2020 WWE Year In Review Roundtable
What do you hope to see from WWE in 2021?
Ernesto – A little more respect for Asuka. She’s a top star and mostly treated like one, but I would like to see her be the focal point in a feud. She’s an amazing underdog performer and I’d like to see her face more properly-suited opponents this year.
I’d like to see them maintain the trust they put on talent like MVP, Kevin Owens, and Bayley to carry feuds and segments of the show. Raw and NXT both strike me as lifeless shows at the moment, and perhaps it’s the toll that the empty arena is taking on them, or maybe not. Something needs to be done to address that.
Granger – It’s really wishing for a lot but fans returning are the main thing that I hope to see in 2021. WWE has adapted well without the fans but they are and always will be crucial to pro-wrestling. It could be a while until we see fans back in WWE, but fans are starting to be able to get in more doors. The safety of the fans is the most important thing and we are all hoping that we can get back to a place where fans can watch wrestling and feel safe while doing so.
Samantha – Better writing. It’s (mostly) been pure trash. They have got to develop new stars & stop relying on Goldberg. They need to actually invest in the women’s division. Short matches, featuring the same women repeatedly, breaking up tag teams for no reason…there’s a lot broken in this company.
Max – Like the Reigns heel turn, I don’t feel like it will happen but would more than love to be wrong at the end of the year, but I want more coherent and creative booking. If I have to witness Baron Corbin wrestling [Insert mid-carder here] week in and week out I won’t be tuning in for long.
There have been little nuggets of good storytelling this year from the aforementioned Reigns vs Jey feud to Randy Orton’s heel run and The Fiend and Alexa Bliss joining forces. But I don’t want two great moments on an abysmal show, I want to finish a two-hour show, that’s right two Raw, and feel satisfied that I haven’t wasted sleep time to watch. The harsh truth is I’m not asking for much, WWE has the best roster against any promotion and they are putting out the quality of a backyard wrestling company with “the Human Spider” as their main event talent, there’s no excuse, and if Vince is as competitive and stubborn as he is perceived to be, can someone tell him that an NFL franchise owner and his son-in-law are consistently besting him.
All bitterness and frustration aside, I just want to enjoy watching Raw again and have faith that when my favorite wrestler signs for a company, I’m jumping for joy and excitement, not biting my nails in nervous anticipation.
Drew Mcintyre had a breakout year for the ages, along with Sasha Banks and Bayley. In 2020, all three were solidified as top players on the WWE roster, could someone else replicate this level of success in 2021?