The Official WWE / NXT Discussion Thread *May Contain Spoilers*

[crownsy]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="lois lily" data-cite="lois lily" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Was SummerSlam held at a morgue? Perhaps its because I'm a Brit and although I had the pleasure of going to SummerSlam 92, I know I'll never get to go to a PPV. But I don't get why fans are sat there in silence. It was almost like watching it was a chore!</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> It's the pacing. I mean, put yourself in there shows. You've been there for five+ hours at this point, at least. You expect the show to build, and thus are kinda sorta holding back. To kinda use TEW if you have the crowd hyped for 5 hours, eventually they are going to tire out.</p><p> </p><p> WWE tried to counter this with how the split up the show, but instead it was a mess. I mean even at home, I can give you a quick run down of the Wife and I's viewing expperiance:</p><p> </p><p> 1. Enzo & Cass vs KO and Jericho - "Awesome! great start! (note: Enzo and Cass losing here definitely took a poop on the Crowd. They wanted to explod for the hometown boys.) </p><p> </p><p> 2. Women's Championship -Wife: Wow, this is on early. Isn't there another Women's match too? Me: Yea, but they have a bunch of main events, lets go Sasha!</p><p> </p><p> 3. Miz vs. Crews - Good comedown match, up to here the pacing of the show was fine, and the crowd was fairly into it. After this, we go off the rails</p><p> </p><p> 4. John Cena vs. AJ Styles - Me: uh...ok, guess we are getting this one early! Wife: Makes sense I guess, the other matches all have titles in them</p><p> </p><p> * great match, us and the crowd peaked here for all intents and purposes however.</p><p> </p><p> 5. Tag Match - What the heck was this even about? Wife: I dunno...that was weird.</p><p> </p><p> 6. Dean Vs. Dolph - Wife: Wait, this is on before the US Championship? Me: I guess...and the Women's six tag hasen't gone on yet...and I guess they want the Raw Title on last tonight</p><p> </p><p> * This was a dud match, which didn't help the pacing and flow either</p><p> </p><p> 7. Women's six person tag: Back to treating the Women as an after thought. Also, as the wife validly asked, why the hell is this on here, and Sasha and Charlotte wen't second? That should be reversed</p><p> </p><p> 8. Finn Vs. Seth - Me: are you kidding me? This is before the freaking US title?</p><p> </p><p> 9. Rusev vs. Lana - so stupid to run this here. Crowd is all over it, because they rightly don't understand 1) Why this is on AFTER Three World Championships and 2) It was a non - finish</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> 10. Brock v. Orton - Look, i get that Brock is a main draw. This match was doomed the minute the started teasing the "sports entertainment" finish. The crowd just had a screwy match before. They were hyped (and expecting) a real match here. Instead they got Brock murdering Randy for 12 minutes, then a post match angle which was clearly a write off for brock's character till Rumble.</p><p> </p><p> I was pissed at that show at home, can't imagine having to sit through it.</p><p> </p><p> Without changing the booking, I would have structured the show as:</p><p> </p><p> 1. Enzo and Cass (smart, good open)</p><p> </p><p> 2. Six Women tag (feel good Bella pop goes here, esp. after Enzo and cass lose</p><p> </p><p> 3. Rusev v Roman (you know your going with a BS non finish, get it out of the way early</p><p> </p><p> 4. Tag match</p><p> </p><p> 5. Miz v Crews</p><p> </p><p> 6. AJ v Cena</p><p> </p><p> 7. Sasha v. Charlotte </p><p> </p><p> 8. Dean v. Dolph</p><p> </p><p> 9. Brock v. Orton</p><p> </p><p> 10. Seth v. Finn</p>

