Why WWE Was Just Taught A Very Serious Lesson

It feels like the paradigm is shifting.

WWE has sold itself as a content production facility to investors and TV executives for several years now. The grim, nihilistic truth is that this strategy drew more money than any top star. Thousands of indistinct thumbnails mean more to this company than Steve Austin did to its bottom line, but increasingly, this no longer feels like it is the case.

WWE RAW this week played host to a crowd as dead as Rolling Loud on just its second show back in front of a live fans. Only the stars of yesteryear are truly over, and while the reactions afforded to Rhea Ripley are encouraging, WWE did very little to encourage them.

Constant rematches without even the lazy pretext of a DQ; the same old long opening verbal segments to start and nuke the show; lame comedy; inexplicable storyline continuity that contradicts events that unfolded on the exact same show; risible distraction finishes: WWE is putting out a garbage product that even its hardcore fans can't get into.

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Michael Sidgwick

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!

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