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May Wrasslin' |OT| "Not a good thread. Not a bad thread. But THEE Thread" "

bjork

Member
I can't wait for brand-specific PPVs again.
e5YuU.gif

I hope they have one right when like 13 dudes all get hit by the wellness policy, so someone can't even be in the match specifically designed for their story and character.

What an absolute dumbass time that was.
 

gordy

Neo Member
So is safe to assume with the brand split, they will be bringing back the cruiserweight division to fill up some time on Raw? I assume that is what the Cruiserweight Classic is leading to anyway.
 

Nekofrog

Banned
Wife and I are like 2 episodes away from the WCW purchase. Currently, Kurt angle is causing us to shout HOLY SHIT at least once an episode. Gonna be interesting reliving these times soon...
 

bjork

Member
So is safe to assume with the brand split, they will be bringing back the cruiserweight division to fill up some time on Raw? I assume that is what the Cruiserweight Classic is leading to anyway.

Please let hornswoggle show up on TNA and drop the old CW title in the trash
 
So the rumor from BACKSTAGE SOURCEZ (e.g. grain of salt), but which makes sense is that the titles will be split like this:

WWEWHC: Both shows
US Title/IC title: One goes to Raw, one goes to SD
Tag Titles: Raw only
Women: SD only

Basically you'd only get the tag division on Raw and the Women's division only on SmackDown. The theory is that this is something a little different than the older Brand Split in that they're calling the shows "distinct" rather than "separate."

Most fully formed rumor/speculation I've seen on the split:
https://twitter.com/HeyHeyItsConrad/status/735481507742154753

IC and US on separate shows, Tag on raw, Women on SD, World on both. Considering the source it's probably Flair feeding him the stuff, idk how that bodes for accuracy.

Then again, considering it's WWE, there's a chance plans will change 3 times between then and now.

That's what I've been expecting.
 
Rusev is the only guy in the WWE that I just like am annoyed that he's there. Usually I don't care when people go to the WWE because I don't watch it much and I don't feel like I'm missing out on them on the indies or whatever.

But all I want to see is Rusev in other promotions. The dude is so ridiculously talented in every way. His physical ability, his look combined with him being hilarious. He could work so much other stuff. He's basically one of my favorite wrestling styles, Headshrinkers and Umaga, perfected.

Though I would also like to see Cena in not WWE. Not TNA either though.

If Rusev were on the indies, I could easily see him becoming one of my favourite archetypes; big dude who does moonsaults. Also, I've always maintained that Cena in ROH would be goddamn fucking amaaaaaazing, effortless heat.
 

Raw64life

Member
Vince will decree that the brands be split by height. Everyone under 6' 0" on Smackdown. Everyone over 6' 0" on Raw. If you're exactly 6' 0", you can be on both shows.
 

klonere

Banned
Huh, seems STARDOM World is moving from youtube to hosting their own service on July 1st - youtube works well, but doesn't allow customers to purchase subscriptions in some fairly major markets (Germany, for one). They say they're using the same service as NJPW World, then also spill the beans that Pro-Wrestling WAVE and some men's promotions will also be opening international streaming services soon using the same provider!

Hoping for DDT and BJW.

BJW on a streaming service would be amazing. Maybe I could get into DDT as well then. Dragon Gate would be my most wanted of course but as always they have their own thing going on.
 

Zach

Member
"Nash’s first move was to present a Nitro that featured no wrestling in the first hour. None. Not a single solitary match. You might recall that Nitro was a wrestling show. Apparently, Nash thought that wrestling on this wrestling show was unnecessary, and he booked the show like this to prove that they’d draw the same rating if they had zero matches in the first hour as they would if there were ten."

I actually liked when Nash did this, I thought it was pretty cool. I mean I remember the way they introduced Torrie at a firing range ior something like that.
The worst episode of wrassle I've ever watched? Yeah, I'm gonna disagree with you on this one, Liquidsnake.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Big Dave Meltz is about to give us the DIRT. Let's see if he says anything interesting.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Meltzer expects WWE to be even more aggressive in going after talent, because they need to fill SD, Raw and NXT and they're concerned about NXT dying as a touring brand. He expects aggressively going after Mexican, Japanese guys.
 

Fox318

Member
Meltzer expects WWE to be even more aggressive in going after talent, because they need to fill SD, Raw and NXT and they're concerned about NXT dying as a touring brand. He expects aggressively going after Mexican, Japanese guys.

What I don't get is why would they bother to let a guy like Sandow or Ryback walk when then need the man power?
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Meltzer concerned about injuries. Says that they're too hopeful with guys who are constantly hurt.

He thinks they'll add in Monday house shows for SD guys (seems unlikely to me).
 

Data West

coaches in the WNBA
well, there's been rumos for a while about fantasma/king cuerno and some of the spoilers in season 3 so far make it seem very likely that hes wwe bound

rush as well
 

bjork

Member
What I don't get is why would they bother to let a guy like Sandow or Ryback walk when then need the man power?

