The Wrestling Thread Is The Only One Who Can Have Me - Part 226

[venom892]

I look forward to seeing AJ in feuds with Ambrose,Orton,Ziggler,Bray Wyatt and Crews, especially for a world title.

AJ is the most exciting aspect of SD. His fued with Cena is still fresh an he has frsh fueds in the waiting with Wyatt, Orton, Ambrose and others.

 

[Slushy]

Wait...so Raw now exclusively has a cruiserweight wrestling division...

Yet they currently only have 2-4 cruiserweights if going by the CWC rules.

WAT.

Also Raw has the Tag Team title, United States title, and Womens title? Perhaps even the WWE title (If Ambrose loses at Battleground).

I hope titles can switch brands once in awhile. Because there goes "legitimizing" Smackdown. Unless WWE thinks having Cena there does that alone.

RAW: WWE Title after Battleground, US Title, Womens, Tag Title, and soon Cruiserweight Title.

Smackdown: World Heavyweight Title and Intercontinental title. Smackdown needs another women's title and to bring back the world tag titles.

 

[Wheels]

Becky, Alexa and Nattie are the 3 best on Smackdown. Raw was given way too many female wrestlers. Paige should have been put on Smackdown to balance things out more.

I like Alexa. Heck, I like Carmella, but the idea of them hanging with Becky or Nattie is not believable at this point. They never even had one "tear the house down" moment on NXT TV.

 

[The Apocalypse]

I don't understand why they didn't pin Carmella with Enzo and Cass just to get her going in the right direction.

 

[Loki882]

Smackdown also suffers from a lack of female babyfaces as well right now. We've like two over there. I kind of want Bayley to go over to SD. It'd give that brand a boost, bring in another babyface, she and Becky could tear it up, and we'd have two Horsewomen on either show. Plus there wouldn't be danger that she'd get pushed back by the Sasha/Charlotte stuff (like poor Becky was for so long).

And it'd get people excited/talking (no disrespect to Carmella and Alexa intended, but were a lot of people clamoring for them to get called up, let alone before Bayley and Asuka)? And Nia, although she has potential and has improved, is still green/learning. So you might end up with another Dana Brooke situation.

And the CW's on Raw is just bizarre. They would seem to fit SD so much more.

 

[Loki882]

Del Rio pushed to the top on Smackdown? Oh goody. That guy sure gets a positive or negative reaction from the WWE audience.......I think Del Rio is a good wrestler but he doesn't get a response.

I'm surprised that they haven't done an angle where he and Paige team up yet? I mean Edge and Lita, Matt Hardy and Lita, Rusev and Lana, The Miz and Maryse, CM Punk and AJ Lee, heck Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth, etc. It's not like they don't have a track record of this.

 

[chamber-music]

I think Bayley will be Sasha's partner at battleground and is essentially called up.

I understand why they didn't bring up Asuka. I don't think they want to completely gut the NXT women's division by sending all the top talent up in one go.

Perhaps they will turn Naomi face or something to balance things out.

 

[Loki882]

Given his track record, I cannot completely dismiss the notion that Asuka isn't getting called up because of her age (she's 34) and her being Asian. I could see Vince feeling that she's "over the hill" age-wise and thus not worth investing time on the main roster in. Also WWE's track record with Asian talent ain't great overall.

 

[Wheels]

I swear Smackdown needs RVD, Carlito, MVP, Sandow, or Barrett or something.

 

[Tvar10]

Heres my prediction:

At Battleground Rollins beats Ambrose and Reigns for the title. Cena gets the pin on AJ making it 1-1

Smackdown has no title so they do a tournament to name a new World Heavyweight Champion at Summer Slam

SS features Styles and Cena 3 for the title

Styles wins to be named new champion of SD

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Asuka and Joe are the NXT champions. It's more of a hassle to draft them than to just wait a little bit.

 

[Metallo]

I can't believe they split up the Wyatts.

Either Kane must REALLY love the business or he needs the money. I mean, he's the last REAL Attitude Era guy hanging around.

Mizzark is still around though it seems like he is winding down to retirement.

It still surprises me about Cena on Smackdown

Like someone else said I figure with USA wanting Smackdowns ratings up Cena will be chef to help with that along with going live. Putting a top guy there makes it look like the show is worth watching to some people instead of skipping

Plus with Cena transitioning into a part time special attraction I think he will serve a role similar to The Undertakers role on Smackdown ten years ago. I guess Rollins or someone else will be the full time face the way Batista was.

