WWE legend Daniel Bryan says the company has to make drastic changes to be more realistic and compete the UFC and boxing.
The retired WWE wrestler now works as the SmackDown Live general manager, on-screen but outside of the ring, where he once held fans in the palm of his hand.
The former champion was forced into early retirement after a worrying number of concussions and he is not happy with how things have evolved in his absence.
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Bryan told NBC: “I think a change of presentation is absolutely necessary.
“I think the way that we present our superstars probably needs to change.
“Years ago, [WWE] went through with this idea of having as much live stuff as possible on the shows, but I think when you watch say UFC for example, some of the things that are the most endearing, that make you care the most about the fighters are these backstage vignettes that show their real personality.
“You’ll see great fights that people will cheer maybe because they’re great fights, but the fights that have the most impact are the ones with fighters who people actually care about.
“I think one of the things that really endeared me to people was that people got to view more aspects of my personality than most because of the different things that I did within WWE.
“Seeing performers frustrated and being able to show that on TV and being able to show their experiences, their reactions to what’s happening to them on the show and doing backstage vignettes.”
Bryan wants more realistic back-stage interviews and footage of WWE stars – like boxing stars and MMA fighters use to promote their fights.
The former Raw star reckons real-life marketing is the way to sell massive fights – like the one-sided snore fest he watched between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
He said: “In combat sports, personalities are what draw.
“Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao was one of the worst boxing matches I’ve ever seen, but millions of people watched it because of the personalities involved.
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“I think changing that dynamic and highlighting the personalities is something we really need to do.
“Now, I don’t know how we do it. I think if anybody has a magic answer of what the best way is to present personalities in this modern day of television, they’d make millions of dollars, so I may not have the answer.”
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