Confrontations in WWE -- Stale, Boring, Predictable

[near_expert22]

I was watching Smackdown this past week, and was looking at Undertaker come out to open the show. Then, Chris Jericho came out to confront him. Then, it results in a brawl. It got me thinking.

WWE has really lost the art of the confrontation with their product.

Let's say Wrestler X and Wrestler Y are involved in a program together. Now, how many times do you see on Raw, Smackdown, or ECW ...


1) Wrestler X's music hits ... comes out to the ring.

2) Wrestler X says ... "Wrestler Y, blah blah blah blah blah ...."

3) Wrestler Y's music hits and comes out.

4) Wrestler Y says, "Wrestler X, blah blah blah blah blah ..."



And then either one of two things happens:


A) There is a brawl.

B) Wrestler X or Wrestler Y goes to the back while the camera does a close-up shot of the reaction of the other competitor.


We've seen the same formula for years. The result? The same predictable show on television that people become all-too-accustomed to. And that leads to viewers getting bored. I am absolutely convinced that there has got to be something else out there that they can do other than the same tired confrontation angles like this.

Watch for it tonight on Raw and be consciously aware of it. When Wrestler X comes out to cut a promo, you can be certain that Wrestler Y will have their music played and be right behind them.


There is another technique that has been adopted and over-used throughout the years, as well.

Wrestler X and Wrestler Y are involved in a program ...

1) Either Wrestler X OR Wrestler Y comes out and talks trash about the other

2) Then, the music of Wrestler Z hits and comes out to talk trash about the person standing in the ring.

3) A match is then made between the first Wrestler and Wrestler Z for the evening's show


Now that's a suitable alternative, as long as that concept isn't over-used. And unfortunately it has in the past. I remember WWE doing this several weeks in a row at one point.

Just speculating .... but maybe the problem with the confrontation is that there are simply too many of them, and the audience has become numb to the concept.

Now, I know people are going to argue and say "Well, without any confrontation, then that certainly doesn't produce interesting television."

And in a way, that is true, UNLESS people have simply become bored with the same predictable types of confrontations. Perhaps, they can think of a way to still produce interesting television WITHOUT the confrontation. Perhaps with the draw being the personality of the superstar cutting a hysterical or intense promo that reels the audience in. Think of superstars like The Rock or Hulk Hogan ... who's colorful personality didn't necessarily require a confrontation to take place in order for their promo to be a hit with the audience.

Does anyone else see the same problem?

I think the WWE needs to discover new and innovative ways to entertain the audience than simply doing the same tired confrontations to try and hype feuds.

There has got to be something else out there to try to captivate viewers, and still generate interest in feuds.

Please provide your thoughts on whether it is a problem or not ... And/Or any suggestions to help improve the concept.

You r sooooo right 100%.I watched raw and the "confrontation" felt so routine.I was like good gracious this is awful.they did it with the opening segment and they did it with MVP's segment.that just screams bad writng when they do the same thing not just on seperate raws but twice on the same show!!!!!!that's sad.

 

[Vankid34]

I must agree with everyone in regards to the lack of creativity in sparking confrontations. I think the reason it worked so well in the past is because there was so many different elements and wrestlers to choose from in creating drama. All had main eventer potential and all carried their own attitude. Now a days the wrestlers there are few if any that could carry a believeable heel face beside The Miz, Randy Orton, Batista(and the injured Egde) the rest seem forced. WWE has volunteered Y2J way too much for both show as a firestarter while wrestler like Shemus, MVP, R-Truth, Drew Mc(whatever) have no charisma. If they are not going to incorporate any new PPV or any new matches.. I say make a mini royal rumble.. no script no favorites all brands and see who the winner is. Im sure there are a bunch of mid-card stars that want the bump and Im certain there are some newbies. Evan Bourne, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston would love to get the spotlight.


Down with DX killing the spotlight..

 

[blair4107]

Why must there always be a verbal confrontation? Why must they always be so personable? Wrestlers weren't always like this, there was a time when not everyone got a promo and sometimes your attitude and swagger needed to do the talking for you from the moment you stepped out of the curtain to the end of the match. Now for every match there must be either a large drawn out promo, as Lord Sidious suggested, or a small backstage promo/interview. It truly does get old and stale.

