The bitter rivalry between "The Rated R Superstar" and "The Apex Predator" was taken to the next level after Randy Orton, during his promo against Edge, broke the cardinal WWE rule and actually uttered the word "wrestling." Words such as "wrestling" and "wrestler" have reportedly been banned from WWE broadcasting for years, highlighting one of the most ludicrous edicts WWE has ever put in place.
It's almost unfathomable that a ban on "wrestling" would even exist in a wrestling company, especially when the very word is in its actual name. Still, World Wrestling Entertainment has banned the term and many others from WWE programming. Allegedly, Vince associates the word with southern "rasslin'" and has always wanted to distance his company from the southern wrestling territories he feels are beneath him. Thus, Vince created the phrase, "Sports Entertainment" to distinguish WWE programming from the other wrestling promotions.
The current Executive Director of Raw, Paul Heyman, doesn't share Vince's sentiments and has pushed for the ban to be lifted. After much persuasion, it would appear Heyman has gotten through to Vince, at least for the Edge and Randy Orton match, as "The Viper" has challenged Edge to a " straight-up wrestling" match.
Not only is Randy Orton liberally using words like "wrestling" and "wrestler," it appears WWE is using the terminology to promote the match. Charly Caruso and the Raw Announce Team have even billed it as potentially, "the greatest wrestling match ever," with Orton dubbing himself as the "better wrestler" to Edge. While the billing is absurd, hearing the announcers and Superstars saying "wrestling" on the air could be a sign that WWE is finally embracing the term, and that's a major plus.
The "sports entertainment" aspects of WWE haven't exactly been well-received by the WWE Universe. Segments like The Viking Raiders' Carpool Karaoke and their cringe-worthy competitions with the Street Profits have cemented themselves into wrestling's hall of shame. That's not to say that sports entertainment doesn't have a place in modern-day pro wrestling, but even during the empty arena shows, actual wrestling continues to be the main attraction. Why shouldn't WWE embrace that as other wrestling companies have?
WWE's arch-rival, AEW, has often mocked WWE's "sports entertainment" aspects and hasn't been shy about marketing itself as a real "wrestling" company. Ironically, when AEW does, book a sports entertainment segment, it presents it better than WWE. At any rate, AEW has no issues with the word "wrestling" and is far more interested in presenting themselves as a wrestling company, conducting wrestling matches and promoting their wrestlers. Because of this, AEW is receiving a far better fan response by embracing wrestling as opposed to WWE, which is blatantly embarrassed by it.
Of course, one might cut Vince a little slack considering some of the negative stereotypes surrounding professional wrestling, and yes, it's hard to argue that Mr. McMahon marketing his company as "sports entertainment" has been anything less than a success. However, at the end of the day, the WWE Universe wants wrestling. WWE fans aren't tuning in for karaoke, ax-throwing competitions or "comedy" skits. Fans tune in to see in-ring action, especially during this time where other professional sports are on stand-by. "Wrestling" isn't a negative term, and the sooner WWE realizes this by lifting its silly ban on the word, the sooner Vince McMahon will see that wrestling and sports entertainment are actually one and the same.