Pros/Cons: Cena to Smackdown

[MikeKillam]

I don't think it will happen because not everyone gets the network Smackdown! is on, and Cena is the most popular wrestler in the demographic the WWE is targeting. There is the obvious pro; freshening up the feuds on both programs but I can't see Cena agreeing to go to Smackdown! and he basically calls his own shots now much like the top stars before him.

The network issue is a very good point. Smackdown, in my opinion, is a great product, and with Vince spending actual screen time there every week, it's clear to me that Raw is no longer the obvious "A" show. I also agree that Cena is the most popular wrestler in the WWE demographic. However, Smackdown has always been the show that WWE uses to appeal to the demo. Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, Undertaker are three of the biggest money makers in terms of demographic, and they are always on Smackdown (for the most part). Sending Cena to Smackdown would only increase Smackdown's popularity and in my opinion, wouldn't end up losing the company a cent. If anything, they'll gain money on Friday nights.

Your final point is what I want to argue. You say that with Cena basically calling his own shots, you don't see him agreeing to go to Smackdown? I agree that Cena does pretty much control his own character at this point. I feel that I should also inform you of Cena being THE company guy. He is the first to show up every week, and the last to leave. He ALWAYS stays and talks to fans, and he does anything that will help the company in any way he can. When the draft came up after Wrestlemania this year, Cena immediately offered to go to Smackdown in order to help out the brand. Yes, it's less money, less house shows, and it's not a live taping, but Cena offered to go in order to help the company. He calls his own shots in the company because he puts the WWE first. Otherwise, Vince wouldn't trust him to make his own shots. I'm not the biggest Cena fan, and I'll agree with most when they trash him, but the one thing I'll fight about is Cena's devotion to the business.
ALSO, he did just get married a few months ago. The switch to Smackdown would greatly increase his time off, as he would have a taping on Tuesday night, and a few house shows... It's the Raw house shows that really take up the majority of the superstars time. So...it would actually be a pretty good move for Cena. Help the brand, new feuds, and get more time with the new wife.

Just so you know, I didn't right this huge rant to disprove you or anything. Most of what I just said didn't have much to do with what you said, I just didn't want to make two separate posts... 8D

 

[spiketbear]

I don't know why people have trouble seeing Smackdown, when the replay it on Hulu.com each week. It's like NBC 2. Also, when Batista first came back to Smackdown, he said, "I've finally come back to THE A SHOW. That's right, I said it." I would tend to agree with him.

 

[school-of-hard-knocks]

The network issue is a very good point. Smackdown, in my opinion, is a great product, and with Vince spending actual screen time there every week, it's clear to me that Raw is no longer the obvious "A" show. I also agree that Cena is the most popular wrestler in the WWE demographic. However, Smackdown has always been the show that WWE uses to appeal to the demo. Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, Undertaker are three of the biggest money makers in terms of demographic, and they are always on Smackdown (for the most part). Sending Cena to Smackdown would only increase Smackdown's popularity and in my opinion, wouldn't end up losing the company a cent. If anything, they'll gain money on Friday nights.

Your final point is what I want to argue. You say that with Cena basically calling his own shots, you don't see him agreeing to go to Smackdown? I agree that Cena does pretty much control his own character at this point. I feel that I should also inform you of Cena being THE company guy. He is the first to show up every week, and the last to leave. He ALWAYS stays and talks to fans, and he does anything that will help the company in any way he can. When the draft came up after Wrestlemania this year, Cena immediately offered to go to Smackdown in order to help out the brand. Yes, it's less money, less house shows, and it's not a live taping, but Cena offered to go in order to help the company. He calls his own shots in the company because he puts the WWE first. Otherwise, Vince wouldn't trust him to make his own shots. I'm not the biggest Cena fan, and I'll agree with most when they trash him, but the one thing I'll fight about is Cena's devotion to the business.
ALSO, he did just get married a few months ago. The switch to Smackdown would greatly increase his time off, as he would have a taping on Tuesday night, and a few house shows... It's the Raw house shows that really take up the majority of the superstars time. So...it would actually be a pretty good move for Cena. Help the brand, new feuds, and get more time with the new wife.

Just so you know, I didn't right this huge rant to disprove you or anything. Most of what I just said didn't have much to do with what you said, I just didn't want to make two separate posts... 8D

This is a very good post. One thing, though. RAW is the obvious "A" show, at least in Vince McMahon's eyes. If you need any proof for it look at the draft each year. RAW always ends up getting the most out of it by far while Smackdown and ECW get a lot of wrestlers who need to be built up. And WWE's biggest money makers, Cena and DX, are on RAW.

