The Problem With Wrestling Potentially Being Homogenized By WWE Performance Centers

Professional Wrestling is at risk of being homogenized by one company, WWE, and it could change wrestling as we know it.

What is homogenization and what does it have to do with WWE’s international strategy?

The dictionary definition of homogenization is to make something uniform or similar. I feel that WWE’s international strategy of putting Performance Centers all across the world will make the wrestling style uniform and same feeling.

Why is homogenization a problem?

When I see at the end of NXT UK Takeover Blackpool WALTER and Pete Dunne staring down at each other, it just takes the wind out of my sails. This takes the wind out of my sails because it feels like WWE is gobbling up almost every talented wrestler.

They are essentially hoarding talent for their own gain and keeping them from other companies.

Performance Centers all over the world will only implement WWE’s style in international markets, making a standard wrestling style and making wrestling bland.

By looking at the results of who the actual Performance Center has churned out in terms of homegrown talent, they all wrestle that WWE style. It’s incredibly important for wrestlers to learn different styles and work their craft by working others with more experience and different styles.

Wrestlers get better when they are exposed to different styles and ways of thinking

One question that pops up even with the guys who came from the independent and international scenes, as well as the homegrown Performance Center talent, is what talent has really improved their in-ring and promo skills since going to the Performance Center?

2018 was a disappointing year in terms of in-ring quality for the main roster, and there’s a sharp contrast between NXT matches and main roster matches.

In NXT, the matches feel more natural, and they have room to breathe even in shorter scenarios. On the main roster, the matches and structure feel forced and, at times, lazy. They don’t have the same pop as NXT matches often do.

Sure, there’s guys like Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy that have improved a bit because they aren’t highlighted on main roster brands.

The fear especially with Ali, now that he’s on SmackDown Live, is that constant week-to-week growth won’t be as apparent because the structure of how the main roster works.

There’s hope that there are smart people that run developmental, but to me, I don’t want just one company controlling things and hoarding every talented wrestler in the world. Then what happens is talent gets underutilized, and they only have so many hours of TV a week.

How would this affect wrestling fans ?

There’s now a generation of professional wrestling fans that only know WWE as its top dog and don’t know what it’s like to have someone giving WWE a run for their money with assets and name brand value.

This is why I believe there’s such an internal rejection to All Elite Wrestling and why many WWE-only fans don’t want competition.

Competition doesn’t just mean going head to head on Monday Nights with WWE RAW. Competition means bidding wars for talent, trying to attract newer fans, and closing the shear monetary gap. When WWE is not pushed, they grow complacent and lazy with both the acquisition and utilization of talent.

WWE wants professional wrestling to just be associated with them, and that’s only good for their company. And they have the people and the minds to achieve that ultimate goal.

Look at the opening of the UK Performance Center, that’s what they want to do all around the world.

In wrestling havens like Japan and Mexico, in untapped markets like China and India, the process and experiment of homogenization of the professional wrestling system is happening right in front of our eyes and it’s not good for professional wrestling.

It’s not good for fans because they are only being exposed to one style, one way of professional wrestling, and the reason why I love wrestling is the combination of fighting styles and dramatic elements.

Also, each region brings their own flare to wrestling such as catch as catch can in Europe or pure Puroresu from Japan or Lucha Libre from Mexico. Each style brings different unique moves, ways of doing matches, and the pacing feels more natural in these styles.

This is why I want companies like AEW, ROH, and NJPW to succeed because they can bring different things to the table and make professional wrestling exciting.

What’s next and why does this matter? What can WWE do? What can WE do?

The homogenization issue matters because I believe all wrestling fans want a great product to watch. If it was bad every week, we wouldn’t have remained a fan. WWE and other companies have the opportunity to get your hard earned money, and that results in the customer having the power.

Back in the Monday Night Wars, when WWF and WCW were going head to head, these companies put effort in how they presented the wrestling product, and that what’s best for fans. The reason why I want NJPW, ROH, and AEW among others to compete is that it’s leads to the best wrestling product possible and that’s what’s best for business and the fans.