Is TKO Taking Things Too Far?
September 12, 2023, turned out to be one of the most historic days in combat sports history. When WWE announced that it was merging with UFC to form a new company called TKO Group Holdings. The news broke unexpectedly during Night Two of WrestleMania 39, revealing that Vince McMahon had sold WWE to Ari Emanuel, who is the CEO of Endeavor, UFC’s parent company. Fans and industry insiders were left shocked and unsure about what this meant for the future. The merger combined two of the biggest and most popular combat sports brands in the world, and it marked a significant shift in WWE’s ownership structure, as the McMahon family no longer held control. Since this announcement, WWE has gone through a period of rapid change, most recently with a series of talent releases that have grabbed headlines and sparked concern among fans.
Many fans and wrestlers have been taken aback by the scale and timing of these releases. Many popular stars have been released in the last couple of months, and it is seemingly not stopping. On June 1st, R-Truth, who was long considered a WWE lifer, announced his departure on social media two nights after his loss to JC Mateo on the May 30th episode of SmackDown. Truth also had a match against WWE Champion John Cena at the 39th episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event as part of Cena’s retirement tour. Other wrestlers are expected to follow, like Carlito, who is expected to depart WWE when his contract expires. The feeling among fans and insiders is that WWE is shedding talent at an alarming rate, leaving many to wonder when the next wave of releases will come.
At the same time, WWE’s focus on commercialization has drastically increased. The traditional clean look of the ring and arena, once free of excessive advertising, has now given way to a flood of brand placements. Prime, Snickers, alcohol brands, and many others now appear prominently at events. Monday Night Raw on Netflix and premium live events are filled with advertisements. Commercial breaks during weekly shows have become almost unbearable, with some broadcasts like Saturday Night’s Main Event featuring a total of 11 commercials. That is nearly six commercials per hour. This shift has led many to feel that WWE is prioritizing profits over the sport’s integrity and entertainment quality.
WWE’s recent developments mark a new era that is uncertain and heavily commercialized. The talent releases and increased advertising raise important questions about the company’s future direction and the preservation of wrestling’s core values. Fans are worried that the sport they love is changing too fast and losing its original spirit. As WWE continues to evolve under new ownership, it remains to be seen how it will balance growth, tradition, and fan expectations. The coming months will be crucial in shaping the future of professional wrestling.
