Five Hot Takes From The Week In Wrestling: What We Wish Had Happened & More (3/28/2024)
Welcome back to another edition of Wrestling Inc.'s weekly hot takes column, home of our strongest and spiciest opinions from the week that was. Which is to say, these are the takes that have been rattling around our heads as we consumed the last week of pro wrestling content; they could be things that should have happened (but didn't), things that should happen (but won't) or things that are simply true (in our individual subjective opinions). Of course, just because we think these takes might be controversial, doesn't mean they actually are. Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comments!
And now, our hottest takes from the week beginning Friday, March 22, and ending Thursday, March 28!
Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch leaving WWE would be bad for everyone — especially AEW
There's been a lot of talk about contracts as of late, with both Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins, the modern day power couple of sports entertainment, having WWE deals that are expiring in the near future. Lynch in particular has been very open lately, saying that she only has two months left on her deal and that she has yet to be offered a new one. While many people see Lynch and Rollins staying with WWE, Tony Khan would be a bad businessman if he didn't at least attempt to lure two of WWE's top stars to AEW if they are going to become free agents.
The problem with seeing either Lynch or Rollins in AEW, however, is very simple: Would they want to be there? Both of them have been so vocally loyal to WWE over the years that they are more than likely going to say "WWE for life" at one point or another. Yes, you have to praise and be loyal to whoever pays your bills, but if they end up finishing up in WWE and joining AEW at the end of their contracts because WWE didn't offer them good enough deals, that's not them choosing AEW over WWE because they want to be in AEW — it's them choosing AEW for the money, or possibly out of spite. That sort of wrestler — the sort that sees AEW as a stop gap, stepping stone, or a quick cash grab — is not what the company needs. The reason acts like the Blackpool Combat Club have become so successful is because the performers clearly want to be there for the long-run, not until WWE offer them more to come back.
I could be very off the mark in how Rollins and Lynch feel (I can't physically be in their heads) but I'm fairly certain that they wouldn't choose AEW over WWE unless they absolutely had to. Lynch and Rollins re-signing with WWE would be a dodged bullet for any potential bidders like AEW, no matter how much star power they might have.
Written by Sam Palmer
WWE should embrace and lean into the death of PG
Once every decade or so, there seems to be a new era that is ushered in by WWE, and it feels as though the time for such in the 2020s is slowly approaching.
Both CM Punk and The Rock have had some riskier content in their recent promos, with Punk calling out everyone and anyone this past Monday on "Raw" and The Rock picking up where he left off in his days as a heel in the Attitude Era. It would be cool to see WWE embrace and lean more into that kind of content, especially since the product starts to feel like it's slowly inching away from the PG era.
Promos are continuing to become less overly scripted and are left more up to the wrestlers (especially evident with Punk, The Rock, and others floating around the main event scene of "Raw" and "SmackDown." Even if WWE didn't want to make their television product more edgier, their social media presence has only increased over the years and the company has used it to their advantage in order to aid in furthering storylines. Platforms such as Instagram, X, TikTok, and even YouTube would be great for superstars to post videos for a more mature audience whether it be on WWE's official accounts or their own personal ones.
Written by Olivia Quinlan
Six-woman tag match booking is not it
I am of the firm belief that women should be given the opportunity to shine in the ring. Putting six women in the ring and giving them all fifteen minutes — because we know women's tag matches don't get much time — to somehow show out is not the opportunity you think it is.
As an example, take the Alexa Bliss/Bianca Belair/Asuka vs. Damage CTRL feud from 2022. A random collection of babyfaces with one clear leader goes against a sometimes-thought-out collection of heels with one clear leader, then everybody else gets pushed to the side while the two clear leaders continue their feud past their one six-women tag match. This was also the same story with Becky Lynch, Trish Stratus, and Lita versus (again) Damage CTRL in 2023, with the only difference being that Lynch and Stratus went on to have a decent feud while everybody else (Damage CTRL included) fell by the wayside. When has the six-woman feud ever paid off for all parties involved?
