Raw is stagnating already.

[Guest Thrashist]

First, they have no credible heels. Raw's only main event heel is Triple H, with Edge (sucks) and Orton (injured, and sucks) way behind him. Chris Masters is terrible, Gene Snitsky is a good laugh but horrible, and Flair is inactive and/or 83 years old.

 

That leaves:

 

--Hassan (w/ Daivari) who has done 'ok'.

--Trish Stratus, excellent, but not much you can do there.

--Christian, who RULES, but they'll never push him much farther.

 

And then you have the assorted lot: Viscera, La Resistance, Richards, Simon, Tomko, Molly, Maven.

 

The face side ihas depth, but I swear they'll never get it right. Jericho first won the intercontinental title in December of '99, and here he is, April of 2005, talking about how the intercontinental title is his ultimate priority. Benoit hasn't been given much to do since Summerslam. And who knows where Benjamin and Kane go from here? How about a program with Snitsky?

 

I hate to be the cynical one, but not much on the show looks promising. Especially considering the three biggest segments/matches in the two weeks following a Wrestlemania have been Austin beating up Maven and Simon Dean, HBK praying to his God that Hulk Hogan is his tag partner, and HHH squashing Hurricane and Rosey (which leads to a match with JR~~~). And I hate to say it, Batista's reign doesn't look to have a good future but to not fault of his own. Batista/HHH will put asses in the seats, but after that, his only credible opponent is like Edge (who, let me reiterate, sucks). Christian prob won't get a shot, I don't think they'd turn Benoit, Jericho and Benjamin prob wouldn't get the opportunity even if they turned.

 

Ugh, remember how great the Raw roster looked after Mania XX? Benoit was the champ, Triple H and HBK were meshing well with the new guys, Jericho and Christian were starting what was looking to be a great feud, Benjamin was like the young up-and-comer against Triple H, Orton was gaining respect and heat from his feud with Foley, we didn't know Edge would stay that boring, and Batista was finally getting it. Someone can say that not much has changed, but for that reason, it makes it all the sadder.

 

Oh and Diva Search 2005. nuff said.

[JoeDirt 0]

Smackdown's roster is even worse...talk about nobody getting elevated...

[Guest LooneyTune]

To be fair... the last 3 SD World Champions have been Eddie Guerrero (newly Main Event pushed), JBL (newly main event pushed), and John Cena (newly main event pushed). Even Brock Lesnar was a fresh face, so that could be 4 SD Champions in a row.

 

RAW's problem is Triple H, who has been on top for 6 years, WON'T LEAVE IT. He loses the title, then wins it back, and when he's not champion, he still overshadows the person who is (see: Benoit).

[Taker666 0]

To be fair... the last 3 SD World Champions have been Eddie Guerrero (newly Main Event pushed), JBL (newly main event pushed), and John Cena (newly main event pushed). Even Brock Lesnar was a fresh face, so that could be 4 SD Champions in a row.

 

RAW's problem is Triple H, who has been on top for 6 years, WON'T LEAVE IT. He loses the title, then wins it back, and when he's not champion, he still overshadows the person who is (see: Benoit).

Which is why I will always consider SmackDown! to be the much better Brand. their Main-Event Division is much more fresher than Raws. Raw's Main-Event scene consist of Triple H and the "Flavor of the month". And you make a good point, pretty much all of SD!'s past Champions including the current Champion have been new to the Main-Event scene which saids alot about how well SD! does a good job with pushing new talent to the Main-Event, and you can gurentee that the next WWE Champion will be just as good. Same can't be said for Raw because theres always the fear of Triple H gaining the title back.

 

Lets see, SmacKDown! has the WWE title tournment in place right now, while Raw has Triple H talking everyweek for 20 min and the up-coming Diva search. hmmm, its safe to say that SmackDown! is gonna have a much brighter summer than Raw will.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

Push Coach.

[razazteca 0]

Raw looked too much like a recap show to me. No need for the Smackdown Rebound, the Tour in Aussie Land, Extreme Makeover Surgery, too much HHH talking. And why did they let Chris Masters talk?

 

IF I WANTED TO WATCH EXPERIENCE I WOULD WAKE UP EARLY ON SATURDAY.

