Why WWE Has Moved Away from Political Storylines

Politics in the world of professional wrestling is nothing new as quite a few storylines over the past several years have been deeply involved with the political climate at the time. With that said, the reason behind WWE no longer doing political angles has been revealed.

While speaking to Fightful, Sami Zayn was asked about the dynamic between Canada and the U.S., especially with the ongoing tariff issues, and how it might affect the WWE crowd in Toronto during the weekend.

Zayn proceeded to talk about politics in pro wrestling and said that WWE has always reflected history and society in its stories. In the past, wrestling included heels based on real-world conflicts. During the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s, Sergeant Slaughter was part of a storyline linked to Iraq. In the 1950s, there were Nazi and Japanese villains because of past wars.

“I like talking about wrestling in depth, especially as a reflective art form. Wrestling has always mirrored history and society, showing how it reflects the world at different times. Throughout history, wrestling has often represented the political climate of the time. In the ’90s during the Persian Gulf War, we had Sergeant Slaughter involved with Iraq. Before that, in the ’50s, there were Nazi villains, Japanese villains—whoever the political enemies were at the time, wrestling reflected that.”

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Zayn then stated that WWE does not include politics in its shows anymore. He explained why that’s the cse, stating that this change reflects today’s world, where people are more sensitive to political topics. WWE gives fans a break from real-world problems so they can enjoy the show without thinking about serious issues.

Since politics affects daily life, like the cost of food and gas, Zayn says people want a place where they don’t have to think about it. WWE provides that escape, especially now that politics feels like its own kind of entertainment.

“Now, in a strange way, we’re doing the opposite. WWE doesn’t touch politics at all anymore. The political climate isn’t reflected in the product, and in some ways, that itself is a reflection of society. People today are very sensitive to these topics. But more importantly, I think WWE is meant to be an escape from all that.

Politics is felt in day-to-day life—things like tariffs affecting grocery store prices or gas prices. People are already dealing with those issues in their real lives. When they watch WWE, they want to forget about all that. WWE provides an escape, especially now that politics has become almost like its own form of entertainment.”

This comes after the likes of Hulk Hogan fully endorsed Donald Trump throughout his Presidential Election run and beyond. Regardless, WWE has changed its focus to pure entertainment, steering clear of political themes. By avoiding divisive real-world issues, the company ensures that fans can enjoy the action without distractions from everyday struggles and many fans feel that is ultimately for the best.

Do you think WWE made the right call in moving away from political storylines, or should wrestling still reflect real-world conflicts? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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