In recent years, however, the campy gimmicks and convoluted angles have gradually begun to give way to a more serious, shoot-like presentation where WWE Superstars real-life personalities and in-ring skills have played a more prominent role. In other words, sports entertainment has started to become just that…sports entertainment.
NXT in particular, with “Mr. Combat Sports” Mauro Ranallo on commentary and a distinct, hard-hitting, in-ring focus has proven that pure wrestling can not only thrive on its own but also outperform the main stage in terms of quality and galvanize more dedicated fans. The cruiserweight-centric 205 Live has also recently come into its own under the control of WWE COO Triple H, who upon taking over for XFL-focused Vince McMahon immediately dropped the gimmick-heavy, athletically-constrained presentation McMahon had insisted on and made it resemble the stellar Cruiserweight Classic, which had a distinct UFC feel.
Even the 2-hour 7-man RAW gauntlet match from earlier in 2018, with its small-screen ESPN-style backstage interviews during low points, was a boon for Monday Night ratings.
While no one begrudges personality, character development and storyline arcs (Gargano vs.Ciampa in NXT and the Golden Lovers in Japan prove that even wrestling’s smarkiest fans are fans of a good narrative) a strong sports presentation in WWE would surely benefit them for the basic fact that real sports almost always use the same storylines because they’re simple and easy to sell. It is how the far more realistic-looking NJPW (the self-proclaimed “best in sports”) has managed to amass a dedicated Western fanbase despite the language and cultural barriers. It’s all in the presentation.
These are 10 things WWE should borrow from pro-sports.
#10 Tale of The Tape
Although this has been done in the past throughout WWE’s history (and recently in NXT during a build-up to Heavy Machinery vs. War Raiders), the use of Tale of the Tape has been highly inconsistent. Normally a boxing and MMA on-screen graphic used to compare stats between competing fighters. Tale of the Tape could be a crucial tool in WWE and effectively used to build up matches which help draw ratings and Network subscriptions.
Making match-ups seem big and important is key, and TOTT is a tried and true method for creating the “big fight” feel necessary to keep interest in a boxing or MMA fight high. Fans ability to compare and contrast their favorite athletes’ individual attributes could add another dimension to WWE’s viewership.
#9 Rankings
Main roster WWE’s 50/50 booking style and casual attitude about wins and losses are a contributing reason for people to not care (or care less) about modern wrestling as a product. Championship rankings ensure that every match between every Superstar means something, at least in kayfabe.
Roster members that are out of the title picture could still have something to fight for and fans could enjoy watching their favorite athletes climb their way to the top of their respective division, in a satisfying quest for gold.
Monday and Tuesday nights would be all the more compelling if the company gave its fans the impression that every single match mattered, and that everyone in the squared circle isn’t just performing but competing for a greater good.
#8 Win/Loss Records
Working hand-in-hand with rankings, an on-screen graphic showing wrestler’s win/loss records would emphasize the need for winning, which makes what they do seem more legitimate.
Putting on a “clinic”, “tearing the house down” and having “5 star classics” shouldn’t be the goal (in kayfabe) - winning should, and when a wrestler can’t win, they should be ticked off about it, not happy because they “told a story” or got a crowd to pop. Win/loss records would put the point of wrestlers being in the ring together in perfect focus.
The desperation of a WWE star wanting to rise in the company and avoid the embarrassment of having more losses than wins could be a major character motivation that helps drive viewership and makes even mundane undercard feuds more watchable. Why should someone care about whether a wrestler is going to win some random match on RAW with no frame of reference? Pro-sports fans have such a reference, and it keeps them engaged.
#7 Interim Champions
It’s a longstanding internet wrestling trope that vacant is essentially an inanimate title-holder itself, due to how often WWE championships are stripped from their owners due to injuries, releases etc. and essentially given away to vapor. Rather than leaving titles empty-handed for extended periods of time or conduct an exhausting tournament at every moment, a reigning champion can’t perform, wouldn’t it be a better idea to have interim championships?
That way, not only is there always a champion at all times with a strap around their waist or shoulder, ready and able to represent the company, but it prevents undeserving contenders from assuming the main title without having earned it, and provides the opportunity for a blow-off match for an Undisputed Championship if and when the pre-vacancy champ returns. Champion vs. Champion pay-per-view matches have money written all over them.
#6 Body Stats, Match Stats
Pro-sports announcers and fans, MLB in particular, relish in player statistics. It adds to the fandom and gives the audience a more in-depth and well-rounded impression of the athletes and their respective careers. Why can’t WWE likewise spend more time emphasizing the physical attributes and in-ring history of its Superstars?