[crownsy]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="lois lily" data-cite="lois lily" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I LOVE Seth and a big Finn fan and must say I was expecting better from them. I think Finn's offence looked a bit samey. I was waiting for some really impressive spots from them and I don't think there ever was anything to really blow me away. I still think one day they could have a classic match. Well providing Seth doesn't kill someone in the ring and get the boot!</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I mean, Finn blew out his Shoulder early in the match. I realize he still toughed it out, but it was pretty obvious they were avoiding lifting spots for Finn after that.</p><p> </p><p> If theres one criticism I have of that match (and it's very minor because who the heck knows the extent of an injury in the moment) It's that the two of them didn't alter the finish to have Seth go over due to Finn's legit injury, to avoid the cluster we are dealing with now.</p>

[lois lily]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="crownsy" data-cite="crownsy" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I mean, Finn blew out his Shoulder early in the match. I realize he still toughed it out, but it was pretty obvious they were avoiding lifting spots for Finn after that.<p> </p><p> If theres one criticism I have of that match (and it's very minor because who the heck knows the extent of an injury in the moment) It's that the two of them didn't alter the finish to have Seth go over due to Finn's legit injury, to avoid the cluster we are dealing with now.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> The Universal title looks pretty rubbish (not the actual look, as I've never really cared what a title looks like, but not prestigious!) now they have to basically have a new champion crowned. I guess they didn't change things on the night as couldn't tell what the injury was going to be. </p><p> </p><p> I do get bored of these champions turning up and just dropping the title due to injury. Why not storyline write him off somehow. Obviously its harder to do carrying a proper injury. But I hate this champ gets injured, drops the belt and someone else has to win it.</p>

[lois lily]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="crownsy" data-cite="crownsy" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><p> Without changing the booking, I would have structured the show as:</p><p> </p><p> 1. Enzo and Cass (smart, good open)</p><p> </p><p> 2. Six Women tag (feel good Bella pop goes here, esp. after Enzo and cass lose</p><p> </p><p> 3. Rusev v Roman (you know your going with a BS non finish, get it out of the way early</p><p> </p><p> 4. Tag match</p><p> </p><p> 5. Miz v Crews</p><p> </p><p> 6. AJ v Cena</p><p> </p><p> 7. Sasha v. Charlotte </p><p> </p><p> 8. Dean v. Dolph</p><p> </p><p> 9. Brock v. Orton</p><p> </p><p> 10. Seth v. Finn</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Hats off for using for intents and purposes properly, as far too many people don't know thats the proper saying. Intensive purposes, idiots.</p><p> </p><p> Secondly, for me your last three matches are a little hot. I get the crowd are there for ages and those three last I think would have tired the crowd out still. But I agree the Universal match should have been last. What better why to introduce a new title than by having it lost in the middle of the card with a fairly okish match. Its like WWE wants me to hate it! </p><p> </p><p> Personally I'd rather they left off with the Demon Balor stuff. Having him turn up on Raw was beyond stupid. But why not have Seth win the title, only to have Finn chase him for a few months, growing more and more frustrated until we can bust out the dark side of Balor? I don't get why sometimes WWE just has to blow their load too early with things. Heck they could have had Balor lose, even feud with others, keep simmering tensions with Seth all the times, to keep building and building. We all know about the Balor Demon stuff so let the hype build.</p>

[Rone Rivendale]

<p>I'm usually the guy saying don't watch if you don't like it. And just enjoy the show.</p><p> </p><p>

Summerslam was just so... average. It's supposed to be the 2nd biggest event of the year. Cena vs Styles was great. NOTHING ELSE had me interested.</p><p> </p><p>

However, Bayley showing up last nite made it all better! <3 <3</p>

[jjohns44]

<p>wow the "Smackdown LIVE(i say it sarcastically cuz who cares, we can stop saying it now it's not like they need to say RAW LIVE)" Women's belt looks better than the Universal Belt x_x </p><p>

and what another women's belt named women's championship? I get they can't be DIVAs anymore as they want to break away from that image, but can you be less confusing? I can see it WRESTLEMANIA 33: WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH which one? Smackdown LIVE or Raw LIVE?</p>

