2020 has brought about a lot of changes in WWE and the entire wrestling business. While many could argue that most of those changes had a negative effect on things, there were a few positives as well that benefitted the company. WWE was quick to respond to the difficult circumstances by continuing filming behind closed doors and virtually including fans on the shows.
WWE also utilized their creativity and resources to introduce new concepts such as the Firefly Funhouse Match and they improved existing bouts like the Money in the Bank match, which took place at WWE Headquarters. With the new year on the horizon, some of these changes need to carry on in 2021 while others need to be completely erased.
10 Needs To Change: Baron Corbin As The King Of The Ring
King Corbin has accomplished a lot in his WWE tenure. He has been the company's King of the Ring for a while now, but perhaps it's time for him to ditch the gimmick and play something else. Corbin is the most despised wrestler in the entire industry right now, which means he's doing a great job as a heel.
He has done well with his regal gimmick, but now it's time for a change. WWE could crown a new King of the Ring next year to free him up. They could even crown the first Queen of the Ring, which could propel an underused female superstar to the main event picture.
9 Should Stay The Same: Pushing Of New Stars
Big E, Keith Lee, Bianca Belair, and Otis are among the list of superstars that WWE is currently pushing. After being paired with The New Day for over half a decade, former WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E is finally getting a singles push. He was split from Kofi and Xavier Woods thanks to the 2020 WWE Draft. Big E is currently rolling solo on the blue brand and he even received his own theme song as well.
WWE also has plans for other stars such as Keith Lee and Bianca Belair. Lee defeated Randy Orton clean during his initial days on the main roster and Bianca Belair was a standout performer at Survivor Series where she was the last SmackDown star remaining in the 5-on-5 women's elimination match. These superstars should continue shining in 2020 and possibly even receive a title run.
8 Needs To Change: Mishandling Of Stars
WWE is well known for mishandling or mistreating a lot of wrestlers. A superstar could be over with the fans today and the next day the creative team would forget about them. The trend continued in 2020, but it shouldn't go on next year.
There's a possibility that WWE will have live crowds once again, so the company needs to book wrestlers better in order to improve the product and reach a broader audience. WWE missed the boat with a lot of stars such as EC3, Lacey Evans, and Chad Gable. If more wrestlers keep getting mishandled, the results won't be in the company's favor.
7 Should Stay The Same: Airing Shows From The Same Location More Often
Although the ongoing circumstances led to the release of many wrestlers like Rusev and Zack Ryder, one of the benefits that the current roster got this year is competing in the same location. That way, they don't have to drive or fly to a new city every day to attend one or more of the shows they're on.
It makes it much easier for wrestlers and other WWE personnel to go home to and from Florida every week compared to the previous travel schedule which was extremely exhausting and unhealthy. Even if WWE has fans back in 2021, they should still have episodes of Raw and SmackDown in the same location of that week or they could go with the option of staying in Florida for a while.
6 Needs To Change: RETRIBUTION
RETRIBUTION is a faction comprised of mainly NXT wrestlers led by Mustafa Ali. The group isn't well-received by fans but not because it's their role as heels. They debuted as a bunch of thugs dressed like terrorists in a worked shoot that saw them vandalizing the Performance Center but due to poor booking, they failed to garner interest from fans. It made no sense that the group that supposedly despised WWE and everyone that works there ended up signing with the company themselves.
It made even less sense that those same people were happily competing on NXT shortly before their debut together. Just because they were booked horribly in 2020 doesn't mean the same should happen in 2021. WWE needs to find something that works for RETRIBUTION and use it to their advantage.
5 Should Stay The Same: Fewer Dates
When things were normal, WWE Superstars were on the road for 300 days a year. They had to travel across the country and sometimes even the world to appear on Raw, SmackDown, PPVs, and house shows. 2020, however, changed all of that.
Wrestlers currently compete once a week or twice if there's a PPV. This allows them to get more rest and spend more time at home with their families. It also saved WWE from making losses at house shows. When fans are finally allowed to attend shows, the company must keep having fewer dates and shows.
4 Needs To Change: Cinematic Matches
WWE produced a significant amount of cinematic matches this year. Some of them were good, such as the Boneyard Match while others were very questionable such as the Wyatt Swamp Fight. Cinematic matches look good when they're done right and make sense, especially since it's still supposed to be a part of pro wrestling. No one can blame WWE for going in the direction that they went, but it's still important for the company to retain a little bit of the legitimacy that they have.
The Firefly Funhouse Match, for instance, received a lot of mixed to positive views from hardcore fans, but many casual fans must've felt insulted or embarrassed watching that match since it didn't have any aspect of a wrestling contest in it. WWE should continue with cinematic matches, but they need to make it more like the Boneyard Match which was well produced.
3 Should Stay The Same: Strong Booking Of Top Stars
Without a doubt, the two biggest wrestlers in the entire world right now are Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre. WWE did a great job of booking these guys and they actually look like stars. Roman Reigns is a fantastic heel while Drew McIntyre is a brilliant babyface.
McIntyre won the Royal Rumble, main evented WrestleMania, captured the WWE Championship, and carried WWE during the pandemic era. Reigns has been on fire since returning at SummerSlam. WWE needs to keep booking their world champions similar to how they're booking these two superstars right now.
2 Needs To Change: Tag Team Wrestling
WWE has a lot of talented tag teams right now such as The Street Profits but the tag team division has been in a poor state for years. WWE needs to work very hard on improving this aspect on both Raw and SmackDown.
The women's tag team division has also been suffering. Former WWE Women's Tag Team Champions The IIconics were forced to break up, which severely decreased the amount of women tag teams. In 2021, WWE needs to take better care of tag teams. All three tag team championships need to be defended on PPV in important matches more often as well.
1 Should Stay The Same: Two-Night WrestleMania
Fans finally caught a break this year with WrestleMania being a two-night event which was far better than sitting through the usual 8-hour 'Mania. WrestleMania 37 is reportedly going to take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida, which is where WrestleMania 36 was originally supposed to emanate from.
Next year, WWE should once again have a two-night WrestleMania event. It's much easier to go through a two or even three-hour two-night show than a single 5-8 hour one. Even with fans in attendance, it could still work out.