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WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus recently spoke with Total Wrestling Magazine to discuss some of the new directions within the WWE including the WWE Performance Center, rise of new talent and SmackDown going live.
On the WWE Performance Center:
“The Performance Center is an amazing addition to the WWE system. It’s why we’re getting a more quality in-ring product and it’s why we’re getting much more polished workers. They’ve all worked together, they’ve had promo classes and it’s why when you see new talent come out, like we have seen recently with Enzo Amore and Big Cass – they can make an impact right away versus needing some time to get seasoned. They came out and I was like ‘Yes!’ – they were so entertaining and it was because this wasn’t their first rodeo – they’ve worked in front of a crowd before, they had been primed to deliver on the big stage – and they did just that.”
Thoughts on WWE’s shift in mentality for recruiting talent:
“It takes more than just being able to wrestle to make it in WWE, you have to be a performer. These young guys coming onto the main roster now are performers, they’re also great wrestlers and have developed amazing characters and the crowd is connecting with them. I also think it’s advantageous to have people who have come from different organisations and the independents to come in, where they have good performance experience.
It’s always good to have a balance of new talent and veterans, and when I say ‘new’ I just mean new to the big leagues. When you’re coming up on the main roster, there’s no better way than to learn from someone who’s been in the business a long time. The debut of Enzo and Big Cass is a great example, they made an impact right away and to pair them with seasoned performers such as the Dudleyz, was a perfect choice. That’s how you book a debut!”
On Smackdown now being aired live:
“There’s nothing like a live show, that’s why Raw was always known as the A show and Smackdown was known as the B show when I was there. With a live show there’s a feeling that anything can happen and of course the internet has changed everything with the way we watch TV now. When the show is taped and you can read about it, it’s missing that spontaneity and element of surprise when you watch. It’s a really good move and it’s exciting. When I was around you were always glad you were on Raw excited to be on a live telecast, but also, it was a great challenge and a good learning tool to have the pressure to have to perform live with no editing to help your performance – or audience reaction, you had to earn it.”
You can purchase your printed copy of Total Wrestling Magazine here.
Do you agree with Trish’s points of view? Let us know in the comments below!