[packerman120]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="jjohns44" data-cite="jjohns44" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>wow the "Smackdown LIVE(i say it sarcastically cuz who cares, we can stop saying it now it's not like they need to say RAW LIVE)" Women's belt looks better than the Universal Belt x_x <p> and what another women's belt named women's championship? I get they can't be DIVAs anymore as they want to break away from that image, but can you be less confusing? I can see it WRESTLEMANIA 33: WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH which one? Smackdown LIVE or Raw LIVE?</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> They're calling that the SmackDown Women's Championship.</p>

[jjohns44]

yeah.. still don't "get it" though. Like the US and Intercontinental serve about the same purpose but at least get called something else, same for WWE and Universal.. I dunno what it could be called but definitely wouldn't call it that.. oh well.

[Warhawk8492]

Both new titles look terrible, just clones of the RAW ones. WWE is becoming real uncreative.

[iruleall15]

Both new titles look terrible, just clones of the RAW ones. WWE is becoming real uncreative.

 

I actually ddint mind them. The SD tag titles dont overdue the blue. Plus anything is better than the crap penny titles. The womens title looks like the main world title also which works.

 

 

My problem is that Raw has the #1,2 and 3 women on the roster. Charlotte, Bayley, and Sasha which isnt fair

[shawn michaels]

I could not avoid laughing hard after weeks of seeing Daniel and Shane mocking the Universal title's name and then we see the most lazy thought title names and design in history. Really, the Universal championship looks like a badass legit name when compared to something as ridiculously generic as Smacdown's insert title name Championship. I mean...really? This whole brand split looks like one of those games we all have at one point in TEW where we think "Ah, whatever...Imma go with this even if it's lazy, since no one else is really seeing this game anyway."

 

Smackdown LIVE (it is kind of silly by now, yes) still feels like a B Show regardless of how many Cenas and Ortons they stack up in there. The quality of the storylines may be why, but something else that actually makes it look like a real A show is missing. I expected some bumpy rides when i heard about the brand split, but some things were clearly thought at the last minute here. I can even imagine the meetings where this was discussed.

 

 

1st ever meeting discussing the brand split:

 

Vince: Alright guys, our ratings are getting lower by they day... I have no idea why, since we have Stephie emasculating grown men every week, but damn it...it's time to shake things up again. But how?

 

Frustrated Writer 1: Perhaps if we could actually change the way in which we...erm...present the storylines? Maybe something not authority related?

 

Vince: You wut now? You're fired! Who even is this guy? Oh, i know, we should bring Shane back and do a brand split and explore the most used storyline in the book: McMahon vs McMahon! Heck, if we're lucky we will find a way of explaining how i destroyed WCW again!

 

Frustrated Writer 2: Actually, a brand split is a very good idea, fans have been asking for one for ages now.

 

Vince: Of course it's a good idea, i just had it now, totally original! I like this guy! Congratz, you're the new head writer! Let's hear your ideas!

 

Frustrated Writer 2: Huh, thanks. Well, i think we should start by carefully defining both brands with specific name titles and very planed and diferent ideas to make both brands original.

 

Stephanie: Oh daddy, daddy, we need to find a way to make me the center of attention in all of this!

 

Vince: But of course, honey! Let's get to work.

 

Vince whispers to Stephanie: Title names....ha! We're gonna need a new head writer.

 

 

 

Some time later, in a more recent meeting...

 

Vince: We have a brand split going on, why hasn't anyone thought of new title names and designs? This makes us look like amateurs!

 

Random messenger guy walks in the room: A package came for you, Mr McMahon, it's related to Smackdown.

 

Vince: That is brilliant, son! Smackdown name themed championships! Take a seat, you are our new writer, tell me more of your ideas.

 

Random messenger guy who is now a writer: Well your daughter Stephanie is really very nice.

 

Vince: Brilliant, you're the new head writer. Such talent! Now lets discuss how to pretend that Brock Lesnar does not have special treatment.

