WWE’s Mindset on Organically Over Talent Needs Changing

 In an age where Superstars can get themselves over organically in a heartbeat, WWE’s mindset on their talent doing so still remains the same. This needs changing.

Since the birth of the “Yes” chant to the ‘Yes Movement’, from ‘Bad News Barrett’ to the likes of “I’m not finished with you”, WWE have had numerous examples of Superstars getting over organically, using either a catchy slogan or just their organic charisma and character.

Yet, for the last few years, where we’ve seen John Cena less frequently and a new star needed more than ever, we haven’t seen an organic star pushed to the top of the mountain.

Some of you may be screaming Daniel Bryan at the screen right now and, to a certain extent, I would not disagree that he’s a Superstar that got over organically and got pushed as a result. However, that really wasn’t the end-game for WWE with Bryan.

The man himself said as much. Bryan has mentioned in previous interviews that him winning the title at WrestleMania 30 was not in the plans right up until a few weeks before the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All’.

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Because of his mainstream popularity, at that point, Bryan booked WWE into a corner. The company would have genuinely had a riot on their hands had Bryan lost to Triple H, the match that catapulted Bryan into the ‘Mania main event against Randy Orton and Batista.

As such, he won the title and WWE played off like it was always the end-point for the storyline. In reality, if WWE had got their own way, Batista would have been crowed the new champion. Luckily for the fans, that wasn’t the case, and we saw one the best feel-good moments in WrestleMania history.

However, since that point, we have not seen any star who got themselves over organically pushed to the extent of a Bryan. It is not because these stars don’t exist; there are an abundance of them. Rather, it is because WWE don’t like it when a Superstar thrives against their creative direction, or rather, lack of direction.

Look no further than Wade Barrett. “I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you” was a catchphrase that got over big time during the course of a few months.

Barrett, a heel, was not supposed to be cheered and, as soon as the crowd was getting on board, McMahon shut it down. You may see that as McMahon sticking to his guns, but I see it as him not adapting to the fans’ reaction. “The problem with Bad News”, said Barrett during an interview with SportsBible, “was that I was getting a babyface reaction. It was one of those things where it was supposed to be a heel thing but I think people were so entertained by it that they started cheering it and look forward to it, even though I am insulting them”.

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The catchphrase was over, however, because it did not fit in a storyline and was not going to be used as a marketing ploy, Vince scrapped it.

“I think sometimes the crowd dictates things and even though Vince wants me as a heel”, said Barrett, “you can’t put me as a heel and the only way we could really turn me back into a heel, and stop them cheering for me, was to take away ‘Bad News’.”

There have been numerous examples of this type of behaviour within WWE over the past few years, with talent getting themselves over organically without the WWE machine behind them and the company not liking it.

The concept, from WWE’s point of view, makes zero sense. With WWE’s knowhow in marketing Superstars, releasing t-shirts and merch to sell for a pretty penny, it baffles me that the company does not understand that when fans are happy and supporting a Superstar, buying into their character, that equals more dollar signs — not less.

Next: Pros & Cons Of WWE's New PPV Format

With the likes of Rusev and Strowman on the horizon of being future megastars in need of the nod from WWE creative, I truly hope that they have learnt from past failures. Because in the absence of John Cena (and potentially Brock Lesnar) WWE need big names and big draws fast. And guess what WWE? They are right under your nose.