Creative High Points and Low Points Since 2010?

[BRV]

Since this forum is dedicated to WWE since the inception of NXT in early 2010, and since it could be argued that WWE is hitting its creative stride at the moment, I thought it would be interesting to have us collectively look back on WWE over the past 14 years and say what we felt was the creative high point and low point of this era?

Was it a single promo, match, or event? Was it an angle or long-term booking decision? What were the peaks and where were the valleys? Let's hear your thoughts.

[Schiavone]

2016 Smackdown post-draft AKA Litdown. A smaller roster with a lot of fresh, hungry faces. AJ becoming the Face the Runs the Place, Becky getting out of the Horsewomen’s shadow, Ambrose establishing himself as a champion caliber wrestler after the Shield breakup, the new heel Usos. Heath Slater getting crazy over and teaming with Rhyno?!

It was a hot time on the blue brand.

EDIT: Made this post without mentioning The Miz, who was doing his best work of his career and somehow made people care about Dolph Ziggler again.

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

if i had to pick a low point it would not be the pandemic era as many might say. it was that time before it when all of the McMahons got on TV, were like "pwease, we promise our show will be better! pinky promise!!!" and then just blamed Corbin/got a thousand times worse.

[Bang Bang Bart]

Low point was late 2018 Raw with GM Corbin and Dean Ambrose’s heel run bombing so badly.

[Doo Doo is Worse Than WCW 2000]

High points: The Shield, Team Hell No, SD from August-December 2016, the Becky vs. Charlotte feud in 2018, Becky in general in late 2018, Planet's Champion Daniel Bryan, Kofimania, Head of the Table Roman Reigns and the Bloodline for the first couple years, the IC Title becoming important again

Low points: The Summer of Punk turning into Kevin Nash vs. HHH, Zack Ryder being punished for getting over, Divas Gang Warz, broke Big Show, The Authority, WWE Champion Jinder Mahal, Brock Lesnar holding the title hostage while having the same match over and over, babyface Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose's heel turn in 2018, THAT Lashley vs. Sami Zayn feud

[Gerard Gerard]

That stretch in 2019 where we weren’t supposed to ask why suddenly everything is 2 out of 3 falls.

[Doo Doo is Worse Than WCW 2000]

Apr 10, 2024 13:15:04 GMT -5 Gerard Gerard said:

That stretch in 2019 where we weren’t supposed to ask why suddenly everything is 2 out of 3 falls.

2019 really sucked after WM, looking back on it.

[Sparkybob]

Apr 10, 2024 13:15:03 GMT -5 Doo Doo is Worse Than WCW 2000 said:

High points: The Shield, Team Hell No, SD from August-December 2016, the Becky vs. Charlotte feud in 2018, Becky in general in late 2018, Planet's Champion Daniel Bryan, Kofimania, Head of the Table Roman Reigns and the Bloodline for the first couple years, the IC Title becoming important again

Low points: The Summer of Punk turning into Kevin Nash vs. HHH, Zack Ryder being punished for getting over, Divas Gang Warz, broke Big Show, The Authority, WWE Champion Jinder Mahal, Brock Lesnar holding the title hostage while having the same match over and over, babyface Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose's heel turn in 2018, THAT Lashley vs. Sami Zayn feud

Broke Big Show was a great lesson in not investing in strip malls.

[chronocross]

Apr 10, 2024 13:15:04 GMT -5 Gerard Gerard said:

That stretch in 2019 where we weren’t supposed to ask why suddenly everything is 2 out of 3 falls.

Or that Wild Card bullshit during the Raw/Smackdown draft which I still don't understand the rules for.

[ChitownKnight]

2017-pre Tribal Chief 2020 was pretty ass

[Bo Rida]

Highs - The Shield, Litdown, early black and gold nxt.

Lows - Brock. 2019. Brock in 2019. Brock squashing Kofi in 2019.
After 25ish years of wwe I was finally done.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Lowest point is Kofi v Brock for me.

[Ben Wyatt]

Apr 10, 2024 13:01:36 GMT -5 Schiavone said:

2016 Smackdown post-draft AKA Litdown. A smaller roster with a lot of fresh, hungry faces. AJ becoming the Face the Runs the Place, Becky getting out of the Horsewomen’s shadow, Ambrose establishing himself as a champion caliber wrestler after the Shield breakup, the new heel Usos. Heath Slater getting crazy over and teaming with Rhyno?!

It was a hot time on the blue brand.

EDIT: Made this post without mentioning The Miz, who was doing his best work of his career and somehow made people care about Dolph Ziggler again.

How awesome (no pun intended) was Miz at this time?  He could have won the WWE title and very few people would have batted an eye

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

I have to say, the most entertaining collective meltdown of the wrestling commmunity I've ever seen was Seth Rollins vs. The Fiend Hell in a Cell. Johnblud's epic rant on the newlegacyinc Twitch and Alvarez literally rolling on the floor in laughter as he realized the absurdity of everything that happened was something else, and I know there are other takes on that match that are just as hilarious.

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

Apr 10, 2024 15:23:40 GMT -5 Oh Cry Me a Screwball said:

I have to say, the most entertaining collective meltdown of the wrestling commmunity I've ever seen was Seth Rollins vs. The Fiend Hell in a Cell. Johnblud's epic rant on the newlegacyinc Twitch and Alvarez literally rolling on the floor in laughter as he realized the absurdity of everything that happened was something else, and I know there are other takes on that match that are just as hilarious.

i thought it was complete bullshit it happened but i've always found it funny that was the last straw for so many people.

don't get me wrong it was terrible, even more awful considering the timing with AEW but that being what genuinely drove a shitload of people away never fails to crack me up.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

Whoever the genius was that came up with Lucha House Rules shouldn't be allowed to be producing entertainment ever again.

[MrElijah]

Apr 10, 2024 15:55:22 GMT -5 TWERKIN' MAGGLE said:

Whoever the genius was that came up with Lucha House Rules shouldn't be allowed to be producing entertainment ever again.

But they were just having fun!!! God, the CW Division was just a slapdash of bullshit. SOME good came from it but yeah.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Some Lows I can think of:

Pandemic Era, the PC Fan Era especially

Kofi Kingston losing to Brock Lesnar in like 30 seconds on the first FOX Smackdown

The Super Cena era

Sting's WWE Run

Roman winning the 2016 Rumble, which was ruined halfway through via Bryan's unceremonious elimination

Special shoutout to Goldberg beating The Fiend in Saudi, HHH/Michaels vs Kane/Taker in Saudi... and the Saudi shows in general!

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Apr 10, 2024 16:10:08 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

Some Lows I can think of:

Pandemic Era, the PC Fan Era especially

Kofi Kingston losing to Brock Lesnar in like 30 seconds on the first FOX Smackdown

The Super Cena era

Sting's WWE Run

Roman winning the 2016 Rumble, which was ruined halfway through via Bryan's unceremonious elimination

Special shoutout to Goldberg beating The Fiend in Saudi, HHH/Michaels vs Kane/Taker in Saudi... and the Saudi shows in general!

You really still can’t get over that shit already?

[repomark]

Low point for me was that eyeball match between Seth and Rey. Just insultingly bad.

High point prob was Daniel Bryan’s Yes movement run and eventual title win at WM30, although it certainly wasn’t achieved without some monumental pivoting on original plans.