Re: The Official WWE Thread - Part 27

by Jonathan28 Wed May 25, 2016 2:23 pm

OOOOOO, there's going to be a draft. Can't wait for this boys, I used to love those draft episodes.

by Jay29 Wed May 25, 2016 2:25 pm

Brand split with only one world title? Don't know how that would work. It wasn't that long ago that the belts were unified.

They've got enough bodies for it, I guess, but no where enough star power to spread across two brands.

by Onyx Wed May 25, 2016 2:27 pm

A SmackDown shakeup is about to completely reshape all of WWE. Beginning July 19, the second longest-running weekly episodic program in television history, SmackDown, will move from Thursday to Tuesday nights and air LIVE each and every week — for the first time ever — at 8/7 C on USA Network, the exclusive cable home to WWE’s marquee properties.

This bold move will have major ramifications for all of WWE and exemplify the New Era, as both Raw and SmackDown will each feature their own unique rosters and rivalries following an imminent Superstar draft.

"WWE's flagship programs will both leverage the incredible depth of our talent roster, distinct storylines and the unpredictable nature of live TV," WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon said. “This move will undoubtedly build more excitement and deepen engagement with our fans around the world.”

Shane and Stephanie McMahon announce that SmackDown and the WWE Superstars of the New Era will go live on Tuesday nights, beginning July 19 on the USA Network.

With so many explosive competitors emerging from WWE NXT, and top Superstars like John Cena and Seth Rollins returning from injury, WWE’s star-powered roster has never been stronger. Its historic division and the monumental revelation of SmackDown’s shift to a live format each week reflect the excitement and unpredictability of WWE’s New Era.

What awaits SmackDown on its new night, starting this July? Which live shows will claim your favorite Superstars? What will this all mean for the future of sports-entertainment? Stay tuned as WWE prepares to get shaken up like never before.

http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/article/smackdown-live-usa-network-july-19

by Jonathan28 Wed May 25, 2016 2:27 pm

Jay29 wrote:Brand split with only one world title? Don't know how that would work. It wasn't that long ago that the belts were unified.

They've got enough bodies for it, I guess, but no where enough star power to spread across two brands.

I'm guessing that Raw keeps the WWE Championship, the Womens Championship and the US belt, while a new World Title, the IC Title, and the Tag belts go to Smackdown.

As for getting enough people with star power I think they're going to get a lot of the NXT guys and build them up, though my faith in that working out is low.

by zizzle Wed May 25, 2016 2:29 pm

Yep i saw this coming months ago. With all these new guys in the roster and half of TNA in NXT it simply makes sense to have the brand split. One show for steph and another for shane Proud

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Wed May 25, 2016 2:30 pm

Jay29 wrote:Brand split with only one world title? Don't know how that would work. It wasn't that long ago that the belts were unified.

They've got enough bodies for it, I guess, but no where enough star power to spread across two brands.

The draft last time started with one world title tbf, he just was allowed to work on both shows.

by Onyx Wed May 25, 2016 2:36 pm

I hope they put the workrate/boring guys on Smackdown and the entertainers on RAW. hmm

RAW: Cena, Orton, Bray, Enzo, Miz, Jericho, Ryder, Ambrose, New Day, Lesnar etc

Smackdown: Reigns, Del Rio, Balor, Sheamus, Styles, Rollins, Zayn, Nakamura, Cesaro, Crews etc

by Kaladin Wed May 25, 2016 2:45 pm

Not sure if i like this tbh, 5 hours a week is a bit too much imo, prefer to just watch RAW and read up Smackdown later

by zizzle Wed May 25, 2016 2:46 pm

lol at crews being a work rate guy

by Tomwin Lannister Wed May 25, 2016 2:46 pm

Please God make RAW 2 hours.

by Tomwin Lannister Wed May 25, 2016 2:47 pm

MT is so blatantly a latent WorkrateSexual

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Wed May 25, 2016 2:48 pm

Tomwin Lannister wrote:Please God make RAW 2 hours.

Won't happen sadly, HHH has said before he prefers 2 hours but it's done because money Laughing

by Onyx Wed May 25, 2016 2:54 pm

Yeh, 5 hours of programming is too much imo. 3 is bad enough. Best thing to do is cut RAW down to 2 hours. Unless of course they're going to have the Smackdown guys take up the extra hour with their feuds.

by Jay29 Wed May 25, 2016 2:54 pm

The world champ working both shows sound okay to me. Didn't think of that.

Depending on who gets drafted onto Smackdown I may just end up watching that more than RAW. Two hour show, a much tighter production and far better commentators.

by Kaladin Wed May 25, 2016 2:55 pm

Wonder what the implications will be pertaining some of the current storylines once the split happens

by Tomwin Lannister Wed May 25, 2016 2:56 pm

Unless they imbalance it completely i'm already on team smackdown

If there's no SuperReigns to bore me to death with 100% guaranteed no selling superhuman endings then all the better.

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Wed May 25, 2016 2:57 pm

ES wrote:Wonder what the implications will be pertaining some of the current storylines once the split happens

In fairness there's not much going on outside the title scene atm.

Whole of RAW was about money in the bank qualifiers.

by Onyx Wed May 25, 2016 2:58 pm

ES wrote:Wonder what the implications will be pertaining some of the current storylines once the split happens

Click the 'reset' button and start over. hmm

by Kaladin Wed May 25, 2016 3:00 pm

Meant like Sami/KO, surely they cant separate them?

by Jay29 Wed May 25, 2016 3:00 pm

What about the PPVs? Surely they'll split them up again and have the four "big" PPVs as joint shows, like last time.

I'm totally okay with less PPVs per show if it means longer build.

by Jay29 Wed May 25, 2016 3:02 pm

Also it's obvious Shane will control one and Stephanie will control the other.

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Wed May 25, 2016 3:04 pm

ES wrote:Meant like Sami/KO, surely they cant separate them?

I mean they shouldn't but this is WWE we are talking about Laughing

by Tomwin Lannister Wed May 25, 2016 3:04 pm

Considering most PPVs are nothing more than filler because they HAVE to have one every Month or so i'd love them to scrap some.

by Kaladin Wed May 25, 2016 3:05 pm

It'd be interested to see how the viewership splits to say the least

by Tomwin Lannister Wed May 25, 2016 3:06 pm

Dem feels when the flagship show championed by the chosen one Roan Rainz ends up getting overshadowed ever so slightly by Smackdown.

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Wed May 25, 2016 3:08 pm

I'd love them to do PPVs like NXT.

I.E. One every quarter, they won't do it because money but having say Royal Rumble, Mania, Summerslam and Survivor Series and loads of build in between would be much better.

Maybe a Money in the Bank thrown in between but that's about it.

by Sponsored content