[Guest seth86]

It seems like Shelton Benjamin is gonna turn heel after his promo with Y2J. It would be a good idea. He might get a strong push as a heel.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

To be fair... the last 3 SD World Champions have been Eddie Guerrero (newly Main Event pushed), JBL (newly main event pushed), and John Cena (newly main event pushed). Even Brock Lesnar was a fresh face, so that could be 4 SD Champions in a row.

 

RAW's problem is Triple H, who has been on top for 6 years, WON'T LEAVE IT. He loses the title, then wins it back, and when he's not champion, he still overshadows the person who is (see: Benoit).

Which is why I will always consider SmackDown! to be the much better Brand. their Main-Event Division is much more fresher than Raws. Raw's Main-Event scene consist of Triple H and the "Flavor of the month". And you make a good point, pretty much all of SD!'s past Champions including the current Champion have been new to the Main-Event scene which saids alot about how well SD! does a good job with pushing new talent to the Main-Event, and you can gurentee that the next WWE Champion will be just as good. Same can't be said for Raw because theres always the fear of Triple H gaining the title back.

 

Lets see, SmacKDown! has the WWE title tournment in place right now, while Raw has Triple H talking everyweek for 20 min and the up-coming Diva search. hmmm, its safe to say that SmackDown! is gonna have a much brighter summer than Raw will.

The other thing I really like is that they make their title seem more important. The WWE Champion is always the top star on the roster, and the main event always revolves around the title. The World Title is the main event as long as HHH is feuding over it, but if not, it gets shuffled down the card.

[Taker666 0]

The other thing I really like is that they make their title seem more important.  The WWE Champion is always the top star on the roster, and the main event always revolves around the title.  The World Title is the main event as long as HHH is feuding over it, but if not, it gets shuffled down the card.

Exactlly, which is why I always wonder why people were upset that Triple H didn't go to Smackdown! last year. I for one, am GLAD Triple H didn't go to SmackDown! and turned it into another Triple H show. we got JBL instead of him after last year's draft which was a huge plus. JBL has been loads more entertaining than Triple has been throughout 2004.

 

SmackDown! right now pretty much revolves around the WWE Championship like you said. with the whole tournment going, and Cena getting much needed airtime. it really makes the WWE title look like a big deal. I think its also refreshing to have Mysterio in the mix even thought theres no chance of him ever winning.

 

On Raw, Triple H seems to be the ONLY guy going after the World Title. while everyone else is doing their own thing. how much air time as Batista gotten these past two weeks as Champion? right now, SD! is doing a better job with their Champion.

[Beast 0]

I just cannot wait for a draft of some sorts. At the Oratory there was a column stating how the "Raw Seven", (Benoit, Edge, Michaels, Christian, Jericho, Orton, and Shelton) have been putting on great matches since last winter and are comparable in ways to the "Smackdown Six" of 2002. However, it is also pointed out that on every Raw and PPV since like November or earlier, two or more of these wrestlers have wrestled each other consistantly.

 

I am soooooo tired of it. Every week it is Benoit vs. Christian and Jericho vs. Edge. Or Michaels vs. Orton and Edge vs. Benjamin. Or Benoit and Jericho vs. Edge and Christian. Or Michaels vs. Edge and Christian vs. Benjamin and Jericho vs. Orton. New matchups need to be made.

 

Even at Backlash, it's Benoit vs. Edge, AGAIN, and Benjamin vs. Jericho, AGAIN.

 

Now, yes, I am looking forward to the PPV. It looks pretty good. It's being built up well, both the matches above will probably rock; Batista-HHH II should be entertaining as will the HBK/Hogan team. But the WWE is just dying for some new matchups.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Benoit Vs. Edge last week was great.

 

Benoit Vs. Christian this week was very good.

 

Shelton Vs. Christian Vs. Jericho last week was great.

 

I don't see a problem. 2 pretty good Raws in a row.

[Beast 0]

Yes, all the matches are always at least OK, but wouldn't you get tired of watching Flair face Steamboat or Hart face Michaels every week. Something needs to be shaken up. And with so much talent on the roster, both Raw and Smackdown, it's inexcusable to be putting the same matches on TV and PPV week after week, month after month.

[iggymcfly 0]

I don't really see this card stagnation at all. Batista just got "elevated" as Wrestlemania was his first real main event. Christian just got his first meaningful win in recent memory on Raw tonight, and Hassan's finally breaking through into the upper midcard.

