I followed WWE maybe until 2001. Since then I'm watching news from time to time just to know what happened in the industry. And to what I've seen, I genuinely cant understand why people keep watching this low quality garbage product.
For example, I learnt about John Cena's return+heelturn against my own will on some sports news website and decided to check how modern WWE handled such an opportunity. What can go wrong, since there is no Vince to deliberately put a wrestler in a mud without a reason? Well, in 2025 to turn good/bad guy into bad/good guy you dont need a reason, no conflict or story to follow. Just a 50 years old wrestler dogwalked by 60 years old wrestler and a random rapper from Wallmart in behind. In the next show turned wrestler gives a speech: "I became bad, because you people dont deserve me". And miraculously all media and comments try to gaslight you into thinking how genius it was.
Another great example is Royal Rumble. Royal Rumble was always a top-tier tournament where biggest names win. In 2025 Royal Rumble won someone under the name Jey Uso. You know, if you show some random person photos of top 90's wrestlers and ask if they look cool, you'll got the right answer. But if people try to convince me if jelly belly tattooed mexican with teenage haircut and sun glasses looks cool I would die from laughter. Socials are flooded with failures of this mexican, how he is not being able to finish a move by simply being not strong enough. This is a fucking absolute joke and this mexican joke wouldnt even be a jobber 30 years ago, he wouldnt be even allowed to mop the floor after jobbers. Yes, I've seen that there is a viral catchphrase and that he is selling t-shorts and WWE is about money. WWE always was/is about money but things were booked properly and sold properly. If you want to sell crippled fat mexican with 0 talent you put him in midcard at best with someone who can carry this pile of nonsense and make him look better than he is, simple as that.
I know Attitude era is a very high bar to modern wrasslin but lets take a look at modern recent top card of the company:
Roman Reigns. Muscle rack with dumb dull looks which wont even make him stand out in D-tier straight-forward-to-DVD movie. Literally a jobber with no mic and no wrestling skills. His forced push was a reason why AEW was born as far as I remember.
Cody Rhodes. If you remove fancy clothes and music theme he gives strong jobber vibes but today its called "technical wrestler".
Drew McEntire. Good looks, weird angry man promos, lacks connection with the audience and hype. But thats the ground where management could've stepped in and do the job to elevate this guy to star levels. Feels like company doesnt like him or just poor management.
LA Knight. Steroid jobber, poor comic relief stuff.
Gunther. If you take unathletic bodytype and try to make the worst possible impersonation of Chris Benwalt style that would be it. Strong circus freak show vibes. The guy just needs a nazi uniform and a nazi pistol. Being praised everywhere as Hulk Hogan + Brett Hart + Shawn Michaels + Stone Cold Steve Austin combined with an absolute clownworld peak 9.6 cagematch rating. I dont know, John Cena was praised because he donated to cancered kids. Mb this guy can turn water into wine and raise dead.
Aj Styles. Really good in ring with good looks but lacks charisma. An angry mom with a beard running around children's playground.
Seth Rollins. Wallmart version of Chris Jericho. Modern day "technical wrestler".
CM Punk. I guess thats the point from where classic physical and charismatic wrestlers were replaced by freaks from indies and school sports halls. Outside of being a literal enemy of authority inside the company 10 years ago or so, I really never understand why people like him. Despite that, he performs 10x better than modern guard.
Kevin Owens. Redneck origins. A dummy you could use to drop from elevations, cages and ladders. Put him through glass, tables and spikes. Indie looks and mic skills. Fat Spike Dudley if he is able to keep up with the damage.
Sammie Zane. Redneck origins n2. Looking at him I can only picture local wrestling show where Raja Jackson could beat someone without charges.
Dominik Mysterio. Literally underaged kid with moustache whos mom didnt look after him so he made tattoos in addition. A modern "technical wrestler" who would make a good opening at raw/smackdown at 2000's losing to someone more important.
Logan Paul. Its actually crazy that blogger part timer looks, talks, moves and belongs to the business 10x better than almost every other todays professional wrestler. An actual representation of how bad todays management is, being unable to scout proper talents.
Randy Orton, Bork Lester the old guard and shouldnt be carrying anything today.
Women division? Back in the day it was soft porn with Chyna attempt to join men's playground. As I can understand, todays women wrestling is more about wrestling itself but I havent seen much to give a fair take. But some girls look really appealing: goth girl Rhea Rippley, Trish Stratus vibes girl, psycho Harley Quinn girl, black bodybuilder girl, Tiffany glamour girl and JAV chubby cheeks actresses.