As we head into WrestleMania and Stand & Deliver season, two major six-women tag matches are speculated, and while they aren't confirmed, the women involved are currently being booked as if they were. Izzi Dame, Jacy Jayne, and Kiana James are currently feuding with Fallon Henley, Thea Hail, and Kelani Jordan. Hail versus Jayne at Stand and Deliver would be fine — why do we need to put four more women into that match, knowing that they'll just be washed out? Do Hail and Jayne need bodyguards, friends, just extra bodies for some crazy top-rope spot? Meanwhile, a WrestleMania match pittimg Naomi, Belair, and Jade Cargill against Damage CTRL is also likely given that Belair defended Naomi from the group on the March 22 episode of "WWE SmackDown" and Cargill just recently announced herself for the March 28 episode. This might as well be an exhibition match, because as much history Belair has with Damage CTRL, she has moved on past them. All of this six-women feud booking feels like World War I, where a bunch of countries started fighting because of their entangling alliances.
It would be much better for everyone if the time and effort used to book these lackluster six-woman feuds was instead used to book multiple, individual women's storylines. That way, more women would have more time to shine, and the world of women's wrestling would be all the better for it. It's criminal to book some of the most talented female performers in the world, just for them to get lost in the shuffle of a storyline with five other women in it.
Written by Angeline Phu
Liv Morgan should have the honor of dethroning Rhea Ripley
While "The Man" Becky Lynch has vowed to put an end to Rhea Ripley's lengthy reign as WWE Women's World Champion, I believe that honor should be reserved for someone who shares a proper history with Ripley — someone who, in fact, was the last person to pin Ripley on WWE television: Liv Morgan.
Ever since her comeback at the 2024 WWE Royal Rumble, Morgan has been determined to score some retribution against Rhea Ripley, who previously (in storyline) sidelined her for six months. As evidenced by their recent WWE match playlist, though, the animosity between Morgan and Ripley runs much deeper, as Ripley took out Morgan on not one, but two other pivotal occasions.
In the lead-up to WrestleMania 38, Morgan and Ripley formed a vibrant partnership — dubbed Liv 4 Brutality — with the aim of capturing the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. Despite their best efforts and instant chemistry, Ripley and Morgan were ultimately unsuccessful in their pursuits, and after two failed title bids, Ripley shockingly betrayed Morgan on the April 18, 2022 edition of "WWE Raw." The following year, Morgan and Ripley emerged as the first and final two in the Women's Royal Rumble match. Much like their previous encounter, it was Ripley who walked away on top, as she swiftly eliminated Morgan from the match and punched her ticket to WrestleMania 39.
WrestleMania 39, of course, serves as the starting point of Ripley's current title reign. And with WrestleMania 40 now quickly approaching, many believe this year's big event could serve as the reign's final destination. Just because it could, however, doesn't mean it should. Ripley should beat Lynch, if for no other reason than to drop her title to Morgan.
Written by Ella Jay
It might be time to close the Forbidden Door
The Forbidden Door PPV is a wonky thing at present. AEW is suddenly forced to work in a number of NJPW talent and storylines to their already scatterbrained programming. NJPW, deep in a rebuilding year, is going to be forced to sacrifice some of their new stars to outside top talent, or have them work meaningless exhibition matches that could harm their aura just as considerably. It just feels like the action isn't quite worth the juice, to borrow a phrase from a former AEW Champion's favorite movie.
Kazuchika Okada is in All Elite Wrestling. Will Ospreay is in All Elite Wrestling. Jay White is in All Elite Wrestling. Kota Ibushi is in All Elite Wrestling (but also probably not going to recover from his myriad injuries any time soon). I am going to say this as politely as possible: Every NJPW talent that AEW fans really and truly care about is in AEW already. I am not talking about abandoning the NJPW partnership entirely, I am simply suggesting sunsetting the one time of the year where we have to pretend the "forbidden door" isn't more of a beaded curtain that offers no resistance in any direction.
AEW has already become a haven for NJPW dream matches outside of the Forbidden Door PPV — this week's tremendous bout between Katsuyori Shibata and Will Ospreay, for example. It just doesn't feel like a necessary detour in an already packed summer for both promotions. AEW will be heading into its second Wembley Show, while NJPW will be taking its tenuous rebuilding year into a G1 Climax. It might be better off to just take a break from this "Forbidden Door season" nonsense and let the dream matches flow like water all year long.
Written by Ross Berman