 

If anything, I think the problem with the show is that the lower midcard is too thin. What they really need is a good tag division, and for guys like Hurricane and Masters to fight each other to move up the ranks instead of fighting people out of their league in one direction or the other.

 

I will say that the loss of Orton will hurt them as he was one of the more dynamic personalities on Raw, and he would have been able to create more interesting feuds than most.

[Fro 0]

I don't really see this card stagnation at all. Batista just got "elevated" as Wrestlemania was his first real main event. Christian just got his first meaningful win in recent memory on Raw tonight, and Hassan's finally breaking through into the upper midcard.

 

If anything, I think the problem with the show is that the lower midcard is too thin. What they really need is a good tag division, and for guys like Hurricane and Masters to fight each other to move up the ranks instead of fighting people out of their league in one direction or the other.

 

I will say that the loss of Orton will hurt them as he was one of the more dynamic personalities on Raw, and he would have been able to create more interesting feuds than most.

Raw is stagnant and has been that way for years.

 

Batista may be champ but he's got *nobody* to feud with besides HHH, Edge, and Orton without turning a bunch of people. Remember, he squashed every heel on the roster in the lumberjack match a couple weeks ago except HHH and Orton.

 

Christian/Benoit/Jericho/Edge/Benjamin/Kane are all just trading jobs at this point like they have for the past six years to some extent (except Benjamin).

 

Hassan has been getting a good push but you can't do too much with him after Hogan/Michaels squash him. Plus he's just not a good wrestler at this point.

 

La Resistance and Regal/Tajiri are sorta there as tag teams. HurriRosey both just got squashed by HHH and are Heat 4 lyfe at this point.

 

Beyond those guys, good luck finding any roster depth at all. WWE better hope TNA folds soon.

[iggymcfly 0]

Batista may be champ but he's got *nobody* to feud with besides HHH, Edge, and Orton without turning a bunch of people.  Remember, he squashed every heel on the roster in the lumberjack match a couple weeks ago except HHH and Orton.

Well, that should cover him through at least Summerslam. By then, it looks like Shelton Benjamin might be over as a heel, and there will probably be some movement with Smackdown by then too. Remember, Rock and Foley wrestled each other for four straight PPVs when the WWF was at their peak, so it's not like you have to have 15 people in the main event all the time for the show to function.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Batista doesn't have Orton. He fucking killed him in what seemed like seconds on RAW last week.

 

He has Triple H as his only viable threat to his title reign and THAT'S IT. Unless Hogan comes back and runs wild! Let's all hope and pray that happens.

[iggymcfly 0]

Batista doesn't have Orton. He fucking killed him in what seemed like seconds on RAW last week.

 

He has Triple H as his only viable threat to his title reign and THAT'S IT. Unless Hogan comes back and runs wild! Let's all hope and pray that happens.

It was because of the shoulder though, and they're already building a feud between the two of them. All Orton needs to do is ambush Batista out of the crowd, and bash the fuck out of him with a foreign object about 57 times. I think the feud will have huge heat actually. Obviously, it wouldn't work to have them wrestle again tomorrow, but a few months from now? It would work great.

 

Edge is also a very solid contender and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him get a short title reign.

[Guest Nater]

Smackdown's roster is even worse...talk about nobody getting elevated...

Like Cena or London

[cabbageboy 0]

Actually I think Raw right now is in decent shape compared to SMDN. At least Raw has SOME kind of direction in the main events. In the near future there is at least another 3-4 months of stuff like "Batista proving himself a legit champ," "HHH trying to get his belt back," "Edge waiting to cash in his title shot." At least there is some stuff you can tell is being planned.

 

But SMDN? Fuck if I know. After JBL is finally, at long last, jobbed out of the main event scene I have no idea what they will do next. I guess Cena can face Angle, but that's been done. He could face Eddie if Eddie would ever just turn heel on Rey already. Otherwise? Cruiser division isn't given much airtime. Tag division is nothing (the champs are feuding with EACH OTHER). US division is a farce.

 

I think RVD could help out the SMDN roster a lot if they'd just PUSH HIM.

[2GOLD 0]

Where the hell IS Snitsky?

Two weeks and no sign of him that I can recall.

 

I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Snitsky. The guy was enjoyable. He's like a less insane version of Sid.

[Fro 0]

Smackdown's roster is even worse...talk about nobody getting elevated...

Like Cena or London

Sadly, being cruiserweight champ doesn't elevate you very much anymore.

