The Future of Smackdown

[RatedRPiedmont]

So after the WWE Draft, Smackdown gained Kofi Kingston, Kelly Kelly, Christian and Big Show. They lost John Morrison, R Truth, Edge and Chris Jericho.

So now, the main event picture (based on former World Champions) is as follows for both brands:

RAW:
John Cena
Triple H
Randy Orton
Edge
Chris Jericho
Sheamus
Batista (for now)

Smackdown:
Jack Swagger
CM Punk
Big Show
Kane (technically a former champ)
Rey Mysterio (doesn't have much left)
Undertaker (comes and goes)

So my question is this; seeing as how basically half of Smackdown's main event picture has been shipped off to RAW, and Smackdown has mostly young talent (Big Show and Kane most likely are finished as World Champs, as is Mysterio), do you think Smackdown will be used as a show for the younger talent to make names for themselves?

 

[harrythem]

I think this shows that Vince is sticking two fingers up at MyNetwork before the move but, on the plus side as a fan, losing Edge and Jericho could be a bonus for people like Christian/Kingston Swagger and Punk as, without the established headliners (including 'Taker with his break and Rey getting surgery soon I do believe) it really means that we're going to be having some seriously fresh world title feuds on the blue brand (hell, maybe even Christian getting his title run as well)

exciting times me thinks

 

[RatedRPiedmont]

The question for me is not only what will happen on RAW with such a heavy main event picture (too heavy in my opinion), hopefully we will see those young stars get their big pushes, but then i dont really understand moving Morrison, but hopefully he gets his run on RAW.

But i definitely think that Smackdown will be very interesting in the coming months

 

[The Ram]

Well as of right now since the WWE seems to love to put bigshow in a tag team. I can see possibly another Bigshow And Kane as a tag team. But to the main event scene I really see alot of people like Kofi and Christian finnally getting their chance without so much star power on the smackdown roster. So people could get their big break.

 

[darbare]

at first i was insanely pissed cuz theres no main event credibility on smackdown, excluding big show and taker and cm punk....but now hopefully people like christian and kofi and maybe some others will get a chance in the supplemental draft to win the world title....this is actually a blessing in disguise if you think about it....the ratings will prob be the same and raw will be the same...this way the top main eventers being on raw wont hold the title cuz if you think about it the title can only go around so many times....now with the big boys all gunning for the wwe title it makes it look better and allows others brought up around the big boys to look that much better being surrounded by the likes of batista, triple h, orton, jericho, edge and cena......think about it...

 

[VintageWWE]

I am curious to see what will happen on Smackdown. Hopefully Christian will be winning his first world title. At this point there really is no face to challenge the heel Swagger. The biggest face on the current roster in my opinion is Christian so it would make sense to me to have a Swagger-Christian feud.

 

[Hardyno.1FAN]

Darbare mentioned the supplementry Draft.

Honestly i think Randy Orton may come to Smackdown in tommorows Draft.Cause there is WAY too many high profile names on RAW.Even if they only just bring Orton and no other high profile names,He can give these younger guys credibility.

Im not saying Ortons not young himself,But if he was on SmackDown,I think people like Jack Swagger,Kofi Kingston,CM Punk and Christian could really benefit from it.

ALSO,this is the time for Matt Hardy to shine.

 

[Morpheus101]

Smackdown has been truly shafted by this draft. At the very least, Vince should have sent a couple of the Raw main eventers the other way, i.e. Orton and even Sheamus. As another poster pointed out, this is a clear indication that Vince does see TNA as a threat, so he's drafted most of his best starts to Raw.

