Have you ever just stopped watching WWE?

[MartialHorror]

In forums like these, people love to complain about pushes, squashes, storylines and gimmicks, but we all are fans- because why else would we continue to watch? But has there ever been a time when you just threw in the towel and said enough is enough?

I stopped watching WWE around 2002-2003, about four years after I had started. I can't remember what the exact reason was, or if there was a breaking point. I do vaguely recall the Katie Vick bit and am pretty sure 'Triple H vs Kane' was one of the last feuds I bothered with, although I don't think that was enough to call it quits. I think the reason I was losing interest stemmed from all my favorite wrestlers retiring, part-timing and getting injured, with an overdose of Triple H at that. The Rock was moving to Hollywood, Stone Cold and Mankind were retiring, the Big Show was probably placed back in developmental to drop weight and Triple H seemed to be winning all of his feuds- which got old. I watched an episode in 2005 (?), which had that Matt-Lita-Edge triangle, but it wasn't enough to get me interested again.

I only started watching again for nostalgic reasons near the end of last year and even then, the silly Christmas angle between Mark Henry and Damian Sandow almost made me quit WWE all over again. I kind of wish I stayed with it though, as the Nexus storyline sounded awesome. I tried watching TNA because I had heard many of my favorite WcW stars had flocked there, but they had already left by the time I started and I was unimpressed with it. I also stopped watching WcW around 1999-2000, simply because my favorites had mostly jumped ship to WWE.

 

[DirtyJosé]

Yes, I have. Multiple times for different reasons and different lengths. The longest was probably mid 2001 to the end of 2008. Primary reason: I had a girlfriend and then just stopped caring whenever I saw things like Brand Extension and Brock Lesnar popping up in pop culture.

After getting back in around 2008, I started taking breaks every year. They weren't really intentional, and usually coincided with that chunk of year post-Summerslam to about Christmas (though not always) where things just tend to slow down and get real boring. I stopped watching regularly in about 2012, and stopped entirely after Wrestlemania in 2013. Primary reason: I just couldn't be bothered to care much any more. I can pick up a PPV or random Raw with no knowledge of what's been going in leading into it and enjoy it on its own, but with nothing to catch my interest and no one captivating me to watch, I'll just start forgetting about it.

Last night's Raw was the first I've watched in a long while (and only because I had fuck all else to do and missed the experience of a LD here), and while I didn't hate it my interest in watching another will be tempered by what free time I have and if I can't think of better ways to kill it.

 

[Reflection]

I watched almost every episode of RAW and Smackdown between mid 2006 to mid 2009, but I rarely watched between mid 2009 and mid 2013, maybe one episode out of thirty at most (other than PPVs). The product mostly sucked around that time, so I didn't miss anything by not watching and quickly reading about it instead. Now too, I'm often unable to catch up with the shows both due to my time constraints and a shitty timing when it airs here. However, given the extent of detail to which the fans here discuss the shows, I rarely find anything special that I might have missed, in which case I simply go to YouTube and check it out. For example, from this week's RAW, I'll just watch the final segment rather than sit through the full 3 hours.

 

[King Sheamus]

Last nights Raw was the first entire Raw I watched since the 1,000th episode. So that was just over a 2 year period, though I did watch a few PPV's.

 

[Slash-LN]

Not intentionally. I was without cable or internet at one point except for the internet on my phone and I have a pretty basic phone that doesn't let me watch video.

I was also working 3rd shift and I liked sleeping afternoon to night instead of morning to afternoon.

So in that period I was really only watching pay per views and that was just because my friend and at the time roommate parents would order them and invite us over to watch.

There may have been some bad angles and stuff going on but there has never been anything I can think of that made me want to stop watching altogether.

 

[Tyrant25]

Not really, honestly. I started watching in 2007, and I can't say that I've watched every single episode of Raw, but I haven't taken long periods of time not watching. Though I haven't watched Raw for the past 2 weeks, given the Summerslam build has been... less than decent.

 

[James2293]

I became a fan as a young kid in 1997 and watched till 2005. After Austin, rock, brock all left i felt like the star power was way low and i didnt feel entertained by others to keep me watching then. I came back in 2011 when the rock returned, cm punk kept me watching and now the shield members have kept me watching. Im starting to be at my peak now since they want to promote McMahon vs Bella and seeing the same guys like cena, orton, Batista, hhh take main event spots really takes away from maybe seeing the next breakout star

 

[Mudlup50]

Well I started watching in 2004? Maybe it was 2005 I'm really not certain but I watched all the way until about 2007 just because I had new friends and I was 13 and I just kinda went away from it for a while. At this point I was just fans of the good guys.

