Raw, PPV, & Smackdown Discussion thread

[More-Than-Most]

I feel like its so expected wwe is gonna swerve everyone and they should. Make him drop it at summerslam if you find out the rock aint doing next years mania... Roman and the blood line and zayne are just so massive it would be a waste to drop both belts to cody which is why i think there is no chance it happens...If it was 1 belt id say sure. I feel like roman will win and they will split the titles by giving him a new universal title and thus having a world title on raw as well. It just doesnt make sense for cody to be the one to take both belts right now when he can just win it a month or 2 later on raw or via the MITB etc. Having roman and the usos lose on the same pay per view also seems lazy to me.

You are basically making the best group we have had since DX look broken in 1 night all while messing up solo as well. On top of this how would cody keep the titles??? roman would fight him again probably 2 more times.... are you giving them back to roman or making cody go that much over and keep the belts off roman all 3 times? Just cant see wwe doing that. Where does wwe smackdown even go after that?

If I am wwe i am letting roman keep it for 1000 days and then if rock isnt doing next mania let roman lose it. He is to close to 1000 days and the most must see guy we have had since the undertaker and the streak. As great as cena is and he is the goat this bloodline run has been incredible.

[brett05]

if Roman doesn't drop to Cody its gonna be a complete shock to everyone. It is completely being built to have Cody take them. I don't see Cody coming back and his storyline ending with a loss at mania. plus they have to pull the belts off roman sooner rather than later.

I can see where there is a promo of Paul Heyman telling Roman that he has always protected him and that today is no different. Roman loses. Cody comes out the next night and presents to him the RAW title. Cody is informed he'll get the Smackdown Title Friday. During the Smackdown Ceremony, Heyman interrupts and brings the contract that shows Cody competed only for one title. This splits the Title and still allows for 1000 days of Roman as champ. Gets serious heat on the bloodline and frees up Jey (or is it Jimmy?) to go after Roman for the Title during the summer.

[brett05]

Wrestlemania is certainly shaping up to be nostalgic. We have Lita (Tag Titles), Edge (Balor), Cena (Theory), Lesnar (Omos), Lashley, who like Lesnar is fairly active compared to the others (Wyatt)

Unknown plans for:

Shamus
McIntyre
Imperium
Bayley
Street Profits
Alpha Academy
Owens
Kross
Myterio (though it should be against his son)
New Day (LA Knight?)
Solo
Usos
Rousey/Bazzler (should go after the titles)

Lost in the plans appear to be:

Nakamura
Bliss
Braun

I think that's the major players that aren't hurt (miss AJ)

[ccugrad1]

Wrestlemania is certainly shaping up to be nostalgic. We have Lita (Tag Titles), Edge (Balor), Cena (Theory), Lesnar (Omos), Lashley, who like Lesnar is fairly active compared to the others (Wyatt)

Unknown plans for:

Shamus
McIntyre
Imperium
Bayley
Street Profits
Alpha Academy
Owens
Kross
Myterio (though it should be against his son)
New Day (LA Knight?)
Solo
Usos
Rousey/Bazzler (should go after the titles)

Lost in the plans appear to be:

Nakamura
Bliss
Braun

I think that's the major players that aren't hurt (miss AJ)

I actually think there are a lot of plans for a good amount of these people on the list:

For example, watching Smackdown last week, I think we are clearly headed for Sheamus, Drew, and Gunther for the IC title in a triple threat match.

I think Owens and the Usos are headed for a tag team title match where Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens team up.
Bayley, depending on the direction WWE wants to go, is either going to face Trish Stratus one on one, or be involved in a 6 woman tag team match where Becky Lynch, Lita, and Trish take on Damage Control.

If WWE wants to go the first way with Bayley and Trish, you will see Becky Lynch and Lita vs. Sky/Dakota vs. Rousey and Shayna for the Women's Tag Team Titles.

Solo may not have a match, but will be clearly involved with the Bloodline in their matches.

Rey Mysterio is clearly facing Dominick, or if they wanted, it could be Rey and Santos Escobar vs. Dominick and Damien Priest.

