The question of whether WWE’s most recent boom period is over is a topic that has been on the minds of many pro wrestling fans in 2025.
This becomes interesting when looking at the direction the company was heading towards only a few years ago.
In 2022, Paul “Triple H” Leveque’s promotion to Chief Operating Officer and Head of Creative, coming off a hush money scandal leading to the departure of former Chairman Vince McMahon, was met with widespread approval.
The 14-time WWE world champion was coming off a highly regarded ten-year stint as the head of the company’s developmental brand, NXT.
The newly coined Renaissance Era reintroduced many elements to the show that had been missing for a considerable amount of time.
In the months and years that followed, an emphasis was put on in-ring ability and storytelling.
Storylines such as CM Punk Vs Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes Vs Roman Reigns, GUNTHER Vs Sami Zayn, and Liv Morgan Vs Rhea Ripley drew record ratings for the company.
Although in late 2023, while not immediate, the landscape of the company would forever change.
On Sep. 12 of that year, WWE would officially announce that it had merged with the UFC under the TKO parent company in a $9.3 billion deal.
At the time, the merger was well-received as many viewed it as an opportunity for the company to further its global expansion, as premium live events in Australia, France, and Germany would follow.
However, it wouldn’t be until early 2025 that fans would see the changes being made.
At the beginning of the year, many voiced concerns about the product’s decline in quality and a growing focus on their finances.
Creative had become stagnant, and most of their weekly programming had begun to feel repetitive.
This, in combination with the refusal to push fan favorites up the card, such as Austin Theory, Carmelo Hayes, Chad Gable, and LA Knight, created frustration amongst fans.
In addition, the show’s advertisements had greatly increased, and sponsorships began to appear on the ring mat and tables.
Not to forget, match stipulations as well, as the Mountain Dew Pitch Black match also occurred around this period.
The commercialization would continue as ticket prices had considerably risen, yet again, many fans wondered if the product was worth the price.
Many stay firm that the company’s recent focus on profitability has hurt the show, and many can’t argue as attendance and ratings have dropped in the second half of 2025.
Despite their recent struggles, it will surely be interesting to see how WWE recovers as the year nears its end.
Whether this signals a decline or a simple company down period, it will depend on the company officials whether they can continue their wave of momentum.
