Batista/Cena switch

[Dangerous A 0]

Looking back in hindsight, was the Cena to Raw/Batista to Smackdown move a mistake? Throw out Batista getting hurt last night. I get that they did it to put over the draft lottery, but both men lost a ton of steam since the move. Batista just hasn't been getting the reactions he did on Raw and Cena is now starting to get negative reactions. I think once Batista got past HHH as a threat and Cena past JBL, people started to forcast who was next for these guys, and then bam- they are sent to the other side. Sure, Cena got a great pop that first night of the draft lottery, but in hindsight this looks to have been somewhat of a creative mistake.

 

 

Thoughts?

[Mole 0]

Cena was going to get boos eventually.

[Guest Coffey]

I know I liked Batista a lot more when he was the subtle quiet cool on the live Raw instead of the over the top cool on the taped Smackdown. I haven't liked Batista since a couple weeks after he bombed Triple H through a table on Raw. It was all the little things that I liked about him. Now they've all been blown out of proportion and they don't seem cool anymore because of it.

 

Instead of it all making up more layers of his character, it is now his whole character.

[Black Lushus 0]

Batista's not wearing his pimp suits enough, these days...

[Youth N Asia 0]

I figured Cena would get quicker bigger, which just means he'd get turned on quicker.

 

It was pretty much their way to just see that Smackdown stay #2

[Guest Gary Busey]

I figured Cena would get quicker bigger, which just means he'd get turned on quicker.

 

It was pretty much their way to just see that Smackdown stay #2

 

The problem with Cena was that he was the second rate champion on Raw while HHH/Batista finished their feud. He came off like he was nothing because he went from destroying JBL, who had a major reign as champion, to fighting midcarders while the "grown ups" fought bloodbaths in a Hell in a Cell.

 

After they switched, neither one has had a real awesome program. Cena/Jericho was good but nothing to set the world on fire. I think Cena just felt better on Smackdown and Batista with Raw. I can't put my finger on why.

[razazteca 0]

Cena/Jericho was good but nothing to set the world on fire. I think Cena just felt better on Smackdown and Batista with Raw. I can't put my finger on why.

Simple fact: Raw at that time had 3 or 4 wrestlers that had better promo/interview skills then Cena.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

The thing with Cena is that I thought he fit in a lot better on Smackdown, which kind of had this urban/street vibe going for it, which Cena was definitely a big part of, like it or not. He just doesn't fit on RAW, trying to be the new Steve Austin.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

It was good for Batista, bad for Cena. Batista just beat HHH three straight times. It wouldn't have been long before HHH would want that job back and there goes Batista's heat in one fell swoop. Batista/JBL was a bad feud, but this Batista/Eddy thing has done a lot to help both guys.

 

Cena definitely was better off on Smackdown. There he has guys like JBL & Randy Orton that are better opponents for Cena's character, and guys like Eddy & Benoit (or even Taker who has had good matches with Cena in the past) that would give Cena the good matches that he needs. Character-wise or ring-wise, Cena doesn't fit in on RAW with anyone besides Angle and that feud was already done on Smackdown earlier in the year.

 

So both guys are better off on Smackdown, but Batista would be better on RAW than Cena, so no, it wasn't a good move for WWE.

[Fro 0]

They switched them because it lined up a lot more potential feuds. There was nobody left for Batista to feud with on Raw and Cena had destroyed everyone on Smackdown.

 

The big problem is they haven't booked a great feud for either guy yet. I think someone's trying to bury Cena for sure by making him wrestle so much instead of talking.

[UZI Suicide 0]

In hindsight I would change it, but at the time it was the right move because Cena was looking like the bigger star.

[Fro 0]

They switched them because it lined up a lot more potential feuds. There was nobody left for Batista to feud with on Raw and Cena had destroyed everyone on Smackdown.

 

The big problem is they haven't booked a great feud for either guy yet. I think someone's trying to bury Cena for sure by making him wrestle so much instead of talking.

[Scroby 0]

I thought it was bad for the draft lottery when WWE had Cena and Batista both switch. I think the lottery is something that should have been made to look kayfabeish. Yes I know its dead but still when the two champions switched brands it made it look like WWE was controlling the draft but anyways. In hindsight I think it was a good idea but the issue here is the fact Cena is now feuding with Kurt Angle someone he's feuded so long with on Smackdown and Batista...well I think Batista just has had some ok booking but not that great of booking but I still think he's doing a much better job as a champion than Cena is.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Things are bad right now, especially on Cena's part, but its not the end of the world so yeah I'm glad the switch happened. Besides, the WWE Championship is the main focus once again.

[The Niggardly King 0]

I'm still pissed that I didn't get that Cena/Chritian feud that was built up since the Rumble.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

I understand why WWE did it. They want him to be the next Austin/Rocky and RAW is there main show. Batista doesn't sing, there is no chance he'll do movies, he's old, so might as well make him champ of the second show. I don't agree but it's logical that they did it. Besides, we all loved it when Cena showed up on RAW

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Besides, we all loved it when Cena showed up on RAW

 

Not really. You might have, but not all of us did.

[Dangerous A 0]

Besides, we all loved it when Cena showed up on RAW

 

Not really. You might have, but not all of us did.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

My thing is, while it gave people a mark out moment, in hindsight and the big picture, it may also have hurt the company as a whole.