 

They have to find a way to keep their talent fresh... they have most of the same guys on the roster they had 7 years ago plus a handful of OVW grads.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

RAW is stupid. Maven was getting pushed to IC Title Level months back and I think he was doing fine. He has the "look" and his charisma is pretty good, I loved him commentating while Shelton Benjamin was wrestling. So I dunno why they suddenly made Maven a Heat wrestler again because he was getting booed. HHH talks every show for like 20 minutes long about the same damn thing. Jericho is still over BIG but they are treating him like shit. They have IMO a chance of making a new top star in Muhammed Hassan but I know they will screw that up, starting at Backlash. Kane and Lita together is just fucked up since Kane FORCED Lita to marry him and now Lita is kissing the man?! I don't have a lot of problems with Edge but can't help but think WHY ISN'T CHRISTIAN BEING PUSHED!?

 

So yeah, Smackdown! has a better future right now. A draft could do wonders.

[Guest Nater]

Totally, a win over Benoit never helps anybody get over. Christian is just sitting around getting great matches out and absolutely no respect from the fans. In fact, the only people I know that enjoy Christian are the guys who were enamoured by the E&C days.

 

Hassan and Egor are just fucking awesome. They'll be a full-blown inferno of heat in under a month at this rate.

 

The fact that they just dropped a lot of talent recently (Matt, Rhyno, Jesus) doesnt help the WWE for giving opportunities.

 

Shelton is new hotness. Y2J is old and busted. New hotness, old'n busted. Thats cool if Jericho wants to play high profile stunt dummy, but I could really get into a Shelton/Christian set.

 

Guys they've brought in and just flopped all over the place:

Tomko - His first 4 run ins all had botched kicks. His work is shit, unlike his ink.

Masters - Proof that true Greek Gayness doesnt draw.

 

Its not too late for Snitsky to make an impact and where did Nowinsky go???

[Guest LooneyTune]

Nowinski suffered a pretty serious concussion (the same injury that Shawn Michaels faked in 1995), and has been out for nearly 2 years now, but still trying to come back.

[Guest theanswer1824]

they need to push regal as a serious contender ala benoit. forget all the lil gimmicks and comedy and make these people believe that regal is a great pure wrestler. most people just see him as a comedy role. let this man shine. he could be a great heel.

[CBright7831 0]

And then you have the assorted lot: Viscera, La Resistance, Richards, Simon, Tomko, Molly, Maven.

Take Molly out as she was released today.

[iggymcfly 0]

^

------- Posted in the wrong thread.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Since they're soooo high on Edge, they should have had Shawn Michaels put him over. Edge could be feuding with Batista during the Summer over the title instead of them not having anyone as a big heel except for Triple H.

[Brett Favre 0]

Actually I think Raw right now is in decent shape compared to SMDN. At least Raw has SOME kind of direction in the main events. In the near future there is at least another 3-4 months of stuff like "Batista proving himself a legit champ," "HHH trying to get his belt back," "Edge waiting to cash in his title shot." At least there is some stuff you can tell is being planned.

 

But SMDN? Fuck if I know. After JBL is finally, at long last, jobbed out of the main event scene I have no idea what they will do next. I guess Cena can face Angle, but that's been done. He could face Eddie if Eddie would ever just turn heel on Rey already. Otherwise? Cruiser division isn't given much airtime. Tag division is nothing (the champs are feuding with EACH OTHER). US division is a farce.

 

I think RVD could help out the SMDN roster a lot if they'd just PUSH HIM.

Actually, there are 6 guys who want a title shot on Smackdown, compared to Triple H's quest for the title. And there's a mini-tourney going on, so yes, there is something planned.

 

Like it's been said, the title on Smackdown! is a huge thing. Instead of Triple H wanting it back, on Smackdown everyone wants it. On RAW it seems like Triple H is the only one who wants it. There's no way in hell it should be that way when it's the most important prize in the company.

 

Cole and Tazz are also better than JR and Lawler.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Cole and Tazz are also better than JR and Lawler.

 

Yes. Part of the problem with RAW, and this is true for the Heat announcers too, is that they always make out their lower card guys to be jokes. Hurricane, La Resistance, Val Venis, etc.

 

On Smackdown, the announcers actually respect guys like Akio, and even though they don't win much more than the RAW guys do, they are at least serious competitors. Even Luther, who is being jobbed out to everybody, gets more respect.