Big deal disappointment, bad themes & more: 4 mistakes WWE has made so far in the Paul Levesque Era
WWE has entered a New Era of operation under Paul 'Triple H' Levesque. Triple H took over for Vince McMahon, who had run the company since the mid-1980s. McMahon had his way of running things. He usually made unnecessary name changes, pushed the same type of stars, and had little variety in champions.
The former Chairman departed the company, leaving The Game as the primary voice in charge of its creative direction. The product has improved with consistent storytelling, a focus on variety, and the return of performers who were released in the mass budget cuts of 2020-2021.
Despite a vast improvement in the product, there are still some mistakes that have been made recently. WWE has made the next four errors in the Paul Levesque Era.
#4. The recent handling of Karrion Kross promos
WWE has been looking for a supernatural predecessor for the Undertaker for years. The company had a few prospects with Bray Wyatt and Aleister Black, but neither is part of the roster now.
Karrion Kross doesn't portray a supernatural gimmick, but his promos are dark and challenge the status quo of WWE. His group, The Final Testament, is a nihilistic faction bent on causing chaos.
While Kross is one of the better promos in the game, he has failed to connect consistently with the audience. Attacking babyfaces is one thing, but the majority of his promos (which are great) are usually digital exclusives.
If given the time to cut promos in front of the live crowds on TV, he would have a better chance of connecting with the audience.
#3. The digital quest with Uncle Howdy
The use of QR codes leading to special messages from Bray Wyatt was new and exciting. It was a rabbit hunt that some loved following, and it usually took two to three steps to find out the creepy meaning of the post.
WWE is also using the viral QR code strategy for Uncle Howdy, but it's not as exciting this time. It often takes numerous steps and digging just to get to the final cryptic (and sometimes confusing) message.
The company excels at making video packages for everything, so it would be better served to just air or release creepy video vignettes during RAW or SmackDown. They could also be posted on social media to generate more interest.
#2. Too many bad entrance theme changes
WWE released Jim Johnston in 2017 after 32 years with the company. Casual fans may not know that Johnston was responsible for many iconic WWE entrance themes. From The Undertaker to Motorhead's "The Game" to Stone Cold Steve Austin, Johnston matched stars with iconic entrance music.
Superstar themes have changed a lot since 2017, with the group Def Rebel crafting the company's current music. The likes of Alexa Bliss, Tommaso Ciampa, Shayna Baszler, AJ Styles, and Naomi have had theme changes for the worse. The changes often delay the fans' response because they don't recognize the music.
Another problem is the need to have spoken words before a theme plays. It works for Seth Rollins with 'Burn It Down' but doesn't help themes for #DIY, Naomi, New Catch Republic, and many other top performers.
It doesn't help when a handful of top stars like Randy Orton, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch get to keep their music.
#1. Underdelivering on the 2024 WWE Draft
Before the 2024 WWE Draft took place, officials and stars routinely claimed that the entire landscape of WWE would change. Once it was announced that champions were protected (couldn't be picked) in the process, it took some luster off of those claims.
When the draft was in the books, RAW and SmackDown looked relatively the same with minimal movement of top names. Bianca Belair, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and LA Knight stayed on SmackDown. Gunther, Damian Priest, Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, and Seth Rollins remained on RAW.
NXT lost some big names who were already rumored to be call-ups. Compared to past drafts, the 2024 edition was one of the most disappointing and least exciting. The hype before it did it no favors once the dust settled.