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WWE has been trending upward since Triple H took over as the new head of creative and executive vice president of talent relations. Sure, it has only been two weeks, but it’s hard to argue with the results.
There was so much positive buzz for the company after SummerSlam received glowing reviews. In addition, the most recent episode of WWE Raw saw its highest ratings spike in two years, drawing 2.3 million viewers.
Those numbers are impressive, but WWE also delivered an entertaining show on Monday. It was refreshing because the flagship had grown stagnant over the past few weeks without Cody Rhodes.
The red brand has been struggling to find its identity for some time, but Roman Reigns made SmackDown must-see television last year.
However, The Tribal Chief’s recent absence has exposed the blue brand’s flaws in 2022. What used to be WWE’s best weekly series became a bit of a chore to watch at times.
There are a few highlights like Gunther’s current run or Sheamus’ recent match with Drew McIntyre. Still, SmackDown could use some new storylines and stars to step up and become main eventers.
If Triple H can breathe new life into Raw, there’s no reason why he can't work some magic on Friday nights as well.
These are three ways The King of Kings can improve SmackDown.
WWE’s move to showcase the United States Championship on the latest edition of Raw was a welcome change. The company’s midcard titles haven’t felt important lately, so this is a step in the right direction.
Triple H should attempt to do the same with the Intercontinental Championship as it will help to fill the void when Reigns isn’t available. Seth Rollins’ run in 2018 is a great example of how the right workhorse can be a solid flagbearer for a brand when the world champion is absent.
Monday Night Rollins produced some excellent TV matches and propelled the 2019 men’s Royal Rumble winner to a showdown with Brock Lesnar. Similarly, this could help WWE establish the next contender for the Universal Championship.
Reigns has carried SmackDown on his back as the most dominant force in sports entertainment. As such, his absence creates a void that no one else has managed to fill. That’s a testament to how compelling he has become, but it’s also an indictment of WWE’s failure to build any credible challengers for him.
Developing Gunther or another up-and-comer as the second biggest star on SmackDown will effectively solve two problems at once.
If The Usos vs. The Street Profits proved anything, it’s that WWE desperately needs to reboot its tag team division. That’s not a knock on either team because they have produced some tremendous matches, notably at Money in the Bank on July 2.
However, The Bloodline could use some fresh matchups. Moreover, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins' inevitable split will diminish the company’s ranks of strong pairings. There aren’t that many tag teams as it is, but this will exacerbate both issues.
To that end, WWE needs to emphasize tag team wrestling and create new duos. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to elevate teams such as Los Lotharios and The Viking Raiders.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many NXT call-ups who could turn the tide at the moment. Pretty Deadly have potential, but there aren’t many other options that look ready for the main roster.
That’s another problem because the developmental brand used to be a breeding ground for phenomenal tag team wrestling.
At any rate, Triple H must find a way to rejuvenate the tag division. The Usos are great champions, but they could use some real competition.
You can track many of SmackDown’s problems back to the 2021 WWE draft. In retrospect, moving many of the company’s biggest names to Raw hurt the blue brand.
For example, Big E and Rollins were such a fixture on Friday nights, and no one replaced their major storylines. But the women’s division was also hit pretty hard because it lost many of its big names.
Then, there were unforeseen circumstances such as Toni Storm’s exit or the poor reception and booking around Ronda Rousey’s return. Charlotte Flair also took some time off following WrestleMania Backlash, and Sasha Banks and Naomi reportedly walked out in May.
So, there is a concerning lack of star power for the women’s division on the blue brand. Liv Morgan could blossom into a competent champion with more screen time and better matches. Still, Triple H will have to address this lack of big names soon.
If Banks and Naomi return soon, that will immediately fix this issue, but WWE should try to add someone new as soon as possible. SmackDown wouldn’t be a bad destination for Mandy Rose and Toxic Attraction.
It seems cliche to say it’s a great time to be a wrestling fan, but recent changes in the industry have made the sport more volatile and entertaining than it has been in a long time. More to the point, there is good reason to be optimistic about WWE right now.
The recent changes following Vince McMahon’s retirement on July 22 have paved the way for a new era of sports entertainment. This is uncharted territory for the largest wrestling company in the world as the former chairman and CEO has been at the helm for 40 years.
Nevertheless, Triple H has stepped in as the new head of creative and executive vice president of talent relations.
Viewers familiar with his work in NXT immediately became hopeful about what this could mean for the company’s stagnant product. In just one week, the promotion has seemingly already paid off for WWE.
