The WWE has worked so hard over the years to engage fan interest, keep the audience, and expand it. All in an effort to yes, make more money in order to rinse, wash, and repeat. Like any other TV series, that means crafting all kinds of ideas, storylines, and characters. Some work out (The Fiend), others fall flat on their face (Mordecai). When you’re on every week for over five hours of original programming and your writing team generally writes to the whims of Vince McMahon, you’re bound have a few clunky ideas amongst the good ones.
In the past decade, especially as the instant-feedback has become more and more prevalent thanks to social media, there is seemingly no way to make every fan happy. But the company will keep trying. Here are 5 Amazing Things WWE Tried This Decade (& 5 Boring Things They Keep Trying).
10 Amazing - The Women’s Evolution
Over the years, beautiful women sashayed their way across a WWE ring. But there were a few beauties that also wanted to go in the ring. But when you’re giving barely the time it takes to be a Popcorn Match, some fans began getting a little outraged. #GiveDivasAChance became the rallying cry. It didn’t take long for just about every single women on all three rosters to smash down every door opened for them, and it’s why the ladies headlined WrestleMania and are a huge part of the Survivor Series buildup.
9 Boring - The King Of The Ring
For any fan wondering why the King Of The Ring feels like such an afterthought or a consolation prize? It’s because it was booked that way. After Bret Hart got tossed from the World Title picture, the WWE brass were scrambling for a way to keep the Hitman relevant.
They resurrected their hold territory house show event and made it a PPV, King Of The Ring. Even now, over 25 years after the first event it just seems like a silly afterthought than any title of relevance.
8 Amazing - The Yes Movement
If you’ve never seen the WWE’s video detailing Daniel Bryan’s journey set to the Imagine Dragons song, “Monster” go do that now...epic, right? The Yes Movement started as a joke that Daniel Bryan would do on his way to the ring. As a heel, just being an annoying twerp. But he was so respected by fans and peers alike that after getting ousted from WrestleMania XXVIII in 18 seconds, the WWE Universe really turned Daniel Bryan into a monster. The Yes Movement put the fire breathing American Dragon atop the WWE and created a legend in the process.
7 Boring - Brock As Champion
You’re not going to find a single fan who thinks that Brock Lesnar is overrated. But the guy comes and goes when he pleases and quite frankly it’s pretty annoying to not have the World Title defended at least on a monthly basis. No one would ever expect the Beast to wrestle on Monday Night Raw, but would it kill the guy to work at least once a month on the Network Events? In a world where the WWE Universe constantly wants new and exciting, and we usually get the same exact Suplex City, Corner Tackle, F-5 move set; its just time for Brock to become an attraction that doesn’t need a title.
6 Amazing - The Shield
They started as mercenaries for CM Punk, but quickly established themselves as their own men and their own unit. Together, Ambrose, Rollins, and Reigns had a unique style that captivated the WWE Universe as they dominated for nearly two years before disbanding.
But their union of brothers never quite went away and there was always a reason for the Hounds Of Justice to reunite to dish out their own brand of judgment and reestablish themselves as the dominant entity of the WWE.
5 Boring - The Invasion Angles
One might have thought after the WCW Invasion angle, that the WWE wouldn’t go back to that well again. But over the past few years, whenever the Survivor Series rolls around, the WWE digs up the invasion storyline and wrestlers from Raw and Smackdown (and this year, NXT) invade each other’s shows. It’s a little ridiculous when the Draft is barely a thing and wrestlers jump back and forth all year long to act as if their loyal to their brand. If that wasn’t strange enough, it’s always odd to see men and women who are at each other’s throats on their own show (Baszler and Ripley for example) but are united in taking on the other shows.
4 Amazing - Reinventing NXT
When Triple H set forth the grand project of establishing a Performance Center, he co-opted the NXT brand and made it his own. The WWE’s developmental territory FCW was rebranded, NXT as a brand was born. Every fan knows what happened next. The WWE started once again pilfering stars from the various Indy territories and invited them to come to the company. Tyler Black (Seth Rollins), John Moxley (Dean Ambrose), Fergal Devitt (Finn Balor), Britani Knight (Paige), and a lot more came through the ranks and helped to establish that NXT wasn’t just developmental, it was a viable third brand.
3 Boring – Letting Guys Tread Water
Either pull the trigger on Baron Corbin or not, enough with the constant stops and starts. It’s nice that the Constable was upgraded to a King and he’s been used in fairly big roles over the course of the past few years, but the company needs to decide if he’s going to be a top-flight heel or a mid-card enhancement bully heel for life. The same could be said for Rusev, Nakamura, Lashley, and a lot of other guys that all seem primed to explode as a top guy but held back for whatever unknown reason.
2 Amazing - Signed AJ Styles
There were rumors in early 2016 that former NWA, TNA, and IWGP champion, AJ Styles was now a free agent. He appeared at the 2016 Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant and has paid off dividends ever since.
Styles was always one of the top-notch, best wrestlers in TNA; even though they constantly put other stars ahead of their own home grown Styles. In the nearly four years he has been with the company, the Phenomenal One has been absolutely just that.
1 Boring - Authority Figures
When Mr. McMahon and Eric Bischoff outed themselves as the real-life bosses of their respective companies they started a trend that continues to this day, the evil authority figure. With the new executive directors of both Raw and Smackdown, this trend seems to have been out on pause for now, but considering how Vince McMahon operates, this will certainly be resurrected again real soon.