SD to go live, Brand Split Returns

Could be really cool depending on how they handle it, but I have my doubts seeing as they fudged it up so bad the first time

Also explains the EY's and Bobby Roode's of the world getting deals, surprised they would release all the people they did right before this move


Sucks to be James Storm right now, but on the other hand Moose and Roddy Strong are sitting pretty to get good deals

Scoops from Meltzer and Alvarez

Smackdown will air live in UK as well
- The Women's Division will be on one show (Alvarez). Speculation is Smackdown.
- There will be a draft, most likely the July 11 RAW. (Alvarez)
- A lot of NXT wrestlers will be called up (Alvarez)
- Each brand will have a champion (Alvarez)
- Vince is said to be "really pumped up and full of ideas" and going on a very aggressive talent signing spree. (Meltzer)
- Only one Tag Team Title. (Alvarez)
- No word on brand specific PPVs
- Meltzer is estimating RAW will have a roster reduction of around 40% - half, then made up by talent called up from NXT/new signings.

Vince being pumped and having a lot of ideas isn't always a good thing. Those ideas all probably center around Roman being the undisputed king of Raw, and single handedly defeating a team of Smackdown superstars at Survivor Series.

And if they're going to have a draft, they should put it on the Network and make it it's own event like the NFL draft. Have Corey Graves be their Mel Kiper Jr with his Big Board of superstars, show guys waiting in the green room to be drafted, have other analysts there to critique the picks. And hell, get Coach back to anchor the coverage since they're already in bed with ESPN. They have the platform, so go all out with it.

July 11th is the rumored draft date right now and it's in Detroit so part of me wants to go, but I just don't want to buy tickets to go to a normal raw, if the draft were confirmed I'd go in a heartbeat just to see it, but a regular raw sounds like torture

i don't know how to feel about this.

LET THE SPECULATION BEGIN!

Who should go to Smackdown?

~ The Miz ~

Why not Rusev, you may ask? Honestly, I think Rusev has developed a character that works well on Raw and he still has some forward mobility there. The Miz, on the other hand, is a former WWE Champion that is in need of a new beginning. He has been given a new life thanks to the return of Maryse and Smackdown could be the place for him to rebuild his badly damaged brand.

~ Alberto Del Rio ~

Lets face in, Del Rio does not have the kind of personally that gets over on a show like Raw. On Smackdown, however, that has historically been more about telling a story in the ring, Del Rio could thrive again. Plus, Smackdown has also famously gone to more Latino friendly markets where Del Rio is more likely to be treated as a big star.

~ Baron Corbin ~

Corbin is new to the WWE main roster and that can spell major difficulties for somebody trying to create a niche on Raw. You already have a powerhouse like Roman Reigns as the top dog of the organization, Corbin can't come off as too similar to him or he'll just be considered a "me too" to someone that the fanbase is already divided about. Smackdown could make him a big deal without him being eclipsed by anyone elses shadow.

~ The Wyatt Family ~

Speaking of people who need a career re-ignition, Bray Wyatt and his family have been used too inconsistently to continue as they are on Raw. The weird part of this suggestion may be that I think Bray should stay on Raw and the rest of the family should go on Smackdown. I think Harper/Rowan could kick off as a top tag team again while Strowman could begin safely testing the waters as a singles monster while still having the family to cover up some of his weaknesses.

~ Sami Zayn ~

If anyone is in need of a chance to develop some character then Sami Zayn is that person. He has been treated like an above average talent but his personality has not been allowed to shine through. Who is Sami Zayn? Smackdown would be the perfect place to answer that question.

~ Dean Ambrose ~

They have been trying to build up Ambrose as being worthy of the top championship for a long time now...just not the WWE championship. If the Smackdown brand ends up with their own title again then I think Ambrose is at the top of the list to win that title. Of course, it might also depend on if they bring back a title that already has some prestige or if they create a brand new title that will be crafting a brand new lineage. If that is the case then...

~ John Cena ~

Cena can be the guy that helps make Smackdown credible from day one. If WWE is 100% behind their plan to make Roman Reigns the new "guy" then they need to take off the training wheels. Put Cena on Smackdown, let him build that brand, while letting Reigns prove whether he has what it takes to be the top dog that replaces him or not. Plus, with so little big star power left, they need Cena on the new brand if they want to get the casual fans to take it seriously at all.

~ Finn Balor and The Club ~

Speaking of the new brand needing a big dose of star power, Balor is someone the WWE machine is behind 100% as well. They have made him a super power on NXT, he has already succeeded as the face of that brand, now it is time for him to bring that excitement he cultivate there up to the Smackdown roster. His lack of size could detract from his star power upon hitting the big time which is why he needs to seem larger than life before he ever steps into a WWE ring. Being shown as the top dog of The Club faction right off the bat would help him look like a special talent right off the bat and make him instantly capable of contending with anyone on the roster.

Now for a quicker rundown of...

Who should stay on Raw?