 

[ThePeoplesChampion]

i personally like it....i mean it may dull out raw because u have all the major stars trying to get face time there...while smackdown your almost forced to push someone...i will say this i predicate...either Kofi or Christian will win there first World Championship this year....they besides Taker and Mysterio are the top faces of the brand. Now i will say this don't count Mysterio out of the title reigns i can see a possible short reign...and i do see Taker winning it yet again maybe at Summerslam or Survivor Series....I see four Champions in all this year Jack Swagger, Undertaker, CM Punk, and Kofi/Christian. Exciting times for the blue Brand

 

[teamcanada]

After tonight, Smackdown has essentially gone back to the beginning of the brands. Smackdown is the wrestling show, RAW is the storyline show. I feel really bad for the mid-carders on Raw they will get NO tv time while on smackdown is essentially now a 2 hr. ECW.

I think the main story line on Smackdown will be a faction of faces and kelly kelly Vs. The straight edge society which should go off pretty good & Swagger Vs. __________ for the title.

But I do know what brand house show I would be going to now, given a choice. The smackdown house shows I assume will be pretty sparse.

 

[axl626]

I'm really hoping Christian gets his break at being a main event guy on Smackdown. I think he could easily lead the brand if he had opponents who could measure up to him, which I don't feel he had on ECW, minus Shelton, who's no longer a factor. But he needs to get back to being Captain Charisma. Be the cocky face that he can be. Stop the clapping and tell people he's the best on HIS show and then prove it. Christian won't be a psycho like Orton or Edge but he can be a Jericho style face which is really lacking in WWE. Hopefully they could build a Christian/Punk feud for a while to get Christian up to the ME then get his shot.

Also, isn't Rey supposed to be taking time off? And Undertaker's normally gone half the year anyway.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

I couldn't believe I missed TNA for this.

Anywho... At first I thought they royally screwed Smackdown very deep in the bum by taking half the star-power Smackdown had and giving it to Raw. This is how I viewed the main-event scene for Smackdown in a review from another site:

Jack Swagger - new main-eventer. A bit credible so far.
CM Punk - upper mid-card who is like Jericho, versatile. Credible.
Rey Mysterio - credible against people around his height, but silly against the following...
The Undertaker - out for a few months. Credible.
The Great Khali - in a way, the polar opposite of Mysterio, 'cept for credibility.
Kane - main-event jobber. Who knows, maybe they'll slap him a title reign. I say credible.
Big Show - kinda like Kane...

And then there is Christian who could save Smackdown if they actually push him to main-event.

But as of now, to me, Smackdown is full of unreliable/unbelievable "main-eventers".

But then I realized that there is still the Supplemental Draft and there might be an opportunity for Smackdown to regain star-power.

And although it annoys me for some unknown reason when someone types "Just my opinion" last in their post, I believe it's appropriate here.

Just my opinion, man...

 

[MrHashasheen]

I'm actually pleased with what Smackdown got.

A bunch of fresh young stars that will be having new feuds, possible pushes for Christian, Kingston, and Ziggler. Kane and Big Show don't seem like they'll be doing much either way, which really does make possible they become a tag-team, but with the addition of Punk-Misterio feud, Smackdown seems set to run rather well.

 

[whatalife1683]

Yes, Smackdown has been screwed by losing big name talent. However, this is a chance for everyone else to step up and shine. Jack Swagger's first real feud will possibly be against Christian. I see Kofi being built up, and the fans already give him a reaction. In fact, I see him winning the title at Summerslam or some other ppv. Big Show can help establish the younger stars. Taker is never there, but gives creditbilty when he is. I think MVP will go to Smackdown and turn heel, and I can see one big star going to smackdown. I think this will be a good wrestling show week in and week out. I just did not agree with John Morrison leaving. He is perfect for Smackdown, and would have gain a title shot easily.

 

[MoneyMack]

I like the 'younger' talent being on Smackdown. I really thought it was odd that Morrison moved to RAW tho. Having him on Smackdown ritenow makes the most sense. If no other 'big name' faces make the move in the supplemental draft- I think Vince is FINALLY giving Christian his chance to shine & I LOVE IT!

