WWE 'Surprise Returns' have lost their luster
As we head towards WWE Elimination Chamber in Saudi Arabia, the company will be hoping to put on an excellent show for the Crown Prince. While they may be performing in front of a building full of people, they are playing for an audience of one.
Nothing made that more evident than Goldberg's return last week to challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship. It will likely be a short match, with the WWE Hall Of Famer taking a clean loss to protect Reigns as he has to look strong going into WrestleMania 38.
As we all know, the prince loves to see some of his old favorites return to the ring so that he can re-live some childhood memories. And there's nothing wrong with that. He paid for this show and he should get his money's worth.
However, it's a microcosm of what has become an increasingly alarming trend of the promotion relying on past stars and 'surprises' as a gimmick to hook the audience.
Goldberg's return was necessary, as it was an essential part of the show. But some of WWE's supposed 'shocking returns' aren't really all that shocking anymore.
WWE has been using surprise comebacks for years
Of course, WWE has been bringing back stars from the past for a long time, particularly during anniversary shows or the week of the Hall of Fame. Remember when they had Heath Slater act as the sacrificial lamb for legends week after week?
If he were still alive today, Big Van Vader would be turning 64-years old. Happy Birthday to a bonafide legend of WCW, NJPW and WWE. Here's a throwback to his last match in WWE against Heath Slater. R.I.P. https://t.co/G9yk36570v
It makes sense in many ways. The Worldwide Leader in Sports Entertainment certainly has no shortage of past stars in their company's history book. Nearly every major name of significance over the past 30 years has had a run with the promotion or at least stopped in for a brief time.
But at some point, this has to stop. We just had the Royal Rumble, which always has a few homecomings involved. Then we get Goldberg popping up again. It's gotten old at this point.
#Goldberg returns to #WWE #SmackDown to challenge #RomanReigns! - comicbook.com/wwe/news/goldb… https://t.co/SO5GtVGpqH
If you have a surprise all the time, it loses its luster. Vince McMahon has worn out this trope and should probably save these returns for the Rumble. Or at least give it a rest for a while. They have gone to this well far too many times, and now it's run dry.
They say you can't have too much of a good thing. But in the case of WWE, this is a time where there's an exception to that rule.
So while Goldberg might be the diamond in the crown in Saudi Arabia, it's time for World Wrestling Entertainment to recognize that continuing to try and shock us isn't working anymore.
At this point, the audience has already come to grips with the fact that 'anything can happen in WWE.'
So we're not really all that surprised anymore.
Do you think that WWE's 'surprise returns' have gotten old? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.