WWE: The slow decline into mediocrity

Growing up as kids, WWE/WWF formed an integral part of our childhood. Evenings would be set aside for two hours as Monday Night RAW and Smackdown would premier. The over the top action, gimmicks, fake storylines – all combined in a delightful adrenaline-filled amalgam that captivated viewers. It was like any popular TV show, but it just seemed so much more real. Wrestlers like The Rock, Stone Cold, The Undertaker, etc. had tremendous stage presence and great storylines to back their characters. Such was their popularity, that they became global superstars. Those were the golden days of the WWE. This was what Sports Entertainment was all about.

Attitude Era: The golden age of WWE

Fast forward to the current day, and one will realise that the majority of the core WWE fan base has become disillusioned with the product on offer. The rebellious teens of yesteryear that reveled in the risqué product that was once on offer have now been replaced by kids. While WWE was an escape for teenagers from their mundane lives, it has now become the equivalent of a silly cartoon show.

This is the PG era of wrestling, where quantity has been given impetus over quality. The top brass at WWE is now concerned with the amount of tickets they sell at pay-per-views like Wrestlemania rather than putting up a good show. Don’t get me wrong, the roster is as good as it ever was. Young upstarts with great in-ring ability like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, The Shield etc, combined with the experience of John Cena and other older superstars, are a very potent mix of talent. Yet, despite this, the storylines are weak and insipid, the dialogues and gimmicks are lame, and the action not as good as it should be.

During the glory days of wrestling, audiences tuned in every Monday night to watch WWF and WCW slug it out for ratings in a battle that was named the Monday Night Wars. Superstars would put their bodies and reputations on the line every night to ensure that each company succeeded. This was a great time for the fans that were treated to quality wrestling and a quality product.

These days, the WWE rules as the superior wrestling entity. Total Nonstop Action wrestling may exist, but it is nowhere close to competing with Vince McMahon’s company. This lack of competition has led to complacency on the part of WWE, who feel they can get away with mediocre product and yet still rake in the moolah. It was the competition with WCW that led to WWE raising their game in a bid to compete and ushered in the Attitude era – by far one of the biggest and most successful gimmicks in the company’s history that transformed it into a global brand.

Recent ratings for Monday Night Raw has been poor. The show has also been receiving very low viewership figures. These are worrying times for brand WWE. The recent Wrestlemania may have broken attendance records, but fans were left aggrieved by the action that unfolded in the ring. The repercussions of which was clearly seen on the Monday Night Raw episode the following day when fans aired their frustration and took the show hostage with their vociferous chanting throughout the show.

Furthermore, one of the company’s greatest assets – John Cena – has become a figure of hate amongst older WWE fans. He is the face of the much-reviled PG era and is often blamed, albeit unfairly, for the insipid product on offer.

How does WWE combat this sudden air of negativity around its product? For one, the storylines need to improve, the booking needs to improve and, of course, some wrestlers need a character facelift. John Cena, who has been the eternal babyface of the company for years now, desperately needs a makeover. Could a heel turn be what is needed?

Recently, a trend that has been noticed is the audiences warming up to the heels and anti-heroes of the company. CM Punk got a massive break with his infamous pipebomb in 2011, which endeared him to the fans. In the recent Wrestlemania as well, the fans were seen cheering for the heels.

Years ago, when Hulk Hogan had defected to WCW, his goody-two-shoes character was dumped for the leader of an organization called the NWO that became the most infamous wrestling stable of all time. Not only did this heel turn benefit his stagnated character, but it also boosted the ratings of WCW, making them the premier wrestling company at the time.

Technically gifted wrestlers like Daniel Bryan need to get bigger matches and better bookings than the current midcard slot he has been relegated to. His 18-second loss of the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 27 was roundly criticized by fans and critics alike. Complete waste of talent really.

Chris Jericho, the first undisputed champion in the history of the WWE, is now made to battle a superstar who happens to be a Latin dancer. Yes, you read that correctly, a Latin ballroom dancer who goes by the name of Fandango.

The WWE Divas division is as good as useless. Vince McMahon has given it the least priority in his billing. This has led to the exodus of some talented divas like Gail Kim to TNA, whose Knockout division has been praised by the likes of Bret Hart for offering good quality matches.

The Shield have shown great promise

Among all the negatives, one shining factor has been the emergence of The Shield. The first time I saw them in action, I was surprised by how well-oiled a machine they were. Their movements in the ring are so quick and slick, it is like a whirl of black masses (referring to their in ring attire) descending on their prey. If handled properly, and with good storylines, they could become a wrestling stable that could rival some of their bigger and more famous yesteryear counterparts (read, NWO and Degeneration X).

As mentioned before, TNA, that is now run by Bischoff and Hogan, offers no threat to the hegemony that the WWE has on the wrestling business. They are merely trying to rerun a poor man’s WCW by using age-old gimmicks, and and failing to replicate the success of the NWO with the new stable called Aces and Eights. Most wrestlers there are WWE rejects or former employees like Kurt Angle who were disgruntled with the company. Others like Sting are now approaching the twilight of their careers and their appearances become more sporadic with every passing day.

It’s hard to pinpoint when exactly the WWE went downhill. Was it the deaths of two behemoths of the ring: Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit? The former was one of the most entertaining superstars ever, while the latter a supremely gifted wrestler who took part in one of the greatest triple threat matches of all time at Wrestlemania 20. People said both these deaths were brought about by possible steroid use and, in Benoit’s case, severe brain damage that spiraled into madness resulting in him murdering his wife and child before committing suicide himself. Was it the retirements of wrestlers like Stone Cold? No one can pinpoint the cause of the decline with accuracy.

Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero in happier times

Recently, the WWE has tried to revive interest by falling back on the prodigal son – The Rock – who left the WWE to pursue a career in Hollywood. This was a move that benefited The Rock more than WWE, in my opinion. When he was brought back to host WM 27, his Hollywood career had stagnated, and his movies were not doing well commercially or critically. Once he returned and engaged in his feud with Cena that ultimately culminated in him winning the WWE title, his stock had risen. Suddenly, his films started to do well too. His latest films like Fast and Furious 5 and its sequel, along with GI Joe Retaliation, have been blockbusters, earning nearly a billion dollars in earnings put together. He has become hot property in Hollywood once again. But while he was WWE champion, there was criticism from the fans about the sporadic appearances he would make on RAW due to his film commitments. Fans knew his comeback to the WWE would only be temporary, and they have been proved right.

The WWE really needs to get its priorities straight if it wants to win back fans. Storylines need to be given due importance. No matter how good the wrestler may be, if the storylines are weak it could signal the end of the superstar’s career. It would be great to see the resurrection of the golden era of wrestling once more, and one hopes that things do indeed change for the better.