Royal Rumble outcomes deflate excitement heading into WrestleMania season
Heading into the Royal Rumble, there was a lot of energy and excitement for WWE content. The first time in quite a long time. Less than 24-hours later, that energy feels deflated as many viewers and media members take to the social media space to express disappointment with the outcomes of last night’s show. The concern is real as the promotion heads into WrestleMania season.
The biggest point of contention is the decision to give victories to Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar in both the women’s and men’s rumbles. With 58 other competitors combined in both matches, the company decided to go with two part-time performers, rather than using this as a moment to build to something with the potential to excite fans.
The minute both Rousey and Lesnar’s music hits, every other performer in the ring immediately became an afterthought because it was clear where the company was headed. Neither individual needed these victories because they are such big stars that their mere presence would push them into the main event. Imagine if this moment was given to someone that fans want to see elevated into the main event picture. The goodwill that builds with viewers and fans is important, but WWE elected to throw all of that away once again.
The current state of the WWE roster falls completely on the promotion’s leaders. The roster cuts since 2020 are one big part of the problem. When coupled with lackadaisical booking for anyone not named Roman Reigns, this is the outcome.
The situation is even worse for the women’s division. Rousey’s last run with the company left that division decimated with WWE openly showing a lack of interest in building to anything with the majority of the roster. If it happens again, the group will be in dire straights coming out of the other side of WrestleMania.
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Can things between now and WrestleMania spark interest in the product? Of course. Should WWE fans be hopeful of that outcome? Absolutely not. The Royal Rumble showed fans, once again, that WWE doesn’t have any intention of changing its booking priorities to fit what fans want to see. The disappointment in the product is real and WWE continues to bring it on itself.