Why WWE Is Playing A Dangerous Game With WrestleMania 38

Chad Gable Riddle
WWE.com

WWE doesn't care about tag team wrestling, and the average length of a women's match not involving the Horsewomen is minus three minutes, so good luck filling that undercard.

A celebrity might help make 'Mania feel like a spectacle, but any prospective fans drawn to the show by Cardi B would then have to watch RAW. On the subject of undercards, WWE has to fill two of the f*ckers this year. This wasn't an issue when fans wanted two nights (and naturally didn't get them) because WWE had warehoused countless talents that most fancied seeing take the Grandest Stage to see if they could strut on it. This is no longer the case in a post-Nick Khan world; WWE runs the risk of presenting a "stupendous two-night extravaganza" that feels like two consecutive Payback shows against a stadium backdrop. In typical WWE form, the two-night 'Mania feels at least a year too late.

On the positive side, Riddle and Randy Orton's act is very much over, and while it's silly, that's WWE for you. The silliness is at least thoughtfully crafted, and Chad Gable is a revelation working in harmony with it. Orton turning on Riddle now would feel particularly cruel after finally warming to him. If RKOBro "explodes" ahead of 'Mania 38, WWE would have booked a key, highly-anticipated match that doesn't involve a contractor that has been on the books for years and years.

There's a deeper take than "This year's 'Mania card looks boring lol".

CONT'D...(5 of 6)

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK 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 AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and 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!