I remember there was a point where I stopped watching, I don't know how long it was but Vince was in the limo and it blew up...and then Benoit died and suddenly the angle was gone. But Benoit's death got me back into it again. So it was what a few weeks.

The biggest length of time I stopped watching was about 2012 with the insane push of Del Rio and Sheamus. The show became 3 hours and for about a year before it had been sucking. I had moved out of my moms house and no one at my dads watched it...I really had no reason to watch. It's a shame because I missed the debut of the Shield and the Wyatts and Cesaro and I missed Punk's year long title reign and the Rock's title reign.

I really had no interest in watching ever again, which truly was a great feeling xD I'm an avid Cracked reader and back in February they had an article on there talking about how fans got so upset when Batista won the Rumble. They said Bryan lost, and that Reigns had eliminated 12 people. That got me interested again, so I started watching. Orton was champ and Cena looked to be winning the title again. But at the Elimination Chamber PPV Cena lost and Bray seemed interesting. I figured I'd watch on the road to Mania and then Taker lost. I was interested in the Shield, Wyatts, Cesaro and a few other new guys so I started watching again.

I returned to watching pretty quickly when Benoit died. I also got into the IWC at this time. Which was probably the bigger reason for why I started watching(I found YouTube around that time and that helped increase my interest in certain things). Which got me into liking the bad guys, plus with ECW being up I got into guys like Morrison, CM Punk and Miz. But gradually the interest waned.

 

[Aquaman6686]

I started watching as a kid during the late 80's. I first stopped in the late 90's when Bret Hart left, followed by Shawn Michaels a few months later. I wasn't a fan of Stone Cold, Mick Foley, or The Rock, with my favorite Attitude Era Superstars being Undertaker, Kane, and Triple H. I switched to WCW, which I had watched only occasionally up to that point, and stayed pretty much exclusive to WCW until 2000, when I started watching both regularly. The Brand Extension got me hooked like never before and that was when I really became a hardcore fan. The only other time I ever stopped watching for any serious length of time was mid-2010, I felt the product had become a watered-down parody of itself and I had virtually no interest in anyone on the roster. I watched only occasionally until the spring of 2012 when I got back into it again.

 

[WarroBODFan]

I have periods of not being so interested in it, but after starting to watch it again a few years ago, I've watched every PPV, Raw and Smackdown. There are weeks when I'm not as invested in it, but even if a show is completely horrible, there is one thing that keeps me watching...the future. I LOVE the direction the WWE are taking with NXT. Stockpiling true "wrestling" talent, some of which are already on the main roster. The idea of watching Rollins, Ambrose, Reigns (yes, I'm including him, deal with it, I believe it'll work out), Ziggler, Cesaro, Kenta, Neville, Zayn, Devitt, Steen and a bunch more on the main roster is mouthwatering.

Right now, the last few Raws I've been extremely frustrated that we get no more than 30-40 minutes of wrestling on a 195+ minute show, but I hope with these fantastic additions to NXT, the onus will be put back on sorting your problems out in the ring. I love a good promo as much as anyone, but I also love a good fight.

I'm not in love with the product right now. But I'm excited for the future and the direction NXT is pushing the WWE towards.

 

[d_henderson1810]

Yes. Missed most of the 90's, because no TV station in Australia showed it for many years. Had to follow what happened through 6-month old wrestling magazines.

Started watching again in 1999, when I got pay-TV.

Also, stopped watching in 2003, when WWE was off Foxtel because of a dispute with WWE. It returned at the end of the year, and haven't stopped watching since.

Might even get the Network to watch the years I missed.

But, no, I have never stopped watching because the product wasn't up to scratch. I mean, do you get a divorce because your spouse pisses you off once in a while?

 

[Brelyn]

I stopped watching from 2008-2012. The only reason I remember for ceasing to watch is DX trying to fit the PG mold. Didn't want to watch that.

 

[Megadeth]

I missed most everything from the beginning of 2003 until sometime in early to mid 2005, but it wasnt because I decided to stop watching.

I had just moved out on my own for the first time and didn't have cable, and there wasnt a local UPN or CW network in my area to watch Smackdown on. I also didnt have internet for a good chunk of that time, or when I did, I was still on Dial-up.
It was when I finally got DSL internet in 2005 that I was able to start watching it again somewhat sporadically (although admittedly through not so legitimate means.) I ended up losing internet again for like a year in like 2007 I think it was, so I missed most of that year, then got cable and internet again in 2008 or so and have been watching regularly since them.

Prior to 2003, I had seen pretty much every Raw and Smackdown since the beginning.

