The Complete A-Z Of Wrestling In 2017
18. I - India
WWE's December tour of India was everything it wasn't ever supposed to be and then some.
For over six months, the company had placed the WWE Championship, multiple pay-per-view main events and the prestige of a major position on the vascular shoulders still unfortunately not broad enough to carry the load. All because of a market they failed to penetrate.
In truth, it seemed flawed from the outset. India had population going for it, but very little evidence that an entire new generation of fans were willing to part with small fortunes to invest in a product they got so much of for free anyway. Pay-per-views are gratis in most Indian states along with the YouTube videos that are watched in their millions.
By the time the supposedly mammoth tour occurred, it was hugely scaled back and the golden child's reverse midas touch had already resulted in the WWE Championship going elsewhere.
Subsequently, under-attended shows in Delhi as well as Abu Dhabi didn't even have a title fight, instead making do with Triple H as their forced special attraction. 'The Game' even got to beat the man the entire failed experiment had been built around...