So, How Do You Guys Feel About The Rosters?
- Thread starter OYDK
- Start date
Smackdown started off stronger than expected, I was really surprised to see Ambrose, Styles, Cena and Orton all go to Smackdown but they are recognizable names and they'll draw in viewers to Smackdown. After that, they kinda gave the edge to RAW. Granted there's still a lot of NXT callups rumored to happen still so the rosters might wind up balancing out a bit better.
Aquaman6686
Mid-Card Championship Winner
SmackDown's first few draft picks were solid (although Cena and Orton should have been drafted before Styles), but after that it was just mind-numbingly dumb. You have tons of top stars available and draft Baron Corbin? You don't even have the tag titles and waste a pick on an NXT tag team? Laughable. Dolph Ziggler, Alberto Del Rio, and Kane should have been drafted much higher, and instead of wasting picks on Corbin and American Alpha, SmackDown should have taken Sheamus, Cesaro, and The Big Show. And unless Shane is bringing back the Divas Championship, there was really no point in taking Becky Lynch and Natalya so high when he could have gotten more top stars.
BestSportsEntertainer
I Don't Need No User Title
Aquaman, we get it. You love the veterans and hate the younger wrestlers. Fine you don't have to tell us in every single post of yours.
With that said, I don't really like the rosters. Raw is way more talented, and neither roster has any depth. We'll see though.
With that said, I don't really like the rosters. Raw is way more talented, and neither roster has any depth. We'll see though.
Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.
Kamehamehaaaaa!!
Do you think Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens will become a "loser leaves town" match? If not, I can't understand why they are on the same brand. If not that, I expect one of them to definately leave.
I think Zayn is better off at Smackdown. Owens is ready for the main event scene and RAW needs his talent, since SD has an already star packed main event scene.
Plus Zayn, Balor, Cesaro, Neville.. talk about face overkill in the midcard.
As far as depth goes, don't worry, Joe and Nakamura won't be long. They're just waiting for someone else to step up their game down at NXT.
In addition, with the Cruiserweights coming, RAW becomes super deep in talent. And the fact that they have also kept Enzo & Cass and New Day, comes to show that RAW will be the brand of the New Era actually and I like that desicion.
It's like Aquaman said, SD got the veterans to bring in ratings, RAW got the fresh blood to make them stars. And they didn't overdid that either, it seems balanced. Not all guys at SD and all young guys on RAW, just the right picks.
I think Zayn is better off at Smackdown. Owens is ready for the main event scene and RAW needs his talent, since SD has an already star packed main event scene.
Plus Zayn, Balor, Cesaro, Neville.. talk about face overkill in the midcard.
As far as depth goes, don't worry, Joe and Nakamura won't be long. They're just waiting for someone else to step up their game down at NXT.
In addition, with the Cruiserweights coming, RAW becomes super deep in talent. And the fact that they have also kept Enzo & Cass and New Day, comes to show that RAW will be the brand of the New Era actually and I like that desicion.
It's like Aquaman said, SD got the veterans to bring in ratings, RAW got the fresh blood to make them stars. And they didn't overdid that either, it seems balanced. Not all guys at SD and all young guys on RAW, just the right picks.
Aquaman6686
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Who is in SmackDown's "packed main event scene"? They have Cena, Orton, Ambrose, and...ummm...that's it. WWE has already shown they refuse to put Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, or Alberto Del Rio back in main events where they belong. Bray Wyatt doesn't have what it takes to be a main event talent. And all of the other main eventers got taken by RAW because SmackDown was too busy wasting draft picks on Baron Corbin and American Alpha.
But at the same time, John cena will bring ratings, have him feud with a guy like baron corben or another mid card guy and ratings will go up. Orton, ambrose and aj styles do brings ratings. Fans will tunes in to smackdown to watch these guys and if paired with the right midcard guy, they can actually make new stars just by feuding with these guys.
Plus you forgot about kane who is still a establish star even if he's not a main event talent anymore.
The fact is in terms of establish talent, i think but brand has pretty much the same amount of guys and the only way that you could have put more establish stars on raw would have been to make raw look like a weak show because you would i'd have to sent lesnar, jericho, rollins & reigns to smackdown because they are pretty the only other establish guys that actually bring in ratings right now outside of the four smackdown got so having 4 big name per show was the right move to make plus smackdown has the face of the company on their roster which will bring ratings up and when lesnar comes back Raw got him to bring ratings up.
BestSportsEntertainer
I Don't Need No User Title
Cena, Orton, Ambrose, Wyatt, and Styles is a fairly stacked main event scene.
Raw only has Rollins, Ambrose, and Reigns (who is suspended).
