The WWE has another hot superstar on the main roster that's wildly over with the fans, and it seems like the company is not interested in giving him a shot. Fans were upset that he fell short during Money In The Bank, and to add insult to injury, he was thwarted from winning by the actual winner, Damian Priest. There are a lot of thoughts floating around about that decision and L.A. Knight in general, but the fact of the matter is it's part of a larger issue that needs to be addressed.
The is part of a recurring problem in the WWE that seems to be growing as of late. The company is unwilling to call audibles as of late or make any changes to plans that they have in place for long-term storytelling. That's not anything new, and pulling up any random pay-per-view with your Peacock Premium subscription will confirm that, but given the specific state of the company right now, it's something that shouldn't be ignored.
The WWE's Unwillingness To Shift Longterm Storytelling Has Made The Product Predictable
L.A. Knight's popularity in the WWE has been on a steady climb ever since his feud with Bray Wyatt. It's clear to me, however, that the WWE never really planned for Knight to be anything more than the annoying heel who ate losses to other major competitors, however, which is a viable and valuable spot for a mid-carder on the main roster. The Miz has made a career off of being that guy and received some major accolades along the way for his work.
The problem is that, unlike The Miz, L.A. Knight is continuing to do the same thing week in and out and occasionally being left out of the card completely despite his immense popularity. We saw this to a lesser degree with Sami Zayn earlier in the year, except in that case, it was revealed ahead of his massive push the WWE wanted him and Kevin Owens to beat the Usos and become the next tag-team champions.
It would appear that the WWE is unwilling to shift its long-term plans for rising superstars, and due to the current state of the company, it's resulted in a largely predictable product. Those who don't believe me can look to CinemaBlend's Mack Rawden, who is 80-31 for PLE match result predictions in 2023 after his Money In The Bank guesses. It's not a perfect record, but it's enough to show that the WWE isn't doing much beyond exactly what the fans expect as of late.
It makes the product predictable, and thus kind of boring. I understand the WWE is a scripted product with a responsibility of telling the best story for its audience, but there is currently just too much long-term storytelling going on right now. If all the upsets and surprises are held for the major events, are they really that surprising?
Does The WWE Have Too Many Dominant Champions?
It may be because of the success of Roman Reigns, but the WWE is very much in a season of making every champion a record-setting champion. In addition to that unprecedented streak, Gunther is within grasp of overtaking the Honky Tonk Man's 453-day record of the Intercontinental Championship. Bianca Belair just came off holding the women's title for 420 days, so you can see it's more of a trend to have champs with long reigns these days.
The problem with that booking, again, is that there's no surprise when these champions retain until they lose under the big lights of one of the big four PLE events. Another problem with this type of booking is that there are plenty of superstars spending the bulk of the year in feuds with no realistic chance of ever winning a title.
There needs to be more flexibility in the title scene in WWE than what we've seen. Guys like L.A. Knight are feuding week in and out for an opportunity that will never come, even though we're in an era with the Heavyweight Championship that should see more fluidity in the title scene. That title should've been a chance to see fresh champions in this long title run of Roman Reigns, not a chance for Seth Rollins to further prove the dominance he's held for years over the main roster.
Long-term planning is one issue hampering surprises in the WWE, but it's also the trend of the company seemingly wanting all of its champions to have record-setting title runs. I'm not necessarily against the idea of a dominant champion holding the title for months, but even the best can have an off night when it matters.
Can L.A. Knight And Other Middling Superstars Break Into The Spotlight?
If a guy who is getting the loudest pops in the company can't find a solid storyline week to week in the WWE because there weren't plans for that to happen in advance, the WWE has a problem. L.A. Knight isn't just some flavor of the week that had a good match, nor is he someone the crowd is un-ironically cheering for, like James Ellsworth.
L.A. Knight was a star in TNA wrestling and had a few title runs that put him on the map for the organization. The WWE can be a mixed bag with how they treat stars of other wrestling organizations when they come over, but former homegrown TNA star AJ Styles has done pretty well for himself ever since jumping ship and joining the WWE. Hell, Styles is able to command the same amount of respect in the brand as homegrown and hopefully soon-to-return WWE talent like Randy Orton. Have those days passed for Knight and other newcomers?
It's a question for which I'd like to know the answer, as it feels like the WWE is working hard on the storylines for a few individuals, and then not much at all for many others. Meanwhile, the fans are being loud about who they want to see front and center on the shows. In the case of L.A. Knight, they're absolutely right to be miffed that the organization has been slow to react to his popularity.
L.A. Knight is usually on SmackDown on Fox on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm eager to see if he'll get more screen time as the months continue, and if the WWE will finally look to capitalize on the hot run he's having.
