Words by: Mimi JLWrestling meets the culture, and the culture meets wrestling. WWE has always been about larger-than-life moments. This week's Monday Night Raw at Madison Square Garden in NYC felt like it. Lately, more than ever, WWE has been giving us an extra flex with its crossover appeal. What used to be a wrestling ring has turned into a full-blown entertainment runway. Where celebrities from actors, music artists, fashion, and sports tap-in, not just to spectate but to participate. It feels like a two-way street where WWE gets mainstream visibility while artists and brands get access to one of the most diehard, engaged fanbases in the world. However, this isn't new for them. WWE's been in the celebrity game for decades. But lately, it's been leveled up.
The Blueprint: WWE's Celebrity Playbook
Before Bad Bunny hit Canadian destroyers and The Weeknd was soundtracking consecutive PLEs, Vince McMahon had already laid the groundwork.
The Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection (1980s)
The partnership with MTV made wrestling a must-watch pop culture, with Cyndi Lauper being a huge proponent of the Rock’n’Wrestling Connection, or Run-DMC brought the vibes at Wrestlemania V. WrestleManias weren't just wrestling events. They were the beginning of cultural moments. As the WWF in 1987, they thought of trying their hand and tapped into the video game world, dropping their first game for the NES, WWF WrestleMania.
The 90s & Early 2000s
WWE doubled down on crossovers when Aretha Franklin sang America the Beautiful at WrestleMania III, and at WrestleMania XXII, Lil' Kim laced Trish Stratus' theme music. At the same time, acts like Salt-n-Pepa and Jagged Edge have also made their presence felt.
The Modern Era (2010s-Present)
WWE began incorporating celebrities to perform and help set the tone for entire events. Flo Rida and The Weeknd became the sound of WrestleMania and SummerSlam. At present, they have leaned into the culture, bringing out Lil Wayne and Travis Scott, or having Megan Thee Stallion with BTS creating music for WWE show intros. Long before Bad Bunny gave us epic in-ring moments, Mr. T, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Lawrence Taylor, and even Shaq stepped into the squared circle for entertainment and smart business.
Is Wrestling a Lifestyle Now?
What was once just a wrestling company is now woven into lifestyle brands. WWE is not just on sports pages and platforms; don't be surprised to see shoutouts on Hypebeast, Complex, Billboard, and Rolling Stone. The game is changing, and TKO Group Holdings (WWE's parent company under Endeavor) knows what they are doing. They're becoming a part of pop culture while shaping it in the process. We're only getting started if the latest celebrity link-ups are any sign.
Mutual Visibility = Mutual Wins
It's easy to see what WWE gets from this: crossover appeal, mainstream buzz, and an expanded audience. When Travis Scott shows up at the first Raw on Netflix with Jey Uso, hip-hop, lifestyle publications and sports media take notice. When The Final Boss shows up to give someone a talking to, his Teremana and Papatui brands get a bit of a boost.
But celebrities aren't just doing WWE a favor; they are tapping into a loyal fanbase that shows up and spends money. Wrestling fans ride hard for anything woven into the wrestling space, and that's why these collabs make sense. WWE isn't just borrowing mainstream heat; it’s also lending a platform with millions of eyes, making it an ideal launchpad for album drops, Fabulous' most recent release, upcoming Netflix shows (lead-ins due to their multimillion-dollar partnership), or even unintentional recent sneaker drops like Roman Reigns in the upcoming Nigel Sylvester Air Jordan 4's.
Translation?
Since January 6's star-studded premiere, Monday Night Raw ratings have steadily declined; 2.6 million viewers on the February 24 episode. After Netflix's seven-day rollout, March 3 hit 3.1 million viewers. Is that the celeb cosign effect or is WWE's global brand evolution pulling in new subscribers who don't want to miss out on the road to WrestleMania? (which one would say is designed for the casuals). Is WWE the new must-watch Entertainment Weekly in the mainstream? If they lock in this momentum, could this be one of the greatest brand evolution case studies fans have witnessed?
Time is continuing to tell.
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