I’ve been a pro wrestling fan in general (a WWF/E fan in particular) for as long as I can remember, but as time goes on I feel like the WWE’s product is just going to shit. I know I can’t be the only one who feels this way. I’ve heard this from a lot of fans I know. Hell, I went to Wrestlemania 29, the grandaddy of ’em all, the Superbowl of pro wrestling and all that, and at the end of it I wanted my money back. It sucked, plain and simple.

Now, I don’t know if the management at WWE is blind, deaf, dumb, or just doesn’t care, but when your biggest show of the year sucks to that magnitude, you should know something’s wrong. So as a fan, I refuse to sit idly by. I’ve written a list of steps the WWE can and should take to restore the company to its former glory.

Step 1: Unify the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships

Prior to buying out WCW in 2001, the then World Wrestling Federation had one world title belt, and I can say now that I understand why. The world title picture in WWE has always been just a fraction of its roster, and only having one belt for the 10 or 15 solo main-eventers kept things fresh. Yeah, the rematch clause for champions who lost their titles was alive and well back then, but even with that, you didn’t see the same 2 or 3 guys headlining EVERY PPV event for 6 fucking months in a row! And that’s the problem we face now.

The pool of main-event caliber performers is smaller than it used to be, and having two world titles effectively splits that title picture in half, so that we see the same guys competing in the same title matches over and over and over again, with the results of each match becoming increasingly predictable. My solution? Re-Unify the WWE & World Heavweight titles. One title with a larger pool of stars to pull from means more variation in the way title matches play out, and way less predictability as a result.

Step 2: Redesign John Cena

John Cena is indisputably the biggest superstar of WWE’s current generation, and will likely be known as one of the biggest stars in the history of the business, but right now this sumbitch is getting on the nerves of every fan who’s already hit puberty. And yet somehow, despite the increasing amount of heat he gets despite still technically being a Face, WWE management insists on shoving him down our throats.

Folks, the WWE needs superstars, not superheroes. We’re tired of WWE constantly trying to sell Cena as the underdog, just to have him win damn near every important match he’s in. Cena’s fan base (mainly made up of small kids willing to believe in Cena-Superman) is growing up quickly, and they’re not gonna buy the Cena fairy tale forever. So, if Cena wants to remain relevant, he’s gonna have to work for it, and get a bit of a makeover.

Now, I could probably write a few pages on this topic alone, but I’ll make it short and sweet. Cena needs to change/add to his in-ring moveset. We’ve seen on a few rare occasions that Cena can be a very good technician. Hell, he and C.M. Punk managed to put on a pretty lengthy chain of holds and reversals during their match at Money In The Bank 2011. He needs to draw on that more and stop doing the same few moves over and over. Also, his finish is one of the crappiest I’ve ever seen, yet it puts down everyone who receives it. He needs to start using something that looks more damaging. And, most importantly, HE CAN’T BE SUPERMAN ANYMORE!!! It’s not fun to watch Cena presently because we know he’s going to win. That certainty has to be a thing of the past.

One more little note before I move on. Cena has held a total of 13 World Championships (11 WWE Titles and 2 World Heavyweight Titles). Putting the WWE Title on him means less and less every time, and effectively diminishes the importance of the WWE Title itself. Cena is now at a point where he needs to move beyond the title picture. What will cement Cena’s place as one of the greats is not how many titles he holds, but the quality of his matches. That’s where his focus needs to be at this point in his career. He needs to seek out those who can make him a better wrestler and put on the best matches he can. There are still plenty of places Cena can go for that, like making a run at The Undertaker’s ‘Mania streak, winning the King of The Ring Tournament if it’s ever brought back, or just mixing it up in feuds with talented technicians like C.M. Punk, Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, or Antonio Cesaro.

Step 3: Return the U.S. and Intercontinental Titles to Prosperity

Now, not all of the guys on WWE’s roster are going to be part of the World title hunt. The problem we face now is that these mid-carders are being all but discarded by WWE’s management, even though they have plenty to offer to the fans and the company. This is a HUGE oversight. Just because these performers might not headline Wrestlemania doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have something to strive for. It’s time to stop ignoring the mid-card, and the absolute best way to give it a boost is by returning the Intercontinental and U.S. Championships to their former prosperity. These titles have languished in relative obscurity for the past several years, and it’s time to give them some time in the spotlight.

