Official Smackdown thread

[TheRobotDevil]

With Bryan, Rousey, Lashley, the NXT callups, the injury returns... Both rosters are better now.

idk Rousey kind of bores me. Raw may have too many wrestlers on Roster even if it is 3 hours as opposed to 2. RAW kinda feels like Rousey and Reigns will bury the rest of the roster. While too many superstars are scratching for air time. May have been better for both brands to swing one or two more male and female wrestlers to SD. But SD came out ahead pretty big after the shakeup. Definitely the more interesting of the two shows now imo

 

[UVA_Guy81]

I was thinking Bayley and Orton would've also been switched. Orton especially since he hasn't been doing a whole lot lately except floundering around in the midcard.

 

[futballiscool]

idk Rousey kind of bores me. Raw may have too many wrestlers on Roster even if it is 3 hours as opposed to 2. RAW kinda feels like Rousey and Reigns will bury the rest of the roster. While too many superstars are scratching for air time. May have been better for both brands to swing one or two more male and female wrestlers to SD. But SD came out ahead pretty big after the shakeup. Definitely the more interesting of the two shows now imo

I thought Rousey was amazing in her first match. She's a world class athlete and that just jumped out watching her in the ring as opposed to everyone else.

I'm more excited about SD too but I prefer AJ and Bryan to Braun and Roman. The star power is pretty even but I think they're making SD the wrestling niche nerd show and Raw more for casual, mainstream fans. I like the split.

 

[Duffman]

We’re one step closer to an amazing AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe feud that everyone deserves.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

I thought Rousey was amazing in her first match. She's a world class athlete and that just jumped out watching her in the ring as opposed to everyone else.

I'm more excited about SD too but I prefer AJ and Bryan to Braun and Roman. The star power is pretty even but I think they're making SD the wrestling niche nerd show and Raw more for casual, mainstream fans. I like the split.

She was better thanI expected but it was a WM gimmick match. At other times she's looked just plain awful in the ring. Ie her Dana Brooke segment etc...And theyre forcing her just a bit too much imo. Problem with RAW is they have to fit Rousey in with Bliss,Jax James,Banks,Bayley,Natalya ,Riot Squd......And thats just the women roster. Theres actually a massive differential in both the RAW rosters and their Tag division just got a lot weaker imo. Even with the 3 hour show theres going to be a lot of wrestlers fighting over air time scraps.

SD added a lot to all their divisions. Major adds in the mens roster with Joe,Big Cass, Hardy,Almas. Th Tag division looks great with the addition of the bar. And the woman division got a major boost swapping absolution for the Riot Squad and adding Asuka. I think SD took the shakeup by quite a bit. They're quality just jumped well above RAWs quantity imo.

Its nice to see the blue brand get the push this time

 

[TheRobotDevil]

We’re one step closer to an amazing AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe feud that everyone deserves.

I cant wait to see Joe Styles and Joe vs Bryan.

 

[wildturkey]

Think it's pretty safe to say that Smackdown got the better of the superstar shakeup.

So much of it is all in the writing though. They've got a stacked roster for sure right now with guys up and down the roster that can work anywhere from midcard tag team to WWE title scene but if Creative shits the bed, the show will still suffer.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

So much of it is all in the writing though. They've got a stacked roster for sure right now with guys up and down the roster that can work anywhere from midcard tag team to WWE title scene but if Creative shits the bed, the show will still suffer.

That is very true about creative. Just sucks that they're not doing the single brand PPV's or specials or whatever they're calling them now because Smackdown shows would be a lot of fun wrestling wise.

 

[futballiscool]

She was better thanI expected but it was a WM gimmick match. At other times she's looked just plain awful in the ring. Ie her Dana Brooke segment etc...And theyre forcing her just a bit too much imo. Problem with RAW is they have to fit Rousey in with Bliss,Jax James,Banks,Bayley,Natalya ,Riot Squd......And thats just the women roster. Theres actually a massive differential in both the RAW rosters and their Tag division just got a lot weaker imo. Even with the 3 hour show theres going to be a lot of wrestlers fighting over air time scraps.