 

Stephanie whispering: I really like this new head writer, i think we have a winner. (Goes back to normal voice) Oh we can have him doing an F5 on Shane and all is good.

 

Vince: Brilliant! Stephanie, you are awesome!

 

And we can imagine the rest from here.

 

 

As for Finn, yes, now that we know he was injured it does make much more sense that the match went how it did. But I don't think having 2 world title matches and Brock vs Orton all coming after each other would have done the crowd any favors as well.

[moon_lit_tears]

Charlotte sucks. Sorry. She's not number 1.

 

Also I agree I wish they had Seth take the belt because this is just...boring.

 

Also..Brock suspended from UFC for failed drug test, yet nothing from WWE. I wish they'd let him go. He's boring and a waste of air time.

[DaMegaFish]

Miz is well underrated, and this bit with Daniel Bryan is fantastic.

 

https://streamable.com/yvwz

[shawn michaels]

Miz is well underrated, and this bit with Daniel Bryan is fantastic.

 

https://streamable.com/yvwz

 

He is indeed. That was actually awesome.

[lr10540]

Just watched Talking Smack. If Miz was like this every night, he would be an A1 main eventer and nobody would question it. Calling DB a quitter and then the way he went on the rant with the camera directly in his face... I want to punch his teeth down his throat!

[milamber]

Smackdown is on a whole other level to Raw. Good show from start to finish and the main event was better than most of SummerSlam.

[UkWrestleFan]

There is absolutely zero consistency with the titles across both brands and I for one find it more difficult to buy into the concept of a brand split because of it.

 

• I really dislike the concept of the Universal Title. For me, it just devalues the WWE World Title. If you are considered the best in the Universe, then by default, you're better than the World champ. I don't know what they could do to make it different, but as of right now, I'm not a fan.
   
  
• Are they going to rename the Tag Team & Women's Titles on RAW to the RAW Tag Team Titles and the RAW Women's Title? If not, then they should, because then it makes more sense.
   
  
• Will SmackDown also introduce their own Cruiserweight Title further down the line?
  

 

Total fantasy booking here but they should've made it seem like the company was splitting. Shane McMahon should've brought WCW back from the dead and replaced SmackDown with Nitro. WCW would've got the WCW titles back, and could've re-used their PPV's.

They could make a big deal out of people "jumping ship" just like what used to happen in the 90's during the Monday Night Wars.

 

A few realistically conceivable things they could have done to legitimise a WCW return.

 

• Sting as GM instead of Daniel Bryan.
   
  
• Have workers with WCW pasts help establish the WCW brand; Booker T (in a non-wrestling capacity, of course) Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Big Show, Goldberg, Ric Flair. Hell, they might've even tried to persuade Eric Bischoff to come back and do something. Sure, the likes of Jericho, Mysterio & Show generally made their name in WWE, but the ties are there, and with a bit of creativity, you can make anything work.
   
  
• WCW was renowned for great Cruiserweight action, so that'd be focused on. Chavo Guerrero could come back for a run; he can still go, right? He and Mysterio have enough name value to help create some stars.
  

 

 

I hope the brand split can win me over, I really do, but for now, I think I'll fire up TEW and play out my vision of how it should've been done.

[Dawn]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Warhawk8492" data-cite="Warhawk8492" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Both new titles look terrible, just clones of the RAW ones. WWE is becoming real uncreative.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Tag Titles are much better than Raw's bronze ones.</p>

[thecoolestjedi12]

Really hoping for big things from Bliss and Becky. Those two seem to ave pretty good chemistry and them being the first two to have a storyline around the women's belt on SD(hopefully) would help elevate that belt compared to the Raw Counterpart. Quietly hoping Bliss becomes champ first just from a bias perspective, but Becky would be cool to have as its first holder.