And let's not pretend Raw didn't waste draft picks on Charlotte and Finn Balor.
shooter_mcgavin
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Do you guys think the weak mid card line up on Smackdown! is a way to protect The Miz? I mean during his program with Cesaro, Owens, and Zayn, The Miz looked really exposed in those programs and perhaps they want to keep The Miz hot because of his relationship with Maryse and the Total Divas show.
BestSportsEntertainer
I Don't Need No User Title
The Miz is a cowardly heel. Of course he's going to look weak.
Aquaman6686
Mid-Card Championship Winner
BestSportsEntertainer
I Don't Need No User Title
Chris Jericho has been in the mid-card for years. So has Big Show. And Sheamus.
Brock Lesnar doesn't even show up.
Randy Orton hasn't been wrestling because he is hurt.
AQUAMAN 6686
I like your thinking about a draft period. There are definitely some disgruntled wrestlers on either brand due to not being on their flagship show, not with their significant other, or not fresh feuds. With a couple of roster shifts I think we can even out both shows. here is what I am thinking
RAW
Add...John Cena
AJ Styles (still have the Club)
Dolph Ziggler (go after U.S title or be main event player)
Kalisto (part of cruiserweight division)
Becky Lynch (would help strengthen women's division)
Carmella (boyfriend is Big Cass)
Apollo Crews (good feud for Alex Rusev)
SMACKDOWN
Brock Lesnar-(Sets up Randy Orton feud/both on same show)
Finn Balor-It would be great to see him with the demon gimmick and feud with Bray Wyatt or even go for the Intercontinental Title
Sami Zayn-Gives him a chance to hone his skills and build himself
Chris Jericho (go after Intercontinental tile/be main event player)
Paige-Can be on the same show as boyfriend -Alberto Del Rio and help groom NXT girls
Alicia Fox-Help groom some of the newer ladies
Antonio Cesaro-he wants to be on Smackdown and he and Lesnar would be huge!!!
I like your thinking about a draft period. There are definitely some disgruntled wrestlers on either brand due to not being on their flagship show, not with their significant other, or not fresh feuds. With a couple of roster shifts I think we can even out both shows. here is what I am thinking
RAW
Add...John Cena
AJ Styles (still have the Club)
Dolph Ziggler (go after U.S title or be main event player)
Kalisto (part of cruiserweight division)
Becky Lynch (would help strengthen women's division)
Carmella (boyfriend is Big Cass)
Apollo Crews (good feud for Alex Rusev)
SMACKDOWN
Brock Lesnar-(Sets up Randy Orton feud/both on same show)
Finn Balor-It would be great to see him with the demon gimmick and feud with Bray Wyatt or even go for the Intercontinental Title
Sami Zayn-Gives him a chance to hone his skills and build himself
Chris Jericho (go after Intercontinental tile/be main event player)
Paige-Can be on the same show as boyfriend -Alberto Del Rio and help groom NXT girls
Alicia Fox-Help groom some of the newer ladies
Antonio Cesaro-he wants to be on Smackdown and he and Lesnar would be huge!!!
Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.
Kamehamehaaaaa!!
Well, it's not like there's anyone else.. I can't consider Roman and Rollins drawing sensations yet.
The other main eventers they could have are Lesnar and Y2J, but both are part-time, so Smackdown wouldn't really get anything out of them. Lesnar is just there to come, win and leave. He doesn't really offer anything else to the company at this point. Smackdown needed main eventers, who could also carry the brand week-in week-out.
Plus Miz, Ziggler, Kane and Del Rio might not be main eventers at this point, but they hold a significant name value.
The only thing left to do for Smackdown, is to have Undertaker make his return there, not on RAW and fight a Smackdown guy, the next time he comes around.
So in other words ship the old guys that no one wants to see, well other than maybe Cesaro, Dudley's and Paige off to SD, and put the newer crowd like American Alpha on RAW.
Serious question, how is that supposed to bring in viewers? Do you really think that people will flock to SD to watch Sheamus, The Shining Stars, Swagger and Mark Henry? I mean seriously do you really think they will bring the fans in, because I don't?
American Alpha is one of the best tag teams to come out of NXT since Enzo and Cass, and they are absolutely crowd favourites with their "Ready, willing and Gable" line. I would tune into SD just to watch them and what they can do. An American Alpha/Uso's match should be fantastic and top anything RAW can put out there.
The way it has shaped up is the up and comers are on SD with the like of Cena, Orton and Styles to show them the way. Ambrose is just an added bonus. I think before we all get our panties in a bunch let it play out. If in a couple of weeks it sucks then fine let them have it. For now though I'll watch and see what happens. No use putting the cart before the horse here. Also with the announce teams changing around, that will bring a new look to the show as well.
