Roman Reigns is once again leading The Bloodline. (Credit: Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images)WWE via Getty ImagesWWE’s booking has become a hot topic in pro wrestling circles in 2026, and in most cases, not because it’s being praised.From roughly late 2022 to mid-2025, WWE was in its biggest boom period since the Attitude Era, but over the past year, that boom is fizzling out and is more like a small firecracker. That certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by critics across the wrestling landscape either, as they have taken to social media to highlight WWE’s booking wooes.Former WWE star Stevie Richards recently bashed the company’s booking as “soulless” under the TKO banner. Ditto for MMA analyst Ariel Helwani. The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, meanwhile was a little more forgiving, calling WWE’s booking “super patterned and not as inspired" as it had been previously:WWE’s noticeable downturn in the quality of its programming has hindered the quality of both Raw and SmackDown in 2026, often making its two flagship shows a difficult watch week and in week out. And for every Oba Femi or Trick Williams who’s breaking out as a major star, WWE’s directionless and lackluster creative planning have hampered numerous stars across both brands.Here are five notable WWE stars who are struggling with lackluster booking as Triple H’s creative regime plays it safe with consistently mundane storylines.ForbesWWE Announces King And Queen Of The Ring Tournaments—Here Are The Top Choices To WinBy Blake OestriecherMORE FOR YOUJordynne GraceJordynne Grace is one of the most unique and impressive talents in WWE’s women’s division, but you wouldn’t know it if all you’ve seen is her main roster run.After debuting on WWE SmackDown earlier this year, Grace almost immediately entered a TV feud with then-world champion Jade Cargill. After suffering an injury in March, Grace returned to WWE programming several weeks later only to disappear from SmackDown again without any real explanation.While Grace has been appearing on Main Event, that is a C-tier show that is rarely even acknowledged on Raw or SmackDown. When Grace came to WWE after a successful run in TNA, there were sky high expectations for the star and her potential as a world champion and cornerstone of the stacked women’s division.Thus far, that hasn’t materialized, and as SmackDown’s women’s division becomes more crowded by the week with the additions of stars like Jacy Jayne and Blake Monroe, Grace continues to be failed by Triple H and the creative team.Ilja DragunovIlja Dragunov is one of the best in-ring performers in the world. That’s hard to argue.Yet, WWE reportedly does not view Dragunov as a “top guy” despite his stellar United States Championship run and consistently amazing in-ring performances. That would, at least partially, explain his recent absence from SmackDown, which inexplicably hasn’t found the space for him despite being three hours long and generally struggling to fill up 180 minutes every week.Dragunov would likely thrive in a company like AEW, which prioritizes in-ring performances more than WWE, but it’s still difficult to believe WWE’s supposed justification that Dragunov is not a “top guy.”How could anyone in WWE possibly even know that if he’s not given the chance to prove otherwise?The BloodlineJust because something worked in the past, that doesn’t mean it will work again. Exhibit A: The Bloodline.WWE clearly views the Roman Reigns-led stable as its “break glass in case of emergency” go-to storyline. The main portion of this seemingly neverending saga extends way back to 2020, and yet, here we are in 2026 and it’s still going on. Post-WrestleMania 42, WWE changed its creative direction for a number of top stars, and one of the biggest dominoes to fall was Reigns actually being a solo act.Instead, WWE fans are right back where we were six years ago, with Reigns as the leader of The Bloodline, only this time in a supposed babyface role. The problem is, Reigns still acts like a heel while Jey Uso, despite winning the Royal Rumble and becoming world champion, is back to being his lackey. Meanwhile, Jacob Fatu is no better off now than he was two years ago.It’s easy to understand why WWE would go back to the well with The Bloodline given its importance in the company’s revitalization over the past few years. But it feels repetetive and safe, not groundbreaking or exciting.BayleyMuch has been made of Bayley’s status with WWE amid creative frustrations and a decreased push over the past couple of years. Now comes word that Bayley’s WWE contract expires in late 2026.Bayley’s contract status will certainly be something to keep an eye on too, especially given Bayley’s notoriously close relationship with AEW’s Mercedes Mone. As WWE continues to push women’s division’s stalwarts like Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch in prominent roles, the same can’t be said of Bayley.Ever since Bayley’s great heel run, Royal Rumble win and babyface turn two years ago, she’s been stuck in midcard mediocrity on Raw, mostly involved in the Intercontinental title scene alongside Lyra Valkyria. That really has done nothing for Bayley or anyone else involved for that matter, instead feeling never-ending.A move to SmackDown could perhaps help Bayley, but Triple H, a big supporter of hers in the past, doesn’t seem to inclined to push her at the top anymore.Royce KeysAfter debuting in the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble, Royce Keys disappeared from TV for months without explanation before finally making his way to SmackDown.Since then? Eh, things haven’t gone quite as well as planned.After losing to Talla Tanga on last week’s SmackDown, Keys has now lost three consecutive TV matches and is stuck in a storyline with Solo Sikoa, one of the stalest TV acts in WWE. That’s not necessarily a good sign for how WWE views Keys, whose crowd reactions haven’t been all that great either.Keys is undoubtedly a tremendous talent with strong upside, but a lengthy absence post-debut and an unclear push on SmackDown have left the former AEW star in a state of flux in WWE.