How I would change The WWE PPV Schedule

Wrestling Weekly Opinion Piece. By Jordan Turner

I look at the WWE PPV calendar, and I shake my head. That’s because the shows aren’t as important as they used to be. I have a formula on how to change it and how it will benefit us, the fans, and WWE themes selves.

WWE has had a consistent pay-per-view calendar for decades. They have introduced gimmick matches and made them into pay-per-views. I’m not a fan of that. WWE has single-handedly devalued gimmick matches like TLC, HIAC, and MITB. They have a pay-per-view titled “Extreme Rules,” and nothing on that show is extreme whatsoever. It’s all a promotional tool, and I understand it. If you’re going to promote a pay-per-view titled Extreme Rules, you need to follow through. Give us barbaric matches once a year. They haven’t for years, and something needs to change. HIAC was once a gimmick match that made the audience say, “oh my God. Something is going down in this match” come to find out, nothing happens. HIAC doesn’t have that same appeal as it did decades ago. When I look, and it’s October, I say, “oh. It’s HIAC because it is October.” It should have never been its pay-per-view. It should be a tool to end a rivalry, for example. The feud between Edge and Seth Rollins was incredible. It needed HIAC. That’s how you utilize the HIAC structure. Not using it because it’s the month of October; business-wise, I understand, but it comes off as goofy. I remember some of those legendary matches throughout the years. This pay-per-view isn’t needed anymore, and it needs to go!

Gimmick matches don’t feel important

We all are aware that gimmick matches don’t feel important because all of them have a pay-per-view label behind them. I have a great idea to bring importance back to these gimmick matches. Like I said in paragraph three, when I talked about Hell In A Cell. The same goes for Steel Cage, TLC, MITB, and more. Speaking of MITB, it should return to WrestleMania and start the show. WWE used to do that. Vince McMahon then changed it, but with MITB, I understand why it’s a pay-per-view. I hear this mindset from many wrestling fans all the time, “you need to get everybody on the card.” I don’t think so. Vince McMahon can use MITB as a way to “get everybody on the show” by having a Men’s and Women’s MITB ladder match. One in the opening and the other in the middle of the show. HIAC, TLC, Steel Cage, Ladder match, Extreme Rules match, and other stipulation matches should only be used to end a feud or a title feud.

How would I change the pay-per-view calendar?

How would I change the pay-per-view calendar? I would start by charging each pay-per-view forty dollars. I will only have four pay-per-views, and then I will sprinkle in themed shows. The month of January will be Royal Rumble, and when you log into Peacock. You will go to the WWE profile section. And you would click on Royal Rumble, and you would have to put into your info. Then press purchase of forty dollars. Because my mindset is all the pay-per-views will be worth you spending $40.00, that’s my mindset. The same goes for July with King & Queen of The Ring being worth $40.00, August being SummerSlam at the same price of forty dollars, and the same goes for Survivor Series being in November at forty; the difference is the event will have things on the line building into January at The Royal Rumble. The winners of the five vs. five men’s and women’s matches would be able to pick whatever number they want for The Royal Rumble. Now, the losers, I would have the winners pick their numbers. As for the champion vs. champion matches. Have the losing champion defend their titles whenever Sonya Deville and Adam Pierce say so. Themed shows need to be brought back to WWE. It will be similar to AEW, where they have themed shows on AEW. The WWE needs to take the same approach as AEW has.

Themed Shows

Themed shows need to be brought back to WWE. It will be similar to AEW, where they have themed shows on AEW. They build it up as its pay-per-view. That is what I would do for WWE. Let’s start with May with Judgement Day on USA Network (Raw). It was then going into September with Clash of Champions for (SmackDown) on Fox, with all championships on that brand being defended. It is moving to October with Halloween Havoc on USA Network (Raw) and December with Armageddon on Fox (SmackDown). So not only do you have four pay-per-views yearly, but you also have four whole-themed shows, with two being on Monday Night Raw and two being on Friday Night SmackDown for free. The blueprint can work because it makes USA Network and FOX happy. Also, it brings importance to every single pay-per-view, and it would give us the fans a reason to watch. It would be can’t miss again. You would need to flesh out forty dollars which is better than sixty dollars with AEW.