The Quote That Sums Up WWE's Problem Perfectly

In which NJPW's Minoru Suzuki spells it out better than most wrestling writers.

by Michael Sidgwick
Minoru Suzuki
NJPW

If you can't sanction the affected snark of a pretentious 35 year-old with an adverb problem, then listen to no less an authority than Minoru Suzuki.

Promoting his match with Jon Moxley at the New Beginning 2020 in an interview with the official New Japan Pro Wrestling website, he had this to say:

"Can he grapple? No. Is he strong? No. Tough? No. He can’t do sh*t. It’s a bit of a paradox, but it’s because of that he got chances in WWE. There’s nobody else like him, right? Nobody in the majors in America is like him. So he stands out. Nobody gets that. Who the hell will pay money to buy a ticket, and see a guy who’s a perfect hexagon, 8 out of 10 or above in all areas? The guy with zero overall, the guy who can’t do anything at all, he’s a better draw. Why is Lance Archer popular? Why does Zack Sabre, Jr. have the support he does? Because there’s stuff they can’t do. Nobody in this goddamn business understands that. Wrestlers don’t understand that. So the kids go [into the Performance Center], and they train, and their trainers find what the gaps are in their games, and they try to fill those gaps right up. So you have this perfectly smooth, grey lump of boring trash. So Moxley? It’s because he can’t do sh*t that he’s a good wrestler. He has something very special about him."

This something special Minoru speaks of is that which WWE attempted to iron out over the course of several years. Moxley's earthy violence and wry humility was morphed into grotesque whacky caricature. This development was consistent with WWE's broken way of doing things.

The WWE developmental system is highly dysfunctional.

Here's how it should work, at least as it pertains to wrestlers with prior experience and of significant renown:

CONT'D...(1 of 6)

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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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!