Booker T's Comments, Another Problem That Won't Be Adressed
So recently, we saw a slew of former WWE talents, sign with or appear for IMPACT wrestling, and a good amount of them were mistreated to a point of being unhappy. Now they are in charge of their own destiny and they are happier. However there's a narrative in WWE that to get somewhere you have to "prove yourself", or present ideas for yourself to get your chance.
The problem with that is, more times than we can probably recall because of stories we've heard by people who are no longer there and most recently from Gallows and Anderson who did a tell all about their most recent run and what they experienced in that time, where they presented ideas for themselves (as I said before you are encouraged to do) it was used for a different story and they were sitting doing nothing still. Recently on Smackdown we saw the likes of Tamina, Lacey Evans, Dana Brooke, and Naomi, complain on screen about not getting opportunites. The following week, it's been talked about ad nauseam, lead to a karaoke contest part of possibly the worst episode of Smackdown ever. This lead to fans coming to the defense of Naomi who started the hashtag, #NaomiDeservesBetter.
This lead to veteran of the business and two-time hall of famer, Booker T to state his opinion on this. To paraphrase what he said, he stated that hashtags shouldn't get people opportunities, and that people should make their own breaks and rise to the occasion. Now let me say this first, and I will iterate my entire point. He isn't wrong. Now here's my full opinion. He isn't wrong, but to a fault. What he is saying is true, because as I mentioned earlier people in the company are encouraged come up with ideas for themselves and are encouraged to put themselves out there for the company to find something for them, because as we know, it's impossible for a team of thirty plus writers to find something for everyone (I really hope the sarcasm is prevalent to everyone).
As I mentioned earlier people who are encouraged to come up with ideas for themselves often come up with great ideas and it's used for someone else. That's the business at its finest especially in WWE. So even though Booker T isn't wrong, as we know when people do that it a lot of times doesn't matter at all. There's a list of competitors not just Naomi who deserve a lot better. Also to be clear Naomi has done a lot. She won a championship in her home town at Wrestlemania, not a lot of people can say that, especially since WWE likes have people lose in their home town, why nobody knows but we know who to blame. Also to a further point another WWE problem has been and still is, women's feuds that aren't for championships need to mean more, and shouldn't be what they are and have been for too long, which is stupid drama storylines that result in a "You Bitch" promo. They are never compelling and they never get people to care.
Now yes, the "Yes Movement" made Daniel Bryan because it was too big to ignore. That isn't gonna happen for Naomi. Also Naomi isn't the only person who "deserves better", Dana Brooke deserves better, Liv Morgan deserves better, Ruby Riott deserves better. Not just the women, there's a long a list of talent men and women who "deserve better". Naomi has done more then the people that were named. The biggest problem in WWE and its very prevalent, none of those women are WWE's Horsewomen. Bayley, Sasha, Charlotte, and of course Becky when she was active, made the division and none of these other women are on the level of popularity that any of those women are on. As I've said in the past, right now at this very moment, nobody is better the Bayley and Sasha, not a single person, that includes men.
So what needs to happen for others to get chances on that level. I really don't know, do I want to see Dana, Ruby, Liv, even Shayna since coming to RAW, finally reach the pinnacle that the horsewomen, and also Asuka have, absolutely they are all great. Naomi has done a lot and sure she probably deserves more for her dedication and her ability in the ring, but she isn't the only one.
So in closing, Booker T, isn't wrong, however, he isn't acknowledging the real problem and that's even though people do have to work hard to get somewhere, WWE doesn't actually care unless that person is in the plans. The women especially have it even harder because there isn't a lot for them to do when you're encouraged to present ideas for yourself and it doesn't even matter, or you are put in segments that insult people's intelligence, they need to acknowledged as the true talents that they are, and not jokes. Booker T won't tell you that because he's a company guy, and the company doesn't want you to know that.
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