Triple H versus Vince McMahon
I like to keep things as positive as possible.
I like WWE.
I like AEW.
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No, this isn’t a recap of their match from Armageddon ’99. This is a much more serious affair because after yet another successful Premium Live Event, I’m still seeing some non-believers of the Triple H era. The ongoing question that seems to keep popping up is:
What has Triple H truly done to make the WWE product better?
I could probably write a decent size book with the number of changes I’ve noticed but I won’t subject you all to that. I’ll keep it relatively short with the top 3 biggest changes that have happened under the changing of the guards. And just to make sure it’s understood, I actually still enjoyed some of the things that Vince McMahon was doing. But facts are facts, and anybody that has paid attention to just one hour of the new product should be able to see that the future is far brighter than it was a year ago in terms of quality content. So, it’s time to stop the rambling and jump right in…
#3: Flow of the Show
The biggest complaint I had with the Vince run shows is that the shows always seemed to drag most of the time. A three hour show most definitely felt like it was three hours and sometimes it even felt longer than that. And during those marathon shows, there was hardly anything new for the fans to get excited about as the segments were all over the place and rematches happened on a weekly basis.
Enter The Game.
Forget the fact that the rematches have been cut back by a lot. Let’s look at what is happening in between matches. You have segments that directly lead into matches. And when that’s not the case, you have segments seamlessly transitioning into other segments. Remember the car accident? We went from Damage Control cutting a promo, into a “whodunit” car accident and right on over into a AJ Styles interview. With how “hectic” things are perceived to be in the locker room, it only makes sense to see these kinds of things overlapping each other from time to time on the show. It’s different than what we’re used to and helps move the show along tremendously.
Is that to say that some weeks the show doesn’t drag? No, it is bound to happen from time to time but the ratio of bad to good is almost the exact opposite of what it was when Vince was in charge and that right there could very well be the most important change Paul has made to the weekly television shows thus far.
#2: More Women
Not only is it more women, but they get a good amount of more time in the ring when they do have matches. I can think of a few that have gone through two and sometimes even three commercial breaks. There have still been far too many instances in which the women weren’t highlighted enough on a show but the big glaring difference between Paul and Vince when it comes to the women’s division is that under Triple H, we actually have a more respectable one.
With Vince, it was the same ladies getting the same opportunities over and over and over and over again. It was hurting the show and the women’s division as a whole. Triple H came in and started giving some of those ladies that hadn’t had a chance a little bit more tv time. He brought back enough ladies to actually fill out the division as well. Oh yeah, and the Women’s Tag Team Championship? They’ve put far more emphasis on putting the spotlight on them than they have since their inception. And now, with a healthy roster, we can start to put some pieces together and have a legit women’s tag division, which is something we could never say was the case when Vince was still in charge.
I’m not going to pretend like there is not some work that still needs to be done, but I also know that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Things take time and as long as there are baby steps for us to follow, we can be excited about how bright the light at the end of this tunnel is going to be when we finally reach its destination. Now, if only we could get them a mid-card title…
#1: Mid Card Titles
Speaking of mid card titles, what a difference these last few months have been for this division. It has been years upon years since the United States and Intercontinental Titles have felt this important. On one side, you have Gunther in the midst of one of the best Intercontinental title reigns of all time as he inches closer and closer to the longest reign of all time. On the other hand, the United States title has been featured as THE title on Mondays. It has not only main evented the show multiple times, but it has seen the likes of Bobby Lashley and Seth Rollins actively feuding for it. Oh yeah, they also let it be known that the MITB briefcase could be used to cash in on it, making it the first time ever a mid-card belt was cashed in on.
It was obvious that the division that was in the most need of a makeover was the mid-card. The fact that Paul came in and immediately put the focus on those belts was so refreshing to see. It’s another reason the flow of the tv shows has improved. We are actually given a reason to care, and with the amount of talent they have to utilize for this division… it’s only going to get better.
Oh yeah, and let us not forget that the upcoming Elimination Chamber will be a United States Championship match. That’s right, the US Title will be defended in the Chamber… another first. For years, we’ve talked about not only that title being treated as an afterthought but the Chamber match feeling like it’s been overkill. What’s the best way to help change that perception? Change it up a bit. Make this match that for years, has been used to determine World title main event matchups at Wrestlemania, and use it for a secondary title that you are trying to restore the prestige of. It’s a very simple but extremely effective strategy.
So, there you have it. Still not convinced that the show is objectively better now with Triple H in charge? Sound off. Let me know why. Let me know where I’m wrong. It’ll be a hard sell, but I’ll listen to any argument that you think can be made.
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