The WWE Is In Desperate Need Of Fresh Storytelling, And I Know How They Can Do It

There are many potential reasons the WWE might be struggling to sell tickets for WrestleMania 42, as has been reported. While many point to the cost of attendance and a weekend in Las Vegas as a factor, I have another thought to consider. The storytelling in the company has gone stale, and I think there's a clear way to fix it.

While Triple H and company may be hoping for Seth Rollins to be healthy or for Bad Bunny to clear his schedule to face Logan Paul, it may be better to look into tweaking the creative direction heading into the event. Before getting into how to fix it, let me first talk about what I think the biggest problem the current product suffers from.

The WWE Is Trying Too Hard To Keep Its Storytelling Grounded

It began with the decision to tone down the mystical nature of the Wyatt Sicks, and ever since, the WWE has prioritized grounded storytelling over any over-the-top angles. Every angle is about wrestlers being mad, thinking they deserve a title shot, and maybe someone is called a PG-level profanity along the way.

If it's not that, a mysterious figure in a mask has run in and upset what would've been a surefire victory for someone else. In fact, the "masked person in a hoodie gimmick" seems to be the most popular swerve the WWE has, with it happening several times with The Bloodline, and now again with The Vision.

To speak specifically to that reveal, where does it lead? The masked wrestler is revealed to be a new wrestler the company has signed, or someone who has been away for a while. They then slide into the midcard, often to serve as backup with no real pop beyond the initial reveal of their identity. It's because the WWE doesn't want to get too crazy with its storytelling, which I think is a huge mistake.

The WWE Should Lean More Into The Goofiness And Superheroics That Set It Apart

To me, it feels like the WWE currently wants to appear more like a product closer to the UFC than to professional wrestling. That isn't appealing to me as a fan, because if I wanted to watch something that feels like realistic combat sports, I'd just put on the UFC.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and say I wish the WWE went as wild with creative storytelling as it has in the past, and I'm not asking for anything like the level of Edge and Lita in a bed in the middle of the ring. I think people love to bring up the Shockmaster and Gobbledy Gooker and be like, "Yeah, glad those days are gone," but I think we've gone too far in the other direction.

I think there is one great example of the WWE striking a balance on the main roster right now, and it's what we're seeing with the dueling El Grande Americanos. While the WWE somewhat lucked into the idea of having a "good" and "bad" El Grande Americano when Chad Gable was injured, it's shaping up to be one of the most interesting angles in the company. Hilariously enough, a large chunk of the storytelling is happening over in AAA, so maybe the creative team doesn't think so, or they'd save more content for its own shows.

What I think the WWE lacks right now is meaningful storytelling that touches on culture. So much of what they do anymore is creating "moments," but a surprising return or celebrity appearance can only keep people entertained for so long. Let's start injecting more personality into the WWE roster, more than a catchy theme or a hustle to get a WWE championship.

Hopefully, plans are already in place to spice things up as WrestleMania 42 is set to happen in Las Vegas on April 18th and 19th. I'm still hyped for the event, but I do hope to see a little more creativity flowing into the WWE.