"New Era" WWE

[hockeyrobot]

I used to be a MASSIVE wrestling fan and I guess it was probably around the last brand split that I stopped watching weekly. Since then I've stayed in the loop with what's going on and will tune in if I hear about something interesting and I'm around.

I guess Raw and Smackdown have now split and now have this New Era thing going........and in the first nights of each show a debuting superstar (Finn Balor) and Dolph frigging ZIggler just became the #1 contenders for the main title on their brands.

This seems crazy! Or is it just me because I don't watch weekly? Are they just pushing new guys now because normally if they've ever done something like this....there would at least be some kind of build up. Ziggler for sure had zero from what I've seen.

Anyways....just thought id ask the community

[The Bottlenecker]

I will occasionally watch the WWE when there is nothing else on, and while the athleticism of these men and women is phenomenal, I'm not a big fan of the stale storylines. This seems like an attempt to shake things up a bit, but I seem to remember when Raw and Smackdown did this before by drafting guys and what not.

Oh, how I miss the Macho Man...ohhhhhh Yeeeaaahhhh!

[theunrealmine]

Big wrestling "mark" here. They pushed Finn Balor to make a new main event talent. He and Seth Rollins will put on a clinic at SummerSlam. Dolph Ziggler is an interesting choice to say the least. He was a guy that a lot of people were behind for YEARS and WWE just didn't push him like he should've been. Finally he got his push, got hurt, got the title taken off of him and became a mid-card act for the last few years. I'm very curious to see if he becomes a heel (aka a villain) to help push this story forward. Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn put on a match of the year quality fight on Sunday and Charlotte (Ric Flair's daughter) vs Sasha Banks on Raw for the Women's Title was another MOTY quality affair. This has been a hell of an exciting week in WWE and I'm the biggest cynic type fan around

[hockeyrobot]

Big wrestling "mark" here. They pushed Finn Balor to make a new main event talent. He and Seth Rollins will put on a clinic at SummerSlam. Dolph Ziggler is an interesting choice to say the least. He was a guy that a lot of people were behind for YEARS and WWE just didn't push him like he should've been. Finally he got his push, got hurt, got the title taken off of him and became a mid-card act for the last few years. I'm very curious to see if he becomes a heel (aka a villain) to help push this story forward. Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn put on a match of the year quality fight on Sunday and Charlotte (Ric Flair's daughter) vs Sasha Banks on Raw for the Women's Title was another MOTY quality affair. This has been a hell of an exciting week in WWE and I'm the biggest cynic type fan around

Well I just watched the Zayn/Owens and Shield match from the ppv and woah were they good.

But still....doesn't it seem like they kinda just picked Internet favorites for the wins here? Without much build? And for Summerslam!?!

[AngelicAssassin0]

Big wrestling "mark" here. They pushed Finn Balor to make a new main event talent. He and Seth Rollins will put on a clinic at SummerSlam. Dolph Ziggler is an interesting choice to say the least. He was a guy that a lot of people were behind for YEARS and WWE just didn't push him like he should've been. Finally he got his push, got hurt, got the title taken off of him and became a mid-card act for the last few years. I'm very curious to see if he becomes a heel (aka a villain) to help push this story forward. Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn put on a match of the year quality fight on Sunday and Charlotte (Ric Flair's daughter) vs Sasha Banks on Raw for the Women's Title was another MOTY quality affair. This has been a hell of an exciting week in WWE and I'm the biggest cynic type fan around

It has definitely been exciting, though there were a few things I was hoping they might do to enhance things. But elevating Finn Balor to main event status will have it's own rewards. Interviews with talents right outside the ring after a match is a nice touch, and the return of full fledged squash type matches will serve to really enhance some of the wrestlers they want to push. If they can shy away from the never ending 50/50 booking that will be a step in the right direction. The fact that matches are being allowed to go on longer than previous is awesome, Charlotte and Sasha I think went almost 25 minutes.

Ziggler as Ambrose's opponent at SummerSlam is interesting to say the least. The match will be excellent as both Ziggler and Ambrose give it their all, every time. You are right about a heel turn for Ziggler IMO. I think it also signifies maybe that they intend on giving Ambrose a bit of a run and while Ziggler is talented and has been there before Ambrose isn't automatically going to lose to his first challenger on Smack Down.

