WWE has made a string of recent gs to help elevate and bolster their men's and women's divisions, and has also introduced two new women's midcard championships into the mix, allowing more competition among a crowded field waiting for their top spot. A consistent and recurring theme throughout recent WWE programming is that these performers are, in some cases, better than the main event matches, which was fully apparent in the two other title matches from the live event, and it's time to find another word for these performers to give them the proper prestige they have earned.
From a historical standpoint, the "midcard" of a wrestling program has featured several significantly more technically sound matches and programs than the main event, structured specifically to be more spectacle than performance. By definition, "midcard" means performers and matches that promotions consider either "not ready for prime time" or stories that drive another Superstar further up the card, and allow fans a chance to see something more advanced. However, with the talent level and quality of matches that these performers are showing, it's time to stop calling them "midcarders."
WWE's Midcard Title Matches Stole the Show at Backlash
Jacob Fatu and Lyra Valkyria Shine Brightly as the Future of WWE
Although John Cena and Randy Orton have been mainstays in WWE for over two decades, the steep reality is that these performers will only have so much left to give while they can, and WWE needs to create new Superstars to take their place and begin the torch ing without sacrificing the new talent's ability to get over. The Backlash main event was another all-timer in the feud between Cena and Orton, but the real meat of the show was the two other championship matches on the card: Jacob Fatu's defense of the United States Championship, and Lyra Valkyria's defense of the Women's Intercontinental Championship.
Fatu, arguably one of the fastest-growing Superstars in of popularity and technical skills, dispatched three top-tier Superstars in WWE during his outing, and Valkyria, crowned as the inaugural Women's Intercontinental Champion, put on a clinic with the legend Becky Lynch that accomplished exactly what it intended to: make Valkyria and the championship look strong. Fans and commentators came away heaping more praise on these two performances and matches than the star-studded main event, and it's obvious that both champions are destined to not only make it to the top of the card, but reshape what the "midcard" looks like and means.
The Star Power of WWE's Midcard Scene Is Unbelievable
gs Aplenty Have Bolstered the Ranks to New Heights
In the TKO era of WWE, the company has made a significant effort to sign and retain key talents in the industry, taking them away from either AEW or other competitive companies that aren't in their direct scope or collaboration. Penta, Rey Fenix, Giulia, and Stephanie Vaquer are the recent major WWE gs that have bolstered the ranks, and combined with the returning Aleister Black and Rusev, the over-as-ever Karrion Kross, the Women's United States Championship volleying of Chelsea Green and Zelina Vega, and the collaborative partnership with TNA that gave way to talents like Jordynne Grace and Joe Hendry being involved with WWE, have only solidified just how great this midcard is.
Not since the days of Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude, and Bam Bam Bigelow have fans seen a midcard as prolific and stacked as we have now, and WWE has a tremendous advantage and opportunity to capitalize on its gains. With a renewed focus on the lucha libre scene after the acquisition of AAA, WWE's midcard feels like a combination of the WCW cruiserweight division meeting the 1990s star power of WWE, and it's nothing but positives and upward mobility for the talent and the company.
When Talent and Matches Are Main Event Level, It Shouldn't Be Called Midcard
It's Past Time For a New Designation for This Section of the Card
With so much star power and main event performance happening in this section of the card, referring to this section as "midcard" feels insulting at best, demeaning at worst. It's impossible to view this level of talent in WWE and this segment of the roster as anything other than main event players, capable of putting on a tremendous effort in line with some of the best technical work of all time, and it's overdue that the section gets an upgraded and updated designation.
Whether it's a new term or a new name for the division, WWE owes it to the segment of the locker room to elevate the stature of the performers beyond the outdated "midcard" label and create something that captures the essence of both the talent and the energy in these matches and segments. WWE's future is in good hands, and it's time to reward them with something more fitting to what they do, and to help infer that they are as popular as the main event players.
