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Reports have recently emerged that WWE is actively lobbying US states to legalize betting on wrestling matches, prompting discussions about how the company might handle match outcomes differently. In light of this, a former WWE writer highlighted how locking in results months in advance would significantly depart from previous practices.
Brian Gewirtz, a former WWE writer, recently appeared on The Bill Simmons Podcast, sharing his experiences with the company. Gewirtz began by recounting the story of WrestleMania 18 when The Rock was slated to defeat Hulk Hogan.
However, on the day of the event, the outcome almost changed.
Hogan's WrestleMania 18 Outcome Doubts
Gewirtz explained, "I know there were WrestleMania matches, one very, very prominent one with The Rock that didn't change, but the day of, it almost changed." Bill Simmons said the story was about the iconic WrestleMania 18 match between The Rock and Hulk Hogan.
According to Simmons, Hogan began to have second thoughts about losing the match, which led to discussions about altering the outcome. Gewirtz highlighted how big moments in WWE history have only sometimes been planned months in advance.
Some segments have been kept top secret until they happen. He provided an example from WrestleMania 30, where he had been working on a part featuring The Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Steve Austin. He said Hogan was unaware of the segment's details until he walked through the curtain.
He also recounted another instance when he was informed that "The Streak" – a reference to The Undertaker's legendary winning streak at WrestleMania – would end that night. He spoke to one of the lead writers, who was also in the dark about the decision.
This is a prime example of how monumental choices were often made at the last minute rather than being planned months in advance. If WWE moves towards legalizing gambling on matches, they may need to adopt a more structured approach to determining match outcomes.
This would mark a significant change in how the company has traditionally operated. While it's unclear how this shift impacts the overall quality of WWE programming, it is undoubtedly a departure from the last-minute decision-making that has characterized some of the most memorable moments in the company's history.