I imagine the E has their eyes on Adam Cole especially and Lethal, too.

HMm...Lethal Consequences fued.

Some Internet fans are convinced Helmsley created NXT to put the other promotions out of business.

I don't think I believe that since it would be crazy and stupid on so many different levels but I do think we have the NXT we have now in its current form to tap into some of that indie business and indie market. That way they're drawing more interest from even more corners of the wrestling fanbase and may get some people to tune into WWE programming who normally wouldn't. On a world of a shrinking audience it can't hurt.

I'm assuming they left out some of the "big" NXT call ups to save them for future surprises. It makes better sense to see Bayley go to Raw or Smackdown outside of the draft so they can make a big deal out of it. Ditto with Asuka.

...But then we see people like Mojo, Eva Marie, and Nia Jax get the call and I don't get excited at all.

Yeah I agree. I see Bayley making a much bigger debut than just being one of many draftees.

I feel like they made the SD side look rather stupid. Almost all the really over groups went to Raw. And the good, young talent almost all went to Raw, where they probably won't get much play. I don't get it.

Raws the A show in their eyes. Always has been no matter what they say to fans or the network.

I'm just bummed out because Smackdown is going to have to run the same main events constantly. Get ready for the worst "great rivalry" in WWE history to return: Cena vs Orton.

Shh! You'll scare children and small animals saying things like that!

Women's divisions

Raw:

Charlotte – WWE Women’s Champion
Sasha Banks
Lana
Nia Jax
Paige
Summer Rae
Alicia Fox
Dana Brooke


SmackDown:

Becky Lynch
Maryse
Natalya
Naomi
Alexa Bliss
Eva Marie
Carmella

Only two face women on each roster Smackdown (Becky and Carmella). Raw (Paige and Sasha Banks).

Man...brand exclusivity just isn't good for the women's division. I imagine the champion might travel between shows but some of those match ups are going to get stale quick. I think Smackdown may have gotten the short end.

I went int SmackDown beyond hyped. Left SmackDown beyond disappointed. I swear it domes down to Vince not being able to even compete with himself because he fears competition so much.. That he he to screw his other show over and make "the flagship" look like the powerhouse.

If Raw got the Cruisers.. Then there's NO REASON SmackDown shouldn't have got ALL the women. That's just common sense. You put on group on Raw. Fine. Great...but then you put the other exclusively on SmaxkDown. I mean CGFO Vince.

Yeah I kinda feel what you're saying simply because the women's roster is small as it is. Like the tag team division splitting it makes things worse. I would have had the tag teams on one show and the cruiserweights on another show. I know it defeats the purpose of the draft but I would have kept women on both shows with the occasional crossing over.

I think they want women on both shows to give the male audience something to look at and the boys some road beef. The best answer is to have wrestlers on one show and put valets on the other show. That way you have eye candy on both shows but don't split the women's division.

Del Rio pushed to the top on Smackdown? Oh goody. That guy sure gets a positive or negative reaction from the WWE audience.......I think Del Rio is a good wrestler but he doesn't get a response.

They blew any chance at that when he came back. They could have reinvented him the right way but they wasted any buzz he had and stuck him with a crap gimmick too. The dude can't talk so that alone puts him behind.

Given his track record, I cannot completely dismiss the notion that Asuka isn't getting called up because of her age (she's 34) and her being Asian. I could see Vince feeling that she's "over the hill" age-wise and thus not worth investing time on the main roster in. Also WWE's track record with Asian talent ain't great overall.

We've all read the Jim Ross/Gail Kim story I'm sure. Just when I didn't think Vince could do or say something more stupid that happened. He blew it. Then blew it again when she came back.

 

[Loki882]

Heck maybe that's why Lawler isn't among the announcers here. Vince see's him as too old, and was just waiting for an excuse to dump him/minimize his role (and the recent legal issue was just such an excuse).

And yeah, I cannot blame Gail Kim for leaving and not wanting to come back (although I do hope that she at least gets a HOF induction at some point, she deserves it). I mean for years and years, whatever their other problems, TNA treated it's Knockout Division with more respect than WWE did it's Women's Division.

 

[Loki882]

Asuka and Joe are the NXT champions. It's more of a hassle to draft them than to just wait a little bit.

They called up Paige and Sasha when they were still the champions.

