On March 6, 2026, former WWE Superstar and commentator David Otunga spoke candidly during a livestream from Los Angeles about the challenges facing WWE, particularly addressing the dip in WrestleMania ticket sales. Otunga emphasized that WWE must focus on developing more prominent stars to reignite fan interest and improve its roster depth, highlighting the importance of character-building in wrestling.
Otunga pointed out that while WWE once relied heavily on compelling storylines to attract audiences, the current approach leans more toward marketing big events similarly to the Super Bowl. He argued that returning the emphasis to storytelling and star development is crucial.
“We need to make storylines, but we need other stars,”
Otunga said.
“If one of them isn’t drawn enough and we need to put somebody else in, then we need to build the other guy up.”
He also raised questions about the effectiveness of WWE’s performance training system, challenging his audience with,
“how many legitimate stars do we feel have been created homegrown from WWE developmental?”
Early Mentorship and Insights into Jade Cargill’s Rise
Despite his critical view of the current roster, Otunga praised the exceptional talent of Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley, calling them
“two of the biggest stars in the company”
and acknowledging that
“both of these women have the it factor.”
He then shared a personal story about his early connection with Cargill before her wrestling career began.
Otunga recalled how WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry reached out to him to speak with a young woman interested in entering professional wrestling.
“Mark Henry asked me if I would talk to somebody, a young lady who was interested in getting into professional wrestling and just wanted to ask me some questions,”
Otunga said.
“I got on the phone with a young lady who introduced herself as Jade.”
During their conversation, Otunga offered advice and reassured her about being connected to Henry. He explained,
“talked gave some advice told her well i mean if you’re already connected with mark henry you’re in great hands.”
Watching Jade Cargill’s successful journey since that initial call has been gratifying for Otunga, who reflected,
“From what I’ve seen, she had a great career there, super proud of her,”
and added,
“I’m super impressed to see how far she came from that first phone call with us when she was considering it.”
Looking ahead to her upcoming WrestleMania event, Otunga expressed excitement about her potential main event status.
“Amazing for her to now be in WWE and in a WrestleMania, potentially main event as the Women’s Champion, that’s awesome and really cool,”
he remarked.
Livestream Covers Ticket Prices and Star Rumors
The lengthy livestream ventured beyond roster discussions, touching on concerns about the rising costs of WrestleMania tickets and fan speculation involving prominent wrestlers such as Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, and Randy Orton. Otunga described the broadcast as a “stream of consciousness,” reflecting his intense concern about WWE’s future and its ability to maintain audience enthusiasm.
The Importance of Star Development for WWE’s Future
David Otunga’s reflections bring into sharp focus the pressing need for WWE to cultivate new stars through character development and storylines, rather than relying primarily on event hype alone. His personal connection to Jade Cargill’s early days offers a glimpse into how mentorship and opportunity within wrestling can shape future champions. As WrestleMania approaches, the impact of generating fresh talent like Cargill will likely play a critical role in sustaining WWE’s growth and fan engagement.