SummerSlam earned praise from fans and critics alike, and Monday's Raw generated its highest ratings boost in two years. In addition, Fightful Select reported that this “renewed optimism” extended to the locker room as Dakota Kai made her surprise return alongside Bayley and Iyo Sky at The Biggest Party of the Summer on Saturday night.
The Role Model’s new stable became the biggest talking point following the event and they were a focal point in the following episode of WWE’s flagship series.
Yes, Bayley’s long-awaited return was bound to make a splash, but Kai’s emergence after her contract expired in April is a good sign. If the recent change in direction and newfound plans for her and Sky were enough to convince them to stay put, it could mean we will see other big names come back soon.
Much like King Kota, Johnny Gargano surprisingly chose not to renew his contract after an emotional farewell to NXT in December. This led many fans to believe that the brand's first triple-crown champion wouldn't venture elsewhere.
However, the 34-year-old has remained a free agent all year, opting to take time off and enjoy being a father instead.
Now that other black-and-gold mainstays such as Ciampa and Sky are on the main roster working major storylines, though, it could be enough to entice Gargano to return to WWE.
His former tag team partner, Ciampa, became the No. 1 contender for the United States Championship on the latest episode of Raw. This seems to indicate Triple H has plans for the man who stayed off the main roster for as long as possible.
If The Blackheart finds success this soon under the new creative team, Johnny Wrestling may not be that far behind.
Gargano has also spoken highly of Triple H and Shawn Michaels, and he cherished his time with NXT. So, we think he will return to WWE later this year.
Under the new creative team, Bray Wyatt seems like a no-brainer. He seemed like a lifer before his abrupt release last year.
Ever since, the 35-year-old has remained off the grid, leaving many fans to speculate about where he could show up next.
Honestly, WWE was always the perfect place for him because it relies so heavily on larger-than-life characters. His knack for theatrics also made great use of its high production value and major marketing machine.
Unfortunately, the third-generation star stumbled with WWE because the higher-ups never gave him enough free rein to grow. It seemed to stifle his creativity or pull the rug out from under him when he gained momentum. That could change with the new regime in place.
Wyatt told Busted Open Radio in 2016 (h/t Still Real To Us) that Triple H was instrumental to his reinvention with NXT. So, it’s a safe bet that he could return to WWE to work with the man who saved his career.
Sasha Banks and Naomi were at the heart of one of the biggest stories of 2022 when they reportedly walked out during the May 13 episode of Raw.
The two Superstars have been a topic of discussion ever since, as their current status remains unclear.
Many believed WWE had released them, but the plot thickens. Although PWInsider reported they were no longer on the internal roster, the latest update is that a source claimed they have reached an agreement to return.
This is in line with what Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc initially reported, as well. He stated that WWE released Banks in June but the company was attempting to “smooth things over.”
It wouldn’t be unprecedented for the global wrestling juggernaut to convince one of its top stars to come back. We’ve seen more implausible scenarios before now.
If you’re seeing a recurring pattern here, it’s that many of the Superstars who have the highest probability of return are NXT alum. Banks is no exception as she originally made a name for herself with the black-and-gold brand.
And SummerSlam also proved WWE has reignited interest in its women’s division.
With Triple H in the driver's seat, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship could finally gain prestige. That could be enough to lure its last set of titleholders back later this year. More importantly, the new Head of Creative has a rapport with the wrestlers.
If anyone can convince Banks and Naomi to return, it’s The Game.
Fifty promising prospects from across the country attended Day 2 of WWE's three-day talent tryout at the famed Wildhorse Saloon venue in Nashville, Tennessee over SummerSlam weekend, where 14 different sports were represented with an average age of 23.
The drills, promos and general vibe of the tryout were similar to what die-hard fans have seen before on 2015's Breaking Ground behind-the-scenes reality series on WWE Network or on the company's social media channels.
Head coaches Matt Bloom, Steve Corino and Norman Smiley gave instructions and guided the athletes along, while NXT 2.0 upstarts Lash Legend, The Creed Brothers and Ivy Nile aided with the in-ring portion.
WWE head of creative Paul "Triple H" Levesque and co-CEO Nick Khan were also at ringside observing each crop of competitors.
Khan played with his son in between the three rings and routinely checked out what was going on, but Levesque was locked in. It was obvious he missed this part of the job during his hiatus.
It was almost exactly one year ago when WWE held a similar-sized tryout in Las Vegas, and within weeks, Triple H was out of commission indefinitely due to a health scare. One year later in Nashville, he was back in good spirits and ready to hit the ground running.
Most notably, there wasn't a single familiar face among the athletes themselves—or at least not anyone the average wrestling fan would recognize.
