WWE are in an era that is calling out for just one big idea to ignite business. It has always been that way in wrestling history, with boom periods hinging on creative genius or technological innovation.
Just look at how the arrival of pay per view opened up huge money, or how the risky storylines of the ‘Attitude Era’ gave Vince McMahon his most successful years. That’s what today’s wrestling scene needs, a bold new vision.
The WWE Network was an attempt at that. McMahon believed pay per view was a dead business model, but the irony is that 2015 has been the most successful year in pay per view industry history. Floyd Mayweather set a high of 4.4 million buys for his fight with Manny Pacquiao, and UFC are having their best PPV year since Brock Lesnar left. Fighters like Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor are doing near million buy rates.
So the WWE Network idea hasn’t really panned out, with disappointing subscriber numbers, and the remaining PPV industry on revitalised fire. The big shame is that WWE actually have a genuine PPV star in Brock Lesnar, but he’s now stuck on a $9.99 streaming service.
However, the next big success is only ever just around the corner. The following are epic million dollar idea that could be WWE’s real answer to a boost in business, but for reasons that will be explained, the company will never do them.
10. Trade Brock Lesnar For Ronda Rousey For One Night Only
With rumours that UFC are set to secure long term target Fedor Emelianenko to a contract, the dream Brock versus Fedor fight is now a reality. The fight almost happened half a decade ago, with the 100,000 capacity Cowboys Stadium as the fancied venue. It is UFC’s biggest fight that never happened, all because Fedor walked away from negotiations.
But with Fedor now apparently in, Lesnar can finally get his dream match. It wasn’t a possibility when Brock was negotiating with UFC in March 2015, but now it is a fight that both he and UFC President Dana White may strongly fancy doing.
This is where Ronda Rousey comes in. WWE want her to work WrestleMania 32 against Stephanie McMahon. But UFC were never going to allow that sort of nonsense to take place, not with their biggest star.
But now WWE have a bargaining chip – a one night trade of Brock for Ronda. Lesnar would get to work the dream fight with Fedor at UFC 200 in July 2016, and Rousey would get to work Mania.
It is a money making idea that should suit both sides, but expect Vince McMahon to put the dampeners on it. His lack of understanding for UFC would be what kills it. He won’t want Lesnar going into a cage and getting destroyed. The McMahon theory would be that a Lesnar loss in UFC could hurt his WWE appeal, but the truth is that it’d probably make no difference to his WWE perception. He did after all get pummelled in his last two UFC fights, and that didn’t make him look weak to WWE fans.
9. Bring Back WCW
Bringing back WCW, in whatever fashion, is bound to be a money maker for WWE. So why don’t they do it? Old wounds and lingering bitterness can be the only plausible explanation.
The fact is that WCW DVD collections are always top sellers for WWE. Then look at how they brought Sting in and created a ton of publicity, or the way the Monday Night War series was one of the big original selling points of the WWE Network. It is plainly obvious that WCW nostalgia is valuable.
A relaunched WCW on the Network, or re-branding Smackdown as WCW, sounds way more interesting than some of the generic output that fans are currently subjected to.
You also have to look at how the initial re-launch of ECW did such fantastic PPV numbers for WWE ten years ago, and that was a promotion with a far smaller viewership than WCW.
Bringing back the brand has been a bankable idea for years, but it seems like Vince McMahon just doesn’t fancy it. He hated it then, and he seemingly still hates it now.
8. Kevin Owens Over Roman Reigns For The WWE Title
WWE are still intent on making Roman Reigns the next big star in the industry. But here’s an idea, why not run with Kevin Owens instead?
Recent house show attendance numbers demonstrate that Owens has helped lift business, and his feud with John Cena could run and run for years. It has an Austin – Rock feel to it.
One bold vision could be to do Owens and Reigns at WrestleMania 32, executing a double turn on the night. Let Reigns become the heel that fans want him to be, and let Owens be the Austin style anti-hero. Fans are already cheering KO to begin with, a face turn is bankable money.
Who knows, turning Owens face and putting the WWE Title on him over Reigns, it could kick-start something very special in the business.
But right now, Raw producer Kevin Dunn is said to have a low opinion of the star. Far from thinking of him as the next money making Steve Austin, Dunn is rumoured to think of Owens as just as a fat guy.
7. Four Pay Per View Shows A Year
They went for an “all in” approach to the Network, and in hindsight they probably wish they hadn’t. What they could have done, and this would have still been a great offer, is have every show on the Network with the exception of the big four.
That would then have allowed them to market Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Survivor Series as pay per views.
Just imagine what this year’s Rumble or SummerSlam would have been worth in PPV buys. As for Mania, it actually LOST money by being on the Network this year.
The thing is, WWE don’t want to be seen to be back tracking, so don’t expect them to change the current set-up.
Yes it would make them more money in the long run to get some big shows back on pay per view, but the belief they have is it’d crush the already low subscriber numbers to WWE Network. However, you could argue that the impact wouldn’t be that severe, as eight specials would still be on the Network along with all the other great content.
It is something for WWE to mull over. At the very least, putting Mania back on PPV in 2017 would make sense.
6. Turn John Cena Heel In A Match That Retires The Undertaker
The John Cena heel turn is money waiting to happen. And the longer they leave it, the more it is worth.
Cena revealed that it actually almost happened when he was feuding with The Rock around WrestleMania 28. He even bought ring gear for the long awaited turn. But this being WWE, plans changed.
