Sir_Crocodile
Member
KO started on raw while NXT champion. Takeover matches will be worked whether they're drafted or not.
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WWE Draft |OT| A McMahon on every show
- Thread starter RBH
- Start date
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KO started on raw while NXT champion. Takeover matches will be worked whether they're drafted or not.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
No one in the world cares about this. Not in kayfabe, not in real life. Besides, even in kayfabe, Nakamura just beat Balor clean.
You're telling me WWE signed New Japan's hottest act over the last five years to keep him in NXT because it's more important that he become an NXT champion for 200 fans than a megastar on the main roster as soon as possible.
You mean exactly like they did with Finn Balor?
They have the CWC. Even if they only sign 10 out of the 32 participants, they'd still have enough for a division.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
So they did this with Finn Balor, who said he wanted to stay in NXT to legitimize the brand and be that brand's leader, because he sees it as the new ECW and he wants to be associated with it, because they want to do the same thing to Shinsuke Nakamura? They want to keep Shinsuke Nakamura in NXT until he's 40 because... NXT needs help getting over? Listen to yourself, man.
People will shit hard on a draft that includes Shinsuke Nakamura that doesn't involve him being called up. That's all the logic you need for tonight. Don't overthink this. They can't act like he doesn't exist or try to explain to fans waiting for the draft to shake shit up that they're not going to shake up anything.
BronsonLee
Member
Bryan will try to draft Nakamura before having a mental break and immediately start cursing about 'The Asians'
Brian_FETO
Banned
Definitely, WWE never disappoints its fans
Keyser Soze
Member
If RAW is to have the Cruiserweights, I guess they could explain a way to have the Women only on Smackdown. Shane/Bryan could offer 5 free male picks to RAW to get the Women's Division exclusive - or something along those lines.
slightconfuse
Banned
Keep NXT Strong
Barrage
Member
House shows make this impossible.
Wow I had no clue she passed away. Well I feel like a jackass
spindashing
Banned
Threadshitting be damned but that Nakamura back and forth conversation is the dumbest thing, lol.
I want to see Nakamura on the main roster and that's it.
I want to see Nakamura on the main roster and that's it.
It's all good, man! No worries.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
KenzinFive
Member
Neville and Kalisto will be two centerpieces of the division, plus Tajiri and The Brian Kendrick could be pushed to the main roster again. You could also potentially call up the CWC winner right away if it's someone they're confident in like Zack Sabre Jr or Kota Ibushi.
I highly doubt the latter will happen though.
EDIT: I checked Finn's billed weight and he qualifies as a cruiserweight. But he's such a huge commodity from NXT that I expect him to be an upper midcarder like Owens right away, unless they really, really want to make the cruiserweight division a huge deal.
Your logic for Nakamura is exactly why I think he stays in NXT for a little while longer. Dude has a massive amount of popularity. Do you really want to squander his debut by sandwiching it between a bunch of other NXT debuts that happen during a bigger "event" that involves all of the other talent? Or do you save his debut for something bigger where all of the attention is focused on him?
Nakamura has "Royal Rumble debut" or "Raw after Mania" written all over him in my opinion. He warrants an AJ Styles-tier debut.
Keeping him in NXT for a little while longer is a win for everyone. Keeps a draw in NXT for a little while longer. Builds up the buzz for his WWE debut more. And it allows his debut to be all about him.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
I'm still not following this logic.
Can someone post the promo they're going to give on Smackdown Live tonight where they explain why they would pick literally anyone not Joe or Balor over Nakamura? Where they have 6 NXT spots but one of those isn't NXT's biggest star with no kayfabe or real life reasons to keep him in NXT?
I feel like you guys think there's this hypothetical future buyrate they have to pop in NXT as a reason to keep Nakamura down there. How would they explain this in kayfabe to fans? Why would any fan believe it's more important to Keep NXT Strong?
FallingEdge
Member
why do they need to explain anything in kayfabe?
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
I guess I'm not understanding this world you guys live in where Nakamura is a choice, but the show goes off the air with no one even having talked about it, like he's a nobody.
BronsonLee
Member
Arrowgigantic
Member
LOL that there's 10:1 odds that HHH will be Smackdown's #1 draft.
The Elite
BOSS
We're talking about a company that has changed triple threat match rules on the fly to suit their story lines.
They don't have to say shit.
Permanently A
Junior Member
general question, why is RAW so advantaged in the draft?
BronsonLee
Member
Because 3 hours and also fuck Smackdown
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
So in kayfabe, say Smackdown gets Balor. Smackdown wouldn't even consider that they also want the guy that just beat Balor last week? That guy doesn't exist?
Nakamura has been with WWE since WrestleMania weekend.
Finn Balor, Bayley, and Samoa Joe have been with WWE for years.
So naturally, Baron Corbin, Apollo Crews, and Dana Brooke all get called up to the main roster after WrestleMania where Shane McMahon is supposed to be a great judge of talent.