They can use that money on fresh faces instead. If you put Sandow on your bumpers, you're gonna get a rating TNA-level, plus the Menome household.
 

klonere

Banned
Meltzer concerned about injuries. Says that they're too hopeful with guys who are constantly hurt.

He thinks they'll add in Monday house shows for SD guys (seems unlikely to me).

"GODDAMNIT WHY IS EVERYONE GETTING INJURED NOWADAYS. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARN"

"They ain't working hard enough Vince, they need more ring time"

"MORE HOUSE SHOWS IT IS THEN"
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Dave says 2 World Champions, but then he clarifies none of it is actually decided. Essentially it will be identical to the first brand split. I have literally no interest in that.
 
Meltzer says the plan is to have two world champions.

They seem negative on the idea on the basis of "they tried before and it didn't work". I disagree with the assertion that a good idea becomes a bad idea because it is executed poorly. A good idea can still work if it's executed properly.
 

Cosmozone

Member
So the brand split is the last resort for gaining more attention without actually trying to improve the product? They tried everything else I can think of right now.

I'm feeling a bit uneasy. Didn't experience the last time this happened. Can't think of any potential variety improvements other than invasion angles.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Dave confirms there will be two champions, he heard that from a lot of people.
 
Welp

RIP indies and RIP fans who stayed because the split ended. Talk about two birds with one stone.

I don't think wrestling's ever going to be the same
 

Ithil

Member
Meltzer says the plan is to have two world champions.

They seem negative on the idea on the basis of "they tried before and it didn't work". I disagree with the assertion that a good idea becomes a bad idea because it is executed poorly. A good idea can still work if it's executed properly.

It can.

But this is WWE we're talking about.
 
What is meant by NXT touring dying?

They wanted it to be a big touring brand

Which requires a large roster

Which they won't have for long considering the callups that are about to happen. Finn about to be gone and Nakamura about to be gone alone leave just Joe in the main event scene, especially if Aries loses at Takeover
 
Dave says the only title news for certain right now is that there will be two world champions. Women and tag stuff is undecided.

So the brand split is the last resort for gaining more attention without actually trying to improve the product? They tried everything else I can think of right now.

I'm feeling a bit uneasy. Didn't experience the last time this happened. Can't think of any potential variety improvements other than invasion angles.

If Smackdown is written and booked like NXT (which would make sense considering Ward is the main writer now), it could be a nice antithesis to Raw.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
So the brand split is the last resort for gaining more attention without actually trying to improve the product? They tried everything else I can think of right now.

I'm feeling a bit uneasy. Didn't experience the last time this happened. Can't think of any potential variety improvements other than invasion angles.

It was garbage the entire time and they are apparently going to run it the exact same way they did the first time. Prepare for Sami Zayn to pretend to be excited about winning the B-title and constant title changes.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I agree that there must be more championships for SD. Bring back the TV title, and add another Woman's Division.

There are like 8 women on the roster

And now Dave is talking about TNA so basically the only news is that you're getting a REAL Champion and a Ziggler-Tier Champion
 
Dave says the only title news for certain right now is that there will be two world champions. Women and tag stuff is undecided.



If Smackdown is written and booked like NXT (which would make sense considering Ward is the main writer now), it could be a nice antithesis to Raw.
I wonder will they shit on the title again by just awarding it to some ass kisser again?
 
Hey, Smackdown has a great head writer right now. A guy who booked NXT to a lot of success. Last time Smackdown had a great lead booker and a brand split, it was pretty great.

Head writer's been around and doing SD for months, it just hasn't been a big story until now which was only because of the live/split news
 

Data West

coaches in the WNBA
If it's anything like how the brand split was when it started, I don't know how anyone could complain about the brand split. They have too many people and not enough chances for the more talented members of the roster. A brand split gets that avenue. The only way it'll really suffer is if they make the World title on both brands.
 

Menome

Member
Based on their in-ring performance in 2016 only, who makes your current Top 5?

1.) AJ Styles
2.) Kevin Owens
3.) Shinsuke Nakamura
4.) Sami Zayn
5.) Roman Reigns
Bonus: Elias Samson
 
Head writer's been around and doing SD for months, it just hasn't been a big story until now which was only because of the live/split news

He has, but he's had to bend around whatever is booked on Raw.

Now that Smackdown will be its own show with its own stories and characters, he in theory will have much more freedom and won't have to book around whatever BS happens on Raw.
 

Ithil

Member
Hey, Smackdown has a great head writer right now. A guy who booked NXT to a lot of success. Last time Smackdown had a great lead booker and a brand split, it was pretty great.

Head writer isn't the same as lead booker. HHH (and Dusty) was the booker in NXT, Ward was the writer. If Vince is still booking everything ever then not a lot will be different.
 
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