WWE: The State of the WWE Universe Address for 2018

Tonight, the President delivers his first State of the Union Address. Big deal – what’s the State of the WWE Universe in 2018?

Marks, babyfaces, heels, members of the WWE Universe, my fellow Americans: Good evening.

Tonight, I present to you the State of the WWE Universe. Through the years, it’s had its ups and its downs. For every Daniel Bryan WrestleMania victory, there’s a Roman Reigns Royal Rumble win in Philly. For every great NXT TakeOver event, there’s a main roster pay per view that fails to capitalize on that momentum. And for every superstar to become popular in NXT, there’s two who fail to make a seamless transition to Raw or SmackDown.

As we embark on the Road to WrestleMania in 2018, what is it that we, the WWE Universe, wish to see happen for the year? Is there something we as fans can do to help bring WWE to a stellar WrestleMania season? What should we expect to see as the calendar pages turn?

First things first, it’s long past time for certain superstars to be recognized for their achievements both inside and outside the ring. With a plethora of championship titles in the WWE Universe, a number of first time champions must be crowned. Superstars like Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Ruby Riott, and Peyton Royce are way overdue for hauling hardware around. The strides these individuals – and others – have taken since their debuts are an indication of their raw ability and talent.

Put that together with interesting character work, and these superstars have earned titles they’ve yet to be awarded. It’s up to us, the fans, to make our voices heard to show our support for these terrific talents. Buy their merch if they have any – if not, demand it be made. Cheer them on if their character deserves cheers – boo them if they deserve boos.

We’ve also been gifted with a “phenomenal” match at WrestleMania, between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura. It’s a rematch of their great bout at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in 2016 for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Whether it gets the main event slot at WrestleMania 34 remains to be seen. But regardless of its placement on the card, it’s up to us to support the decision to make this match official. If we want to see more matches like this in WWE, we need to let the powers that be know how appreciative we are of getting a dream matchup like this. It doesn’t happen often – so how the fans respond will likely help determine if it happens again.

The Women’s Division is about to become the hottest property in all of WWE, with the recent addition of Ronda Rousey to the roster. The star power Rousey has is a boon for everyone in the company – attendance should soar, ratings should go up, and media coverage should expand. More eyes on the product means more money in everyone’s pockets, which will only serve to strengthen the company.

While not everyone may be on board with the Rousey signing – even I may still have some doubts – it’s important to remember that everyone will reap the benefits of Rousey’s WWE career. The mainstream appeal is undeniable, and if that doesn’t spell good things for the company, nothing does.

The Cruiserweight Division is in a strange place at the moment, but it’s got nowhere to go but up. Recent personnel changes have left the entire 205 Live roster in flux. We can look at this as a negative – or turn it around and make it work for us. With the announcement of a new General Manager just hours away, we should start to get answers soon. But with superstars like Cedric Alexander, Mustafa Ali, and Hideo Itami in house, there’s no reason 205 Live can’t be a rousing success in WWE.

Finally, we come to the state of the respective brands in WWE. NXT is poised to make huge strides again – new superstars like Trevor “Ricochet” Mann, War Machine, Candice LeRae, and EC3 will make sure of that. Much like the beloved “NXT 5” from several years ago helped elevate the brand to the point of touring, there’s no telling what heights these new signees will reach. And it’s not like Johnny Gargano, The Undisputed Era, or Andrade Almas are going anywhere – it’s a great time for NXT.

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The SmackDown brand is suffering at the moment, but WrestleMania season should help turn that around. For many of our likings, there’s too much weird storytelling that’s negatively impacting the in-ring action. As AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn put on great matches, the finishes and extracurricular activities leave a sour taste in my mouth. Once the focus returns to making the show “the land of opportunity” again, things should pick up. The resolution of Shane McMahon’s meddling arc will also turn things around – but don’t hold your breath on that one.

As for the flagship show, the Raw brand is embarking on its next quarter century by focusing on a combination of great matches and total annihilation. For every four star classic that Monday nights offer, Braun Strowman shows up to destroy something. It’s a bold strategy, but so far, so good. There’s still some bad stories – but they’re fewer and further between than they once were. Despite the difficulty to make it through three hours sometimes, Raw is once again deserving of its title of “flagship show.”

With all of these pieces in place, the WWE – and WWE Universe – is primed for a banner year in 2018. I know there are other promotions out there – Ring of Honor, New Japan, tons of quality indies – but WWE is still the place to be, and the company to watch. So long as the fans stick together and work for the betterment of the company for all, and the company itself listens to said fans, there’s no heights WWE can’t reach. And so I can confidently report to you that the State of the WWE Universe is strong.

Next: 25 Greatest WrestleMania Moments

Thank you for your time, and God bless the WWE Universe.

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