SD added a lot to all their divisions. Major adds in the mens roster with Joe,Big Cass, Hardy,Almas. Th Tag division looks great with the addition of the bar. And the woman division got a major boost swapping absolution for the Riot Squad and adding Asuka. I think SD took the shakeup by quite a bit. They're quality just jumped well above RAWs quantity imo.

Its nice to see the blue brand get the push this time

I didn't see the Dana Brooke segment but I can believe it. Rousey is new to wrestling so they'll be bumps in the road but her WM performance sold me on her as the real deal.
I have to disagree on Raws tag team division. They got authors of pain, hardy/Wyatt, the fashion police, and potentially Ziggler/McIntyre as new teams. Plus they have the Revival who might be the best team in the world. They've just had injury issues and have been underutilized. With the Bar gone they can anchor the division.

 

[futballiscool]

That is very true about creative. Just sucks that they're not doing the single brand PPV's or specials or whatever they're calling them now because Smackdown shows would be a lot of fun wrestling wise.

Yeah I had the same thought. AJ/Bryan/Joe/Nakamura/Jeff Hardy/Almas all at the top of the card. You can have so many great PPV matches with those guys.

 

[DefCONNOne]

Yeah I had the same thought. AJ/Bryan/Joe/Nakamura/Jeff Hardy/Almas all at the top of the card. You can have so many great PPV matches with those guys.

I don't want to keep hammering this point home, but look at your list of wrestlers and tell me who the Miz could beat straight up in a match. The only one I could believably see Miz beating is Jeff Hardy, and that's only because Hardy is a daredevil and would likely beat himself. Everyone else, the Miz would need help to beat. Not very credible, IMO.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

I didn't see the Dana Brooke segment but I can believe it. Rousey is new to wrestling so they'll be bumps in the road but her WM performance sold me on her as the real deal.
I have to disagree on Raws tag team division. They got authors of pain, hardy/Wyatt, the fashion police, and potentially Ziggler/McIntyre as new teams. Plus they have the Revival who might be the best team in the world. They've just had injury issues and have been underutilized. With the Bar gone they can anchor the division.

This is why I’m still on the fence with Rousey. Truth stephs in ring and character. And HHH throughout the years can make anyone look good. They’re also pushing her way too hard with the abundant promo packages.But until she has a legit match with an actual high caliber WWE female wrestler I’m not buying what they’re trying to hard to sell. The Brooke segment occurred on RAW during the ultimate deletion segment. Rousey kinda pulled what appeared to be a b rate version of a block from the matrix. Followed by an awkward arm grab. And Dana having to put extra work into selling a botched explorer suplex. Her in ring after mania was meh too. I believe that’s why they are pairing her with Natty. Rousey is still very green and needs a lot more work.

Disagree on the tag division Ziggler and McIntyre look like more of a temp alliance than a tag team. With Mcintyre Mom st likely sliding into the bigger picture when Lesnar eventually makes his move back to UFC. Raw basically got the fashion police and Ascention. Who to me are more of a gimmick dou. And added AOP. SD got the tag team that ran through the RAW division and added Sanity. To go with the USOs, New Day and BB. Tag divisions aren’t even close.

All in all SD came out of the shake up well ahead of RAW on all three levels

 

[UVA_Guy81]

I don't want to keep hammering this point home, but look at your list of wrestlers and tell me who the Miz could beat straight up in a match. The only one I could believably see Miz beating is Jeff Hardy, and that's only because Hardy is a daredevil and would likely beat himself. Everyone else, the Miz would need help to beat. Not very credible, IMO.

I can see Big Cass being a bodyguard or enforcer for Miz now that the Miztourage is still on RAW.

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

I don't want to keep hammering this point home, but look at your list of wrestlers and tell me who the Miz could beat straight up in a match. The only one I could believably see Miz beating is Jeff Hardy, and that's only because Hardy is a daredevil and would likely beat himself. Everyone else, the Miz would need help to beat. Not very credible, IMO.

Miz will beat whomever the script calls for him to beat.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

Miz will beat whomever the script calls for him to beat.

Miz and KO may be the two best pure heels in WWE right now. I actually think Miz deserves more credit . He carried RAW through major stretches last year that could have been lulls imo

 

[DefCONNOne]

I can see Big Cass being a bodyguard or enforcer for Miz now that the Miztourage is still on RAW.

