That’s easy. There are no NEW wrestlers anymore, at least none worth building up. Maybe WWE Would do it if somebody like Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles or Sting – somebody that’s never worked in WWE – came over from TNA. WWE seems to feel that such a buildup isn’t worth it if the wrestler doesn’t have a name already. But that’s how you GIVE a wrestler a name. Russo was great at that. Remember the "Val Venis is coming" clips? Awesome. This was a mid-carder who was never going to mean much, but you couldn’t wait to see him. Do something like that with a guy like Seamus before the fans ever see him and he has that much more chance to get over, because you’ve made a big deal out of him. That’s what WWE and TNA have forgotten: FANS WON’T SEE WRESTLERS AS BIG DEALS IF THEIR OWN COMPANIES DON’T.
From: Forever Scarred
*’Taker has worked damn hard to get to where he is. He should enjoy the benefits of another title reign.
Why? As a lifetime achievement award, you mean? Nonsense. Hard work, reputation, paying dues, past performance…ALL NOT RELEVANT. Here’s what’s relevant: Is you having the title what’s best for the company? ‘Taker doesn’t need the belt to draw or be over. It doesn’t enhance him. It’s an ego boost, nothing more. Punk benefits by having the championship. To change the belt, especially for the reason rumored, is counterproductive to WWE.
From: J.J.
*Should WWE combine the three brands?
Yes. The "Bragging Rights" PPV is proof. NO ONE sees Raw, Smackdown and ECW as separate brands. Somebody from Raw beating somebody from Smackdown means NOTHING. Nobody roots for one over the other. At this point, the brand extension hurts. Smackdown is seen as the "B" show, inferior. Performers on it labor under that perception. When a performer goes to Raw, it’s seen as a promotion. To Smackdown, a demotion. Either way, it’s never a surprise. Look at when Mickie James – by the way, I love her bubble ass, reminds me of Teagan Presley – went to Smackdown. She got pissed. She sees it as going to Class AAA. I would combine Raw and Smackdown, use the big stars on both shows, and keep ECW as a separate brand, a true and admitted "B" show, and use it to build talent on a slightly smaller stage.
Mark Madden can be reached at [email protected].