The fued Im most looking forward to would be Punk V Christian. The banter on the mic would be epic! Wouldnt even have to have the title involved, for this fued to be fantasticly over! Punk doin his messiah stuff & Christian with his witty comebacks! Its got gold written all over it.

 

[KKarvox]

I think with ECW gone, Smackdown is going to become the place for young guys to reach their potential, as well as some of the veterens being their to help get them over. I see Kofi, Christian, McIntyre stepping up to ME Level, and people like Swagger and Punk finally getting good title reigns.

I also see older vets like Hardy, Kane, Big Show, and Rey maybe getting transitional reigns as a bone for staying with the company for all these years loyally, although that is more wishful thinking. But i'd like to see each of them get one more run, or in Hardy's case 1 first run, before they retire.

In all, I'm very hopeful for Smackdown's future, and am very excited.

 

[JBK2008]

Hopefully Christian will get his title shot now as with Kofi. SmackDown is looking very exciting to watch now. The young talent is going to get a shot and I'm all for that. I just really hope Orton gets drafted in the supplemental draft so there is some real star power of there. Orton would work very well for a lot of guys over there. Things are looking up for the WWE if SmackDown can really get some of these guys over in the main event scene.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

This isn't the first draft we saw where SD was left with fuck all, and though i can't remember which year it was, i do remember that SD had a very good year as a result.

I don't know, but i've always assumed that they had writers who worked Raw only, and writers for SD! Based on that theory, i've always felt that SD! were more confident in trying out new guys than Raw. I mean, look how many guys appeared out of nowhere and were over in 12 months thanks to debuting or re-debuting on SD.

MVP and Kennedy are two good examples of that. Hell, that's how Cena managed it, AND Carlito. Brian Kendrick got a new lease of life after being drafted and becoming THE Brian Kendrick.

Anyway, personally i think they've piled the star power on Raw so that they don't have any issues on the flag ship show should someone get injured or misses the show. SD is now going to do what it was doing before ECW re-emerged, and that's pushing mid-card guys into Upper-mid card guys through fueds with established guys ie Big Show and Kane. Fuck man, look who the champ is.

So yeah, i think they've planned to do it this way for that reason mainly, and maybe there'll be a big name in the second draft (otherwise why would anyone bother checking it?), but SD's going to be the place to watch the mid-card guys develop and progress and Raw will be the same old shit.

I feel sorry for John Morrison. That ME push he seemed to know he was getting is blatantly not going to happen now.

[EDIT] I just looked at the promotional poster for 'Fatal 4 Way', which rarely ever features someone who isn't a ME'er and the only guy on it, of all people, is Christian! You'd think it'd be one of the Champions surrounded by 3 potential challengers or something, but no, it's Christian just stood next to whatever arena the PPV will be in, or some shit. Now, obviously the promotional material can change at any point, but the fact that this is the current idea for the poster suggests that they actually intend to do something with Christian on SD!

 

[jamesland77]

For one, Matt Hardy is washed up...he's had his shots, and I think he's pretty much stuck in the Carlito/Shelton Benjamin role right now. Im hoping that this new Smackdown can finally give Kofi his push...He worked a phenomanal program with Randy Orton, and then WWE proverbially kicked him to the curb. and I still think John Morrison will spend some time on RAW getting some rub from the main eventers, maybe finishing his feud with Miz and then win Money in the Bank at the MITB ppv, and use that to go back to Smackdown.

 

[MWRedskins]

In all honesty, i am VERY happy about this. Smackdown (to Vince) is the B-Show, but to me it's now a good show. Besides Hornswoggle and Masters, the main event scene looks GREAT!!!! Cody Rhodes is in the mix, CM Punk, Mysterio, Ziggler, MVP, Kane, Kofi Kingston and Christian and of course the Big Show. I think McIntyre will likely feud with Hardy, MVP and Ziggler and i am HOPING that guys like Christian, Kingston and Punk are in the World title scene. Kingston is an athletic man who impresses like Jeff Hardy, Christian should've been a World Champion in WWE years ago and CM Punk needs to be in the main event scene, on Smackdown he is now the top heel on the mic. No one is even close to it, Swagger has his lisp, but Punk just knows what to say and how to annoy you. Christian is a great face and would have an EPIC feud with a CM Punk or Cody Rhodes (if he's still a heel and becomes in the world title scene).