Aquaman6686
Mid-Card Championship Winner
The veterans will bring in more fans than the nobodies that casual fans don't know. The young guys need to be on RAW, because that's the show casuals are going to watch. Get them known for the future. Right now, how are you going to get a casual fan who only watches occasionally, to tune in to SmackDown? "Come see SmackDown, live on Tuesday nights! We have Baron Corbin, American Alpha, Mojo Rawley, Kalisto, Tyler Breeze, and Apollo Crews!" The casual fan's reaction is, "Who in the flying f*** are those people?". Replace those names with the veterans I'd move over from RAW (where they're just going to be buried anyway), and even if 25% of the casual fans will tune in to see The Dudley Boyz or Sheamus or The Big Show, that's more than 0%. Casuals are going to watch RAW regardless, what's essential is getting them to watch SmackDown. Young nobodies they don't know won't do that.
You and I are coming at this from different ends of the spectrum. You see it as the glass half empty, I see it as the glass half full.
Do you really think that fans won't tune in to see Cena, Orton, Wyatt, Ambrose and Styles, because that's who SD has stacked their main event scene with. RAW on the other hand has a better midcard with Zayn, Owens, Cesaro and others. Sure they have Rollins and Reigns but that will get old quickly, if it hasn't already, and they have New Day and Charlotte. No one tunes into see the women, let's be real here.
With SD's main event it should bring eyes to the product. Cena has been on top for over a decade now, and his fanbase is huge, they will tune in, same with Orton. Just those two alone on SD should get it off to a good start. Add Daniel Bryan and you have three of the top guys in the WWE for the last few years appearing each week.
As I said before they will help the younger guys, just as the veterans on RAW will help their younger guys. I wouldn't be all doom and gloom right off the bat, wait and see how it turns out and what the ratings are. At least SD won't be a RAW repeat each week and that in itself is a blessing.
Aquaman6686
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Well, that we agree on, but I don't see SmackDown as having a good main event scene. Wyatt isn't anywhere near main event quality, and Styles doesn't have the seniority for me to consider him a main event star.
Styles has been around longer than Cena, that alone makes me think he's worthy of a main event run. Just because you didn't spend all your time in the WWE doesn't mean you aren't worthy of one.
Aquaman6686
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Spending 15 years in the little leagues is irrelevant to me. And since WCW closed, other than WWE there IS no other major leagues.
Just because it's irrelevant to you, does not mean it's irrelevant to the wrestling community and wrestling fans. TNA was at one time, a long time ago of course, a viable alternative to WWE. NJPW pumps out some of the best wrestlers in the world. So they are not the minor leagues, you just see them as being so.
I'm happy with how the rosters turned out for the most part. I feel pretty bad for Becky Lynch though, if there isn't going to be a championship for Smackdown's female wrestlers. If there is not going to be a singles title or even a set of womens tag team titles brought in, what would they even be fighting for? She 110% deserves to be the inaugural champion for a new Smackdown exclusive title for the women. I could easily see either Seth or Dean being awarded the big gold World Heavyweight Championship depending on who wins the WWE Championship match this sunday. We might even need a new set of tag team titles. Once the title situations on both brands is straightened out, everything should be great. Other than that.... I'm excited to see how it will all go. The best part is we will for the first time in multiple years see matches on Smackdown that feature different people than on Raw. You know, giving people a reason to actually watch the blue brand now.
Sexcellence of Sexecution
#SwerveKing
I've always been against the brand split and this is exactly why. I argued repeatedly that all it would do is take a shitty product and make it worse. You already have a roster with little to no depth, splitting it in half won't help anybody. Yet I'm told repeatedly the same rectum-derived arguments. The idea that it will help make new stars, which is of course bullshit because all it does is water down title credibility and elevate guys into spots they don't deserve or otherwise obviously wouldn't have. The idea that each show will truly be separate this time, with a unique identity, allowing for competition. Even though they have never, ever, shown this type of committment, and the fact is that you have the same guy on top controlling the entire company so it will be the same general philosophy across both shows.
With this brand split I was also told that they would bring up a bunch of NXT guys to add depth to the rosters, thereby enabling the split to work. I believe the exact verbage I remember was that "everyone worth a fuck in NXT will get called up." Well that didn't happen. There were 6 NXT picks total, a decent number to call-up, but let's look at the jokers making up this group. Carmella, Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Mojo freaking Rawley, American Alpha, and Finn Balor. So basically Finn Balor and American Alpha got called up and that's it. Not exactly adding much depth. If there is another rash of injuries the brand split will be fucked. Rosters will be too thin, and people will be forced to appear on both shows to compensate anyways, violating the whole premise of keeping the shows separate.
