The Reality Era

[John McCass]

The begining of Reality Era came around The Summer of Punk, as I think. The difference between kayfabe and reality was shown that time. It was the time when Punk went too real as he almost killed the kayfabe. He completely finished the kayfabe and the end of kayfabe brought the Reality Era which, in my opinion completely sucks. Even PG Era was better than this reality era. I liked the kayfabe very much and it is almost ruined now. These days, WWE is just a mess of a bunch of wrestlers. I know today's audience don't accept irreal storylines but I seemingly like it. IMO, Attitude Era was also shit from in-ring standpoint. In attitude Era, the matches were nothing more than a brawl. It was done only as to compete with WCW. From the in-ring standpoint The New Generation Era and The Ruthless Agression Era was best. And, IMO the perfect era was RA Era. It had every elements inside itself. It had the best wrestlers, we witnessed the best wrestling matches and kayfabe also existed there. Kayfabe provides something to put the butts in the seats or put the eyes into Television. Nowadays, the audience only know one wrestler (Daniel Bryan) to get behind. If they feel boring, they start chanting 'CM Punk'. Will he come and stop this? In the reality era, we only see the wrestlers completing their quests to get the title. Apart from the reality, we are only watching Bray Wyatt act which is awesome IMO. This Reality Era needs to end ASAP! Bring back the kayfabe! Do you like Reality Era?

 

[Prince Vee]

The fans can be pathetic sometimes but don't judge an era with fans from very few arena or a city. There had been cities in which they really cheered well for the matches and get along. To be honest I love the reality era from the mid 2014 to now except the way how they are building up the character of Roman reigns. This era got some good superstars as well!

But I should agree with you that The Ruthless Aggression era had the best of the wrestlers and some great matches. But the wrestlers in this era aren't anything low to them. The wrestlers in this era too have some great potential wrestlers!

And moreover this era has just started and its going so well so far as I can see or as many can see.

Cheers!!

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

Kayfabe is dead and can never come back.

The modern television audience is too sophisticated to become invested in a pro wrestling show the way it's currently presented. When you look at the shows on TV now, the quality of writing and storytelling really has never been higher. This is what wrestling has to compete with.

Trying to recapture the wrestling of the past will never be successful. This, above everything, is why the WWE is aimed at a younger audience now. They know that adults and teenagers aren't going to buy into obviously fake fighting the same way they used to. Fans aren't capable of thinking in purely kayfabe terms anymore. Now when somebody wins a match it's not because they're good, it's because they're being "pushed". When someone loses, they automatically being "buried". This meta-mindset of the audience has basically killed the wrestling business as we know it.

The way professional wrestling is presented needs to be drastically changed, on a fundamental level. Focusing on wins and loses in wrestling matches won't ever work. Wrestling needs more sophisticated storytelling and character development to thrive in today's TV climate. And to tell those stories they have no choice but to ride the line of reality and pull back the curtain. Who knows? Maybe the next great wrestling show won't even be a wrestling show, maybe it will be a TV drama about the wrestling business.

 

[ilapierre]

I hate to burst the OPs bubble but there is no such thing as the reality era. We still live in the PG Era. Yeah I know. Triple H is trying to define his time in charge on WWE TV as a different era for his own legacy. He says kayfabe is dead when it most certainly is not. Case in point. Brock Lesnar turning apeshit on McMahon a few weeks ago. Complete bullshit story. But people eat it up and believe aspects of it. Its a work. Only marks believe bullcrap like that. The marks have smartened up over the past decade and the kayfabe stuff has to be done more convincingly. You have WZ writers playing along with the bullshit stories they circulate. Like CM Punk leaving WWE. This is cross promotion 101. Lesnar and Punk are crossover stars and WWE and UFC have worked out a business plan. Punks whole ordeal is bullshit. Why else would AJ Lee be on WWE TV. There are so many news stories these days purposely crafted to swerve the IWC and the internet writers are paid and in on this swerving. This is why people try and call this the Reality Era. But the reality is this is just the PG Era. Those pushing the Reality Era label realize the negative connotation of PG TV and are trying to normalize parental guidance wrestling. Unfortunately, its not working on many of us. This Era will not end until something of major significance happens. Or wrestling stops being PG rated.

 

[John McCass]

I hate to burst the OPs bubble but there is no such thing as the reality era. We still live in the PG Era. Case in point. Brock Lesnar turning apeshit on McMahon a few weeks ago. Complete bullshit story. But people eat it up and believe aspects of it. Its a work. Only marks believe bullcrap like that. The marks have smartened up over the past decade and the kayfabe stuff has to be done more convincingly. You have WZ writers playing along with the bullshit stories they circulate. Like CM Punk leaving WWE. This is cross promotion 101. Lesnar and Punk are crossover stars and WWE and UFC have worked out a business plan. Punks whole ordeal is bullshit. Why else would AJ Lee be on WWE TV. There are so many news stories these days purposely crafted to swerve the IWC and the internet writers are paid and in on this swerving. This is why people try and call this the Reality Era. But the reality is this is just the PG Era. Those pushing the Reality Era label realize the negative connotation of PG TV and are trying to normalize parental guidance wrestling. Unfortunately, its not working on many of us. This Era will not end until something of major significance happens. Or wrestling stops being PG rated.

