Five Things to Look Out For in WWE 2021
2020 was a year like no other for WWE as the majority of the action was played out in front of empty stands. Wrestling perhaps more than any other sport relies on crowds to inject passion and drama into proceedings.
That said though, there was plenty to get the blood pumping in WWE last year and 2021 will be no different. Hopefully fans will return to WWE at some point this year, but even if they don’t there’s still plenty to look forward to.
Read on to find out five things that you can look out for in WWE this year.
Will Kevin Owens finally get one over on Roman Reigns or will underhand tactics get in his way?
WWE has no qualms about going down the obvious route from time to time and that’s exactly what’s happened here. Initially we were all told that match official Adam Pearce was going to be thrown to the wolves in a match up against Roman Reigns, but all that changed midway through the month.
Almost immediately after signing a contract for a Last Man Standing Match, Pearce claimed that he wasn’t medically cleared. That left Kevin Owen’s to fill the void and step up to face Roman Reigns in what should be a great watch.
Owen’s fared well in two fights against Reigns last year and was unlucky not to come away with something. Can Owens kick up a fuss and defy the odds to beat Reigns? Maybe, but with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman kicking around, expect some underhand tactics.
(Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens will excite fans again this year at Royal Rumble.)
Can Big E beat Sami Zayn again?
The US sportsbooks are split, but one thing’s for sure, the fight is attracting plenty of attention, LA is regarded as the home of wrestling, but that hasn’t stopped the rest of the country having their say, such as Iowa where there are now 8 places to bet online.
Their last fight over the Christmas period was a pretty fun watch with Big E just edging out Zayn in a clash that was fraught with shenanigans and showmanship. A back-to-back victory for the former New Day member could have a massive impact on the 2021 wrestling calendar.
If Big E wins, WWE could choose to have one match at this year’s WrestleMania featuring multiple Championships in a Winner Takes All style format.
That would evoke memories of one of the greatest ever clashes in WWE history when Hulk Hogan took on The Ultimate Warrior in WrestleMania 6 for the WWE Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships.
If Reigns beats Owens and Big E once defends his title against Sami Zayn, it could very well be on.
More Hell in a Cell, Hell
The Hell in a Cell matches used to genuinely feel like a big deal and be worth tuning in for, but this year, just like in previous years it could be more hell for the viewing public.
These clashes used to be the culmination of long-simmering feuds but now because of the pay for view demands, they have just become a regular money spinner for the WWE.
Wrestling fans aren’t likely to tune in for Hell in a Cell with that in mind and the memory of Seth Rollins’ infamous match with Fiend still haunting fans.
Does us all a favour WWE and scrap Hell in a Cell or make it more of a specialised event rather than a run-of-the-mill money spinner.
Off-piste ranting and raving
We all know that WWE is scripted but for the main part we manage to put that out of our minds and instead focus on the sheer drama of the wrestling action. One thing that always reminds us that wrestling is scripted is the toe-curling promo speeches that fighter’s make.
Last year we were reminded just how powerful unscripted promo speeches can be when Eddie Kingston went off-script and ended up sparking an epic feud which culminated in the main event of Full Gear.
Kingston’s improvisation has hopefully given Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns and Mustafa Ali confidence to run their mouths and ditch the scripts. Hopefully it’s also given WWE the nudge it needed to calm down on their overly scripted segments.
If that’s the case, WWE 2021 will be a great year to remember as fighters allow their personalities to shine and take the action to the next level.
(Hopefully Eddie Kingston proves an inspiration for WWE stars this year.)
An Improved Roster
WWE lost several superstars in 2020 leaving a void that needs to be filled this time round, but with record profits recently announced there is no excuse not to add an exciting list of fighters to the roster in 2021.
There are a strong group of fighters in the NXT waiting to make the step up to the big time and news of an expansion to NXT India and Japan could also see some interesting characters chomping at the bit to step up to WWE.
Midway through last year Triple H also hinted that the WWE could be looking to bring people in from the Mae Young Classic which would add a bit of extra spice to the WWE as well as some much-needed variety.
