A storied dilemma: Will the Brand Split catalyse a change in the WWE?
Back when Vince McMahon bought his father’s wrestling business, there were three major wrestling promotions, a fistful of territories and enough performers to keep everyone happy.
Some 30 years later, there are a few wrestling promotions and too many wrestlers fighting over too few titles. This is what Vince McMahon wanted when he bought WCW, essentially ending any kind of battle amongst promoters and declaring the McMahon Family as the reigning champion in a business eroding from the philosophy of Kayfabe.
Rumors persist that once the WWE Draft and brand split takes place, the prevailing thought will be to cut down on storylines, which in effect will concentrate more on backstory, create more match importance and could take a step toward what this business could be.
For the older generation, it is a fallback to a time when Dusty Rhodes was the lead babyface and Ric Flair was the lead villain.
For the current generation, it is a slap in the face for everything the business has become – a quick to get ahead program, with matches that last less than 10 minutes while the buildup through promotion is greater than the product in the ring.
There is a double-edged sword here the McMahon Family cannot escape from; and as the Devil’s Advocate, here are a few things to ponder.
Before this company can worry about centralizing storylines, it has to have a definitive hierarchy of its roster. This is slowly becoming a reality – with the establishment of a true mid card. The five or six solid performers in the main event roster, though, have to have more depth.
AJ Styles and The Club bring their international story to the table and in the current feud with John Cena, Styles plays the antagonist who is tired of being the outsider. Once the feud ends, what happens?
Who becomes the next victim of the sad story?