There are over 200 wrestlers on the WWE roster today, based on statistical data made available by The SmackDown Hotel. Once we take a closer look at the data, we notice that there are a lot of wrestlers in their late 30s and 40s. That’s not a bad thing, but many of these stars have been with the company for a long time now. The main event scene is dominated by stars like Roman Reigns, CM Punk, John Cena, Seth Rollins, and Cody Rhodes today. Most of them are past 40, or around that number. The point of a wrestling promotion is to build new stars so that they can become the new faces of the company. With the main event scene now saturated with older wrestlers, one can say WWE struggles to create new stars. But I say that we’re looking at it the wrong way, and that age has just become a number in professional wrestling.
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A Big Chunk Of The WWE Roster Is Almost 40 Or More
WWE Was Repeatedly Using The Same Main Event Stars
- NXT wrestlers had a median age under 30.
- According to data, 50% of the WWE roster was over the age of 35 in 2024.
- Many of these wrestlers were featured in the main event regularly.
This graph was posted by Wrestlenomics on their X account. It shows the median age of wrestlers in different promotions back in 2023. Now, there are some interesting details here.
Like, for instance, the median age of a wrestler in NXT was 29 just two years back. This has been consistent with the previous years (except for 2018-2021) because NXT was created to develop new talent.
The Raw and SmackDown charts showed that half the roster was over the age of 35, and for their premium live events, this number was 36. It’s not a big jump, but if every other wrestler on the show is almost 40, then the focus is no longer on building new stars. They’re just rotating through a set of established wrestlers who’ve been around for a while.
Let’s take a look at some more numbers. The average median age of active wrestlers featured in matches hasn’t changed dramatically in the past few years, especially on the WWE side of things. In 2024, this number was 34.7 for the main roster and 28.4 for NXT.
At first glance, this data shows one major weakness in WWE’s booking: over-reliability on older wrestlers. That sounds like a bad thing, but when we add more context, suddenly the picture changes.
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Wrestlers Are Not Allowed To Do Things That Are Too Risky
- WWE used to have a more hectic schedule.
- The PG era meant blood spots and chair shots being banned.
- WWE matches today are much safer.
Wrestling has changed quite a lot since the 90s. Back then, the pressure was high, and a lot of wrestlers had to work even if they weren’t in the best shape, because if they didn’t, someone else would take their spot, and they may never get it back. WWE was also strict with its schedule. Most wrestlers worked house shows whenever they weren’t on television, and the hectic travel routine, along with the constant tearing of their bodies, barely gave them enough time to relax. Many became more injury-prone due to this, and some continued to push through the pain and work even when their bodies weren’t at their best.
In many ways, the transition to PG helped WWE wrestlers. Blood spots became prohibited, and excessively violent matches have become a rare sight. Most fans are aware of the phrase “WWE style of wrestling”. But what does that even mean? This refers to a formula WWE uses most of the time. There aren’t many high-risk spots involved in this style of wrestling, which helps minimize the risk for wrestlers. With time, WWE also banned certain things, such as chair shots to the head and other risky maneuvers that were more likely to cause injuries. WWE matches, compared to other promotions, focus more on camera work and crowd control than pure athleticism. While many fans don’t like how WWE matches look, it’s all for the safety of their performers.
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WWE Wrestlers Work Less, Live Healthier Lifestyles, & Have Access To Better Medical Care
Fewer Shows Means Less Damage To The Body
- Stars like Seth Rollins have talked about how a reduced schedule will extend their careers.
- Other wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio have chosen advanced medical treatment to fix their bodies.
- WWE’s Wellness Policy also keeps their wrestlers healthy.
Recently, WWE talked about their plans to cut down house shows even further. They’ve been doing fewer shows than before, but this isn’t costing them more revenue, probably due to increased demand and higher ticket prices. Fans aren’t so happy about this, but it’s great news for wrestlers. As opposed to before, talent now get more time to recover and be at 100% for their next match instead of constantly bruising their already beaten-up body multiple times per week. Seth Rollins, during an Insight podcast episode, said:
“I feel like I’ll be able to extend my career probably longer than I thought I was going to and then it just depends on where I want to go from there.” (H/T SEScoops)
Medical science has also seen a huge improvement over the years. Rey Mysterio, who opted for stem cell therapy, told TV Insider:
“I feel like it truly gave me longevity. I wasn’t waking up with aches. I was waking up pain-free from my knee. I truly feel this has rejuvenated me and added years to my career. During the last treatment I did in April of this year, I felt an incredible difference. This and everything I do to maintain my health has helped me perform the way I’ve been able to perform.”
So, even though most wrestlers we see on WWE programming, especially in the main event, are “old” by our standards, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing. WWE wrestlers now work a reduced schedule, receive the best medical care possible in case of injuries, are not expected to perform flashy moves regularly, and on top of that, most of them are living a relatively healthier lifestyle (we might have to thank WWE’s Wellness Policy for that). It means they can work longer than before at a high level.
