ECW on RAW or ECW on Smackdown?

[Showtime]

So I guess it's been offical for a few weeks now that ECW is now going to have some of their talent perform on RAW and I guess some RAW stars may perform on ECW. Undetermined is the length of time that this will continue for so we're looking at it probably being around for a while. So which show do you perfer ECW on? Which show needs it more, does RAW really need it more or is SD really going to feel it's loss? And which show is better for the ECW stars?

Well, I like that fact that I can get to see ECW stars (I don't get ECW on TV) and I always watch RAW, where it was 60/40 I'd catch SD. It was nice to see Miz/Morrison on RAW, but I think that most of this is WWE's way to ****e out Evan Bourne to a larger audience, which isn't a bad idea on their part and I love to watch the man wrestle, I'm just saying. Oh and to give Tommy Dreamer more people to job to. I hope they begin to use more of the ECW stars as it would be great for all of them with the added exsposure of RAW. I'm not sure if any RAW superstars have performed on ECW, but them again, as I said, I'm sure this is mostly about giving ECW stars, particularly Bourne, more exsposure.
On to Smackdown, I think this will and has really hurt them. When the draft happened, I thought both sides came out actually pretty even, even maybe a slight gain for SD. But since then, injuries and damn Edge having to go away, have made the roster slim. Now that ECW is gone, it makes it even slimmer. But then again, this does give a chance for the middlecard stars chance to really prove themselves. It's already being done by Kendrick and Shelton, and now they just need a few more young guys to do the same and they'll be fine.
So, I like that there on RAW cause I'll see them more and ECW does get a little bigger audience, but I think they'd be better on SD.

 

[jpfizzle]

I think it's ridiculous having ECW on any brand other than ECW. It doesn't add anything too the show including ECW other than the above mentioned exposure for the younger guys like Evan Bourne, and indeed giving Dreamer more people to job too. If anything all it does is effectively harm ECW on tuesday nights.

I like to consider myself abit of ab odd-ball when it comes to the IWC, I really do not like to criticisize the WWE, I like John Cena and I like Mark Henry for example. I don't think I'd be the worlds greatest booker and I don't claim to know more than the seasoned proffesionals who write the show. My opinion is if they wan't ECW to have more credibility then put on a fantastic or even average show, turn that into an exceptional video package and then put that exceptional video package highlighting the talents of these guys on RAW. When I saw the video package of Smackdown this past monday I really wanted too tune in next Friday thinking Damn I want to see guys like this again.

Right now there is too much talent on RAW and Smackdown to add in the talent from ECW aswell. ECW should be a stand-alone show. If they want to give the guys exposure then make ECW something diffren't, an alternative. Having "talent exchanges" and what not just makes things complicated to the casual viewer of either RAW or Smackdown.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

I'm going to mainly side with Fizzle on this matter. If the W.W.E. wants to bring E.C.W. Stars to Raw and Smackdown, and since they're obviously having Supershows from time to time.. all of this is like Mr. McMahon saying he's really thinking about bringing the brands all together again, but at the same time he's trying his hardest to not admit any type of failure within the brand extention.

I don't think anyone can say it's been a failure since the extention has been in full effect now for over 5-6 years. But the fact is, for the passed couple of years, they've allowed selective talents to randomly just float from brand to brand, without being tied to one specific one.

E.C.W. is quite possibly the best underrated brand the company has, but at the same time it's like the W.W.E.'s own version of the indy leagues. I mean, Matt Hardy is the Champion and guys like Evan Bourne and random new-comers are being pushed. I like watching E.C.W. for the wrestling, but just like the original the storylines that are happening on that show revolve around the Championship and practically nothing else.

I say if they're going to allow talent, even E.C.W. talent, to float around then just bring the brands back together. I'm tired of getting my hopes up that everyone will someday, one day once again melt together again and I might get to see a bigger Tag Team division again.

 

[jpfizzle]

Agreed Will, (for the most part.) All the talent exchange does is make it seem as if the brand extension is in it's twilight days. It is as Will pointed out Mr. McMahon saying "hmm, this isn't working, but after the XFL I can't afford to have ANOTHER failed buisness excursion" (I'm sure it wasn't exactly that, I added the XFL bit in as abit of comic relief.)

But unlike most wrestling fans I Don't want the brand split to end!!!

The idea in itself is genious and with a few tweeks here and there it would have worked perfectly. When Wrestling was at it's peak in the late ninetys you had..... THREE BRANDS. WCW. WWF. and ECW. When Vince brought out the competition, and we all know competition equals better shows for better ratings, he had the potential to do something that most buisnesses dream of.... Make his only competition his OWN!

This seriously could've been great for the WWE. Have two similar shows with stacked rosters such as Smackdown and Raw doing the tried and tested thing of making a Pro Wrestling show, basically stick to what they know... All the While use ECW as a tool for experimentaition. A more Edgy, more extreme show so to speak. The more variety WWE offers the more types of wrestling fan it will attract, I hope this makes sense.

