It's Official: WWE Has Debuted A New Era

Alpha Academy
WWE.com

He was Shorty G in 2019, a risible underdog geek that was never getting over, but in 2022, as part of the Alpha Academy, he isn't a disgrace at all to the Kurt Angle comparison.

He's a technical marvel with an amusingly irreverent character. Similarly, while this is milage-will-vary WWE "comedy", Ezekiel is at least a quintessentially 'WWE' creation, and Kevin Owens is tremendous value as the disbelieving Seinfeldian hothead. Sami Zayn is enjoying his best run as a slimy, snivelling heel.

If the jokes aren't that funny, WWE isn't the punchline anymore, at least. WWE in 2022 is not so good that lapsed fans are racing to see what the buzz is all about, or anything, but stars are being made (or well-booked enough). Isn't that what the point of wrestling is, and what WWE was accused of failing to do for years and years?

Riddle drew a monster of a rating by modern standards in his challenge of Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns, fans have responded very favourably to Liv Morgan as SmackDown Women's champion, and Bobby Lashley as United States champion is more over than he's ever been. All the while, there's nothing so bad, other than the 24/7 Title picture, that is going to get "numbers" with a caustic social media tweet. Even the announcing is better; Jimmy Smith is the best play-by-play man WWE has recruited in years, and WWE devotees are really into Michael Cole and Pat McAfee's chemistry. If this is a new era, Theory is "face" of it; telegenic and talented but bland and lacking intangibles, he's almost the perfect fit for WWE's new "it exists" philosophy.

As CM Punk famously said, however, WWE can always be better.

CONT'D...(5 of 6)

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Contributor
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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!