 

[Tvar10]

They called up Paige and Sasha when they were still the champions.

Owens too

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I also would have moved Paige overt to Smackdown.

Same here. Especially with Becky there. IT feels like they are loading up the Raw women's division, when they barely use more then 4 women at a time anyways.

Smackdown also suffers from a lack of female babyfaces as well right now. We've like two over there. I kind of want Bayley to go over to SD. It'd give that brand a boost, bring in another babyface, she and Becky could tear it up, and we'd have two Horsewomen on either show. Plus there wouldn't be danger that she'd get pushed back by the Sasha/Charlotte stuff (like poor Becky was for so long).

And it'd get people excited/talking (no disrespect to Carmella and Alexa intended, but were a lot of people clamoring for them to get called up, let alone before Bayley and Asuka)? And Nia, although she has potential and has improved, is still green/learning. So you might end up with another Dana Brooke situation.

And the CW's on Raw is just bizarre. They would seem to fit SD so much more.

I want this to happen, but it won't imo. They will bring her to RAW if she is the secret partner on Sunday.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Im wondering if SD is going to differentiate itself from Raw by focusing more on the wrestling than talk segments. A similar model to NXT.

I was hoping for something like the Smackdown Six. At the time, Smackdown was arguably the greatest wrestling product ever imo. The show had the crazy stuff, but they built the core of the show around great wrestlers, and it led to SD being must see television.

I went int SmackDown beyond hyped. Left SmackDown beyond disappointed. I swear it domes down to Vince not being able to even compete with himself because he fears competition so much.. That he he to screw his other show over and make "the flagship" look like the powerhouse.

If Raw got the Cruisers.. Then there's NO REASON SmackDown shouldn't have got ALL the women. That's just common sense. You put on group on Raw. Fine. Great...but then you put the other exclusively on SmaxkDown. I mean CGFO Vince.

Perfectly put. Why thin out those two divisions? Should have placed one on RAW, the other on SD.

 

[TX85]

Smackdown has it's issues with the roster and championship titles after last night but that was just day 1. At any time there could be more call ups from NXT,special debuts or returns and eventually that will happen. The titles issue will probably be made clear by Summerslam at most.

 

[TX85]

Im wondering if SD is going to differentiate itself from Raw by focusing more on the wrestling than talk segments. A similar model to NXT.

D-Bry and Shane did say that Smackdown will focus on it's superstars than them unlike on Raw, so there's that already at least.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

With all the fresh in-ring talent on Raw after the draft, it's hard to say that Smackdown will be the wrestling show out of the two. With Cena and Orton on Smackdown, it feels like it will be the establishment show. And Lesnar is hardly around anyway so him being drafted to Raw makes little difference.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

D-Bry and Shane did say that Smackdown will focus on it's superstars than them unlike on Raw, so there's that already at least.

They say things, but that doesn't mean it happens. Also, you need depth. If we see Samoa Joe show up on SD, now we are talking. But I feel like RAW has the stronger younger talent, which will probably not get the play it deserves.

 

[Tvar10]

D-Bry and Shane did say that Smackdown will focus on it's superstars than them unlike on Raw, so there's that already at least.

Just like they said they were focusing on the New Era of Wrestling, and proceeded to draft all the old guys

 

[Lead Cenobite]

They say things, but that doesn't mean it happens. Also, you need depth. If we see Samoa Joe show up on SD, now we are talking. But I feel like RAW has the stronger younger talent, which will probably not get the play it deserves.

I agree, after the draft, Smackdown really needs Joe and whoever else comes up next from NXT. The roster is too weak and that "Raw gets 3 because it's 3 hours" crap really hurt Smackdown.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I agree, after the draft, Smackdown really needs Joe and whoever else comes up next from NXT. The roster is too weak and that "Raw gets 3 because it's 3 hours" crap really hurt Smackdown.

What made it worse, it didn't matter who got more picks, because they were done in such a fashion that it was obviously planned out. Avoiding obvious picks for mediocre to crappy ones for no reason other then it was the plan.

 

[Loki882]

SD being the "established star" show sounds really dumb given that Shane's whole gimmick since coming has been complaining about the status quo being stale and wanting to "shake things up" and give the fans what they want. Heck he made Daniel Bryan the GM for goodness sake and HIS big gimmick was being the champion that the "powers that be" didn't want/support (which was probably the case in reality as well given how he was used/treated).

Whereas Stephanie has been the advocate for the "establishment."