WWE had the Perfect example to break ECW away from the other shows right after this years brand split. Listen to Tazz that night on comentry, he was fuming that ECW simply wern't getting anyone where as Raw and Smackdown were getting all the gold....straight after the show Vince was almost assasinated.. Who could've done it.... a really good answer was pointed out by Shocky: Tazz. Tazz is one of the few Original ECW extremists left in the entire WWE. How good and entertainign would a storyline be where Tazz says "this is Bullshit, this is NOT ECW..." he then KayFabe of course forms a comitee to buy ECW back from McMahon, or even wrestles him for control of the company, he then sets about defining the roster his way, the extreme way.

As I said in my previous post I do not think I could do a better job than WWE in the slightest, this is just my thoughts....

Use the brand split as THREE seperate brands, have them compete against each other to see who looks best. Rather than have confusing happenings where X wonders onto whatever show X wants due to the "talent exchange"
Have each show do there own thing and then say "this is what RAW does, what does Smackdown do, this is what Smackdown does, what does ECW do and so on...."

 

[Dead Kennedy]

I like the "talent exchange" and any day you have guys like Miz, Morrison, Bourne or Matt Hardy on your show instead of Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Snitsky or someone that is found largely unentertaining and untalented by most is a good day. Either way, I think it's all for the best for Raw that they have the talent exchange. SmackDown is loaded with young, exciting talent right now and can survive completely fine without the inclusion of ECW for a time in the future.

Raw have hit rock bottom as far as I'm concerned. I haven't seen episodes of Raw as bad as those aired recently since 2003/2004. The mid-carders are more entertaining than the main eventers, most angles don't make sense and the few that do aren't really that good. Raw is helped tremendously by having ECW guys appear on their show, just look at the Bourne/Mysterio vs. Miz/Morrison bout from last week, most people's favourite match from the show. Without it, Raw would have been very poor indeed. Teaming up the ECW guys with Raw guys is the best path right now until Raw Creative gets their heads out of their asses and get the show back to a higher level of quality again.

ECW has only one hour of television time, so I think it's only good for the guys on the ECW roster to get more TV time. The brand split has always been "flexible" the last couple of years, I mean it's not a huge surprise to see a Raw guy on a SmackDown show or vice versa. Maintaining a full and complete brand split would be doing all three shows a disservice as I personally find it nice to see some unexpected, fresh faces on the shows.

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

If I had it my way, they'd get rid of ECW and move everyone that is on that roster onto Raw and Smackdown. This would create more competition for the midcard and the tag team divisions.

That being said, having ECW be able to go on both Raw and Smackdown, on top of having an extra hour of programming, is essentially the same thing minus the fact that they have the ECW title. The way it is now, all they need to do is actually use people in tag teams and start balancing out the number of legit heels/faces in the midcards and they'll be set.

Does it devalue ECW? I don't think so. Does it devalue the Brand Extension? Meh, to a certain degree. But as long as they have it so its still slightly organized and we don't just have random Raw people winning Smackdown titles and such, then its ok. I don't mind when they shift wrestlers without the draft, but its much better when they make a point to say something like "Teddy Long bought the rights to so and so's contract and now they're on ECW".

 

[Macca]

The fact is that Raw needs the ECW roster. Let's be honest, SmackDown has been outperforming Raw these past couple of months since the draft (ratings have shown this, though I don't know what they expect, they only moved perhaps the two guys with the biggest fan following these days - HHH & Hardy.) Last year and the beginning of this year, SmackDown needed ECW to kinda boost up their mid-card on Friday Nights. Now it's seems that Raw needs that little extra push now that guys like Cena & Orton (who has been a breath of fresh air cutting promos on Raw) and a lot of the Raw roster underperforming like Punk, Kane, JBL, Batista, Kingston (though that's really creative's fault, they have been all the over the place since the draft, apart from the HBK-Y2J feud). Therefore it only makes sense to have guys like Bourne, Miz & Morrison, and Matt Hardy appear on Raw to spice things up for the mid-card area.

 

[jpfizzle]

The fact is that Raw needs the ECW roster. Let's be honest, SmackDown has been outperforming Raw these past couple of months since the draft (ratings have shown this, though I don't know what they expect, they only moved perhaps the two guys with the biggest fan following these days - HHH & Hardy.) Last year and the beginning of this year, SmackDown needed ECW to kinda boost up their mid-card on Friday Nights. Now it's seems that Raw needs that little extra push now that guys like Cena & Orton (who has been a breath of fresh air cutting promos on Raw) and a lot of the Raw roster underperforming like Punk, Kane, JBL, Batista, Kingston (though that's really creative's fault, they have been all the over the place since the draft, apart from the HBK-Y2J feud). Therefore it only makes sense to have guys like Bourne, Miz & Morrison, and Matt Hardy appear on Raw to spice things up for the mid-card area.