Why not, on occasion, just have a good match alone, no interview, no promo, just 2 men entering the ring in grandiose style like gladiators battling because its just what they do.

As for confrontation ideas its difficult to be truly creative because in the end the structure of any confrontation will come out somewhat similar. Basically there's just questions like Is it a single promo or will someone object? Will it take place in the ring, backstage, or outside the arena? And how much time does each wrestler have to talk before the physical portion (also if there even is going to be one). Past that it ends up just being who, what, when, where, and why unfortunately.

I don't know, I'll try making one up and if it isn't good sue me it's not like I get paid to do this. Lets say Regal, Kozlov, and Jackson (just the best 3-piece for the situation) enter the gym where Zack Ryder is doing the leg-press listening to his mp3 player. Kozlov and Jackson grab the sides of the leg press incapacitating Ryder while Regal comes and sits next to Ryder, rips Ryder's ear-buds out, and explains what he plans to do to him. Once Regal is done he gets up and motions for Kozlov and Jackson to let the press go and Ryder puts the safety bars up and once he is finally able to relax he is writhing in pain.

I tried.

Now I do find that there are other things in WWE that are quite tiresome. As someone suggested before the Contract Signings but also must every heel debut in a monster squash over a hometown hero? What does this match prove? Ever notice how much more intense this match will be (although short) than any other the wrestler will have? Working totally stiff and basically just saying "Hey, look what we let them do to guys! (that are not under binding contract to WWE)."

 

[Southwind]

You know I have not watched the WWE since August I just read the results online why ?

Because of stuff like this I already know what's going to happen, confrontations are boring. The heel always runs away and if it's two faces they will brawl before the acting GM will demand for them to stop.

Until the WWE gives me a good reason to tune into their programming I won't the entire product is boring predictable and obvious.

It seems like creative doesn't care what they put onto our screens, it's a rehashed script each and every night. Honestly it couldn't take more than an hour to put together, judging by the crap on our televisions every night.

 

[Milkyway!]

You would think as a mod Lord Sidious would know we have a general WWE sucks complaint thread stickied in the WWE section. I kidd.

MODERATOR COMMENTS (Lord Sidious):

Actually, this topic came up BEFORE I started this thread and we collectively decided to use that General Complaint thread more so as an Archive thread for critical threads on WWE, as they die down. We keep that thread open if anyone wants to make a general comment in passing, but I was adamant about NOT restricting topics of discussion that are critical to WWE to simply that one Sticky thread. So, keep that in mind, fellow posters.

Just wanted to clarify.

I was just thinking about this about 2-3 months ago. You're right. But what I also concluded to was that when something like this does happen, it makes the show better, when something like this doesn't happen.

I'll use the Rocky Balboa movies as my example to explain myself more clearly. The first 3 were great, they went by the same formula, number 4, not so great. But then number 5 rolled around and was a big flop. Then number 6 came out, we expected the same old same old. Then he finally lost, which made the entire movie worth watching, and finally put a rest to the untouchable Rocky Balboa.

Once the story goes the same way for so long, it begin to get a tad stale, but then when that doesn't happen, you feel like you've just seen the best show ever. Which makes it all worth it.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

Okay, I said I would consider offering some suggestions for different types of confrontations, other than the usual Wrestler A comes out ... then Wrestler B ... and then brawl ... or GM interaction spot .... or the Wrestler A cut a promo on Wrestler B ... with Wrestler C coming out instead.

Where as I do think that confrontations need to definitely be cut down in WWE, to preserve the intrigue level at the actual PPV where it counts (TNA does a much better job at this then WWE at the moment) .... and WWE should rely more on interview segments with perhaps a Jim Ross or a Sean Mooney being brought in to hype the match ... let's put our thinking caps on and think of some other type of stuff that isn't done as frequently or hasn't been done IF we are going to do a confrontation:

For the sake of discussion in each of these examples, let's say that John Cena and Randy Orton are in the middle of a feud.

1) Heel attacks a young fan of the Face / manipulates a young fan

Cena comes out for his promo. Orton then enters through the crowd prepared to cut a promo on Cena. Have a younger fan as a plant decked out in a Cena hat or T-shirt, hits Orton on the arm. Orton "forgets" his promo with Cena ... grabs the kid by the shirt and pulls him out of his seat. Legacy restrains the "parents" from coming after Orton.

