Photo Credit- WWE, AEW
This past weekend WWE had its “Hell In A Cell” PPV which is known as one of the most brutal matches in history but instead, it turned into throwaway matches where there was no purpose within the story that was being told. If these types of matches will be conducted for the sake of earning money without much meaning then the best decision is to not utilize them.
Gimmick matches should be done to enhance a rivalry and bring meaning to the programs taking place, this will make the matches have more depth.
When we look back at matches like AEW’s blood and guts (despite the criticism of the ending), it can’t be denied that the year of buildup made the match intriguing since it took its time to properly build the rise of the Pinnacle while at the same time turning the Inner Circle into the anti-heroes of the story.
There is no substance when a gimmick is thrown into a match just for shock-value and that is exactly a problem wrestling companies face, they sacrifice good rivalries for the sake of views on weekly shows.
Gimmick matches have also become forgettable as they have been the main focus of many WWE PPVs throughout the years, this has hurt the product as it has made it stale. If wrestling companies want gimmick matches to do better then they must invest in their writing.
It shocks me how PPVs like “Extreme Rules” or “Money In The Bank” are utilized as a commodity for what could be great matches, this makes the audience not care for what is occurring since there is not story development as the matches are announced just days before the PPV takes place without any buildup.
Matches such as Money In The Bank could become better if there was a story involving each talent involved rather than having them thrown into a match without having any past interactions whatsoever.
I will never forget the “no holds barred” match Dean Ambrose (now known as Jon Moxley) had with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, the buildup was meant to make Ambrose the next “Mick Foley” only for the final product to be an exhibition match disguised as a gimmick match. I was ashamed of the outcome of the match because it felt like a mockery of what gimmick matches have become and this is just a small piece of the greater problem the wrestling industry faces.
Only time will tell whether gimmick matches will be utilized in a reasonable way or will continue to be used for throwaway angles, its up the the wrestling officials to decide as this can impact the product greatly.
