WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

One idea I thought would've been cool to do for the fallout to Raw is having every face tag team questioning one another.

If Kofi/Woods could turn on E just like that, whose to say any other tag team won't ever have those problems?

Doesn't mean a single team will split because of it, but would be a cool bit of continuation/adding layers to storytelling by one story having such a big indirect impact on others.

Like we see Street Profits backstage talking about how tight they are, but then both of them wonder/fear what if they one day become like Kofi/Woods.

Bronson Reed, Toa Loa and Jimmy Uso out INDEFINITELY. Now of course some could be kayfabe obviously (look at how fast Rhea came back) but damn that's crazy.

Bronson for sure I don't see back for a while, but Jimmy and Tonga I think they'll just be out for the year, which isn't much anyways. 3 weeks after this, only 2 I think are live shows? At this point, if you're not gonna be on SNME and are a notable name, you're probably gonna start "coasting/relaxing" going in to the holidays as the busy season starts next month.

[UFCMPunk]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

We got Shorty G and Stardust chants in 2024. Interesting that instead of another Draft, they are going the College Football route of a "transfer portal", kind of figured they change the roster around before the first RAW on Netflix.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Shorty G and Stardust chants...what a weird night.

[UFCMPunk]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

If they book Gable correctly over the next year or so, by the time Minnesota gets Summerslam in 2026, what if Gable wins a World Championship at that Summerslam? Please call Kurt Angle so we can get a heel Kurt managing American Made. I didn't even realize Tiffany was from Minnesota until tonight but she is going to be the face of the Women's Division in the next year or so.


Good episode of Smackdown..... wonder if we'll get a stipulation added to Cody vs Owens before next Saturday Night. I don't know who decided that the Kevin Dunn way was the best way to show that in car interview between Kevin & Michael Cole. It was really good, minus the insane Kevin Dunn like cuts every 5 seconds. They should have stayed on the camera in the car the whole time. Kevin also said he will deal with Sami for teaming with the Bloodline.

[SmashMan]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

If they book Gable correctly over the next year or so, by the time Minnesota gets Summerslam in 2026, what if Gable wins a World Championship at that Summerslam? Please call Kurt Angle so we can get a heel Kurt managing American Made.

Do we think American Made has that kind of longevity? Alpha Academy wasn't going to the top of the card or anything but all their personalities meshed well together and it gave them some life. American Made is just dull.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

"Leave my rental vehicle right now."

Another solid show.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

I like the transfer window part. I've always wanted the brand extension to have more of a creative/sports like feel to it. It's fine if a talent goes from one show to the other, but do it via trade or "contract expired" or any of that stuff.

Makes sense with all the rumors about Netflix wanting specific people on their show and USA probably not wanting certain people leaving, so we'll see how it ends up.

I could very well see Cody/Roman going to Raw and Gunther winds up on SD (maybe Rollins/Becky go to SD? Don't think Rollins has ever been on the SD roster? And Becky hasn't since WM35 or?)

NXT also being involved....Trick Williams debuts on SD as Aldis' hand picked opponent for Melo?

My guess at people moving:
NXT:
Duke
Ethan
Gallus
Metafour
Oba
Trick
Wes
Fallon/Jack

SD:
Cody
Roman
Orton
Street Profits/BFab
Theory/Waller
Bianca/Jade

Raw:
McIntyre
Gunther
Kaiser
New Day
PFC
Alba/Isla

"Leave my rental vehicle right now."

Another solid show.

"Hey Michael, come back."

*KO rolls up his windows in Coles face then drives off*

[reyes the roof]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

I like how so many guys are intertwined with Punk and The Bloodline right now

[TheMatrix31]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

They could just....not have a brand split and write creatively.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

They could just....not have a brand split and write creatively.

It's much better having a brand split simply because it means you don't see the same person twice a week most weeks.

The one they did from 2012-2015 with the "supershow era" was bad because Raw happens, then SD is just Raw rematches, then Raw is partly a recap of what happened on SD.

Having two branded rosters is fine. I'm still in favour of champs appearing on any show they want.

And from a booking point of view, it's easier too since you likely have dedicated Raw roster writers and SD roster ones, and for live events, you'll have the Raw roster doing a certain route while the SD one does a different one. Better than having a crowd try to guess who might be there and be disappointed when they're not.

[SmashMan]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Brand split's fine as a general concept. I don't think we need a draft and transfer portal, that stuff comes off as trying too hard to be like real sports.

Just have a core main event and upper card and let the lesser-used people float around and plug in where needed.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

I mean nobody says just because you don't have a brand split that you're gonna use every talent every week. It makes the shows better because you don't know who's where and gonna get involved with what.

I mean it's all loose anyway in so many ways. Just wish they'd do away with the concept entirely.

I don't need this to be like regular sports. I watch this because it's different than regular sports.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Only 2 more live Raws on tv after this week.

Next week in Boston, then December 30th in Houston.

The 23rd is a taped episode, I imagine just the typical taped show like we've seen recently, although I wonder if they think of doing a "best of 2024 Raw" like they did last year given this is the Monday before Christmas, probably not many watching.

Weird part of double tapings, apparently the December 13th Smackdown is a double taping...but SNME is on Saturday. Will be weird doing a double taping of a show before an event. Reminds me of when they did tribute to the troops one year and the champ going into the tribute to the troops show lost their title before the episode aired so it looked so weird seeing him with the title at the show airing on delay when on live tv he lost it a week or so prior.


Punk: Once upon a time Seth Rollins was on a top 10 list to be fired but I SHIELDED him.

IIRC that's actually true? Rollins didn't want to go to NXT or something like that? Ambrose was held off NXT altogether and was almost fired during the FCW/NXT transition. Crazy how different things would be in wrestling as a whole today if not for the Shield. Rollins and Ambrose probably go to TNA, ROH or New Japan, maybe find their way to WWE, maybe not.

[UFCMPunk]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

The Wworld Heavyweight Championship match is now a Triple Threat Match at SNME! Gunther will now face both Finn Balor and Damian Priest, which I have to say this a good thing. It felt too predictable that Damian would have interfered to cost Finn, setting up the Triple Threat later. Do it Saturday and be done with it. Move Gunther to someone else for the new year and maybe Finn & Damian will stop feuding in 2025.

[TripleCrown9]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

I just need Finn to leave Judgement Day.

I don't care if he's heel or face, I just don't want him in the group anymore.