Orton bitches out the kid, and then slaps him across the face. Orton asks Cena how he likes that? Cena comes into the stands after Orton.

.................

Or, Orton takes two young fans to the back wearing Cena merchandise. This could be after a PPV where Cena loses a title. Orton somehow coerces the fans into telling Cena how much they looked up to him, but he let them down. The kids could look terrified and Cena could sense their fear in that Orton was likely threatening them and telling them what to say. Later, the parents could be shown trying to find their kids ... etc.


2) Heel goes on location back to the town where the Face grew up

We saw something like this back when The Million Dollar Man was attempting to humiliate the Big Boss Man. Dibiase went to the Boss Man's "school teacher", "gym coach", and others about how horrible the Boss Man was at just about everything he did in life.

Orton could do the same with Cena in an attempt to embarrass him.


3) Heel is on his way to the ring to start the show ... immediately ambushed by Face

As Orton is walking out to the ring to cut an opening promo on Raw, John Cena immediately comes from behind, ambushes him, and beats the Hell out of Orton.


4) Heel antics: Sets up Face for a confrontation with an ally of the Face

Orton is seen planting evidence of something which incriminates Cena as being a culprit against an ally, like DX. DX then has words with Cena, which provokes a confrontation between them.


5) Heel disguised as a security guard- ambushes Face

Cena cuts a promo against Orton ... goes to leave the ring ... passes by a security guard (in disguise with glasses and a hat). Security guard jumps the rail and begins to attack Cena. Handcuffs Cena to the rail with a pair of handcuffs, and delivers a merciless beating.


Let's assume ringside managers were still around:

6) Heel's manager has a confrontation with Face backstage ....

That way, instead of the Heel actually having the confrontation, the manager has one instead. This could lead to a variety of possibilities such as:

Cena attacks Orton's manager
Orton's manager distracts Cena and then attacks him
Orton's manager sets Cena up for an ambush
Orton's manager is shown trying to secure protection for Orton from Cena


7) Heel attempts to intimidate a Face's relative (girlfriend, wife, parent, etc.)

Randy Orton is shown at Cena's home, tricks Cena's wife into letting him come in ... and then is seen sitting down with her and watching the show from Cena's living room.

Cena leaves the show immediately, but by that time, Orton either attacks Cena's wife or destroys his home.


All I am trying to do is think outside of the box instead of having the same old:

Wrestler A comes out and cuts promo against Wrestler B.
Wrestler B comes out and cuts promo against Wrestler A.

Wrestler A and Wrestler B brawl ... or simply walk to the back.

WWE has got to really put on their thinking cap and come up with some new stuff, because what they are currently doing with confrontations is simply done over, and over, and over again .... and it results in fans becoming bored with watching the same show every week.

I could really use some other suggestions from our posters. You have to really think, as this exercise isn't easy. And obviously, you don't have to do a complete script or anything for a segment. Just throw some ideas out and tell us why you think they might be more effective than the Standard Confrontation formula in use each week.

Just please don't spam.

 

[jmt225]

There are 2 reasons why WWE is like this right now:

1. WWE is so scared to be edgy today that it's downright pathetic.

Seriously, the edgiest they have gotten since let's say early 2006, was Orton kicking someone in the head. WOW!!!!! Orton kicked someone in the head! Holy Shit!!!

I mentioned in the Sid's entrance thread that characters and entrances in WWE are generic, and well... it's the same case for their feuds as well. But as I said in the entrance thread, with generic characters, it's very hard to do creative stuff, and that most definitely includes feuds.

2. The other problem is obvious.... today, WWE writes everything the week of the show, and even sometimes the day of the show. Whereas back in the day, feuds were written MONTHS before it actually happened, and TWEEKS would be made the day of the show; it wouldn't get entirely re-written like it does today.

I remember watching a Scott Hall shoot interview not too long ago and he said Vince approached him about the 123 Kid storyline about 7 months before it happened. He said by the time it came, he completely forgot about it.

Why doesn't WWE do that kind of thing today? It's just like everyday life... you can get so much more done if you plan ahead. It's common sense. But WWE doesn't do that, and instead works on the fly, and their overall product suffers because of that.

