WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

[Majingir]

One of the best parts of the Triple H era, talent actually has the holidays off if RAW or Smackdown happen to be on those days. I know they would have to book two arenas but why not tape Smackdown on Tuesday but in a different city. Like if they are in Pittsburgh tonight, tape Smackdown in Philadelphia(fitting for a 4th of July episode honestly) or another near by city so you don't tire out the crowd who has to sit through 2 and a half hours of RAW then sit through another two hour Smackdown.

That's one of the things about Vince.

He'd never make anyone do something he wouldn't. The issue is that he's crazy and would do anything and expects others to live up to those standards too.

Holidays for instance, he doesn't take holidays so why should others. Didn't they literally run Raw LIVE on Christmas day one year?

HHH being part of the business and having a wife and kids, he'd obviously understand the grind more than others and know the good and bad about it and how much certain things mean.

[UFCMPunk]

That's one of the things about Vince.

He'd never make anyone do something he wouldn't. The issue is that he's crazy and would do anything and expects others to live up to those standards too.

Holidays for instance, he doesn't take holidays so why should others. Didn't they literally run Raw LIVE on Christmas day one year?

HHH being part of the business and having a wife and kids, he'd obviously understand the grind more than others and know the good and bad about it and how much certain things mean.

I think that's why you see WWE doing these weekend takeovers of a city, or a whole tour of the UK for a month, AEW doing residencies where they just stick to one city for a couple of weeks. It really lessens the travel doing things like that as the talent can just fly into one city for multiple shows without worrying about catching the next morning flight. Look at the Perth shows in October as an example. Smackdown on Friday, Crown Jewel on Saturday then RAW on Monday. That gives the SD roster who is apart of the show(or anyone who may fly across the world to potentially cost someone a match lol) a chance to recover before the next Smackdown. The RAW roster basically has a whole week to recover and re-adjust to the time zone difference.

Plus it's beneficial to the city as well where it's multiple events opposed to just a single episode of RAW, SD or a PLE then WWE is off to the next town.

[Majingir]

I didn't watch Raw live today, but noticed that watching it after it ended just had the entire show air in its entirety for me. No skipped breaks or anything. Though during the "breaks", it didn't even display a "back in __" timer like it always does.

At this point I'm convinced there's no consistency to any of this.

I think that's why you see WWE doing these weekend takeovers of a city, or a whole tour of the UK for a month, AEW doing residencies where they just stick to one city for a couple of weeks. It really lessens the travel doing things like that as the talent can just fly into one city for multiple shows without worrying about catching the next morning flight. Look at the Perth shows in October as an example. Smackdown on Friday, Crown Jewel on Saturday then RAW on Monday. That gives the SD roster who is apart of the show(or anyone who may fly across the world to potentially cost someone a match lol) a chance to recover before the next Smackdown. The RAW roster basically has a whole week to recover and re-adjust to the time zone difference.

Plus it's beneficial to the city as well where it's multiple events opposed to just a single episode of RAW, SD or a PLE then WWE is off to the next town.

It's a win win.

For talent, you're not traveling as much (and don't have as many house shows in these small towns with 5,000 seat arenas if even that).

For WWE/TKO, you're not spending as much money renting different venues and transporting all your trucks all across the country.

I'd love them sticking to TV events in major cities or international ones. Really no need in modern era to have tv events in Greensboro and Little Rock and so on when you can go to a Pittsburgh, Detroit, LA, Chicago, NY, Miami etc.

[Fiddy]

I've said this before but man do Raw and Smackdowns stink live. If it wasn't for my son being so into it I'd never go to either of those again. Just a snooze fest for me personally!

[UFCMPunk]

I've said this before but man do Raw and Smackdowns stink live. If it wasn't for my son being so into it I'd never go to either of those again. Just a snooze fest for me personally!

Yeah, this is why I miss House shows. House shows went from match to match, no worry about TV time, commercials, etc. Going to RAW & Smackdown, and even PLEs is such a drag because you are sitting there a lot of times in between segments in the dark watching ads. Or the wrestler comes out, do their entrance and then the lights go out because they went to commercial. I will say, I do think Netflix has improved on this a bit since they stay with the show during the "ad break" and you see interviews and stuff while they are in commercial.

What all was your experience?