You're trying to apply logic to a company that can barely maintain story-line continuity and tends to forget events that happened more than 3 months ago. If Nakamura doesn't get picked he'll likely just go unacknowledged on the show
BronsonLee
Member
They'd prioritize people that aren't prone to inane seizures and/or have a severe cocaine addiction
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
I think you live in a world where WWE isn't a business, and as such has no major vested interested in keeping all 3 of its brands strong.
Brian_FETO
Banned
AJ Styles initially came in as the biggest get of the NJPW theft as a midcarder with the backstory of "welcome to the big leagues, you ain't done nothing because it wasn't here".
Fans sing Nakamura's song, who cares
You're more likely to get lesser people who've been in NXT for a while on Smackdown with Shane saying some dumb shit like "this talent didn't get the opportunities they deserved on NXT, so we're gonna give him one right now"
Would love to see Nakamura on TV obviously but I sincerely doubt it's happening. Joe is almost more likely
Raw is an hour longer than Smackdown and so needs a larger roster.
They have enough trouble filling 3 hours even with the full roster.
Discotheque
Banned
Nakamura is not getting out of NXT until the rumble I imagine.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
Oh, this is just about being cynical because we're WWE fans. 
They're not going to draft Balor but not the guy that just beat him, or Joe but not the guy that's challenging him for his title, unless they have a graphic ready to say "NAKAMURA IS NOT INCLUDED, FOR SOME REASON."
They're not going to draft Balor but not the guy that just beat him, or Joe but not the guy that's challenging him for his title, unless they have a graphic ready to say "NAKAMURA IS NOT INCLUDED, FOR SOME REASON."
Oh, this is just about being cynical because we're WWE fans.
They're not going to draft Balor but not the guy that just beat him, or Joe but not the guy that's challenging him for his title, unless they have a graphic ready to say "NAKAMURA IS NOT INCLUDED, FOR SOME REASON."
In the territory days (which HHH seems to be a fan of) you always beat the guy that's leaving.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
I don't know how to get you guys to see how tortured this logic is.
That WWE is going to ignore the elephant in the room because we have to Keep NXT Strong. That fans will be a-okay with this. That no one in the world will be like "Where's Nakamura" in the same show where we acknowledge Samoa Joe and Finn Balor exist.
That wasn't the Draft.
Has there ever been a draft that didn't have the very top stars as the very top picks? When you have 6 NXT picks, you really think they're not going to be the top 6 eligible NXT people? They're going to pick Finn Balor but not the guy that just beat him? There's no logic to this unless you're just that cynical about WWE still treating us like idiots.
FallingEdge
Member
Do you know what company you are dealing with? There is no logic involved. This draft makes no sense.
Not to mention there is a history of the guy leaving losing to the "next top guy".
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
Neville put over Balor and left.
Sami put over Shinsuke and left.
Balor put Joe over and is 99% certain leaving.
You don't put the guy who's leaving your promotion/territory over, you use their heat to elevate the new star who's gonna be earning for you.
Yeah...like they totally don't ignore the elephant in the room that Roman Reigns isn't over as their top face.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
Is this just going to be the thing for the next 5 years?
"WWE will never do anything logical or good, because ROMAN REIGNS HAPPENED," as they weekly air a cruiserweight tournament featuring Zack fuckin' Sabre Jr and Kota Ibushi as the top attractions.
If we're going by kayfabe logic Nakamura isn't a top 6 NXT star right now because he hasn't hit the same highs as Joe, Balor, Bayley, Asuka, Revival, or American Alpha.
But you're just going to make a mental leap to dismiss this logic because you're clearly letting your fanaticism with Nakamura blind you to some pretty clear logic.
BewareTheBatsie
Member
DB: "I really want Nakamura, he could be great for the-"
Foley: "I've been talking with Steph and we agree we want Nakamura-"
Foley: "I've been talking with Steph and we agree we want Nakamura-"
Vince McMahon has nothing to do with the cruiserweight tournament. Or with NXT.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
LOL WHAT
I feel like you guys think every fan is a fuckin' idiot except you and your online friends. Like people right now all over the world aren't talking about Nakamura tonight.
Do you actually watch WWE?
Nakamura, Joe, Asuka, freaking No Way Jose. They obviously won't say anything about the wrestlers that they don't choose.
Actually there's a huge chance that, because of the time, they won't even talk about the wrestlers that they choose. It's gonna be "I select Finn Balor", and that's it, no reason given
I don't think they say anything and when he does debut down the road the announce team can build him up by saying things like " how the hell was this guy not drafted". You can build a lot around him not being drafted and people dropping the ball. He could have a chip on his shoulder because of it and wants to destroy the people that were picked high. It happens all the time in real sports and it opens up a lot of story line possibilities
I'm sorry, what? How many people even watch NXT compared to Raw or even Smackdown?
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