Now let's look at these NXT call-ups from a kayfabe perspective. If you're in charge of a wrestling show, and in this draft there are a total of 6 NXT picks, obviously you'd want to bring in the best possible prospects. No one believes for a second these are the best NXT picks that you could make, so it just comes across as silly and not even the slightest bit realistic. Realistically speaking, the NXT picks would probably be Nakamura, Joe, Balor, Bayley, American Alpha and maybe Bobby Roode or Austin Aries. Then there's also Asuka and Andrade Almas and The Revival, all still better picks. But wait you say, wouldn't that decimate the NXT roster? Your damn right it would. But it would also make logical sense if this were a real draft, which it is of course presented as being. A gap in logic like this is so obvious and dumb that it hurts the credibility of what you're watching. NXT is supposed to be a farm system, only recently has it become this weird quasi-indie promotion that internet marks love. If you're going to commit to a draft, with Raw and SmackDown built as separate brands, you need to take the best or most of the best guys from the farm system. If you're going to commit to continuing to build NXT as a unique brand in it's own right, a brand that is more than a developmental territory, then don't do a fucking brand split with the main roster.
With this brand split I was also told that they would bring up a bunch of NXT guys to add depth to the rosters, thereby enabling the split to work. I believe the exact verbage I remember was that "everyone worth a fuck in NXT will get called up." Well that didn't happen. There were 6 NXT picks total, a decent number to call-up, but let's look at the jokers making up this group. Carmella, Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Mojo freaking Rawley, American Alpha, and Finn Balor. So basically Finn Balor and American Alpha got called up and that's it. Not exactly adding much depth. If there is another rash of injuries the brand split will be fucked. Rosters will be too thin, and people will be forced to appear on both shows to compensate anyways, violating the whole premise of keeping the shows separate.
Now let's look at these NXT call-ups from a kayfabe perspective. If you're in charge of a wrestling show, and in this draft there are a total of 6 NXT picks, obviously you'd want to bring in the best possible prospects. No one believes for a second these are the best NXT picks that you could make, so it just comes across as silly and not even the slightest bit realistic. Realistically speaking, the NXT picks would probably be Nakamura, Joe, Balor, Bayley, American Alpha and maybe Bobby Roode or Austin Aries. Then there's also Asuka and Andrade Almas and The Revival, all still better picks. But wait you say, wouldn't that decimate the NXT roster? Your damn right it would. But it would also make logical sense if this were a real draft, which it is of course presented as being. A gap in logic like this is so obvious and dumb that it hurts the credibility of what you're watching. NXT is supposed to be a farm system, only recently has it become this weird quasi-indie promotion that internet marks love. If you're going to commit to a draft, with Raw and SmackDown built as separate brands, you need to take the best or most of the best guys from the farm system. If you're going to commit to continuing to build NXT as a unique brand in it's own right, a brand that is more than a developmental territory, then don't do a fucking brand split with the main roster.
The thing that has made me happy is that Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns are separated. I was tired of seeing Ambrose being Reigns' lackey. They needed to be separated and thus they are.
Also Owens and Zayn needed to be separated but they weren't.
Happy to see Cruserweight Division back.
I definitely feel bad for Becky Lynch. I am still unsure if Smackdown is going to get exclusive women title and tag titles. If not, then what's the logic to remain on Smackdown?
Also Owens and Zayn needed to be separated but they weren't.
Happy to see Cruserweight Division back.
I definitely feel bad for Becky Lynch. I am still unsure if Smackdown is going to get exclusive women title and tag titles. If not, then what's the logic to remain on Smackdown?
Rhodes2TheFuture3313
Getting Noticed By Management
Smackdown totally got the FAN FAV talent. Ambrose, Styles, Cena, Orton, Bray, Ziggler and Ryder. I'm really glad Miz, Maryse and the IC title are on the Blue Brand as well. Del Rio say what you want the guy can wrestle with anybody and his resume is pretty good. I also think where Smackdown hit some homeruns was adding Alexa Bliss and Carmella. The Usos are one of the best tagteams and they'll feud with the VaudeVillains. I'm also glad they got Demon Kane over Big Show or Mark Henry. I know many on here aren't fans, but I see a future WORLD CHAMP in Baron Corbin. Many like Apollo Crews. Me? I don't see it outside of wrestling ability. If Shane & DB had gotten Sasha and Kevin Owens Raw would be the B show.