[Guest Ransome]

The big problem is they haven't booked a great feud for either guy yet.  I think someone's trying to bury Cena for sure by making him wrestle so much instead of talking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree. The actual switch was a good idea, and I think a great deal of Batista's current success arises from the fact that he escaped Triple H's shadow (by being on SD) while none of the others that defeated Triple H had that luxury. The booking *after* the switch was what crippled them, particularly Cena.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Besides, we all loved it when Cena showed up on RAW

 

Not really. You might have, but not all of us did.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It was precisely the moment I decided to stop watching Raw.

[cabbageboy 0]

I think the switch was a big mistake. Batista has for the most part retained his credibility, but has had little to do besides a boring Bradshaw feud and now this stuff with Eddie that is amusing but doesn't really lend itself to a heated "I'd pay money to see it" situation.

 

Cena fit in perfectly on Smackdown, so sending him to Raw was a big mistake. Smackdown has a bit different demographic (more urban, minorities, street vibe, etc) so his act fit in well there. Put him on Raw, which I think has a more white bread fanbase (and judging by the signs in the crowd, a more smarkish fanbase) and it's only natural the fans would turn on him.

[Human Fly 0]

I agree with what was said earlier. I think Cena was hurt because he was basically a midcarder until Batista left. If I remember correctly he debuted opening segment and had one backstage segment with Bischoff in the first hour. It did not help he was Chris Jericho's first "Main Event" program in some time. Just before that program there was conversation here that Jericho could never be taken as a ME threat by fans again. His feud with Cena stretched over 2 PPVs with Cena being portrayed as a heavy underdog through much of it. "These are impossible odds how can Cena possibly survive?! Damn that Jericho." Jericho should have been ran over by Cena (especially with Jericho leaving right after).

 

The Jericho program also hurt Cena becuase he was being run in circles on the mic. I do not remember that Jericho's promos were particularly great during this time, but I do remember that Cena's were so bad that you were either rolling you eyes or changing the channel.

 

Also, at the time SD! seemed alot more "gimmicky" than Raw. Triple H and Batista were coming out in suits for their interviews and here comes Cena. With his gimmicky belt, gimmicky wristbands, gimmicky hat, gimmicky shirt, gimmicky hand signs, gimmicky name for fans and his CD. Cena seemed to come from another generation and came off as bush league to me.

 

Edit - Do not forget that Cena's boos could have been edited off of SD!

Edited November 10, 2005 by Human Fly

[Guest Leelee]

I understand why WWE did it. They want him to be the next Austin/Rocky and RAW is there main show.

 

Only with proper "their" usage.

[iggymcfly 0]

Actually, the way I saw it, before they switched champs, Smackdown was the "kid's show" with 80's type gimmicks, and old school baby-kissing faces that defeated caricature heels.

 

Meanwhile, Raw was the 90's wrestling show aimed at the 18-45 demographic with characters that had some depth, especially Batista's as the original turn on HHH was quite clever.

 

So what do they do? They move Batista to Smackdown, put him in a feud with the goofiest character on either roster (JBL), and basically make him into a caricature of his previous character.

 

Meanwhile, Cena, the perfect merchandise seller for the kiddies, is taken away to Raw where he is continually put into corny 80's match types (handicap, lumberjack, etc.) against people who can't wrestle to save their lives, on the smark-happy serious wrestling show.

 

The result is that neither show is watchable to people over the age of 15, and the kiddies don't know where to tune in for their favorites so the merchandising aspect probably gets cut down as well.

[jester 0]

My problem with Batista on Smackdown is that he won a feud with HHH...and the loser stayed on Raw, and winner went to Smackdown.

 

The loser should be the one who leaves town.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

I understand why WWE did it. They want him to be the next Austin/Rocky and RAW is there main show.

 

Only with proper "their" usage.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'm dutch, I can't always be right

[Papacita 0]

I think the biggest problem with Cena is that instead of going a new direction with him or letting him be himself, they've been re-hashing every tired Attitude-era booking tactic in an effort to make him into the next Rock or Austin. Cena worked better on Smackdown because his gimmick was original and still somewhat fresh, but since he's made the switch everything has seemed so forced with him and I think that's what's turning people off. It doesn't help that they've made him and the title appear to be an afterthought in recent months either.

 

I really don't watch Smackdown enough to make a judgment on Batista, but from what I've seen, I actually prefer him since he's made the switch. Smackdown's always seemed to do a better job in making their top stars look like top stars, and to *me* Batista's been a much more believable champ since coming over.

 

As for whether or not the switch was a good idea...I dunno. I can see why they'd bring Cena over if their intention was to push him as the top star, but obviously things aren't going as planned. Personally, I'd have liked to see him stay on Smackdown, if only to have him work a World Title program with Eddie. Really, these are two of the hottest acts in WWE in the last 2-3 years--why have they not had the chance to work an extended program with each other?

[Secret Agent 0]

When I watched RAW this Monday Cena got a damned good pop for his entrance, and I don't recall hearing anyone outright booing at Cena, either. I think you guys might be stretching this "Cena is failing" thing...but they do need to let Cena be less scripted - let Cena improv.

[cabbageboy 0]

I already explained that in another thread. Raw this week was in Ft. Wayne, IN. Fans in the areas like KY, IN, etc. tend to go with the flow and aren't as smarkish. I think it goes to having grown up on old school Memphis stuff where you cheer the face, boo the heel.

 

It also helped Cena that Angle did every trick he could to get himself over as a heel.