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Plenty has changed for Paul Levesque's WWE since WrestleMania XL — some for the better, some for the worse. (Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images)
MICHAEL TRAN via Getty Images
Last year at WrestleMania XL, as Cody Rhodes celebrated his newly won WWE Championship with friends and family, you could feel a shift in direction going forward. The term “eras” has always seemed a bit too hyperbolic, but this was now a WWE with a new babyface as its frontman, having cracked the code that was Roman Reigns and The Bloodline. With all the work Reigns and company did, and now Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, Jey Uso, CM Punk and a few others also in the spotlight, WWE’s profile has risen to a point that even the not-so-great moments don’t slow down the brand's momentum.
Here are some of the very best things that happened in WWE over the past year since WrestleMania XL — and some of the things that haven’t fared as well, either through mishandling or circumstance.
The Show
The move of "WWE Raw" to Netflix in January introduced a new look, a new feel and a new price point. In some ways, it mirrors when WWE crossed over from standard definition to high definition in 2008. "Raw" has caught up with modern programming in that most viewers can see it in its very highest clarity, can jump in and rewind at any point, and can very shortly afterward rewatch anything they’ve missed.
The introduction of Penta and the rise of Jey Uso gave way to more hyper-focused entrances, and the exit of longtime WWE producer Kevin Dunn and entry of Lee Fitting provided new angles and execution for how the actual matches have been presented. There was an immediate focus to make the show feel like anything could happen, with movie stars, recording artists and fellow Netflix acts being heavily featured both in audiences and as part of the in-ring action.
Perhaps the most interesting change was the unofficial runtime of the show. From 2012 to 2024, "WWE Raw" ran three hours and change every week, to varying levels of success and interest. Netflix almost has an extended run-over, with the runtime after the two-hour mark being flexible based on the match or moment involved. Knowing that any point after two hours can signal the show’s end adds a level of intrigue to "Raw" that’s been missing for a long time.
On the flip side, "WWE Smackdown" returned to the USA Network after its foray on network television with FOX. The show, which had been two hours for basically its entire run, decided to pick up the time "Raw" gave up, and switched to a three-hour format. Without The Bloodline’s twisting, weaving tale, filled with backstage moments and in-ring unpredictability, "Smackdown" can’t help but feel severely bloated since the shift. With "Raw" getting in and out on a Monday, a Friday night "Smackdown" extending late into the evening hours doesn’t flow well going into the weekend.
Even if the details of the deal dictate extended programming, it hasn’t increased the value or presence of the talent on the blue brand. Newcomers like Jacob Fatu, Carmelo Hayes and Tiffany Stratton would fare just as well in a traditional two-hour time slot. The tradeoff of runtimes has made "Raw" more watchable, but without Roman Reigns or The Usos, a shorter "Smackdown" would be a more digestible watch.
There’s also the numbers touting. Over the past few years on its Premium Live Events (PLEs), and now on its weekly broadcasts, WWE made it a point to announce record attendance numbers and ticket sales, all while those tickets and events are more expensive than ever. While it’s a boon for advertisers and shareholders, it doesn’t serve the audience you’re asking to show up to support your product.
The After Party
When two new women’s mid-card titles were introduced — the Women’s United States and Women’s Intercontinental Championships, respectively — there was renewed hope that stories outside of WWE's two major women’s world titles could exist and be given the proper time and attention. What we learned is that they absolutely can … but not ones that involve said titles.
WWE’s “Big Three” of Bianca Belair, Naomi and Jade Cargill have told a long, winding story of sisterhood, jealousy and betrayal, with the latter two about to face one another in a historic matchup — the only non-title women’s singles match not billed as a “catfight” to ever grace a WrestleMania card. Naomi, the well-traveled veteran and longtime fan-favorite, has done a great job showing how malicious she can be, serving as the old guard trying to stifle newcomer Cargill’s progress.
But with all the notes that the feud has hit, it shows the disparity in what’s been given to the two new championships and its titleholders. Since winning the Women’s United States Title in December, Chelsea Green has defended the title three times — each time against Michin, the woman she beat in the inaugural tournament finals. Her counterpart, Women’s Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria, has defended the title against four different opponents, but has still only had four defenses in three months.
You want newly introduced titles to have a certain jumpstart, but they’ve come across more as placeholders or paperweights than plot points or position builders. Green isn’t currently slotted on the WrestleMania 41 at all, while Valkyria is one-quarter of the Women’s World Tag Team Championship match, teaming with her most recent challenger Bayley against champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. You'd hope that it furthers the story between Bayley and Valkyria, who put on a fantastic title match on the April 7 edition of "WWE Raw," but a second ongoing women’s mid-card feud for WWE has to be seen before it can be believed.