[Majingir]

Yeah, this is why I miss House shows. House shows went from match to match, no worry about TV time, commercials, etc. Going to RAW & Smackdown, and even PLEs is such a drag because you are sitting there a lot of times in between segments in the dark watching ads. Or the wrestler comes out, do their entrance and then the lights go out because they went to commercial. I will say, I do think Netflix has improved on this a bit since they stay with the show during the "ad break" and you see interviews and stuff while they are in commercial.

What all was your experience?

Part of it was because it was the SD before a PLE, but I definitely found this year's show I went to as less enjoyable than the others. The pacing is definitely worse.

But it translates to tv as well. I don't care one bit about the ring ads or table ad or any of that stuff. By now we should be almost desensitized to that through all other sporting events with ads everywhere that there's space, but the issue is just the overall pacing of the shows which sucks.

Do we really need aerial shots of the town the show is in 4 times a night with them plugging things, or spending so much time just hyping up buying tickets for the next major PLE? Every return from break now is just that stuff all the time.

These shows just feel so weirdly put together now.

[TheMatrix31]

Part of it was because it was the SD before a PLE, but I definitely found this year's show I went to as less enjoyable than the others. The pacing is definitely worse.

But it translates to tv as well. I don't care one bit about the ring ads or table ad or any of that stuff. By now we should be almost desensitized to that through all other sporting events with ads everywhere that there's space, but the issue is just the overall pacing of the shows which sucks.

Do we really need aerial shots of the town the show is in 4 times a night with them plugging things, or spending so much time just hyping up buying tickets for the next major PLE? Every return from break now is just that stuff all the time.

These shows just feel so weirdly put together now.

Yup it's horrendous. How many times do we need to see Fanatics or Metlife or ****ing Riyadh or Charlotte having their 69th RAW or whatever.

And why do we need soooooo many shows. Nothing feels prestigious whatsoever.

For all the things being done right, there's certainly a ton of stuff being done wrong.

[Fiddy]

Yeah, this is why I miss House shows. House shows went from match to match, no worry about TV time, commercials, etc. Going to RAW & Smackdown, and even PLEs is such a drag because you are sitting there a lot of times in between segments in the dark watching ads. Or the wrestler comes out, do their entrance and then the lights go out because they went to commercial. I will say, I do think Netflix has improved on this a bit since they stay with the show during the "ad break" and you see interviews and stuff while they are in commercial.

What all was your experience?

I think Rusev was in the ring a good 10 mins before the match started LOL. Felt bad for him!

[Majingir]

Don't get me wrong, I love live shows more than taped shows, but I love that the second a taped show drops on Netflix, the entire show can be viewed immediately!

Yup it's horrendous. How many times do we need to see Fanatics or Metlife or ****ing Riyadh or Charlotte having their 69th RAW or whatever.

And why do we need soooooo many shows. Nothing feels prestigious whatsoever.

For all the things being done right, there's certainly a ton of stuff being done wrong.

I think Rusev was in the ring a good 10 mins before the match started LOL. Felt bad for him!

The pacing really sucks now. They need to figure out some new way to do it without killing the flow of the show.

How many times do they have people during the "break" with an entrance or a promo, then once the break is over they're just cut off and you go straight to the ad part of the show with the aerial shots and all that stuff.

I'd reverse it completely where the breaks are actual ads like hyping up the upcoming PLE and doing all that stuff. Why are ads in the show and the show happens during the "ad breaks" which gets cut off during non live airing?

[Majingir]

We need to see someone in this Solo/Fatu feud run someone over with a car because

1. It runs in the family

2. It fits in perfectly with the "all gas and no breaks" line

[UFCMPunk]

Someone check on that guy who got the high five from Trish last night... is he still looking at his hand? Has he even washed it?

[TheMatrix31]

2 hour show and last night's show was already significantly tighter and more interesting. Great matches too.

[Majingir]

Summerslam 1994:




Summerslam 2025:





Penta: Cero Miedo!

Heyman: I hate those hands of his

Bron: 3 up, 3 down, it's like baseball.

[UFCMPunk]

I can't believe how good Kurt Angle looks at 56! I just wish Triple H would stop stalling and give us the Angle/Cena feud before Cena retires. I get it, he doesn't want to rush it but you don't have to give Kurt a mask and portray him as a new character. Kurt has been El Grande Americano since before WrestleMania, and Cena only has a few more dates left.

[TheMatrix31]

Great show.

Lyra is ****ing awesome. That IC match should main event Evolution.

Great commentary during the Kaiser match. Hilarious.

Scarlett. Oof.

Bron's promo about things he hates about Sami also apply to Seth. Good stuff.