Brand Split II - Confirmed

[Bellenda Carlisle]

They are the two biggest stars and it makes sense having them lead the company but if the two shows are supposed to have a different feel from each other it seems strange using the two most similar guys they have as the figureheads

[Jackpot]

RAW/SmackDown - current roster

1. Reigns/Cena
2. Ambrose/Rollins
3. Lesnar/Undertaker
4. Triple H/Kane
5. Harper/Wyatt
6. Big E/Kofi
7. Owens/Cesaro
8. Zayn/Woods
9. Sheamus/Big Show
10. Rusev/Rowan
11. Cass/Devon
12. Enzo/Bubba
13. Miz/Kalisto
14. Neville/Sin Cara
15. Slater/Dallas
16. Titus/Axel
17. Del Rio/Styles
18. Ziggler/Jericho
19. Corbin/Crews
20. Viktor/Uso
21. Konor/Uso
22. Truth/Gallows
23. Goldust/Anderson
24. Breeze/Fandango
25. Orton/Young
26. English/Primo
27. Gotch/Epico
28. Swagger/Henry
29. Ryder/Kidd
30. Charlotte/Banks
31. Lynch/Paige
32. Natalya/Naomi
33. Maryse/Bella
34. Eva/Emma
35. Dana/Fox
36. Lana/Rosa

Potential call ups;

 

1. Joe/Balor
2. Bayley/Jax
3. Carmella/Asuka
4. Gable/Dash
5. Jordan/Dawson
6. Itami/Nakamura
7. Dempsey/Aries

Potential signings;

1. Young/Roode (both on their radar by the looks of things)
2. Rock/Batista (both legends, will each have at least one more match with WWE)
3. Blue Pants/Mickie James (Blue Pants on a full time deal would be great, bringing Mickie James back in would be a good move)
4. ZSJ/Noam Dar (both in the Cruiserweight Classic)
5. Mysterio/Angle (again, both legends and both will end up in WWE eventually before going into the Hall of Fame)
6. Davey Boy Jr/Nick Jackson (to add a bit of extra depth to the Tag Team division on each show)
7. Archer/Matt Jackson (as above)

[The Clint]

You get the feeling that Cena might be taking on a lighter schedule from now on when he returns.

[boytoy]

It would be nice if we could have a number one babyface on at least one of the shows who isn't disliked by a large proportion of the audience. Would make that product feel a bit fresher.

[tiger_rick]

It would be nice if we could have a number one babyface on at least one of the shows who isn't disliked by a large proportion of the audience. Would make that product feel a bit fresher.

Be nice if we could have a number one heel on at least one of the shows who isn't liked by a large proportion of the audience.

 

That's wrestling right now.

[LaGoosh]

I hope they don't split any of the current tag teams up like they usually do in the drafts. I can't think of any potential singles stars in them (except Big E but it's not his time yet).

[PunkStep]

They are the two biggest stars and it makes sense having them lead the company but if the two shows are supposed to have a different feel from each other it seems strange using the two most similar guys they have as the figureheads

 

They're the two top guys, Steve. Whether they're similar to each other or not is irrelevant. If you stick them both on the same show, the other brand will massively suffer. And I don't think you'd want a different feel from the type of wrestlers you have. Well, apart from perhaps one hosting the women's division etc. But the distinct feel will be more of a presentation and format I'd imagine, rather than the guys wrestling on the shows.

[UK Kat Von D]

 

It would be nice if we could have a number one babyface on at least one of the shows who isn't disliked by a large proportion of the audience. Would make that product feel a bit fresher.

Be nice if we could have a number one heel on at least one of the shows who isn't liked by a large proportion of the audience.

 

That's wrestling right now.

Only because WWE choose to book it that way

[d-d-d-dAz]

Nah, that's cobblers.

 

Poor booking has played a part, but a far bigger factor is that we live in the age of the contrarian now. People don't like to be told what to like, or to feel like they're being led, and leads to WWE fans lashing out against obviously 'pushed' stars.

[UK Kat Von D]

While I agree that plays a part in it, I think a bigger factor is nobody really wants to be a heel. I recently mentioned that merch sales adds motivation to be liked, but the top faces being booed makes it even more appealing for the heels to get cheers so they match up well. It is a snowball effect from the top good guys being booed where the heels won't seek the proper reaction. Then the top face gets more boos because he is against a popular heel.

 

Miz and Jericho both prove you can be a proper heel, if you want to be.

[Briefcase]

Its all about Merch sales. Why have full on heels when you can make money from Owens, Rollins, Triple H etc? 

[UK Kat Von D]

Well the idea should be that the heels make the faces more popular and push up their merch sales. Problem is their top faces don't sell merch to all their markets, so they need people like Kevin Owens to cover that gap

[air_raid]

There's so much I could say about this development, but honestly, the overriding feeling is "I think this is one step closer to two World titles again, ergo, I hate it worse than fucking anything."

[NEWM]

I'm going to need to find a good Smackdown review podcast. Binned off Sky and torrenting a long time ago but Review-a-Raw and the WWE app sort that every week. If I need to give a shit about Smackdown now somebody good will have to start working on it. I nominate Butch. All that knowledge and his lovely voice. What's 'Smackdown' in Welsh anyway?

[WWFChilli]

WWE smacio i lawr with Handsome Butch.