The Three Words That Ruined WWE

Then. Now. Forever?

by Michael Sidgwick
thumb roster
WWE.com

Before the U.S. mainstream wrestling landscape converged to become what it exists as today, or at least pre-pandemic - new mainstream competition in the form of AEW, WWE's quite drastic viewership decline, NXT's divisive transition to television - WWE got away with a lot.

Towards the midpoint of the last decade, it was the only destination for the vast majority of professional wrestling fans; NJPW hadn't yet wowed the west, Impact Wrestling had finally short-circuited fan patience, and Ring Of Honor hadn't yet entered its last drawing period of any significance with the Elite saga as its main - only - asset. Being The Elite, seismic in its transformative influence, wasn't yet a free digital platform that gently ridiculed WWE and brought its ills into focus.

WWE subsequently relinquished its monopoly, variously, by adhering to a stagnant and generic creative formula, spewing forth a spate of incredibly antagonistic booking decisions, and repeating a profound failure to create new stars - even if, and this was the most grand systemic indictment, it was clear, even from within the same company, that the talent were capable of becoming stars elsewhere. Viewership nosedived, gradually but inexorably, in the wake of the 2015 Royal Rumble. The persistent, audible failure of the Roman Reigns push was as much symbolic of the problem as it was the problem itself.

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Contributor
Contributor

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!