Despite numbers being down (virtually) all across the board, WWE has had a strong year in terms of shows and Pay-Per-Views. In general, match quality and length are up from previous years, and with the addition of CM Punk’s work-shoot promo capturing lightning in a bottle, WWE’s product has been above average of late. Of course, there’s always room for improvement. The list comprised will be realistic: things like “bring back the Attitude Era” aren’t listed because it’s not a realistic option given the company’s direction. Also, the following list will not be numerically ordered, because the need for change differs based on the situation. Nonetheless, here’s the Top 10 Changes the WWE Needs to Make:
Develop good stables
One thing I miss a lot from the 90′s are good stables. D-Generation X, Nation of Domination, nWo, Hart Foundation, etc. were all awesome. It’s a great way to promote up and coming stars. The last “stable” in WWE (I use that term loosely, because stable usually means a large group of people) was Evolution, and because it was done so well, it pushed both Randy Orton and Batista as babyfaces against the heel leader HHH. Both Orton and Batista became main event superstars because of it.
Redevelop the tag team division
HHH appears poised to make this one happen, but it still needs mentioning. People like tag team wrestling, but it doesn’t work when you put two singles wrestlers together and force them into a tag match with two other singles wrestlers. Some guys are naturally built for tag teams, so utilize them as such. Ring of Honor’s Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli) are likely to be brought in, and once they are, you’ll see exactly what I mean. Give them TV time and let them work so the fans can get accustomed to what tag team wrestling should really look like. More of this is needed so that the tag division isn’t a joke like it is now.
Bring back King of the Ring
I love KOTR. It’s an easy way to promote young, up and coming talent without necessarily building them up from the bottom or sticking them in a stable. Have whoever wins it get a good push afterwards, even a title reign, and you’ll see how fast KOTR becomes relevant again. When Sheamus won it this year, he lost a string of matches afterwards–poor booking. Watch the way WWE booked KOTR with guys like Austin and Bret Hart and see how it’s done right.
Lose the Spinner Championship
What an ugly disaster. The belt has worn out its welcome, and it’s time to bring back the “Winged Eagle” belt of the 90′s. If not, use the older “Undisputed” championship. The spinner was fine when Cena was a rapping gangster, but now that he’s a goody two-shoes kiss-ass, the belt doesn’t make sense anymore.
Move SmackDown off Friday night & go live
SmackDown’s move to Friday nights still bothers me. Friday night is not a good TV night because it’s the beginning of the weekend–people are out and about, going out and staying up late. It’s the same reason why you rarely see a season TV show air new episodes on a Friday night. No one’s there to watch it. I also understand that taping on Tuesdays and airing on Friday’s allows them to correct any mistakes they make, but the product loses value and intrigue when you know it’s not live. It’s like PVR’ing a sports game a day or two after it happens–it may still be the Super Bowl, but it’s not the same when the final score and stats are just a click away, and everyone knows the outcome except you. Going live for SmackDown should also boost attendance and ratings.
Bring Chris Jericho back
Jericho was unquestionably the best in-ring talent the WWE had from when he returned (2007) to when he left (2010). Jericho has an amazing combination of in-ring talent, charisma, work ethic and mic skills, and was often underutilized. He’s also a rare talent that works equally well as both a babyface and heel. I had thought he’d be back by Royal Rumble 2011, but as we’re almost midway through September, his WWE future is now in serious jeopardy. I think a program with him against Punk’s current character (with Jericho heel) would be absolutely fantastic. With Jericho tweeting that Punk has copied him, the feud writes itself. Make it happen.
Kickstart brand wars
I love team fighting. Last August, when it was Edge, Jericho, Cena, Morrison and Hart taking on Nexus, I went nuts. It was so well built and the storyline was constructed to maximize viewer interest. Thinking further back, for a very short time, Raw and SmackDown superstars would invade and interrupt matches, causing chaos and forcing DQ’s before all hell broke loose and both brands just started slugging at each other. It’s great if it’s done properly. It also makes Survivor Series more interesting when you pit Raw vs. SmackDown against each other.
Go back to the original Cage Match rules
This one really drives me up the wall. What’s the point of having a cage match if you can still win by pinfall or submission? You might as well have a regular singles match and get rid of the cage if it’s not going to factor into the decision. Logically, the only way to win should be from escaping the cage, period.
Use more weapons, but stay safe
I haven’t seen a kendo stick swung in ages. I know WWE is PG now, but sometimes adding a weapon or having someone bleed adds that extra something to a feud. Now, with concussions being the hot topic around sports, it’s imperative that WWE keeps their talent safe. As we look at guys like Marc Savard, Sidney Crosby, Keith Primeau, etc. who are all having (or have had) issues with concussions, it’s clear that their current and future lifestyles are affected by it. We don’t need chairshots to the head anymore, but I wouldn’t mind seeing chair beatdowns like we saw a few years back.
Make the IC & US Championships relevant again
Remember when these two titles were important? It’s tough, I know, but think way back. Why not do it again? Now, both titles are equivalent to coming out in a suit. They mean nothing. Obviously, it’s important to keep the WWE Championship as the highest title, but these two are still worth something. Remember when Perfect, Hart and Michaels had them? Do that again. All that needs to be done is to book them in matches. Have the title defended on PPV and occasionally on TV and put them in strong, lengthy matches.