A graphical representation of the stats during rest holds and other low points would keep interest afloat until match pace picks up, and such an engaging feature would undoubtedly help keep viewers eyeballs on the product a bit longer, contributing to stabilized ratings.
Sports fans argue over stats all the time, from baseball card numbers to NFL combines, so what’s the stop the smart mark wrestling nerds who know WWE isn’t real from nevertheless opening a similar dialogue about chain sequences and finisher reversals?
#5 Tournaments
Although WWE Chairman Vince McMahon reportedly hates pro-wrestling tournaments, Triple H clearly feels the exact opposite about them as he and his team have been the force behind WWE Network exclusives like the Cruiserweight Classic, Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, the UK Title Tournament and the Mae Young Classic, which were all critically acclaimed.
The King of The Ring tournament was instrumental in helping Owen Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin elevate their careers in the 90s, and New Japan Pro Wrestling’s multiple annual tournaments are often stellar, with events like the 1994 Super J Cup and 2017 G1 Climax going down as some of the greatest pro-wrestling ever seen.
Yet and still, tournaments on current main roster WWE programming are extremely scarce. An NCAA-style tournament could fuel interest in RAW and Smackdown during dry portions of the year (i.e. at present time, after Wrestle Mania) and help create a stronger build toward major pay-per-views like Summerslam if the winner is guaranteed a title match. Tournaments for other divisions on main roster programming could also help create more fan interest and increase the value of undercard performers.
#4 Annual Championships with grand trophies
The abysmal-looking rewards given to Matt Hardy and Naomi after their respective Wrestle Mania battle royal wins shows how little WWE values annual competitions (ditto for green-colored title awarded to Braun Strowman after winning the Greatest Royal Rumble).
An annual championship represented by a grand trophy, like the NHL’s Stanley Cup, could stand in contrast to WWE’s frequently-defended title belts and make for meaningful prizes to pursue outside the normal week to week title picture.
Longer-term storyline arcs could be built around such prizes and multi-time winners could be elevated in status without having to hold the traditional belts. This could potentially open up opportunities for wrestlers the company wants to push but may be wary of putting a strap on.
#3 Post-Fight Press Conferences
Press conferences generate buzz, period. Floyd Mayweather Conor McGregor proved that. WWE versions could easily be aired on the WWE Network and performed in kayfabe. Sweat-drenched wrestlers sitting around a long table after a pay-per-view discussing the matches they just had with inquisitive reporters would be interesting. It’s fortunate that although WWE doesn’t do this, NJPW very much does.
Alternatively, the WWE concept could utilize the last hour of Monday Night RAW for these sort of post-match interviews since ratings are usually lowest in the final hour of the show, between 10-11pm. The aforementioned RAW gauntlet match from weeks ago did in fact feature sports-style interviews with the participating WWE stars after they had been eliminated and sent backstage, while the rest of the match continued. This was a refreshing change that unfortunately was probably just a one-off.
#2 Every fighter treated as a credible threat
In the realistic world of mixed-martial arts, every fighter who steps in an octagon is seen as a potential threat, yet in WWE major upsets are a rarity and undercard talent are hardly ever treated like respectable, threatening fighters that could conceivably defeat and usurp a top star or champion.
This sort of change would certainly add a more dynamic twist to the product, and while it’s unrealistic to expect the face of the company to lose to a perennial jobber, midcard stalwart or unsigned “enhancement talent”, suspending fans disbelief in consistently making us think the underdog can win would be an important positive step.
Some of the most memorable examples of this ironically involve Triple H, the man with the golden shovel, who was upset by then-upper midcarder Chris Jericho for the WWF Title to a massive crowd pop back in 2000. Hunter also nearly lost to Japanese light heavyweight Taka Michinoku the same year, and similarly put over the incredibly athletic underdog Shelton Benjamin in 2003.
#1 Relevant Commentary
While NXT fans have the pleasure of enjoying the intense, laser-focused commentary of Mauro Ranallo, RAW/Smackdown viewers are frequently saddled with overly scripted commentary that focuses more on catchphrases, social media trending, and advertisements than what’s happening in the ring. Match-focused play-by-play commentary where moves are called on the spot could envelop even casual fans and help immerse them into the product.
A sports announcers job is to narrate and help contextualize the action happening on the field or the court, so a WWE announcing team that consistently sounds focused on the action at hand would help make the company’s programming more a lot more compelling and interesting to watch.
Unfortunately for the main roster, Ranallo is contractually limited to Triple H-helmed NXT due to his displeasure with the corporate culture created by Vince McMahon, so another good combat sports announcer would have to be brought in from the outside to make this change a reality.
Any other concepts WWE could borrow from pro-sports? Leave a comment below!
0 votes
