The world of entertainment is changing. There is increasing emphasis on aspects that were not previously taken into account, taking on a new form. It is not only the arrival of new technologies or the growing predominance of streaming. It is something more. It is the feeling that it is possible to do things differently, in a way that they were not done until now. Perhaps because, not tied to traditional television, many programs are considering if it is not possible to do more.
This is something evident in WWE. The change they have undergone in recent months is noticeable to anyone who follows it regularly. Part of it is due to their new owners, Endeavor, who have merged it with UFC to create a new company, TKO. But it is also something else, as we could see this weekend at their biggest event: Wrestlemania.
Celebrating its fortieth edition, Wrestlemania is the biggest annual event of WWE. A moment where champions are crowned, legends are created, and stories are concluded. With 72,755 spectators, it is not the biggest event in wrestling history or Wrestlemania history, but it demonstrates its dimensions. And also the reason why the current head of the company, Paul Levesque, better known by his name HHH, has declared it as a new era for the company. One in which they will leave behind the label of sports entertainment to embrace that of wrestling.
Wrestlemania XL has been an event where the great moments have weighed more than the wrestling. Although there have been some good matches, what has stood out the most has been its stories. In its use of technology. In how, now, WWE presents itself as a different audiovisual product, bolder, seeking to be a pioneer of a new form.
While there has always been a great emphasis on WWE as a product, it feels like that has been emphasized even more. There are many more recaps of the story so far. Most segments are sponsored. The entrances are much more grandiose and exaggerated. There is not a single moment where the viewer can be lost or confused. Much less watching something they don’t immediately recognize. Placing more emphasis on what happens outside of wrestling.
All of this is something we have seen to some extent over the past year in WWE. With a greater emphasis, but it was already there. But perhaps the most surprising thing of all is the emphasis on the use of AR. Or augmented reality.
According to Marty Miller, as explained to Chris Welch, this has been completely intentional. Using six cameras that can deploy AR graphics, they wanted to emphasize the possibilities of showing things in 3D. The clearest example is the presentation of Becky Lynch’s story, who was fighting against the women’s champion Rhea Ripley, which was shown with a version of her autobiography, The Man, replicated in 3D.
The majority of uses of this technology have been to create this kind of spectacle. Tacky, sometimes downright laughable, on more than a few occasions, but it goes with the product. Not because there is something laughable about WWE, but because it feels integrated into the whole. Maybe it doesn’t work as it should, but it fits with the overall package.
In addition to this, since the beginning of the year, the production head of WWE is Lee Fitting, a veteran from ESPN. The previous production head, Kevin Dunn, had shaped the company’s image for four decades. Having tremendous decision-making power within it. And the change is seen in the more modern style, with a less chaotic production, allowing the product to breathe more.
The problem is that it works better in terms of spectacle than sport. The entrances, the commentary, the presentation videos, and the interventions are always perfectly measured. Well presented and exposed. But wrestling doesn’t come out well in comparison. The constant change of formats, along with a predominant use of SteadyCam, makes the fights feel static and confusing. Which is an improvement compared to the chaos of Dunn’s last years, but it doesn’t favor the idea that the company’s perspective has changed towards wrestling.
Because if something is WrestleMania XL, it is a miracle of entertainment. A great show. The advertising, the presentations, the comments, the entrances. Everything looks spectacular, cohesive, even when it goes to commercials. It is a constant flow of uninterrupted consciousness, where there is no room for a single thought to infiltrate — just pure pleasure.
Of course, this goes against wrestling. Great wrestling is filmed as if it were a well-shot action scene. A fixed camera clearly shows good choreography, but a camera that knows where to position itself at every moment makes it extraordinary. And that’s what doesn’t fit with the sense of spectacle of the current WWE. Because a great action scene is a succession of moments that require attention to detail and changes in rhythm; something that goes against the spectacle and the idea that everything must happen smoothly and without pause.
That’s why it’s strange that Lavesque claims that WWE is entering a new era. The era of wrestling. Because WrestleMania XL proves that, if anything, they understand better than ever what makes them popular. They have created a form of pure, fluid entertainment, where the matches are the least important thing.
Hence it is evident that in WWE they have known how to touch the keys of how to create a show that feels bigger than any festival or sporting event. Now they just need to find a way for wrestling to matter. Or for it not to matter that there is no wrestling.