Similar sentiments slide over to the men’s tag-team division as well. At WrestleMania 40, six teams vied for the then Undisputed Tag Team Championships in a ladder match. After WWE split those belts into two sets of titles, neither has been given proper focus. There’s one very strong story, helmed by one of the greatest teams to ever exist in WWE, The New Day. Shunning Big E for having outside interests while he awaits possible medical clearance, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have reverted to their initial heel roots, but have also upped the ante, fighting for respect and their push forward as a duo. They’ll look to add to their record at WrestleMania as the team with the most collective tag-team championships in WWE history when they take on the War Raiders.
The other side of that “greatest” coin, The Usos, are also working together, but the focus is on preparing Jey for his World Heavyweight Title match against Gunther on Night One of WrestleMania 41. Not every title can be defended at every big show, but it’s telling that once more a set of tag-team titles will be defended on the "SmackDown" before WrestleMania, and not the show of shows itself.
WWE heavily promoted the fact that The Street Profits went more than four years without winning tag-team gold — something it seems they might have wanted to shy away from, given that no team outside of The New Day and The Usos has really established themselves as standouts in WWE’s overall narrative. Acts like Montez Ford still seem to be waiting for the chance to showcase what they can do in the singles division. Even after the call-ups of teams like The Creeds and DIY, and the signing of all-time greats The Motor City Machine Guns, it doesn’t feel that tag-team wrestling is any more valued under this WWE regime than the previous one.
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DIY and the Motor City Machine Guns have tried their best to prop up WWE's tag-team division. (WWE/Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
The Hotel
One thing that’s been consistent over WWE's past year is fresh faces at the top of the cards. Rhodes, since his WWE return in 2023, has been a WrestleMania fixture. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky, both World Champions at 2024's event, also find themselves in a title match. But including Rhodes, there are three first-time world champions and one first-time WrestleMania title challenger across this weekend's four world title matches.
Aside from the box office and YouTube views, the biggest success of The Bloodline story has been the rise of Jey Uso as a solo star. He has the crowd invested in his entrance, his merchandise, and appears poised to topple over first-time World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, the strongest positioned act of WWE's past few years outside of Roman Reigns.
Gunther is a world killer, from his record-breaking Intercontinental Title run, his dominance in the King of the Ring Tournament, and now his World Heavyweight Title reign. Previous generations had their similar forces in the Vaders, Sycho Sids and Faces of Fear, and Gunther seems to be the next in line, with a more pronounced focus on the promo aspect to make him a detailed, sophisticated monster.
Tiffany Stratton’s star also shined so bright, the fans forced WWE’s hand in turning her away from her “Daddy’s Girl” persona to put the focus on her insane athleticism and strength, derived from her collegiate gymnastic days. Less than four years into her wrestling career, she’s battling WWE’s women's standard-bearer Charlotte Flair on Night One of WrestleMania 41.
Even outside of the main-event scene, acts like Bron Breakker, Dominik Mysterio, Logan Paul and Jacob Fatu have been positioned as the next big stars once some space clears at the top. There’s an embarrassment of riches in WWE’s upper echelon that’s caused a bit of a logjam. The specter of The Rock has complicated things, with him adding star power but muddling the details of what’s supposed to happen in his absence. In 2024, his WrestleMania XL injection led to two thrilling main events, but he’s been less active and less clear this year as to what exactly he’s providing for John Cena — and what he’s trying to take from Rhodes.
Cena absolutely earned the right to go out on his own terms, and still has a lot he can provide. It’s not a negative to have so many acts that could legitimately compete for a world title — it’s simply unprecedented.
Saturday's Night One’s main event features three former world champions in CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. Adding in the Sin City Street Fight with Damien Priest and Drew McIntyre, and three of the singles matches across the two nights, there are eight former world champions not in title matches of any kind.
When new stars are created, but contests like The Royal Rumble are lessened by not leading to the main event of the biggest show, it can define down the very acts you’re looking to put on par with your proven ones. In almost every case, these are acts the new regime inherited. Even with all of the programming hours available, for some acts to stand out, others will have to be pared down.
WWE as a whole is on a heat check, and time will tell if the goodwill and hot characters will help the company's upward trend continue, even with the areas that seem to be lacking interest and investment.
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