The Three Words That Ruined WWE

Doink the Clown money in the bank
WWE.com

Vince realised he didn't really rate Shayna Baszler - winner of a pay-per-view main event and challenger for a World Title at WrestleMania - until after the fact. Various other acts disappeared from TV as quickly as they had appeared (Brendan Vink, Shane Thorne, Bianca Belair). Months were spent teasing and profiling a "Hacker". That development was dropped. Big fake toy spiders were splattered in boxes after months of WWE telling you to care about what it might be. Golfballs painted half-pink were "extracted" from the "eye sockets" of legendary, influential performers as WWE, bang in the f*cking middle of a potentially deadly viral outbreak, promoted 'The Horror Show at Extreme Rules', a horror-themed event, not in October but in July. Under the scorching heat of the Floridian sun.

Comedy matches - ostensibly, forms of escapist fluff - killed the aura of the Viking Raiders. Comedy matches - ostensibly, forms of escapist fluff - twice reminded fans of WWE's dismal, oppressive failure of a management structure when the roster received two separate McMahon-sized b*llockings at Money In The Bank, which featured a cameo from the least convincing Doink you'll ever see, just because you might remember him and memories are all anybody has about this organisation. The Big Show just feuded with Randy Orton. In 2020. They debuted a giant ninja about a month ago. Vince McMahon took two looks at a near eight foot-tall man and shrugged. Vince. Eight foot-tall. Shrug.

Four women, one of whom became a viral sensation to actual elusive young people at the Royal Rumble, were relegated to an abysmal karaoke segment on SmackDown a couple of weeks back. Road Dogg said recently on Corey Graves' podcast that "We have a way we shoot TV and we have a way the promos are cut. It’s to rise above that ‘wrasslin,’ that old school mentality. So we script his promo and he has do it word for word now, because we don’t trust you yet."

CONT'D...(4 of 6)

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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!