 

[The Ram]

Well since the supplemental draft is over and smackdown got no big time main eventers I'm not just gonna come out and say that smackdown is going to be a bad show but I don't like the fact that smackdown doesn't have any big time main eventers except of course Undertaker. I wouuld like to see how this turns out but as of right now I see the main eventers on smackodwn now are going to be Punk, Jack Swagger, Mysterio, Christian, Undertaker(even though he's taking a break) and maybe Kofi and Bigshow. Oh and if the WWE decides to turn MVP heel I see him being another main eventer on the show.

 

[sWo]

To be honest...as much as they've been jobbing him out sort of...R-truth gets GREAT, GREAT crowd reactions. He's not half bad in the ring, and he can cut a pretty alright promo. While I can't see him necessarily winning the world title, I can see him feuding with Swagger.

 

[The Ram]

To be honest...as much as they've been jobbing him out sort of...R-truth gets GREAT, GREAT crowd reactions. He's not half bad in the ring, and he can cut a pretty alright promo. While I can't see him necessarily winning the world title, I can see him feuding with Swagger.

Um R Truth went to RAW. I really don't think that R Truth is such a huge star (really he is not a huge star) that he could go over to smackdown and have a fued with someone over a title.

 

[Hardinhoff]

I'm going to run down the new SD roster and tell you all why its going to be just as exciting as RAW:

-Jack Swagger
-Drew McIntyre
-Big Show
-Chavo
-Masters
-Christian
-Punk and the SES
-Cody Rhodes
-Ziggler
-JTG
-Shad
-Kane
-Kofi
-Matt Hardy
-MVP
-Rey Rey
-Croft & Barreta (!)
-Vance Archer
-Tyler Reks

I'm sorry but I see a lot of excitement happening from this. No-brainers in terms of Christian, Punk, Kofi (yeah I said it) and Kane (yeah I said that one too). I must be the only one that gets excited when someone new gets a shot at making something happen. This probably looks like a bunch of mid-carders to you guys but I see some serious potential.

• Croft & Barreta (along with the Hart Dynasty of course) are the future of the WWE Tag Team division. If anyone has seen any of their stuff from FCW, these guys are gold. They play off of each other very well and have TONS of charisma.
  
• McIntyre is starting to grow on me. I think he should hold on to the IC Title for a bit longer and he'll gain enough momentum to get to main event status.
  
• The only one I could think of to not be so great would be Reks. He's been known to cause problems on the road so he may need a displinary trip to FCW. He could use that time to re-tool his character.
  
• Archer needs a manager or mouthpiece. He can talk a bit but I'm sure he probably couldn't flourish on the live show.

Everyone else on the list (yes, EVERYONE besides the obvious choices) has the potential to make this an amazing show. The advantage they also have is that Smackdown isn't live. They'll be able to tape skits and edit promos so these younger guys can establish their characters and get over with the fans.

I'm excited to see what happens on Smackdown and what direction they take with the young talent they have.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

For a long while now, Smackdown has been a place where younger talent has been given opportunities to shine. Kofi Kingston's momentum has kind of stalled and moving him to Smackdown is an excellent way for him to regain it. Christian is another guy that could have been lost in the shuffle on Raw and he really has a chance to do well on Smackdown. With Chris Jericho and Edge to Raw, the Undertaker taking time off, there are some spots to be filled in the main event scene on SD! and the younger talent is going to have to step up and show if they've ultimately got it or not.

I feel confident about Smackdown's future.