WWE Raw has gone through different creative teams, major roster changes, and an entirely new era under Triple H, but there’s apparently one thing that hasn’t changed much in over 20 years — the way the show is actually put together behind the scenes.
During the October 31 edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, former WWE writer and current MLW owner Court Bauer discussed how professional wrestling television has evolved over the years. And while the presentation might look different today, Bauer claims the actual production format being used for Raw is practically identical to what WWE was doing when he worked there more than two decades ago.
The conversation started when Dave Meltzer brought up Eric Bischoff’s influence on modern wrestling television. Meltzer argued that Bischoff helped establish the format that wrestling companies still follow today, moving away from television shows built primarily around squash matches and toward weekly programming featuring major storylines and competitive matches. Bauer agreed, pointing out that the basic structure of wrestling television hasn’t really evolved as much as fans might think.
“That’s the thing I bring up a lot is the format has not changed.”
But Bauer wasn’t just talking about the way wrestling looks on television. He claimed to have seen a leaked modern WWE Raw script, and what caught his attention was how familiar everything looked. According to Bauer, the show’s production rundown was essentially the same as the format WWE used when he worked for the company in the mid-2000s.
“I’ve seen like a leaked, you know, modern day script from say WWE Raw or something. That format, that run sheet is identical to when I was there.”
And considering how much WWE has changed since then, Bauer couldn’t believe how little the actual structure had evolved. Meltzer immediately pointed out just how long ago Bauer’s WWE tenure was, making the comparison even more interesting.
“That’s over 20 years ago.”
That’s a pretty surprising revelation considering everything WWE has gone through since the mid-2000s. The company has moved from Vince McMahon overseeing creative to Triple H running the process, transitioned into the streaming era, and completely changed how it distributes its programming. Yet according to Bauer, the internal structure used to organize Raw’s segments and production remains almost exactly the same.
The discussion also raised a bigger point about Eric Bischoff’s lasting influence on professional wrestling. Meltzer argued that the television format Bischoff helped establish during WCW’s Monday Nitro era became the blueprint that WWE and other wrestling promotions have continued using for decades. Bauer suggested that while companies have made adjustments to storytelling and presentation, the fundamental structure has stayed largely untouched.
Do you think WWE Raw needs to change its television format after more than 20 years, or is the current structure still working? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
