WWE News: Vince McMahon To Bring In Big Names For Declining Ratings?
In recent weeks, the ratings for WWE’s television shows have seen record-low numbers and chairman Vince McMahon is reportedly looking to book more part-timers in an effort to increase ratings, per Daily Wrestling News.
When WWE’s ratings have slipped in the past, the company usually advertises some of the biggest names to attract viewers. A lot of times, the company would just bring the Vince McMahon character back to television, but there have been reports over the years that McMahon is officially retired as an on-screen contributor for WWE.
Therefore, that leaves names such as The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and others to make appearances and help boost ratings. In fact, all of those aforementioned names appeared on a recent episode of Monday Night RAW, the last show prior to Hell in a Cell. But their appearances only resulted in a two percent increase from the record low ratings of the week prior, as noted by Wrestling Inc.
So if some of the most established names in the history of not just WWE, but wrestling history, are not significantly impacting ratings, the WWE may feel they’re running out of options.
The report also mentions how McMahon wants one specific names back on WWE television, “as soon as possible.” That name is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. There have been numerous reports and rumors in recent months regarding Johnson’s standing with WWE and him potentially lacing up his boots and wrestling at WrestleMania 32.
Johnson confirmed that discussions between him and WWE have taken place in an interview with HeyUGuys, via Wrestling Inc.
“I hope soon. We’ve discussed next year’s Wrestlemania, possibly. I discuss it all the time with Triple H, we’ve got a great relationship. The old man Vince — I say that respectfully because he works harder than all of us. The key with WWE, and fans know this, I love surprising them. It’s my favorite thing, [whether] it’s on RAW or Wrestlemania. I also want to make sure that when we go back, we can create something special, epic, and big. Right now, we’re trying to figure out what that is.”
As far those “special, epic, and big” moments are concerned, there have been two primary names rumored to potentially wrestle Johnson at WrestleMania 32 — Brock Lesnar and Triple H.
With Triple H and Johnson, both Attitude Era stars have teased a match for over a year now. First, a pre-taped backstage segment on SmackDown last year showed both men reminiscing over their days wrestling each other — just before they began verbally insulting each other. Then, at WrestleMania 31, Johnson, alongside UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, confronted both Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.
Rousey on The Rock, Being In the Ring at WrestleMania 31, More – http://t.co/8XzRCw0KWM #WWE #TNA pic.twitter.com/fEZllXBf3s
— Daily Wrestling News (@DailyWWENews) April 6, 2015
In regards to Johnson versus Lesnar, the WWE has reportedly wanted that match to take place for several years now. It was actually a match the company had penciled in for WrestleMania 30 but Johnson suffered an injury wrestling John Cena at WrestleMania 29, thus changing those plans. Johnson himself confirmed those rumors, via Twitter, in late 2013.
Between Vince, Brock & myself our Wrestlemania 30 plan was ROCK vs BROCK. No plans now for 30 but possibly WM 31. #RockTalk @_JordanMayoral — Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) December 31, 2013
A minor tidbit of the report also mentions that WWE may try and bring some big names on SmackDown next year. The show is set to move over to the USA Network in January and executives from the network are reportedly “putting pressure on WWE to make the show must-see TV.”
Heading into Royal Rumble and WrestleMania season, fans can likely expect appearances from WWE legends in an effort to generate both interest and higher ratings.
[Image by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]