Both of these titles have been held by some of the all-time greats of this industry, and so they should be featured in storylines and matches that speak to the epic-ness of their legacies. Guys like Wade Barrett, Kofi Kingston, Dean Ambrose, Cody Rhodes, Bray Wyatt, and R-Truth have what it takes to create memorable matches. Treating the IC and US titles with respect and giving them places on the big stages will give them the opportunities to give us those matches. There have been many times in the past when IC and U.S. Title matches have stolen the show from World title main events, and there’s no reason we can’t have that again. The fans deserve it.

Step 4: Treat the Women’s Division with Some Respect!!

This is the problem pure and simple, folks. The current management of the WWE just doesn’t give two shits about the women in their employ. The current generation of WWE “Divas” are relegated to pure eye-candy status, and that’s when they’re given any screen time at all. Their matches are short and boring, and the division champion is almost never given a seat at the table during PPV events. There wasn’t even a Divas title match at Wrestlemania! This is a sad fucking state of affairs, and it has to change.

There’s no reason why I should feel the need to change the channel or get up and take a leak whenever a Divas match comes on. I should be glued to my seat and not want to pry my eyes away. The current “Divas” need to be trained to WRESTLE, and if they can’t be trained then they need to be fired and replaced with ladies who know their way around a ring. I’d suggest bringing up some of the ladies of NXT and trying to pull away some of TNA’s “Knockouts”. Both of these companies feature much more robust Women’s divisions than WWE.

Also, the division champ should be visible, and her position treated with respect. After all, the ladies only have one title. The title holder is in essence a world champion in her own right, and the quality of the division she heads should reflect that.

And speaking of the title, the Divas title should be thrown out, and replaced with the old Women’s championship. The Divas title has been a mess from the beginning, but the Women’s title has a history behind it that the fans respect. And for God’s sake, fire the Bella twins!!! Nobody likes them! They’re completely devoid of talent, and it’s obvious that they’re only there because one or both of them is someone’s pet.

Step 5: Less “Sports Entertainment”, More Wrestling!!

I’ve gotten the sense that in John Cena-Era WWE, the focus is too much on the talk, and not nearly enough on the in-ring performance. Cena, HHH, and others are gifted on the mic, but I continuously see that what happens in the ring pales in comparison to the talk leading up to it. It shouldn’t be like that. We’ve got too many 20-minute long promos for boring 10-minute matches. The WWE has forgotten that the athleticism is as much part of the business as the theater. They need to be reminded. Epic trash talk should always, and I mean ALWAYS be followed by an epic battle.

Step 6: For The Love of God, do something, ANYTHING With the Tag Division!!!

Now, we’ve all seen two members of the stable known as “The Shield” recently capture the WWE World Tag Team Championship. This could be the start of something big, but given WWE’s recent track record, I wonder if they’ll have the foresight to take advantage of it. Folks, the Tag division has been a fucking mess for too long. There are too few full-time tag teams in the company right now to maintain a healthy, interesting tag division.

My suggestion? Expand on what the WWE has started to do as of late. They’ve already taken high-profile singles stars and thrown them into the tag division with some success (Team Hell No is a good example). Also, young teams like the Usos need to be pushed consistently if they’re going to seem like legitimate threats. These steps are sure to revitalize the division.

Step 7: Know Your Role and, When Necessary, Shut Your Mouth

This one’s gonna be short and sweet. Some superstars are just not good on the mic. Don’t put them there. Current superstar Ryback is a good example of what I’m talking about. What kind of catchphrase is “Ryback Rules”? If they can’t talk, don’t hand them the mic. Pair them with another wrestler who can work a crowd, or get them a manager.

Step 8: Listen to the Fans

Does it seem to you like Vince and company have just stopped listening to you? Yeah, I get that feeling too.

It seems that recently, WWE has taken to completely ignoring what their fans are telling them. The two glaring examples I’ve noticed recently are John Cena and new addition Fandango. People are tired of Cena. He’s supposed to be the most popular guy on the roster, but he’s getting booed out of arenas all over the country. Yet, he’s still being shoved down our throats.

Fandango is encountering the opposite problem. After people started “Fandango-ing” all over the place, the newcomer was being cheered when he entered the ring, yet the WWE’s writers insist on continuing to cast him as a heel, even though the fans obviously want to like him. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. WWE may write the storylines, but it’s the fans who decide whether a given performer is a heel or a face.

WWE needs to listen to the crowd’s reactions as much as they listen to the money, since it’s entirely possible for fans to hate something the company does, but continue to pour money into the organization hoping it will get better. I and several friends of mine were guilty of this when we bought our tickets to Wrestlemania, and I doubt we’re alone in that.