~ Rusev/Lana - This pairing is a hot team, they deserve to continue to grow and be showcased on the #1 show
~ The New Day - They are one of the top draws in WWE today, period, sending them to Smackdown will only take a bit of the luster off of them...the more eyes on The New Day the better so they shouldn't go anywhere
~ Bray Wyatt - Being separated from his family, what will he do? Strike off on his own or start a new faction to strike terror in the hearts of those at home?
~ AJ Styles - WWE have already established him as a main event guy, that position should only grow on the top show
~ The Women's Division - Raw is a three hour show and has a lot more space to dedicate to what could be a hot brand sooner than later
~ Seth Rollins - He isn't kidding when he says he carried the company on his back and he has a lot of unfinished business on the flagship
~ Roman Reigns - The current top dog has plenty of fresh match-ups to keep him busy on Raw
~ Bayley - The phenomenon deserves the best opportunity to explode and Raw is the place to make it happen, her debut will be momentous if done right and suddenly the women's division could be in real competition with the men

I think this is the most sensible breakdown for top talent on each brand, what do you all think?

To add some fuel to the fire the next Takeover is now subtitled "The End" whereas it used to be Revenge

I would guess it specifically refers to Balor/Joe but might also have a deeper meaning as far as the future of nxt as a "super indy"

When they first did the brand split I loved it, the later years of the brand split was utter crap until they pretended like it didn't exist. I see this being similar where its fun and exciting to start and then horrible when it ends.

Also shocked they are going to do 2 champions again, I thought the champions being able to float on shows was a good idea.

TeeBeeKay wrote:To add some fuel to the fire the next Takeover is now subtitled "The End" whereas it used to be Revenge

I would guess it specifically refers to Balor/Joe but might also have a deeper meaning as far as the future of nxt as a "super indy"

I didn't even know it had a name. Whenever I watch NXT the past few weeks, they just keep referring to it as "Takeover". Someone couldn't have thought up "The End" before the tapings?

I belive it was reported in the live results as Revenge, perhaps that name was never official


Now onto blind wild speculation with no basis in facts or reality, since the idea is to introduce a second championship, what if Joe declares himself the new nXt World Champion and announces that nXt is Taking over Smackdown?

TeeBeeKay wrote:I belive it was reported in the live results as Revenge, perhaps that name was never official


Now onto blind wild speculation with no basis in facts or reality, since the idea is to introduce a second championship, what if Joe declares himself the new nXt World Champion and announces that nXt is Taking over Smackdown?

Will this move result in Joe being destroyed by John Cena in under 5 minutes for the Title? Sadly, that's the only way I see that happening, as anything else would be too creative and interesting for WWE's writers to conceive of.

Vipes wrote:

TeeBeeKay wrote:I belive it was reported in the live results as Revenge, perhaps that name was never official


Now onto blind wild speculation with no basis in facts or reality, since the idea is to introduce a second championship, what if Joe declares himself the new nXt World Champion and announces that nXt is Taking over Smackdown?

Will this move result in Joe being destroyed by John Cena in under 5 minutes for the Title? Sadly, that's the only way I see that happening, as anything else would be too creative and interesting for WWE's writers to conceive of.

I was thinking Roman would do that or Big Cass, he sure is big

TeeBeeKay wrote:I was thinking Roman would do that or Big Cass, he sure is big

I'm still banking on Roman killing the entire Smackdown roster at some point in the future. Just five solid minutes of them feeding into the ring one by one and eating Superman Punches, while Mauro tries to find a length of rope to hang himself with.

Notes from what was said on Observer breaking news audio that I found elsewhere.

- Guys who used to be "marginal" in the WWE's (in settings outside of the WWE) eyes just had their value go up (definitely in Japan, somewhat in Mexico and any US guy with a contract expiring)

- Most likely there will be Monday house shows again for Smackdown brand

- Almost virtual lock that Cena and Reigns will be the top two guys split between the shows

- "Probably will have 2 World Champions. That is at least the plan for right now" (Dave said this was the one thing that almost everyone in the company he talked to was positive would happen)

- Women's situation no one knows, hasn't been addressed (Dave stated he would be shocked if the women were only on one brand but anything could happen. If they are only one show - it will be RAW)

- US Title on one. IC Title on other

- TNA is trying to re-sign its top four guys (Hardys, Galloway and Lashley) but all have been holding off signing

- One guy has an offer from TNA for money that is WAY higher than you would expect but they haven't signed yet because they don't want to give TNA full control (TNA is trying to sign the top folks to long term exclusive deals)

- At least half dozen guys that the WWE would now consider signing from TNA because they (WWE) need main roster talent

- Does TNA move? Historically they get killed by the WWE

- If Dave ran POP - would keep Impact where it is until at least Sept. Hope that these 2 million people watching Smackdown will switch to TNA for the 2nd hour and that would end up being a net gain from TNA (though most likely that wouldn't work)

Of course all of that is under the assumption that TNA gets sold

In all honesty, the WWE, Women's, and Tag Team Titles should all be utilized across both shows.

