WWE's First Shows of 2026 Expose a Familiar Creative Problem

WWE's first week of 2026 wasn't exactly encouraging.

Make no mistake, there were some high points. That's especially the case with the apparent elevation of younger talent, with Bron Breakker taking a major role in a faction, Oba Femi on the way and Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes gaining serious momentum, to name a few. 

But there was an undercurrent around the whole thing, too: Will WWE actually trust in its young stars?

Because the counter to all the above is simple: WWE giving fans want they want and teasing the future during a bit of a quiet part of the calendar before reverting back to overrelying on veterans and even part-timers before WrestleMania again.

CM Punk is top dog right now, but there was never a truly believable idea that he would drop the title to Breakker. It's very obviously on his waist until at least the Royal Rumble, if not outright earmarked for someone like Seth Rollins, no matter how long it takes. 

Not that Breakker is in a bad spot. The Vision is the top faction storyline and capable of being the next Bloodline saga. But when Rollins returns and with Paul Heyman on a mic, is he really going to stand out amongst the pack like Roman Reigns did?

WWE has similar things going on with Superstars going the tag-team route. WWE was long overdue in getting Jey Uso off the singles circuit and back with Jimmy. That's going to liven up the tag-team scene, but whether Jey's absence from the singles circuit makes room for a young guy or veteran is very much up for debate.

Same thing for Rhea Ripley. Based on the current momentum, she's going to be with Iyo Sky for a few months at least, which might just put her in a tag match at WrestleMania. Is that to give breathing room for an AJ Lee-or-similar match, or a new face?

Then there's the topic of retirement tours. 

WWE justifiably gave John Cena a lengthy retirement tour last year. We could argue he deserved even more (he certainly deserved better). Next up might just be AJ Styles, so a chunk of programming will understandably go to that. 

But one has to wonder who does the retiring of Styles. Gunther putting down Cena was a little underwhelming, given all he's accomplished before that. Using it to springboard one of the company's next big things to even greater heights would be ideal. 

And we're far from done with the retirement talk. There's also Randy Orton. He's suddenly back and apparently free of doing programs with the likes of guys named Jelly Roll because he's hinted he wants to pursue a top title again. 

So, Orton's going to be in main-event programs, then perhaps shift gears into his own retirement tour of sorts once Styles leaves his boots in the ring. 

Oh, and we're still not done with retirement chats. There's also the spectre of Chris Jericho hanging over everything. 

There hasn't been anything official on Jericho returning to WWE, but it sure feels inevitable. Deserved, too, considering all of the historical context. One would think the Royal Rumble at the end of the month makes a ton of sense. 

But that's another main-event slot going to an aging veteran, conveniently ahead of a 'Mania event where WWE makes a habit of relying on the old and part-timers in an archaic attempt to lure in more casual audience (at an annual event that doesn't really need the help in the first place). 

Again, there is plenty of good. But it comes down to trust. Can fans trust WWE to trust its young talent in the biggest of spots and actually usher in this next generation? Or is 2026 a holding pattern as more of the old guard waves goodbye?

Good example? Trick Williams just had a fun promo exchange with Sami Zayn, but is the veteran in the apparent feud going to outshine the youngster? Similar vibes go to Drew McIntyre, who has been spinning his wheels near-endlessly near the top. 

WWE doesn't get the benefit of the doubt. The Triple H era started strong, but clearly coasted on the Bloodline saga and has had some miserable missteps. Tops among those were the repeated, baffling mistakes around all things Cena. 

So, while it's fun to point at some of these next big thing Superstars in prominent spots right now, it's hard to ignore the cloud of history that says by 'Mania season, it will be all about the veterans and the latest Brock Lesnar "return," among other tropes. 

It's a cynical view, no doubt, but a justified one, given the long lens of history. All WWE can do is prove it wrong through its actions, but the first week of 2026 was a mixed bag that certainly leaves the door open for doom and gloom.