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With only two months left in 2024, WWE will ramp up its storytelling and planning toward the end goal of WrestleMania 41. Survivor Series: WarGames is clearly the next priority as writers have worked on a Bloodline civil war for a few years.
The six-man tag match at Crown Jewel will likely provide the next turn in the saga and force the OG side to make amends with those the group terrorized in the past.
While WrestleMania 41 is still over five months away, there are some things WWE could do on the way to the event that it shouldn't. The next five things shouldn't happen between now and The Show of Shows next April.
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#5. Not fixing the new format for RAW for Netflix
Over the last month, RAW has shifted from the three-hour format the show has had for years to being a two-hour program. While that change puts it on par with SmackDown, the three hours set RAW apart from other WWE and wrestling shows.
The roster is bigger to help fill out that extra hour, so much so that RAW constantly got three draft picks for every two SmackDown received. After a month, the change has had more cons than pros.
The action and angles feel a bit more rushed than usual, making the breakneck pace hard to follow at times. At least 15 stars aren't used at all while others appear on both brands. If RAW stays at two hours, WWE must greatly tweak rosters across the board.
Certain performers aren't used for particular PLE cycles. When some are only used in one capacity but left out due to current storytelling, it only hurts the product and the roster.
#4. No meaningful surprise entrants/debuts in the Royal Rumble
Debuting or surprise entrants are a huge staple of the Royal Rumble in almost any era. AJ Styles's debut in 2016 was a seminal moment due to WWE changing its stance of finally signing TNA stars.
Legends like Booker T, the Dudleys, and RVD have participated in various years to get nostalgic pops. Over the last two years, TNA's Knockouts Champion appeared in the match. Mickie James did so in 2023 and Jordynne Grace followed her lead this year.
Grace has continued to work on NXT and could join WWE full-time next year. The match needs a big debut to open 2025, so someone like Pentagon Jr. would make a big impact. If the event comes and goes and Booker T or Bubba Ray Dudley is the biggest surprise, it will be a missed opportunity.
#3. Not rotating non-major titleholders on WWE PLEs
Both the Bloodline and the Judgment Day held tag team gold in 2024. While Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa lost the WWE Tag Team titles to the Motor City Machine Guns, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh still hold the World Tag titles.
They've only defended the titles once since June, but neither team has been featured on a PLE since April. At Crown Jewel, the US Championship will be on only its second PLE since WrestleMania.
The Intercontinental (3) and women's tag titles (5), will have been booked on more PLEs in the same time frame once Crown Jewel concludes. Officials need to spread out which mid-card/tag team Champions are featured each month on PLEs.
There's no good reason that title matches can't be rotated so one can take place on the go-home episodes of RAW or SmackDown. If WWE has to book certain stars more than others, then expand the card to six or seven matches instead of the standard five-match cards used this year.
#2. Tiffany Stratton makes history the wrong way
Since its inception in 2017, every female Money in the Bank winner has successfully cashed in their contract to become Champion.
Some winners have turned their contracts in on the same night or within 24 hours of capturing the briefcase. Male winners have had several failures over the years, including John Cena, Baron Corbin, and most recently, Austin Theory.
With Becky Lynch unsigned and Charlotte Flair suffering a major injury, WWE has had to rely on younger/different stars as the faces of RAW and SmackDown. Bianca Belair challenged for a title almost every month this year until she won the tag titles. Rhea Ripley is also a star but has been injured at different times.
Tiffany Stratton is already over with the audience and a face turn could push her into the stratosphere. WWE must not have Stratton fail when she cashes in. Crown Jewel will present an overwhelming opportunity for the Center of the Universe. If she holds off, whenever she does turn in her case, she must leave as Champion.
#1. Roman Reigns wins the Royal Rumble or another title
A big mistake WWE could make between now and next April is to give Roman Reigns another title run. He had his record-setting time atop the company and must move aside for the promotion to thrive.
Cody Rhodes has eased the transition of top stars leading the company, so a quick swap isn't needed. Since he'll be open to competing in his first Royal Rumble since 2020, The Original Tribal Chief will enter the 2025 match as a favorite.
Some rumors claim that he'll get to main event WrestleMania yet again when he and the Rock oppose Rhodes. WWE can go so many other ways to help the company in the New Era. Giving another huge opportunity to someone who's had more than his fair share of them throughout his career would be a huge mistake.
