuous by her absence on the 'Grandest Stage' one night earlier. And it was all change at the desk, where former ESPN broadcaster Adnan Virk sat betwixt Corey Graves and Byron Saxton ready offer to new insight on an ancient-feeling product.
Only he didn't. Or couldn't, more realistically. Within three hours he felt instantly identical to the Tom Phillips' and Vic Josephs' that had come before him, and only separate from Michael Cole because his voice has been drilled into all heads with more ferocity than Issac Yankem DDS used on that kid in 1995.
Virk's job wasn't to provide thoughts from outside the bubble, but to drown in the mixture. We've all heard the soul-crushing stories of getting b*llockings from the boss, and by week two it was as though this established broadcaster was just another injured ex-wrestler taking advantage of Performance Center facilities.
It's ironic; McMahon would rather it appear as though these people actually feel something for what they're seeing on screen, but his vision is the only one that cuts through.