 

[Creepy Old Man]

Gave up for 10 years in 2000 when Triple H ascended to the main event and started sh*tting on everything. When Jericho beat him for the title and the decision was instantly reversed, I knew I was done. I couldn't fathom why a born mid-carder was headlining, and he was also crippling the product as well thanks to being buddied up with the right guys, and dating the right woman. I watched Bret Hart's return in 2010, caught the Shawn/Undertaker II hype that night, and bought WrestleMania. I remained casual until summer 2011, when the Punk angle made me a full-timer again. I've found it a chore for much of the last 18 months, though. WrestleMania 29 was horrific.

 

[Nature Boy]

Yes!

There have been long periods when I haven't watched the WWE.

A lot of the time I've found it too childish and boring.

I' ve never stopped watching Wrestling though.

I've always followed TNA and ROH.

 

[The Butcher]

I was on a full wrestling blackout recently, but I did switch to Raw a few times Monday in anticipation for the Hulkster's birthday party (I take my nWo 4 Life commitment very seriously) and am plugged back in to the IWC. I've had a few extended periods where work/school/life made me miss out on WWE, but it wasn't until a few months ago that I stopped watching because of the quality of the product.

 

[justinsayne]

Yes, shortly after WM25-WM26 I pretty much stopped for a yr. for a combination of reasons, I was working whenever it was on, I didn't have cable & my internet was far from reliable at the time (when I could even get it to work) & I just didn't really give a shit about the product anymore, I was burnt out on it.

 

[GOOZEKING]

Yes many times actually...
I started watching in 1999-2000 I was an active watcher for a while of both brands until 2003 then I just gave up on raw it was nothing compared to what smackdown was in 2003-2007. I didn't care for whatever triple h and cena where doing and I honestly loved the undertaker-batista-edge fued. Then I stopped watching in 2008 cause it started getting too pg for me I didn't watch any of the product until wrestlemania 25 but that was just for taker vs hbk then I would watch off and on but mostly off until 2011 when there was nothing on tv and I decided to turn on tv when the first thing I saw was the cm punk pipbomb which turned me into an full time watcher once again

 

[MeisterMan]

I just started watching it again at the beginning of June this year the week after Seth Rollins turned on the Shield. I stopped watching it after The Miz beat John Cena at WrestleMania.

However, I will say I never completely stopped following it. Wrestlezone, WWE.com, WhatCulture, etc. basically filled me in every week plus the recaps and what not.

 

[laodaron]

I stopped around 2002, started part time watching around 2008, and then full time again starting about 2011. The violent bloody gushing product in the RAE wasn't worth watching to me. I had a hard enough time getting through the AE and then once it turned into blading spotfests, I had no interest.

Now that the product is PG, it's a completely watchable product. I can appreciate the talent that didn't exist when everyone was just trying to jump off of higher things and gashing each other's foreheads.

 

[Kong]

Yes I stopped after Michaels dropped the belt to SCSA at WM14. Wasn't a fan of Austins. Very limited in the ring. I just rememeber leaving the Boston Garden very pissed off that day. Didnt start watching again until the build to WM25.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

Yes I stopped after Michaels dropped the belt to SCSA at WM14. Wasn't a fan of Austins. Very limited in the ring. I just rememeber leaving the Boston Garden very pissed off that day. Didnt start watching again until the build to WM25.

I don't believe this post for a second

There was not a wrestling fan alive who did not get caught up in Stone Cold's run to the title.

As for the OP, I never "stopped". My interest fluctuated depending on what was going on, it was at it's lowest when the Miz was the champion a few years ago. I skipped more RAWs during that period than any other.

 

[glasscatheter]

I stopped watching after SCSA left, would occasional tune in while channel surfing, but didn't watch anything until Botchamania started coming around which then somewhat piqued my interest, but didn't really start watching until the Daniel Bryan title run. So there's a massive gap from 2002/2003 until 2014.

Feels weird seeing PG era wrestling when I grew up watching the Attitude Era, completely missed the Ruthless Aggression Era. I missed CM Punk's climb to the top, feels bad man.

 

[smizzy]

I'm honestly not as passionate of a fan as many of you. It doesn't take much for me to lose interest. I'm pretty streaky actually. I didn't miss anything: Raw, SD, Heat, Velocity, PPVs when I was much younger. Don't think I watched anything WWE from 07-08 or 2010-11. I started watching again because people I worked with at the time were big into it, right after Punk beat Del Rio for the title. I didn't miss anything until last summer. I started watching again around Elimination Chamber. Still yet, I never watch live. I DVR and skim the majority of it. I'll probably catch the fire again though and soak in every second of programming for the better half of a year.

 

[jimbo77]

I was a constant follower that watched every week from the late 80's ppv's to the start of monday night raw until the end of the attitude era, after that i checked in now and again but only really watched the rumble and WM, after the disaster of a choice to end the streak i haven't watched any wwe tv since then and won't watch till next years WM just to see what they do with the undertaker (which as we know now will be a match with sting)