In years past, the WWE Performance Center would host tryouts for a mix of people who did and did not have wrestling backgrounds. As part of the company's new recruitment and development strategy under Levesque and former UFC executive James Kimball, that has changed completely.
Not only was the atmosphere much more relaxed in a restaurant-turned-trailing-facility such as Wildhorse Saloon, but the tryouts also exclusively featured former college athletes. In other words, independent wrestlers are no longer the target demographic.
A few failed to go pro in their respective sport while others are currently training for the Olympics in 2024. The one commonality among all of them was zero prior professional wrestling experience, let alone knowledge of the industry's inner workings or the current product.
WWE officials and executives have clearly shifted their focus when scouting for Superstars. In fact, weeding out those with that aforementioned wrestling experience was part of the screening process. They are looking for a blank slate.
It's a different strategy compared to what WWE has typically gone for.
Homegrown stars such as former SEC track and field star Bianca Belair and Iowa defensive lineman Big E spent a significant amount of time in NXT and went on to achieve major success, but they were the outliers. For the first nine years of its existence, the former black-and-gold brand was best known for bringing in notable names and established stars from other promotions.
The quarterly TakeOver specials were heavily praised for their simplicity, technically stellar wrestling and for featuring dream matchups you wouldn't see anywhere else.
NXT, at least as a television show, isn't as much about the in-ring product nowadays, as it's building toward the future. It's all about evolving the approach to how it recruits talent, and it's constantly going to change depending on what the roster needs.
Filling that quota is key according to Kimball, who is at the helm of this new program alongside Levesque.
“We come into each [tryout] week with gaps that need to be filled," he told B/R. "There's a full system in place where there's a churn and a schedule where evaluations take place. At that two-year mark, if you've not made it on NXT TV on a regular basis, it's just not for you and it's not for us."
Kimball explained that there is constant evaluation at the Performance Center, but the true test is every six months when they determine whether that talent is worth keeping. If minimal progress is shown within a year or two, then they'll cut bait.
To ensure they don't have any "bottlenecks" on the roster, they stray away from signing too many men and women with the same height, weight and build. They need a wide variety of characters of all shapes and sizes with only so many slots for each profile.
Enlisting only newbies to NXT can eventually pose one major problem: Who will these talents be working with if all of the experienced wrestlers have either been released or called up to the main stage?
The mindset appears to be that the brand, and the company as a whole, has already relied too heavily on outside talent in the last decade and it's time to balance it out. Once there's a need again for more independent wrestlers, they'll be incorporated back into the program.
In the meantime, WWE would rather appeal to a wider range of athletes and not just the surplus of stars on the indies, which will always be available to choose from.
It will require real work to get these athletes to find their footing in NXT in a relatively short span of time, but even if just a handful take to it quickly, WWE will have a blueprint on its hands that encourages other outsiders to give wrestling a serious shot.
“We'll do a tryout and then they'll do a set of releases and churn out," Kimball said. "Our goal is to add volume, quality and depth to developmental. Coming into this week, we have a 110 talents in developmental. The goal at the end of this year is 130. The sweet spot for us long-term is around 150. During COVID in the last couple of years, that number got below 100. We're replenishing it, but we're replenishing it with what we believe to be real premium, quality talent.”
Levesque and Kimball's main goal for the program, along with the Next-In-Line program that was responsible for the signing of Gable Steveson, is to create awareness of the pathway for college athletes into WWE so they understand the company is a meaningful potential outlet for them.
They're always on the lookout for ambitious athletes on social media and use stars the caliber of Dwight Howard, who made a surprise appearance at Thursday's tryout, as a recruiting mechanism.
All of the aspiring rookies were there to try their hand at pro wrestling and attempt to earn a contract, whereas the NBA champion was there to fulfill a lifelong dream. For a quick minute, he adopted an over-the-top persona and trash-talked like he was about to headline WrestleMania.
His passion and energy were infectious and surely inspired every one of the athletes to up their game.
Shortly after cutting his promo that soon went viral on Twitter, Howard made the rounds at ringside, taking pictures with people who had no idea when they woke up that day they'd be meeting one of the best basketball players of the modern era.
The eight-time NBA All-Star, 36, showed genuine interest in breaking into the business and becoming a pro wrestler once his basketball career is officially over. The skills he showed on the mic in front of the recruits directly correlates to his longtime fandom for WWE.
Of course, Howard wouldn't have to go through this type of tryout if he were to ever make the jump to wrestling full-time, but his love for the business is the sort of stuff that can't be manufactured in a multi-million dollar facility in Orlando, Florida.
