WWE must decide who deserves longer matches or maintain a 7-minute limit on TV, says Hall of Famer (Exclusive)

WWE's new era has been visibly different, as the creative presentation has seen changes under Triple H and his team. However, the length of matches seems to be a concern, as Teddy Long, Bill Apter, and Mac Davis discussed in the latest episode of The Wrestling Time Machine podcast.

While pro wrestling is fundamentally about the in-ring action, various other segments also demand time to flesh out a storyline. The debate about how long wrestling matches should ideally be has been raging for decades.

Bouts have been extended in the modern era, but WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long believes companies need to choose which wrestlers warrant extra time. Historically, main event stars and high-profile matches have been afforded more minutes, and Teddy Long stated that WWE, too, should only allow certain talents that liberty.

According to Long, talents don't need more than seven minutes to get themselves over.

"Yes, I am. I think that, too. You have to know who to give that time to; you don't give a lot of time to everybody. So you have to decide who the guys are who deserve that eight or nine minutes. If it were me, any guy you're trying to get out there and get over seven minutes is all they need," he said. [From 13:00 onwards]

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Bill Apter chimes in on his preferences regarding the length of WWE's matches

The legendary journalist has covered pro wrestling since the golden era and has seen almost every style of match and the evolution of the art form over the years.

Bill Apter agreed with Teddy Long's views but noted that he would want exceptionally gifted performers, with a proven track record of delivering high-quality matches, to be given as much time as they can get inside the squared circle.

However, Apter also added that wrestlers with a high-flying and fast-paced approach should have shorter matches to maximize the impact.

"It depends on who they are. If you get someone like Seth Rollins against Drew McIntyre, I want a longer match. If you get somebody with a lot of flips and lucha moves, I want to see a shorter match. I want a match that takes my breath away," he said. [From 13:30 onwards]

The increase in the runtime of WWE's weekly shows has certainly opened the doors for longer matches, but striking a healthy balance may be the ideal way forward.

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Please credit The Wrestling Time Machine and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.