I agree with your point. This era should be refused to call Reality Era. Kayfabe is still there, but in smaller quantity. Maybe, Brock Lesnar incident is a work but, CM Punk leaving is real, its not a work. Why would WWE keep a wrestler out when fans are wanting him? CM Punk was a big draw. Why would the 'E keep him out for such big duration? And for AJ still working with WWE, it all depends upon contracts. If her contract is not over, why won't she work on TV? The fact is INTERNET RUINED PRO WRESTLING. It is said about a million times. These all dirtsheets spoil everything. And we can't decline them, because we are addicted to it. When Sting was about to debut, I read the spoilers and it killed the experience? Kayfabe needs to be convincing more, this is correct. Because, we are here to read it even before they plan.

 

[SoulTrain4]

The reality era was some shit the internet started. Wrestling can and will never be realistic, the very nature of the business is in deception and misdirection, as well as audience manipulation.

Why the fuck would you want to turn something so great into something "realistic" anyway?

 

[Radical]

The Reality Era started when Facebook and Twitter really became a "thing." Before that you'd never have to even THINK about hearing what a wrestler had for breakfast or read some quote they took from a Reader's Digest that day unless it was woven into an on screen promo!

Now almost every wrestler is on Twitter and/or Facebook. So kayfabe is basically dead. It only exists in children who don't know any better yet. That's why WWE makes business sense to cater a lot to children's interests as much as the adults may groan, if the kids are interested they can beg their parents to buy merchandise and buy or take them to shows.

What WWE tries to do is make a product that draws money. Well, they average about 3-4 million viewers for Raw and 1-3 million for SmackDown and clearly get a bunch of ad revenue because commercials seem to be every 5 minutes. They have over 1 million WWE Network subscribers and so whatever they are doing, whether it's unbelievable or not, it seems to be working.

WWE is not going back to Attitude Era ratings because there are too many channels and too much other content on the Internet and with kayfabe gone from wrestling the 'mystique' and 'prestige' of a unbelievable Professional Wrestler is gone except in the eyes of kids or in hardcore wrestling fans that now appreciate the wrestling ability of someone but know that any of their wins is purely in order to try and further a story and draw money.

UFC doesn't have to worry about that. They will or will not draw money based on their card of fighters who people want to see fight because they are undefeated or have true and real heat between them, etc. Their fights are real so you pay money to see who is better not who 'entertains the best'.

Real sports like NHL and NFL don't have to worry about that. They draw or do not draw money if the teams playing are interesting to people because both teams are powerhouses who have legitimately won enough games to have a great record and/or are on a historic win streak or are true heated rivals and add to that are in a real playoff match-up with a real prize at the end.

But WWE/Pro Wrestling no longer has that mystique-factor where a guy like Bruno Sammartino is a huge draw because he's undefeated for years. That would never work today. CM Punk went the longest in 25 years and while had a chunk of fans, if he was still champ today I bet ratings and buys would be lower than they are now because fans are too smart and say "CM Punk is a good wrestler, but it's unrealistic for him to still be champion to have beat guys much bigger than him and still be champion." Back in the day of Bruno Sammartino, fans would go "well, he's just that good, so let's pay to see him wrestle because he's so amazing!"

Even in the day of Hulk Hogan, it helped because Hogan was a big, tall, muscular dude so whoever he faced people could believe he would beat and a 4 year title reign seemed very reasonable. And it didn't matter THEN that you only saw Hogan do like 5 moves because no one complains that Ronda Rousey only uses a few moves, particularly that arm bar and wins the match in seconds because IT WORKS. For Hogan his moves WORKED and people bought into it.

That's part of the reason why half the fans like Reigns, half the fans don't. Mostly kids like Reigns because they just seem him as a big, cool dude with some cool power moves that WORK. Many women like Reigns because they think he's a hunk. Some adult males like Reigns because they appreciate the work he is putting in and enjoy his work for the most part. They know he hasn't shown 100 moves or cut a wicked promo like The Rock but they appreciate the work he puts in. REALITY ERA. People who don't like Reigns don't like him because they don't see enough wrestling moves out of him, he doesn't interest them on the mic and they don't believe he's earned the spot he's in. REALITY ERA. People know it's written and Reigns was chosen and many fans don't like he was chosen.

WM 31 will probably tell WWE and fans how important the Reality Era influence really is. Reigns vs Brock Lesnar is a more realistic match up. They could probably be almost in the same weight class in a UFC match. Reigns vs Daniel Bryan? While hardcore fans would love it, casuals and others think it's ridiculous. So does a more legit match up of wrestlers based on size and presence draw more money than last years main event of a true underdog pushing light heavyweight status vs true heavyweights?

We will see.