If you read and believe the reports, Triple H wants WrestleMania to be a smaller card so that each match gets a decent amount of time. It will lead to some people being left off sure.

[More-Than-Most]

https://www.ringsidenews.com/2023/03...ith-sami-zayn/

and there you now know why hhh doesnt see sami zayne as a world title holder lol. Why cant the old heads like flair/hogan not be dbags? So because a guy doesnt kiss your *** he aint it? lol

[metswon69]

https://www.ringsidenews.com/2023/03...ith-sami-zayn/

and there you now know why hhh doesnt see sami zayne as a world title holder lol. Why cant the old heads like flair/hogan not be dbags? So because a guy doesnt kiss your *** he aint it? lol

To be fair, they had a lot of this carefully orchestrated. It wasn't an accident that EC was in Sami's home town. I don't think they believed he would get that over but they knew the turn would be big and that Sami would have the whole country of Canada basically behind him. He's the perfect underdog story. The timing of it just didnt work. Not going into WrestleMania. HHH isn't dumb. There's a reason why Sami is pulling double duty on two shows and main eventing both Raw and Smackdown. They know he's a draw in this window.

The thing is you have to have the tag title match main event night one of WM. That's no disrespect to Rhea/Charlotte. Its just the far better story. It would be a mistake if they let any other match main event that night.

[brett05]

So the Wrestlemania card looks like this, I think I have them all

Reigns v Rhodes
Flair v Ripley
Asuka v Belair
Edge v Balor
Cena v Austin
Lita/Stratus/Lynch v Damage Control
Lesnar v Omos
Rollins v Paul

Still to come
Lashley v Wyatt
Usos v Zayn/Ownes
Andre Memorial - Gives a shot for the rest
LA Knight vs Shaemus vs McIntyre vs Gunther
Women's Battle Royal - Gives a shot for the rest

No Shinsuke, No Alexa

Injured
Big E
AJ

Does that seem right?

[metswon69]

So the Wrestlemania card looks like this, I think I have them all

Reigns v Rhodes
Flair v Ripley
Asuka v Belair
Edge v Balor
Cena v Austin
Lita/Stratus/Lynch v Damage Control
Lesnar v Omos
Rollins v Paul

Still to come
Lashley v Wyatt
Usos v Zayn/Ownes
Andre Memorial - Gives a shot for the rest
LA Knight vs Shaemus vs McIntyre vs Gunther
Women's Battle Royal - Gives a shot for the rest

No Shinsuke, No Alexa

Injured
Big E
AJ

Does that seem right?

You forgot Rey vs Dom but yeah that looks like the card, pretty much.

I think they're going to do the mens and women's battle royal on the Smackdown before WrestleMania. That's been the trend the last couple of years.

Its a pretty solid card all things considered. The only matches that really dont interest me are Lashley vs Wyatt and Brock vs Omos. Brock vs Omos is all about one spot and that's Brock F-5ing Omos. It probably won't last more than 3-5 minutes. Bray needs a big win against Lashley but they just don't give us much reason to be interested in their fued.

If I had to pick winners, I'd say

Rhodes.
Ripley.
Belair
Balor
Austin Theory
Damage Control
Lesnar
Rollins
Wyatt
KO/Zayn
Gunther
Dom

Although I'm not 100% on those picks. I could see Asuka, Lashley, Reigns, and Paul winning.

[brett05]

You forgot Rey vs Dom but yeah that looks like the card, pretty much.

I think they're going to do the mens and women's battle royal on the Smackdown before WrestleMania. That's been the trend the last couple of years.

Its a pretty solid card all things considered. The only matches that really dont interest me are Lashley vs Wyatt and Brock vs Omos. Brock vs Omos is all about one spot and that's Brock F-5ing Omos. It probably won't last more than 3-5 minutes. Bray needs a big win against Lashley but they just don't give us much reason to be interested in their fued.

