It appears the reign of the WWE’s PG era could be body-slamming to an end, with recent promos hinting at a return to a more rugged and raw format. The times, they are a-changin’ in the wrestling world, and it’s not just the fans who’ve noticed. Recent WWE broadcasts have been noticeably more hardcore, with Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes not shying away from a little bloodshed, and the language—oh, the language!—has certainly taken a turn since The Rock started cooking up some edgier content.
Dave Meltzer of the “Wrestling Observer Newsletter” is stirring the pot with reports that these bloodier and bolder segments are signaling a shift away from the PG era. According to Meltzer, while there’s no official decision yet, the winds of change might blow in full force by the year’s end as “WWE Raw” moves to Netflix and “WWE NXT” finds a new home on The CW.
The real drama might unfold off the ring, as the future direction could hinge heavily on what the broadcasters and their sponsors think of this spicier WWE flavor. Will they tap out to the pressure, or will they tag in and embrace the throwback to the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras?
Introduced in 2008, the PG era was WWE’s strategy to attract a broader audience and reel in more lucrative sponsorships. While some fans mourned the loss of the edgier, more provocative content, the financial boost was undeniable. But as any good wrestling fan knows, the arena is always ripe for a comeback story, and it looks like grittier programming may just be gearing up for a spectacular return.