 

[Kanye South]

For the most part, yes you are correct. Wrestler X comes out to open the show. Wrestler Y comes out after about 5 minutes to tell him off. After this, there is usually a brief staredown and

A. A brawl

or

B. The heel wrestler backs off wiping his mouth while the face stands in the ring, looking constipated

This is a very overused and tedious pattern, but if you think about it, everything successful in wrestling eventually becomes a pattern.

The DX Formula: A heel wrestler comes out and talks shit to the crowd. DX comes out and makes fun of the wrestler's career, physical appearance, and occasionally makes a joke about penis size. This gets both the heel and DX over with the crowd, and usually leads to a tag team match later in the night.

The Randy Orton Formula: Randy comes out and slowly talks shit. Legacy might or might not be with him. A face comes out, tells Orton off, and Legacy and RKO circle him. Then they proceed to kick his ass. Escalating or starting a feud between them.

The Rock Formula: The Rock is being interviewed by an attractive backstage interviewer or a nerdy, square backstage interviewer. Rocky is usually in a feud with someone. He proceeds to talk shit about his opponent, while at the same time poke fun at the announcer, and ending his promo with the famous "If Ya Smell..." catchphrase.

The Hogan Formula: Pose, yell incoherently, and finish every other sentence with "brother". Still managing to end with a classic promo.

Now all four of the above mentioned formulas have been used numerous times. They have all been successful. But the difference is that DX and Orton/Legacy are usually considered stale and boring, but yet everytime Rock or Hogan touches a mic, it's considered a classic promo. WWE Promos aren't stale because of the WWE Scripts, it's because guys like Rock and Hogan have more charisma in their pubic hairs than guys like Orton and Legacy have in their whole body. An entertaining promo isn't made from a good script, it's made from great charisma, which is something guys like Austin, The McMahons, The Rock, and Hogan had shitloads of. Every great wrestling era was led by guys with great charisma.

Amazing Charisma=Amazing Promo.

 

[Tastycles]

The problem is that there is very little you can do when you have two wrestlers confronting each other. That has to be the outcome, and what goes before it iis seriously limited by that. The key to stopping this be stale is to have variation in what is said, not what is done. Raw in 1998/1999 almost always began with a stable in the ring talking themselves up. Then members of another stable would confront them and variaous members of the respective stables would face off over the night.

That done today would be shite and stale, but then you have DX mocking the corperation with a parody one week, then the corporation acting powerful over the ministry the next, and the collective characters filled in the blanks.

Part of the problem is that The Rock was always able to be fresh every week, despite pretty much only ever confronting people in the ring or being interviewed by Kevin Kelly. The stars of today and the writing of today isn't good enough to do that, and as a result you get repetition.

The WWE really has to go back to the drawing board on this, because it is pretty much the only thing that is considerably worse now than ever before.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

The problem is that there is very little you can do when you have two wrestlers confronting each other.

I think that there is more that can be done. It just requires people to really put their minds to it and think of things that haven't been done before ... or are rarely done.

That has to be the outcome, and what goes before it is seriously limited by that. The key to stopping this be stale is to have variation in what is said, not what is done. Raw in 1998/1999 almost always began with a stable in the ring talking themselves up. Then members of another stable would confront them and variaous members of the respective stables would face off over the night.

I'm going to say that it's a combination of both -- what is said in addition to what is done. Also, where it's said.

This topic really would make a great brainstorming exercise, complete with all the circles and branches.

Where it's said?
How it's said?
What is said?
Why it's said?
When it's said?
Who says it?


Start from there, and just brainstorm.

I dare say that there are probably any number of people on here with creative abilities far better than those currently on the Creative team. When you can just look at the product in its current state and say with complete confidence "I can do better than that. Much better." ... then that says a lot.

That done today would be shite and stale, but then you have DX mocking the corperation with a parody one week, then the corporation acting powerful over the ministry the next, and the collective characters filled in the blanks.

Part of the problem is that The Rock was always able to be fresh every week, despite pretty much only ever confronting people in the ring or being interviewed by Kevin Kelly. The stars of today and the writing of today isn't good enough to do that, and as a result you get repetition.

The WWE really has to go back to the drawing board on this, because it is pretty much the only thing that is considerably worse now than ever before.

I completely agree that they need to go back to the drawing board on it. What it's called is "Cruise Control Booking" because there is no effort placed into it, whatsoever. And it really has gone on long enough.