WWE split the brands in late 2016 and going into Wrestlemania one thing was clear, their "flagship show" that they insist on being 3 hours long RAW, was in all rights inferior to SmackDown Live in every way. SmackDown had better stories, the promos were better, the wrestlers actually seemed to try harder for some reason. I never got the same feeling watching RAW as I did SmackDown. After Wrestlemania out of no where big Vince decides to show up and go, "well Wrestlemania was meh so now I'm gonna screw up the rosters on the brands to try and make RAW better than SmackDown," while that may not have been what he said it is what he was going for. Thus, the "superstar shake-up", oh that could've been a great because one thing SmackDown needed was depth and while they could've sent a tag team and a few smaller wrestlers to RAW in exchange for more main event talent that was desperately needed. That's what they needed and 100% the opposite of what they got.
SmackDown lost Bray Wyatt, Alexa Bliss, Dean Ambrose (and his Intercontinental Title), The Miz & Maryse, Luke Harper, and more to RAW while they only gained The New Day, Kevin Owens (and the United States Title), Sami Zayn, Charlotte, then some other bums. That is quite a bit of main event talent SmackDown lost to RAW and while looking at it guys like Owens and Zayn are fantastic same as Charlotte if they came over for much less to help with SmackDown's depth issue it would've been fantastic. One thing is for sure, Vinny Mac don't care about SmackDown Live..
I've always been against the brand split, it was a dumb idea all those years back and it was a dumb idea when they re-introduced it in 2016. Two of every title is a bad idea because it makes them less important, then you're spreading your talent so thin that giant gaps are going to show (ala SmackDown's lack of depth), and things just become flavourless and dull. Then since talent is spread so thin you have guys and gals in the main event talent situations who honestly shouldn't be there and at best should be spending their entire career in the upper midcard.
Well what about it giving new guys a chance at the top ?? Sure, that's a great idea but that was the idea behind the brand split and it didn't work. Now you have guys like Jinder Mahal being the #1 Contender to the WWE Championship against Randy Orton, a guy who should be given a chance to win and win and win and maybe get Kevin Owens US Title first. Jinder Mahal is a jobber and has been for years, so out of the blue doing this goes, "oh what the hell might of go for broke and throw this loser in the main event even though we have main eventers that are available and not doing anything". Capitalize on things WWE, you just brought Shinsuke Nakamura up from NXT and the people love him, that's the guy you want to have a shot at the belt right away. Then you can immediately capitalize on New Japan Pro Wrestling history between him and AJ Styles and have phenomenal (no pun intended) 5 star matches between the two.
This shakeup hasn't made any sense, a good for instance is Bray Wyatt who would still be a #1 guy on SmackDown but now he's way way way below guys like: Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Braun Stroman, etc, etc, for main event status and a push at the Universal Championship. Honestly, being on the same show as Roman Reigns means you're not going to be the person they want that belt on. The New Day is on SmackDown now and now guys like Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley should be given their due as contenders to the SmackDown Tag Titles (which they were before Zack got hurt) now it'll be a lot of New Day because they sell merch and don't even get me started on Charlotte showing up and screwing the SmackDown Women's scene now but might as well put her on a show where she can be the perpetual champ.
Brand splits are infuriating to begin with but then when they say they're going to shake things up and move superstars you think that they have a perfect opportunity to move guys to SmackDown to give them a viable chance at the main event like Sami Zayn and Cesaro & while Zayn has a chance now but Cesaro is stuck on RAW with Shaemus. They didn't seem to know what was wrong with each show and to run with that plan. SmackDown needed main eventers and RAW needed tag teams, that was that, but no one saw that and people ended up "shook up" who shouldn't have been.
The whole thing was a mess and a blown opportunity on WWE's part yet again.
SmackDown lost Bray Wyatt, Alexa Bliss, Dean Ambrose (and his Intercontinental Title), The Miz & Maryse, Luke Harper, and more to RAW while they only gained The New Day, Kevin Owens (and the United States Title), Sami Zayn, Charlotte, then some other bums. That is quite a bit of main event talent SmackDown lost to RAW and while looking at it guys like Owens and Zayn are fantastic same as Charlotte if they came over for much less to help with SmackDown's depth issue it would've been fantastic. One thing is for sure, Vinny Mac don't care about SmackDown Live..
I've always been against the brand split, it was a dumb idea all those years back and it was a dumb idea when they re-introduced it in 2016. Two of every title is a bad idea because it makes them less important, then you're spreading your talent so thin that giant gaps are going to show (ala SmackDown's lack of depth), and things just become flavourless and dull. Then since talent is spread so thin you have guys and gals in the main event talent situations who honestly shouldn't be there and at best should be spending their entire career in the upper midcard.
Well what about it giving new guys a chance at the top ?? Sure, that's a great idea but that was the idea behind the brand split and it didn't work. Now you have guys like Jinder Mahal being the #1 Contender to the WWE Championship against Randy Orton, a guy who should be given a chance to win and win and win and maybe get Kevin Owens US Title first. Jinder Mahal is a jobber and has been for years, so out of the blue doing this goes, "oh what the hell might of go for broke and throw this loser in the main event even though we have main eventers that are available and not doing anything". Capitalize on things WWE, you just brought Shinsuke Nakamura up from NXT and the people love him, that's the guy you want to have a shot at the belt right away. Then you can immediately capitalize on New Japan Pro Wrestling history between him and AJ Styles and have phenomenal (no pun intended) 5 star matches between the two.
This shakeup hasn't made any sense, a good for instance is Bray Wyatt who would still be a #1 guy on SmackDown but now he's way way way below guys like: Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Braun Stroman, etc, etc, for main event status and a push at the Universal Championship. Honestly, being on the same show as Roman Reigns means you're not going to be the person they want that belt on. The New Day is on SmackDown now and now guys like Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley should be given their due as contenders to the SmackDown Tag Titles (which they were before Zack got hurt) now it'll be a lot of New Day because they sell merch and don't even get me started on Charlotte showing up and screwing the SmackDown Women's scene now but might as well put her on a show where she can be the perpetual champ.
Brand splits are infuriating to begin with but then when they say they're going to shake things up and move superstars you think that they have a perfect opportunity to move guys to SmackDown to give them a viable chance at the main event like Sami Zayn and Cesaro & while Zayn has a chance now but Cesaro is stuck on RAW with Shaemus. They didn't seem to know what was wrong with each show and to run with that plan. SmackDown needed main eventers and RAW needed tag teams, that was that, but no one saw that and people ended up "shook up" who shouldn't have been.
The whole thing was a mess and a blown opportunity on WWE's part yet again.
It's okay guys, I'm as sad and disappointed as you...........