It doesn't make or break a Superstar, but being able to relate to the common wrestling fan and their devotion to the product goes a long way in being marketable and likable.
“I would have to train and practice just like everyone else," Howard told B/R about the possibility of eventually transitioning from the court to the ring. "I'm not coming into this thing because I'm Dwight Howard the basketball player. This is a whole new ball game for me. I want to learn from all these guys and be the best wrestler I can be. If it leads down to this path where I am wrestling, I want to just enjoy it."
Howard is the antithesis of everyone else at the tryout that day: Their careers were just getting started, but none of them religiously watched wrestling growing up. The recruitment team took interest in those individuals specifically so they could start from scratch with them and mold them into the quintessential WWE Superstars.
Syracuse native and West Virginia University alum Jade Gentile is a prime example of that. Upon getting back home from playing professional soccer in Iceland, she was asked to partake in the tryout. Without hesitation, she jumped at the opportunity.
“I obviously didn't know much about it going into it, and they knew that," she said. "They want to teach you how to do things the first time and not change your mannerisms.”
As Kimball alluded to, she had no idea WWE was an option for her, thinking she'd never be able to ascend beyond the level she was already at. She believes her skills in soccer will bode well for her in WWE.
“The biggest thing I see that separates me is my coachability," Gentile said. "If someone wants me to do something, I'm doing it the first try. If I don't do it well the first time, I'm going to do it 100 percent the next time. I'll take whatever anyone says to me and I'll apply it.”
Although everyone gave the tryout an incredible effort, Gentile was among the few who consistently heeded the coaches' advice and followed instructions. Even if it wasn't intentional, many of the athletes weren't able to adapt, causing Corino to let out an exasperated gasp on more than one occasion.
Twenty-four-year-old standout Rickssen Opont, who came to America from Haiti for better opportunities academically and athletically, found himself in a similar situation. His track and field background combined with his Olympic training helped him nail the physical aspect of the tryout, while his natural charisma gave him a big advantage in the promo department.
“Some of the drills came easy to me because it was already incorporated in the way I was training," he said. "It felt natural. I think I was born for this. I think I was made to be here this weekend, and these three days were really challenging. I was mentally tough, I was ready for it, and I gave it my all.”
WWE officials knew what they were getting athletically from those who tried out. They were also aware the promos wouldn't be perfect given it was likely their first time cutting one. It was practically everything else they were keeping an eye on to gauge if they had what it takes to thrive in the realm of sports entertainment.
Paul Heyman was among those on hand evaluating the recruits, bestowing his brilliance upon them in typical fashion. During the promo portion of Day 2, he provided a shining example of how everyone could do a better job of grabbing the attention of officials.
Despite knowing little to nothing about Heyman prior to the tryout, the athletes were captivated by what he had to say and applied it to their own promos from that point forward.
Even someone as seasoned and accomplished as the 56-year-old is of the belief these athletes are indeed the talent of tomorrow.
“There's a difference right now in that today's recruits are those who see this as an option, not an obsession," Heyman said. "These aren't people living and dying and breathing and hoping and praying that all of their dreams since they were five years old can come true or come crashing down around them by the decision that's made.
"This guy might say, 'Oh, if this doesn't work out, I'll go play Canadian football,' or, 'I'll go play basketball in Europe,'" he continued. "My thing is, I'm going to ask you a lot of questions you better not have the answer to, because if you do, you're in the wrong class because this is for people that don't have the prior knowledge.”
Hardcore fans of the product will scoff at a statement like that. The lack of a backup plan played a major role in so many Superstars achieving legendary status, and having another option may not have encouraged them to give WWE their all.
In Heyman's opinion, if they can appropriately represent the company with class in the same way John Cena and Titus O'Neil do as ambassadors, that's what matters most. Much like at an NFL camp, WWE wants people who are prepared and understand the rigors of what it takes to become a star and then take on the responsibilities of being a star.
"There are plenty of people I saw today that are qualified," Heyman said. "Are they going to main-event WrestleMania? There's a few people I can see that happening with, but not everyone, and I'm very excited about working with them in the future. But not all of them. If you're not going to main-event WrestleMania, are you a disruptor? Are you someone who's going to change the industry? Are you someone who's going to give us a vision that we don't have? Someone who's 20 better not look at this industry the same way I do.”
Some will succeed, most will fail, but it's impossible to know what works and what doesn't in this embryonic stage of the system.
It will take time to truly determine whether creating competitors from the ground up will have the results WWE is looking for, but the optimism and excitement in the air among officials and hopefuls at the tryout would give anyone reason to believe it will be.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.