I'd hope not, but that makes sense storyline-wise.

 

[DefCONNOne]

Miz will beat whomever the script calls for him to beat.

Much like Jinder Mahal beat Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura because the script called for it. That doesn't mean it made a sliver of sense to do so.

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

Much like Jinder Mahal beat Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura because the script called for it. That doesn't mean it made a sliver of sense to do so.

WWE/Vince doesn't believe in logic. If it makes sense to Vince that's all that matters to WWE.

 

[futballiscool]

This is why I’m still on the fence with Rousey. Truth stephs in ring and character. And HHH throughout the years can make anyone look good. They’re also pushing her way too hard with the abundant promo packages.But until she has a legit match with an actual high caliber WWE female wrestler I’m not buying what they’re trying to hard to sell. The Brooke segment occurred on RAW during the ultimate deletion segment. Rousey kinda pulled what appeared to be a b rate version of a block from the matrix. Followed by an awkward arm grab. And Dana having to put extra work into selling a botched explorer suplex. Her in ring after mania was meh too. I believe that’s why they are pairing her with Natty. Rousey is still very green and needs a lot more work.

Disagree on the tag division Ziggler and McIntyre look like more of a temp alliance than a tag team. With Mcintyre Mom st likely sliding into the bigger picture when Lesnar eventually makes his move back to UFC. Raw basically got the fashion police and Ascention. Who to me are more of a gimmick dou. And added AOP. SD got the tag team that ran through the RAW division and added Sanity. To go with the USOs, New Day and BB. Tag divisions aren’t even close.

All in all SD came out of the shake up well ahead of RAW on all three levels

I don't know if it's fair to give HHH credit for Rousey's success at WM. The match was perfectly booked and I'm sure a lot of that was HHH but Rousey was the star performer. If you're not bullish on Rousey I understand thinking SD came out ahead but Raw has the star power. I think Rousey will be great.

I am in the minority on this but I thought the trades were fair. Samoa Joe and Hardy are more exciting coming off the injuies than Owens and Zayn coming off a boring feud but I would say the talent is similar. All of the trades make sense to me. Miz for Roode, McIntyre and Almas as call ups.

SD appeals to me more because I like DB and AJ more than Reigns and Strowman but the rest of the rosters look even to me

 

[TheRobotDevil]

I don't know if it's fair to give HHH credit for Rousey's success at WM. The match was perfectly booked and I'm sure a lot of that was HHH but Rousey was the star performer. If you're not bullish on Rousey I understand thinking SD came out ahead but Raw has the star power. I think Rousey will be great.

I am in the minority on this but I thought the trades were fair. Samoa Joe and Hardy are more exciting coming off the injuies than Owens and Zayn coming off a boring feud but I would say the talent is similar. All of the trades make sense to me. Miz for Roode, McIntyre and Almas as call ups.

SD appeals to me more because I like DB and AJ more than Reigns and Strowman but the rest of the rosters look even to me

HHH and Angle carried the WM match which is understandable. She is new to wrestling and still very green. Stephanie was also the easiest sell given her ability to play the victim role. I'm not saying Rousey won't eventually transition. But the sell when she was put through the table was awful. Overall she's just looked kind of awkward. Transitioning she may have been better off starting off in NXT like Baszler. But with her name and the push WWE has given her that really wasn't possible. And some of it has been pretty bad. Ie listing her as top ten WWE signings of guys like Stone Cold,AJ Styles etc.... They paired her with Natty for a reason she really needs the work and mentor.Until I've seen her compete at a quality level and sell both her moves and a quality opponents moves. I'm not buying in just yet. Thankfully they aired the Ultimate deletion during this segment. It was awful from the b rate Matrix thing here to Ronda botching the exploder suplex to the point Dana had to clearly jump into it in order to try to sell it Not saying she won't transition but she's far from ready for WWE atm

Not fond of the direction RAW went with Strowman he's almost comic relief now. Not a fan of Reigns. After the shakeup and return of Bryan. Smackdown is looking like the better show from top to bottom imo