If you look at the current SmackDown Live talent;

Dean Ambrose
John Cena
Dolph Ziggler
Apollo Crews
Kalisto
Mojo Rawley
Randy Orton
Rhyno-maybe, not sure yet
Shelton Benjamin-coming soon to an arena near you
Zach Ryder

Would appear to be the "faces"(fan favorites) of the brand amongst singles wrestlers.

AJ Styles
Alberto Del Rio(potentially already leaving)
Baron Corbin
Bray Wyatt
Erick Rowan
Kane
The Miz

Would appear to be the "heels" so some balancing out is needed.

My main concerns are how many new titles will they create with 2 brands so that wrestlers have something to shoot for, with the women's division split in 2 how repetitive will the matches get(same for the men actually), and how soon it will be before wrestlers suddenly start flipping from show to show and the lines get completely blurred.

[AngelicAssassin0]

Well I just watched the Zayn/Owens and Shield match from the ppv and woah were they good.

But still....doesn't it seem like they kinda just picked Internet favorites for the wins here? Without much build? And for Summerslam!?!

Owens/Zayn has been building for like a decade really and probably not really the "last" time they are going to face each other.

The Triple Threat Match IMO ended exactly the way it needed to. Roman Reigns is in the dog house right now so he was going to take the pin. And Ambrose need to win to validate the SmackDown Live brand. Plus it set up the angle to create anew championship for the RAW brand which was a very bitter Stephanie kind of thing to do. Likely Rollins wins at SummerSlam or maybe loses to Balor due to interference from Reigns, with him finally becoming the heel the IWC has been clamoring for.

Wouldn't have has as much impact as Rollins winning the triple threat and then SmackDown creating their own title in response IMO.

[PenguinHunter]

It has definitely been exciting, though there were a few things I was hoping they might do to enhance things. But elevating Finn Balor to main event status will have it's own rewards. Interviews with talents right outside the ring after a match is a nice touch, and the return of full fledged squash type matches will serve to really enhance some of the wrestlers they want to push. If they can shy away from the never ending 50/50 booking that will be a step in the right direction. The fact that matches are being allowed to go on longer than previous is awesome, Charlotte and Sasha I think went almost 25 minutes.

Ziggler as Ambrose's opponent at SummerSlam is interesting to say the least. The match will be excellent as both Ziggler and Ambrose give it their all, every time. You are right about a heel turn for Ziggler IMO. I think it also signifies maybe that they intend on giving Ambrose a bit of a run and while Ziggler is talented and has been there before Ambrose isn't automatically going to lose to his first challenger on Smack Down.

If you look at the current SmackDown Live talent;

Dean Ambrose
John Cena
Dolph Ziggler
Apollo Crews
Kalisto
Mojo Rawley
Randy Orton
Rhyno-maybe, not sure yet
Shelton Benjamin-coming soon to an arena near you
Zach Ryder

Would appear to be the "faces"(fan favorites) of the brand amongst singles wrestlers.

AJ Styles
Alberto Del Rio(potentially already leaving)
Baron Corbin
Bray Wyatt
Erick Rowan
Kane
The Miz

Would appear to be the "heels" so some balancing out is needed.

My main concerns are how many new titles will they create with 2 brands so that wrestlers have something to shoot for, with the women's division split in 2 how repetitive will the matches get(same for the men actually), and how soon it will be before wrestlers suddenly start flipping from show to show and the lines get completely blurred.

Is this not what happened last time there was a 'draft'?

[hockeyrobot]

Is this not what happened last time there was a 'draft'?

Yep when things got boring they just changed things up ....but then it started happening too much. At least for my liking.

[rataylor22]

Honestly, the WWE lacks true characters now. Great athletes and technical personalities, but their characters have no flair they aren't believable, and the storylines are predictable and stale. They no longer know how to create characters with aura.

[PenguinHunter]

Honestly, the WWE lacks true characters now. Great athletes and technical personalities, but their characters have no flair they aren't believable, and the storylines are predictable and stale. They no longer know how to create characters with aura.

Yes I agree. They need to bring in someone like Mic Foley... haha.

[Rodgort]

Honestly, the WWE lacks true characters now. Great athletes and technical personalities, but their characters have no flair they aren't believable, and the storylines are predictable and stale. They no longer know how to create characters with aura.

To be fair they aren't really ever given a chance to.

But I really stopped watching after I realized the Attitude Era ended (I was a fan) and the "Cena Wins LOL" era had taken over. I still read a recap blog on ign about it once and a while.