The WWE needs to do a better job of building up storylines for BIG PPV Events

[Mogadishu]

Originally Posted by Gorgeous Dale Newstead It's just mass produced garbage a lot of the time. It's all fluff, there's no substance especially on RAW.

Agreed.

One thing I've noticed since 2005 (the occasional time that I do watch), is that the WWE seems content on going through the motions.

I agree with what you say about RAW, but I think the other shows inevitably suffer as well. The truly hilarious thing, is that RAW is supposed to be the Flagship of the WWE...but is probably the worst of the three shows....largely due to the fact that there's a suffocating main-event bottleneck (usually centered around 2 or 3 of the following: Triple H, Cena, Batista, Orton).

ECW and Smackdown ultimately fail because anyone on the show that shows promise is ultimately moved to RAW....where they then usually end up becoming victims of the glass ceiling. Once their credibility has been ruined on RAW, they either stay 'dead' on RAW, or they get shipped off as 'damaged goods' back to Smackdown or ECW.

In the end - Batista, HBK, Cena, Orton, Triple H, and Undertaker remain your biggest stars.....with Edge walking that fine line between legit. World champ and transitional champ. Every now and then, when the WWE are bored, they'll throw in the likes of Jericho, JBL, and Show as transitional champs. Same old same old since 2005.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of CM Punk and John Morrison.

[Emperor Smeat]

Originally Posted by Mogadishu Agreed. One thing I've noticed since 2005 (the occasional time that I do watch), is that the WWE seems content on going through the motions. I agree with what you say about RAW, but I think the other shows inevitably suffer as well. The truly hilarious thing, is that RAW is supposed to be the Flagship of the WWE...but is probably the worst of the three shows....largely due to the fact that there's a suffocating main-event bottleneck (usually centered around 2 or 3 of the following: Triple H, Cena, Batista, Orton). ECW and Smackdown ultimately fail because anyone on the show that shows promise is ultimately moved to RAW....where they then usually end up becoming victims of the glass ceiling. Once their credibility has been ruined on RAW, they either stay 'dead' on RAW, or they get shipped off as 'damaged goods' back to Smackdown or ECW. In the end - Batista, HBK, Cena, Orton, Triple H, and Undertaker remain your biggest stars.....with Edge walking that fine line between legit. World champ and transitional champ. Every now and then, when the WWE are bored, they'll throw in the likes of Jericho, JBL, and Show as transitional champs. Same old same old since 2005. It will be interesting to see what becomes of CM Punk and John Morrison.

Once they openly declared Raw their flagship on air multiple times when before it was treated equal to smackdown or at least seen as the more unpredictable show since it was live, the whole brand split has been declining in quality overall.

They are willing to destroy Smackdown/ECW ratings and popularity for short term RAW ratings boosts. It also doesn't help that they keep promoting RAW as their flagship and make people who bought a ticket for Smackdown feel like they getting the inferior show. While RAW has been very stale as a show, Smackdown and ECW are set up in a way to be exciting since they always pushing new stars and wrestlers in the main events.

[Mogadishu]

Originally Posted by Smelly Meatball Once they openly declared Raw their flagship on air multiple times when before it was treated equal to smackdown or at least seen as the more unpredictable show since it was live, the whole brand split has been declining in quality overall. They are willing to destroy Smackdown/ECW ratings and popularity for short term RAW ratings boosts. It also doesn't help that they keep promoting RAW as their flagship and make people who bought a ticket for Smackdown feel like they getting the inferior show. While RAW has been very stale as a show, Smackdown and ECW are set up in a way to be exciting since they always pushing new stars and wrestlers in the main events.

Exactly.

I think Gorgeous Dale Newstead said it best. This is all obvious stuff but there has to be other factors at play here.

Being ECW champ is the modern day equivalent of being a European Champion....in terms of credibility amongst the fans. Similarly, being the World/WWE champ on Smackdown is the modern day equivalent of being the Intercontinental Champion. I don't even want to comment on the meaning (or lack thereof) of the other singles titles.

In my opinion, RAW would be awesome if the following changes occurred:

To RAW:
-Edge
-Christian
-CM Punk
-Shelton Benjamin
-John Morrison

Off RAW:
-John Cena
-Randy Orton
-Big Show
-Triple H
-Batista (which has already happened).

With a RAW set up like that, I would also try and persuade RVD to come back (RVD + CM Punk = -)

That's just how I would arrange it, but I'm sure other people have different opinions.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Originally Posted by Mogadishu Exactly. I think Gorgeous Dale Newstead said it best. This is all obvious stuff but there has to be other factors at play here. Being ECW champ is the modern day equivalent of being a European Champion....in terms of credibility amongst the fans. Similarly, being the World/WWE champ on Smackdown is the modern day equivalent of being the Intercontinental Champion. I don't even want to comment on the meaning (or lack thereof) of the other singles titles. In my opinion, RAW would be awesome if the following changes occurred: To RAW: -Edge -Christian -CM Punk -Shelton Benjamin -John Morrison Off RAW: -John Cena -Randy Orton -Big Show -Triple H -Batista (which has already happened). With a RAW set up like that, I would also try and persuade RVD to come back (RVD + CM Punk = -) That's just how I would arrange it, but I'm sure other people have different opinions.

Nah the Smackdown world title actually has the value of a proper world title as it is a constant ppv main event title and the most over guys in the company have been wearing it of late (Edge, Punk and Hardy).

[Mogadishu]

Originally Posted by Gorgeous Dale Newstead Nah the Smackdown world title actually has the value of a proper world title as it is a constant ppv main event title and the most over guys in the company have been wearing it of late (Edge, Punk and Hardy).

I guess so. Despite that however, you can't deny the fact that RAW still ends up getting more World title matches as the final match on the card during a calendar year. Furthermore, take a look at the top guys on RAW compared to the top guys on Smackdown.

RAW
-Triple H, Orton, Cena, Batista (until recent), HBK. ALL of these guys have won World titles at Wrestlemania....as the very last match.

Smackdown
-With the exception of Taker, none of those guys have.

Even if Punk, Edge, and Jeff Hardy are/were the most over stars in the company, you can't tell me that any of these guys have been booked in such a way to be made to look like bigger stars than their RAW counter-parts. This is why that I still believe, that being a world champ on RAW still significantly outweighs being a world champ on Smackdown....the way the WWE has shaped itself.