If I had to pick winners, I'd say

Rhodes.
Ripley.
Belair
Balor
Austin Theory
Damage Control
Lesnar
Rollins
Wyatt
KO/Zayn
Gunther
Dom

Although I'm not 100% on those picks. I could see Asuka, Lashley, Reigns, and Paul winning.

Yes, I forgot Ray v Dom
For me the card seems light and certainly a heavy reliant on Attitude Era stars. To be honest though, I am not sure how it could be better.

I am happy with Edge, Bloodline, and Rollins v Paul (which I think will steal the show if Paul is at least 90% healthy). Other than that, the story lines for me are either rushed or just not really ferreted out.

No Bazzler and no Rousey? (I forgot about them)

Then comes Monday Night Raw. Big E, Orton, Alexa, Shinsuke all need to be on RAW (or Smackdown that week, I hope)

[metswon69]

Yes, I forgot Ray v Dom
For me the card seems light and certainly a heavy reliant on Attitude Era stars. To be honest though, I am not sure how it could be better.

I am happy with Edge, Bloodline, and Rollins v Paul (which I think will steal the show if Paul is at least 90% healthy). Other than that, the story lines for me are either rushed or just not really ferreted out.

No Bazzler and no Rousey? (I forgot about them)

Then comes Monday Night Raw. Big E, Orton, Alexa, Shinsuke all need to be on RAW (or Smackdown that week, I hope)

Ronda is reportedly injured but there is some talk that Bazler and Rousey could fight for the tag titles in night two. Maybe they wait till Backlash though.

Big E might never wrestle again. At the very least, its probably too soon to come back from his neck injury. Its been almost a calendar year since he broke it but that probably needs more time. Then he needs to get back in ring shape as well, assuming he gets cleared to wrestle again. Haven't seen Shinsuke in awhile and I dont think they have anything planned for Alexa unless she reunites with Bray. They were teasing the hell out of that before she took her hiatus.

I am fine with no Attitude era stars. They wanted the Rock but thats not happening unless he makes some cameo appearance at the end of the Rhodes/Reigns match. I think HHH wants to move away from all the nostalgia acts.

[brett05]

Ronda is reportedly injured but there is some talk that Bazler and Rousey could fight for the tag titles in night two. Maybe they wait till Backlash though.

Big E might never wrestle again. At the very least, its probably too soon to come back from his neck injury. Its been almost a calendar year since he broke it but that probably needs more time. Then he needs to get back in ring shape as well, assuming he gets cleared to wrestle again. Haven't seen Shinsuke in awhile and I dont think they have anything planned for Alexa unless she reunites with Bray. They were teasing the hell out of that before she took her hiatus.

I am fine with no Attitude era stars. They wanted the Rock but thats not happening unless he makes some cameo appearance at the end of the Rhodes/Reigns match. I think HHH wants to move away from all the nostalgia acts.

Except his actions say the exact opposite, no?
Lesnar
Edge
Cena
Lita
Trish

[metswon69]

Except his actions say the exact opposite, no?
Lesnar
Edge
Cena
Lita
Trish

Vince would have more if it was up to him. Lesnar and Edge are at least part timers. The other 3 you hardly see anymore.

[BSF101]

Anyone else saw Peter Griffin in the first row during the Rhodes/LA Knight match.

[More-Than-Most]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhIj...annel=WWEonUSA

And this type of storytelling and not just wrestling is why wwe smacks the **** out of tna/wcw/aew etc etc etc...

[metswon69]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhIj...annel=WWEonUSA

And this type of storytelling and not just wrestling is why wwe smacks the **** out of tna/wcw/aew etc etc etc...

I give AEW credit. They're trying to tell more stories, especially after Dynamite's ratings have stagnated and Rampage's ratings are in the tank. That's why I think its inevitable Punk comes back to AEW. The story is right there and he'll be a boost to their ratings and PPV sales (if he can stay healthy).

People can say what they want but story is always more important than technical wrestling. I dont give a **** how many 5 star matches Omega, Darby Allin, Pac, Daniel Garcia, etc put on. Its not going to have the same fan investment as a well executed storyline.