Why WWE SUCKS At Debuting New Stars

It’s an effective tactic in the short term, in that each act, to varying degrees, received a star reaction. But that is the problem, in micro, for a company that struggles in macro with long-term storytelling: WWE debuted these names to guarantee effortless pops from a receptive crowd. It is left to crowds not au fait with NXT to intuit that these acts are worthy of the reaction because, in addition to the instantaneous homogenisation, WWE often fails to define these characters in the subsequent weeks, let alone develop them - let alone book them, in the inevitable diminished return of the trend.

Inevitably, WWE’s abysmal creative staff is similarly bamboozled by this careless scattergun approach. The Authors of Pain weren’t even bestowed the dubious honour of a burial because they were not invited to the funeral. With too many moving parts to cram into the repetitive copy and paste formula, that formula won out, and spat out the moving parts. SAnitY aren’t “coming soon”. They are coming once there’s space to fit them in, which really should have been established before this chaotic threat was defamed as impotent.

Every year, it’s the same.

And every year, the tactic fails.

WWE relies on its audience to infer, which is a senseless, lazy, and counterproductive promotional tactic. The key concept is promotion: WWE resolutely fails to differentiate and promote these NXT promotees.

In order to create intrigue around a debuting star, WWE must think singularly. This intrigue will not (and does not) resonate when the act is immediately stripped of its unique selling point. The promise of something new stirs something within the wrestling fan, particularly in this era of content, content, content. Debut one star - a star with the credentials to change the game - into a game that hasn’t already changed or will change yet again within the hour - and thus preserve their special aura.

When WWE first introduced Razor Ramon, in 1992, he was not joined by a fleet of fellow WCW midcarders. His promise was not diluted. He was framed as a major deal because he alone was the guy who demanded your attention. He came, he was pushed, he conquered. Once established, the cycle began anew.

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