I disagree completely infact I could not disagree more. RAW needs ECW to spice up it's midcard? Not in the slightest... More than anything RAW would benefit from setting out it's Main-eventers from it's midcard and giving the show somw structure. They have enough wrestlers adding more wrestlers from a diffren't brand just makes things even more all over the place.

For example, pick three or four guys and for the most part have them in the main event over the next year. It doesn't matter who those four guys is: A healthy Randy Orton, Batista, Chris Jericho and one other, say Shawn Michaels who is a proven fan favourite and a vetran. Then set aside the Mid-card and start some feuds over the Mid-Card belts...Kane, Rey Mysterio, JBl Cm Punk, Kofi, Paul Burchill, Santino, D Lo Brown, Lance Cade, Paul London, Manu theres enough guys there for the IC title and then some. Team Priceless, Crime Time and then perhaps some make shift teams to keep things fresh or some new teams from the stacked card they had already. Then you've got the Divas.

In my mind there is a roster on the RAW brand much more in depth and if anything too stacked, all they need to do is make a few tweaks, stop worrying about keeping every one in the main event and start making a solid two hour show. People worry far too much about ratings.. I am also sick of hearing "oh it's creatives fault." They just do what they are told most of the time. It's guys like JBL and Kane who are out of shape and are looking awful in the ring who need to be dealt with in some way. There's only so much creative can do for them. The only thing they really dropped the ball on was the Kane/ Mysterio feud and that was only because Cenas injury left them short for a man in the Scramble. Kane and Mysterio should be mid-card anyway.

 

[chasingamy]

If you compare their rosters, Smackdown has a slightly smaller roster. Add to that, there are a few guys (Edge, Mr. Kennedy, Umaga) out at the moment. In contrast, Raw has quite a few guys they either aren’t using at all or are using inconsistently. When ECW merges with Raw and stops sharing talent with Smackdown, we’re going to get bored of the same match-ups every Friday night again.

Not only does Smackdown need the ECW talent exchange more than Raw, I think merging with Raw will hurt ECW more than it will help. ECW feuds and angles often spilled over to Friday night, which helped make both shows more enjoyable. Granted there aren’t many feuds on ECW at the moment, but I don’t see Raw giving up any time for ECW storylines.

Other than maybe Bourne, I’m afraid the ECW guys will be little more than jobbers on Raw. For example, look at how Miz and Morrison have faired in their Raw appearances to the fact they held the Smackdown tag titles for eight months.

Several top Smackdown stars (Edge, Undertaker, Big Show, Kane to name a few) have appeared on ECW this year. I just don’t see any of Raw’s big names (like Cena, Jericho, Michaels, Batista) having matches on ECW ever.

 

[I_Heart_Princess_P]

I think the very fact that Kendrick is even in a main event program tells us that Smackdown is lacking star power so I think ECW and SD should have continued their exchanege. RAW's so stacked nowadays that its starting to look a little bit like TNA Impact.

 

[Vagrant]

I'm absolutely in love with the idea of ECW talent appearing on Raw. Raw talent to me is becoming a bit stale; the same seasoned veterans appearing over & over is getting a bit dull. All the talent are essentially proven superstars and that doesn't grab my attention too much. Raw's plain show is definitely made quite interesting when you throw an ECW star in the mix, and at the least it gives a little anomaly to the show. SmackDown is stacked full of young, talented individuals who are trying to prove themselves as main event material. Though the same talent seem to be doing the same sorts of matches week in and week out, this necessity to prove themselves makes me want to tune in to the matches, week in and week out.

That being said, I truly hope that Raw main eventers don't show up ECW because the winner will be obvious. Maybe an appearance by the likes of Paul London or Val Venis, but for the most part the characters are too dry to bring anything interesting to ECW.

 

[chasingamy]

Two more things occurred to me...

While Raw will benefit from ECW’s young, fresh talent, it also means those guys that aren’t being used at all (London, Palumbo, Deuce, Venis) and those being used very rarely (Burchill, Snitsky) will have next to no chance of making it on Raw anytime soon. Now there’s the possibility, granted it’s probably wishful thinking, that a few of the aforementioned guys could be used on ECW. Specifically, I think London would fit in well on ECW. He’s young, wrestles a fast-paced high-flying style, and ECW needs more faces.

Another reason I’m against the Raw-ECW talent merger is I do not want Hornswoggle and his shenanigans stinking up Monday nights. It was bad enough having Hornswoggle make Miz and Morrison when they were the tag champs look like fools. I cannot stand the thought of the same happening to Team Priceless. Besides there’s already enough comedy acts going on Raw at the moment; we don’t need any more, especially one that’s only possibly enjoyable if you’re under 12.