Until they have an influx of TV ready talent to fill both rosters, they just don't have enough wrestlers to fill the Women's and Tag Team divisions on both shows. The same goes for strong headliners, in regards to the main event world title scene.

For example, while they are a lot more tag teams in WWE than they've had in years, most of the current ones feel like low card acts.

As for the women, so many women are either injured or have left. NXT doesn't have many women ready for the main roster stage either, especially as they don't have a ton of regular female wrestlers on their own TV roster yet.

cautiously optimistic

I think they should allow the titles roam on the other shows. The World Title, Womens Title and Tag Titles are all important enough to be able to roam and go with the original rule of you go to the brand you lose the championship to.

Speaking of tag teams, I'm worried WWE will try and get too cute for themselves again and split up top tag teams in the forthcoming draft.

That would be especially bad if they chose to implement separate tag belts again. It's not something that could be quickly fixed by calling up NXT talent either, as once American Alpha gets promoted to the main roster, their tag team scene is nearly barren. While very talented, it's likely that The Revival would quickly get lost in the undercard on a main roster, hence why they along with American Alpha are currently anchoring NXT's tag division.

Slayer wrote:Speaking of tag teams, I'm worried WWE will try and get too cute for themselves again and split up top tag teams in the forthcoming draft.

In their defense Big Cass is real big

and who doesn't want that bully ray wwe run?

Swarles wrote:and who doesn't want that bully ray wwe run?

Tuesday Night Action on Smackdown

Right now, There is officially 58 males on the roster, not including Triple H or Taker
Tyson Kidd, been out a year already and might not ever wrestle again.
Ryback will either be released or sat out for the rest of his deal.
Brock is only good for a small number of dates.
Who knows when Jericho will leave again.
Kane, Mark Henry, & Big Show at this point are part timers at best.
There are also a chance a few more people will be released.

There are currently 16 females on the main roster.
Nikki Bella, Emma, & Tamina are out injured for awhile.
Rosa is on maternity leave but won't do much if she comes back.
Maryse & Lana are Valets/Managers.

So that is 74 altogether but in reality around 60-65 available.
You have 5 hours on USA a week, plus 2 hours on the network not counting NXT.
If you use on average 10 unique talents per each of those hours, You can use 70 different people week. You factor in injuries, part timers and just giving talent a week off here and there, your ideal main roster should/could be around 80-100 talents. With the WWE network going, you can even add another weekly show or maybe a 2 hour theme show a month, not even counting the monthly "ppv" show. I would also consider adding a Women's tag titles, Trios titles (instead of 2nd set of tag titles) and maybe even a Mix tag title.

Prediction time
Now, My guesses for likely NXT calls up with the draft
Bobby Roode (Skipping NXT altogether)
Finn Balor
Samoa Joe
Shinsuke Nakamura
Austin Aries
Tye Dillinger
Jason Jordan
Chad Gable
Bayley
Asuka


Maybes or might be better to wait for near the end of the year to call up.
Mojo Rawley (to team with Zack)
Scott Dawson
Dash Wilder
Eric Young
Alexa Bliss
Carmela

Some time during the next 18 months, A handful of people currently in TNA make their WWE returns. At least one of the recently released return before 2018.

What happen with NXT..
A number of the call ups do double duty for a few months while talent already there get built up and a few new signings.

Hideo Itami returns, gets a run with the NXT title, debut on the main roster no later than the day after Mania. Cein Almas aka Sombra, also get a run with the NXT title before getting the main roster call up.

Ciampa, Gargano, Swan, Biff, Jose, TM-61, Athena, Nikki Storm, Billie,  The Tough Enough Crew, along with a few others at the center that haven't made it to tv yet or been in jobber roles so far, are the Late 2016-2017 NXT focus..

I think each year the goal should be at least 5 big signings that you have showcase on the NXT show and sell the mini tours on then you have about 2 dozen performance center projects that you hope that at least a 3rd of them develop with in 3-4 years into main roster talents. I would also give NXT another 30 mins on the network a week.

Big NXT signings this year will be Moose, Rush, Sabre Jr., Tozawa and Magnus and a few more.
Among 2017 NXT signings will be Adam Cole, Ricochet, Cody Hall and Jay Lethal.
Ideally the big signings spend usually 6 months to a year in NXT before joining the main roster.

So the opening of Raw with The New Day, Shane, and Steph basically confirms that some teams are getting split up.

Whatever happens, if the tag belts become exclusive to one brand, or if both shows get their one, let's hope it isn't as bad as the 2002 brand split when Billy & Chuck took the Tag Team Titles to SmackDown exclusively, and all of the teams were either split up (Dudleys, APA) or drafted to Raw (Hardys, nWo), so they had to feud with Maven & Al Snow and then Rikishi (who ended up winning the belts from them with Rico as a partner) in their first two PPV programs following the brand split.

The opening promo of Raw was basically "um we have no fucking idea what we are doing yet but here is the New Day, lets dance!"