The reason for the reluctance to turn Cena, is down to all the merchandise he sells and corporate appearances he makes. Especially with charity, the guy works endlessly for making children happy. Why risk ruining all of that? Sure, the heel turn could make more money, but what if it didn’t? WWE haven’t been willing to take the risk, and they may never be willing.
If it was to happen, what would do absolutely blockbuster business, is if WWE matched Cena with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32. Have Cena ruining Taker’s last match, right there in front of the Texan’s home crowd. Imagine the heat on Cena if he finally embraced his heel side, smashing Undertaker with a chair and retiring him on a loss. Nobody would be cheering Cena in that scenario, it would be raining boos.
If Cena goes heel, that’s the way to do it, that’s the money. Just don’t hold your breath on it actually happening. When it comes to Cena, McMahon is risk averse.
5. Give Paul Heyman The Control Of Creative
Paul Heyman has to be one of the most under utilised assets in the wrestling industry.
Granted, WWE get a lot out of him as an on-air performer. He cuts promos better than almost any body else in the business. But what WWE aren’t getting out of him is his creative genius.
This was the man who revolutionised the industry in the nineties, providing an ‘Attitude’ blue print that revolutionised WCW and WWF. Indeed, Heyman’s ECW innovated so many of the characters and concepts that ended up making Vince McMahon a billionaire.
Why not tap into that Heyman genius? They did briefly in 2002, only to end it after clashes with Stephanie McMahon. She’s now less involved in creative, although Triple H is more active.
Heyman is one of the best minds in pro wrestling history. It would create money if WWE used him to his full ability. But given Triple H’s stranglehold on creative and McMahon’s previous experiences of Heyman, you’d have to guess that WWE will never use him to his full potential.
4. The Rock Vs Seth Rollins
WWE are determined to bring back The Rock for a match with Triple H at WrestleMania 32. Will it make money? Sure.
But it is old money, it is trading on nostalgia, and there’s no long term benefit from doing it. It is only worth what it is worth.
But if WWE went with putting The Rock against someone current, that would be creating new money. It would help make a new star, investing in a young wrestler who will be on the roster year round. What’s WWE got to gain with putting Triple H against Rock? Hunter is part time and will just disappear back to his office after the match.
Now imagine if it was Seth Rollins who got to work Rock.
Rollins would benefit from the association with such a legendary name, and it would also be a far more exciting and fresher match up. Rollins could give Rock his best match this century.
There’s also value in this one, based upon the fact it gives Rollins something hot after the WWE Title. Where do you go after working Cena and being Champion so long? Rock would be one of the few directions upwards!
3. Bring Back Hulk Hogan For A Redemption Match
The wrestling observer newsletter reports that “Hogan was very valuable when it came to public relations. For example, when it came to doing major event publicity, there was nobody in the company who could deliver as much mainstream media interest in a market as Hogan.”
Obviously his PR ability is now shot, but his fame is still there. Combined with the infamy of the scandal, he’s actually in a position to create as much attention around WWE as any body else in the industry right now.
What would be a bold move, is if WWE did the story of a comeback. Hogan has been on Good Morning America and pleaded forgiveness, and there could be money for WWE in that redemption story. Hogan has always created interest and made money, and a comeback match in 2016 would garner huge mainstream interest with the idea of redemption. If there’s one thing America likes more than tearing someone down, it is seeing them get back up and make a comeback.
But it is a risk WWE would be unwilling to take. The racism was as bad as it gets.
The thing is, Hogan was a hero to an entire generation, and now he’s like this vulnerable old man. There’s money left on the table with him, and he reportedly expected to pass a physical for a match next year. But WWE booking it after the scandal just seems very unlikely.
2. Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs Brock Lesnar
This one has money written all over it.
Brock Lesnar against Stone Cold Steve Austin is a match thirteen years in the making. There’s a built in story, following Austin’s refusal to wrestle Lesnar in 2002.
It is also two of the biggest pay per view draws of all time going against each other in a first time ever match-up. In the one corner you’ve got UFC’s biggest star, and in the other corner you’ve got WWE’s biggest star. The mainstream casual fan would buy it in huge numbers.
The issue is, WWE aren’t wanting to risk Austin’s health. There’s extra scrutiny on the company right now, after several former talent accused WWE of neglecting wrestler health. You can imagine how it would look if Austin got in there and hurt his neck, which would be a genuine fear with the rough and tumble Lesnar.
Despite being arguably the most valuable match possible, it is something WWE aren’t wanting to touch.
1. Replace Vince McMahon With Dana White
Just take a look at how he made Ronda Rousey one of the biggest stars in the world. She was barely known a few years ago, and now she’s starring in Hollywood movies at the same time as popping million dollar pay per view buys. And White deserves so much credit for that, because really, the calibre of her opponents in UFC has been atrocious. What’s really happened is a promotional master class.
He’s done the exact same with Conor McGregor. He made a star out of nothing. When was the last time Vince McMahon has been able to do something like that? Not since John Cena has someone really been made a star in WWE, and you could argue not since the late nineties has McMahon promoted to the level that Dana White is working.
With Vince now seventy, one of the most epic suggestions has been WWE makes a play for White. Get him on board to lead WWE and usher in the next generation of true mega stars. Have him promote like only he can, and make WWE hot again.
It would take the offer of a life time for the UFC supremo to answer WWE’s call, but what an investment it would be. The best promoter on the planet would surely be worth it.