[The Final Countdown]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="lr10540" data-cite="lr10540" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Just watched Talking Smack. If Miz was like this every night, he would be an A1 main eventer and nobody would question it. Calling DB a quitter and then the way he went on the rant with the camera directly in his face... I want to punch his teeth down his throat!</div></blockquote><p> I was curious if anyone else saw that. That was some really captivating stuff.</p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Smasher1311" data-cite="Smasher1311" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Tag Titles are much better than Raw's bronze ones.</div></blockquote><p> Definitely; I've hated those bronze titles from the moment they introduced them. The Smackdown tag belts also look better than the Universal title. At least they didn't go crazy with the blue.</p>

[Derek B]

Just watched The Miz's rant on Talking Smack... and he was truly awesome. This year he seems to have really clicked into a higher gear with his promos, his ring work and his stuff with Maryse. I hope he keeps doing more of that, just as I hope Ziggler gets to do more of what he's been doing too because he's been a lot more interesting in recent weeks.

[Dr_Avalanche]

<p>I must say, both RAW and Smackdown felt more satisfying to watch than SummerSlam, but especially Smackdown, mostly because they kept the program so tight. Aside of a some pretty short promos, they stuck to all around solid matches. I don't quite know how it happened, but I've found that I actually quite like Breezango. </p><p> </p><p>

Orton does not excite me, but I am looking forward to see where they'll go with this Wyatt/Orton thing. In retrospect, it seems obvious to tap into Orton's "pain and suffering" to make Bray take notice of him. I liked Bray's new style too. Less dirty hillbilly, more urban prophet. </p><p> </p><p>

I'm still not convinced about the women's division at all on Smackdown. A division consisting of six people fighting it out for one belt does not sit right with me. Being able to fit the entire division in one ring for a title match just feels weird.</p>

[Blackman]

Rewatched parts of summerslam and still figuring out the finish of Ambrose vs Ziggler. Was there a botch I missed? Was the hell was Ziggler thinking? That interaction on the apron made so little sense it completely ruined the match (that was already average as heck).

[crownsy]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Dr_Avalanche" data-cite="Dr_Avalanche" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I must say, both RAW and Smackdown felt more satisfying to watch than SummerSlam, but especially Smackdown, mostly because they kept the program so tight. Aside of a some pretty short promos, they stuck to all around solid matches. <strong>I don't quite know how it happened, but I've found that I actually quite like Breezango. </strong><p> </p><p> </p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Cause they are talented guys, and they got 10 minutes to go with American Alpha (god it still ticks me off that they aren't 'American Alphas") who are the real deal. Both teams were happy to have 10 minutes + for a tag match, you could tell, and they certainly made the most of it. </p><p> </p><p> I think that might be the best take of Grand Amplitude I've seen as a side note, Jordan chucked breeze a good two feet in the air for the catch. Most of the time when they aren't sure of the other guys ability to help that out, Jordan almost hands the person to Gable. </p><p> </p><p> I am all in on American Alpha, and I hope they build the entire freaking division around them. I also hope Vince doesn't get involved and break them up. Sure, long term they could both be singles stars, but give me at least a few years of a dominate tag team instead of "well, this team is popular with the crowd. lets break them up for singles runs immediately"</p>

[iruleall15]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="crownsy" data-cite="crownsy" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Cause they are talented guys, and they got 10 minutes to go with American Alpha (god it still ticks me off that they aren't 'American Alphas") who are the real deal. Both teams were happy to have 10 minutes + for a tag match, you could tell, and they certainly made the most of it. <p> </p><p> I think that might be the best take of Grand Amplitude I've seen as a side note, Jordan chucked breeze a good two feet in the air for the catch. Most of the time when they aren't sure of the other guys ability to help that out, Jordan almost hands the person to Gable. </p><p> </p><p> I am all in on American Alpha, and I hope they build the entire freaking division around them. I also hope Vince doesn't get involved and break them up. Sure, long term they could both be singles stars, but give me at least a few years of a dominate tag team instead of "well, this team is popular with the crowd. lets break them up for singles runs immediately"</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Good to know i wasnt the only one who realized that Alpha could easily run this division on their own. The fact they made Breezango look like a serious threat is amazing</p>