5 Changes that the WWE needs to incorporate

Wrestling as a business has continuously evolved over the years and so has the mindset of the fans. But with the industry as a whole moving into the 21st century, the content has become staler especially with respect to what WWE has on offer.

With lots of rules and regulations coming in, the WWE has toned down on creativity and content, leading to plenty of backlash from yesteryear fans and a declining viewership. They could easily bring some changes to bring back some of the edginess their product has lost along the way.

Let us look at five changes that the McMahon and Helmsley-led brand can incorporate to make WWE great again.

#1 Bring a solid authority figure back into the fold

The Shrewdest of the lot — Eric Bischoff helmed the WCW which gave WWE a run for its money back in the day

If we look at the bygone era, the greatest heels were perhaps not the WWE superstars, but the authoritative general managers and commissioners.

From Vince McMahon to Eric Bischoff and Shawn Michaels to John Laurinaitis, the authority figures played a key role in WWE's evolution as a company. These figures were instrumental in deciding feuds and also indulged in some fights themselves to make life hell for the babyfaces.

The need of the hour now is a crude authority figure who not only drives the brand but is also a key decision maker in the fold. He needs to compete if required, and also be smooth on the mic. He needs to make his appearance count and not just play along to what the management has to say.

Though Kurt Angle has been roped in for this, he is not too impactful in his current role. Someone like Eric Bischoff, Stone Cold or Paul Heyman would be perfect to take up this role as the General Manager of Raw.

With Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar's alliance having apparent rifts in recent shows, it may only be a while before Heyman is available for the role.

#2 Cross promotional pay per views

Imagine a Conor McGregor vs Brock Lesnar or a Kenny Omega vs AJ Styles. These are perhaps dream matches that fans would love to see someday. The WWE can surely make this happen even if it is a 'one night only' kind of setup.

With the NJPW, TNA, MMA, ROH and WWE all possessing a tremendous pool of talent, it would be a mouthwatering proposition to see a pay-per-view with some cross-promotional match cards. Superstars have often tread on the grounds of various promotions before zeroing in on where they ply their trade and hence, the familiarity value will also be high with the fans.

Secondly, throw in some title shots to the event and the outcomes of these fixtures will keep fans guessing on what is next on the cards. Titles could change brands, superstars could move promotions and the possibilities are endless.

Even though this can just be limited to one PPV a year, the buildup and the repercussions will be tremendous.

#3 Bring back the Hardcore title

The WWE has played host to plenty of title belts over the years. But, nothing has even come close to the excitement created by the hardcore title.

For an edgy and odd-looking title that had a twenty-four-hour defence rule, the hardcore championship has witnessed some classic and comical matches. Superstars needed to be prepared all the time at any place they were in as a challenge was always looming around the corner for the reigning hardcore champion.

From dumpsters to the parking lot and river beds to recreational areas, the hardcore title has been completed for in all locations and has also changed hands faster than any other title in the history of the WWE. The cherry on top of this cake was that even women were allowed to compete for this belt and there have been plenty of diva hardcore champions as well.

So, for those midcarders who do not have the momentum going, this title can add some spice to the mix.

#4 A fan oriented pay per view

Remember Cyber Sunday and Taboo Tuesday? Yes! A similar pay per view where fans call the shots would be great for WWE at least once a year.

The above mentioned PPV's were exciting simply because the fans made the decisions (or at least they thought they did). It was mostly the popular opinions that got the votes and everybody got their money's worth.

It was a pay per view which incorporated one night appearances of WWE legends and interesting match stipulations. If you wanted to see Chris Jericho defend his musical chair title at a PPV and also pick who his opponents are, this might just be the place to organise and witness it all.

The WWE can leave one PPV completely to the fans. If they made it a 'for the fans, of the fans, by the fans' kind of an event where you also monitor creativity and see how it works, the results could stun them.

#5 Bring in better player managers

What did Slick, Bobby Heenan, Paul Heyman, Jimmy Hart and Harvey Wippleman have in common? They were never wrestlers but still gained a high amount of popularity owing to their aesthetic skills alone. They could cut excellent promos, they could play the heel gimmicks to perfection and above all that, they were excellent superstar managers.

The WWE had a smart strategy of pairing up managers with superstars who had inferior microphone skills. The Manager would cut epic promos endorsing the champion, intervene during matches to cause disqualifications and above all that, sometimes even had a bigger impact on the industry than the rookie/legend that they managed.

Over the years, the trend of having managers has reduced substantially in the WWE. With Paul Heyman being the only notable one present, the WWE needs to reinvest in having better managers. With plenty of tag teams and stables existing in the WWE, an effective manager is the need of the hour.

Edited by Anirban Banerjee