WWE has a good problem on its hands—its biggest PLE matches are getting a little too predictable with the outcomes.

Just look at the announced major title matches for SummerSlam on August 3. It's near-impossible to see Solo Sikoa dethroning Cody Rhodes. It feels super obvious Gunther will take down Damian Priest. And barring some stunning Judgment Day happenings, Rhea Ripley winning over Liv Morgan seems like the move.

It's a problem that has extended back for a long while now. Even at WrestleMania, it was pretty clear that Rhodes was going finally get the win over Roman Reigns.

Yet this budding issue, at least partially, is a byproduct of good storytelling and character work.

Before the Triple H era of creative booking, fans took issue with short title reigns and a lack of long-term storytelling. Frankly, the company leaned far too hard on part-timers and popping "moments" to keep things interesting, too.

Now, the company's top titles revolve around stunning character work and narratives found within the likes of the Bloodline and Judgment Day. The trickle-down effect of the top titles being involved with these stories is that mid-card titles like the Intercontinental strap have become main events in their own right.

What's interesting is how WWE combats this "problem" now. Back when Reigns was top dog, fans weren't happy when just another Bloodline interference swung the results.

But this will force those at the controls to get creative in order for this to avoid becoming an actual serious issue that causes fan indifference. That's why, while polarizing, the usage of the men's Money in the Bank briefcase was pretty compelling.

When McIntyre, still blinded by fury, used his briefcase on the same night he won it, it gave the strategic Punk an excuse to ruin something else for him. That enhanced the best-running feud in pro wrestling and, as a byproduct, removed a briefcase stipulation that has no place in the current era of long-running men's champions.

Creativity and swerves will need to define some of the stale nature at these PLEs in the big matches, then. But who is going to complain all that much if say, at SummerSlam, Seth Rollins gets his revenge and makes the Punk-McIntyre clash a no-contest that sets up a triple-threat later? Not many, especially when those three guys can't be around the non-Cody Rhodes top title because we're heading toward Gunther's big moment and a lengthy reign of his own.

Still, that predictability at the top—that makes the other title scenes unpredictable because it's all the rest of the roster has to chase—meshes well with the product WWE wants to present in 2024.

Meaning those top title scenes, just like those in UFC and others, don't change hands often. That can mean obvious outcomes, but it also equates to huge fan investment in title matches and organic, earned memorable moments when a title change does happen. Think, the stunner (and right choice!) when Reigns beat Rhodes at 'Mania the first time, only for Rhodes to beat him a year later in the rematch.

Obvious outcomes can play into stories incredibly well, too. Reigns and his title felt like a major, beyond-pro-wrestling event when he showed up even on weekly programming. What if, for example, fans grow "stale" on a long Rhodes title run and he turns on fans in a Homelander-type way for an epic heel run? Fantasy-booking, obviously, but an example of how Superstars could play into the new reality, too.

One could even argue this makes weekly programming more entertaining, too. Oversaturation of the product has been a problem for years and Raw's three-hour run time is still questionable. But it's hard to justify missing out on an episode when something as huge as Rhea Ripley's return isn't strictly limited to a PLE ending.

Considering WWE has already pared down the number of PLEs per year and done away with some of the archaic, gimmick-based ones, the effect of the predictability won't be felt nearly as much as it could. One could argue that it sure beats the tar out of shoving a Hell in a Cell into a feud that doesn't need it or silly TLC stipulations, etc.

So while the predictable PLE results are becoming an issue, perhaps that's just the compromise. If the tradeoff for a little more predictability is earned big moments and healthier storytelling across the rosters, it seems fair enough.

Like anything in pro wrestling, though, balance is a must. Lengthy title runs bleeding into obvious PLE outcomes has enabled much and even helped weekly programming, but WWE will need to keep being unique in the ways it navigates the hurdle.

Luckily for fans, this pretty undeniable golden era has done just fine so far and given no warning signs that it will struggle to navigate this months and even years from now.