WWE’s WrestleMania Direction Questioned Amidst Concerns Over Creative Decisions
WWE is heading into WrestleMania season with major storylines in motion, but wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer believes the company may be overthinking its creative decisions. During a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer weighed in on the current direction surrounding Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, and Jacob Fatu. While WWE’s business metrics remain strong, Meltzer suggested the company is reacting as if it is facing pressure behind the scenes.
Concerns Over WrestleMania Momentum
According to Meltzer, WWE may be drifting away from riskier creative choices due to concerns surrounding WrestleMania ticket momentum and public perception. He explained that the situation mirrors previous eras in WWE when leadership altered plans believing business was declining. “And I think the feel is that that’s been done too many times. They could have done Cody, and Jacob. It’s two babyfaces. They could have done Cody and Randy Orton. And this is what I think happened when it comes to this decision-making. One of the things that happens when you’re feeling the heat… this is what it reminds me of.”
Historical Parallels to the Late 1990s
Meltzer pointed to a historical example from the late 1990s, when Vince McMahon changed the planned WrestleMania main event due to concerns about the company’s direction. “They were getting beat in the ratings and they were not doing well… Vince second-guessing Bret and business isn’t so good. And because business isn’t so good, Vince does what he does when business isn’t good — he blames that the guys are too small on top. So we require big guys. So we switched to Undertaker and Sid.”
Booking Decisions Reflect Perceived Struggles
In Meltzer’s view, WWE may be operating with a similar mindset today—despite currently performing well financially. He believes the debate over WrestleMania ticket sales is influencing creative decisions more than fans realize. “In this situation, business is great, as we all know. But they are booking and reacting like business is struggling, I would say.” He noted that WrestleMania advance ticket sales were sluggish even before the current booking decisions were made. “The WrestleMania advance is the one that everyone points to… but it’s not the booking because these tickets were slow before we had any booking.”
Prioritizing Stability Over Risk
Because of this perceived pressure, Meltzer suggested WWE may be leaning toward safer matchups rather than trying something new. “When you’re second-guessing yourself and your choice is Randy Orton and Jacob Fatu, you’re not going to go with the risk — you’re going to go with the one that’s stable, and that’s Randy Orton, the established guy.”
Potential for a New Main Event Star
Meltzer also pointed out that a match involving Jacob Fatu could have potentially elevated a new main-event star, but WWE appears to be prioritizing reliability over experimentation this year. “You could argue if they went with Jacob they could make a new young star on the top and everything like that. Maybe even be a better match. Maybe not. It’s different styles… but anyway that’s where it ends up. It looks like it’s Randy Orton in the spot.”
Looking Ahead to WrestleMania
With WrestleMania drawing closer, WWE’s final direction for the main event scene will soon become clearer. Whether the company ultimately sticks with the safer option or pivots again could shape the biggest show of the year.