Personally, I find Smackdown to be more enjoyable to watch because they have a lot of up and coming guys on the show who bust their asses every week instead of moving through the motions like a lot of wrestlers on RAW do. But Smackdown will never be THE show in Vince's eyes which is probably a good thing because it gives more freedom to the bookers and the writers.

But anyway back on the topic. The biggest con of Cena being on Smackdown would be a creation of the glass ceiling for the young up and coming wrestlers. With Cena, Batista, Undertaker, Jericho, Big Show and Edge once he comes back the main event would be loaded. CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler and the rest of up and comers would end up being stuck in the midcard.

 

[sevastra82]

Chances are Randy Orton will win Via DQ...that way he keeps the belt, Cena "technically" is the winner and he doesnt go over to Smackdown...

Unless of course, they want to just have yet another redundant monthly title switch.

 

[The Gribbler]

I actually dread any move of Cena to smackdown, seriously I think the less established main eventers outside of CM Punk and Undertaker the better. The show thrives on letting young talent shine to the WWE audience and I would love to see that continue.

A heel punk as champion has the ability to do so much, he is seen by most as enough of a vet to lift the games of the young ones whilst he is fresh enough as a heel not to be stale in the main event. In addition the undertaker can be pushing these youngsters to the moon in midyear feuds that could give them the same treatment he did Randy Orton.

All that will happen if Cena moves is that the main event on smackdown will become the same over populated clusterfuck that RAW was not long ago.

Batista, Cena, Mysterio, Undertaker, Punk, Jericho (potentially), Edge around WM.

When does Morrison get his chance? When do they take a roll of the dice on R-Truth and throw him into the title pic for a month or two when they need someone to job at the rumble? When does Ziggler get a chance to feud with Taker when he has Jericho and Mysterio and Batista to deal with.

Really I think Smackdown should be a chance for the up and comers to prove their worth. You need ENOUGH marquee value to sell your product but it seems like if they made this move the WWE would be putting too much star power and taking away smackdowns position of the WWE's proving ground.

Just My Opinion

 

[baddass79]

if anyone thinks cena is goin to smackdown ur all crazy this is setting up for cena to beat orton in the iron man match with the help of dibiase this is the way wwe wants to turn ted face my feeling is that he will go to hit cena with a chair or something but accidently miss and cena will take advantage and that will start the face turn by ted it wont be a full face turn till probly surivor series though kind of like how they did with batista n hhh but i dont see any chance in hell cena goes to smackdown no way vince will take him from raw !!!!!!!!

 

[JBK2008]

If only SmackDown was on a different channel, the Cena coming here would make sense. But less exposure would hurt in the long run, but a short title run for both Cena and Orton just makes them both look weak right? I mean it doesn't make any sense what so ever. Punk, Morrison and Dolph would get buried but the mid carders on Raw would have to be forced to be pushed...but SmackDowns done such a great job building their mid card...it's really hard to make a decision here. I don't want Cena to win again, but at this point, it's to best option.

 

[SavageTaker]

I'm not sure if the pros outweigh the cons, or vice-versa, but I do know that there is some pretty good things that could come out of Cena moving to Smackdown.

Firstly, Cena moving to Smackdown would create a few fresh feuds that would probably be pretty good. Now that it has been a few years after they wrestled, we could see Cena the main eventer against The Undertaker. I would love to see that feud happen now that Cena has become so much better than he was during his rapper days. Other feuds that could happen are with CM Punk, they could do a feud with Batista properly, and there are wrestlers he could feud with.

The other pro that comes to mind is that Cena could do what he did to The Miz to Ziggler or Morrison, which would be to put them over. Obviously, he doesn't have to lose in order to put them over, but I think that it would help them a lot if he gave them a rub.

Now,even though there are pros to Cena moving to Smackdown, there are also some cons to it.

First one that comes to mind is that it halts or slows down the time in which Ziggler or Morrison get pushed to the main event of Smackdown. Because there are new feuds created in the main event scene of Smackdown, it means that they (Ziggler and Morrison) aren't going to be needed in the main event until new feuds need to be created, and that could take a long time.

Another con would be that the WWE would no longer have their current top star on the show that that they consider the "A" show and the show that gets the highest ratings. I know some people absolutely hate Cena and think he is as stale as month old bread, but I think he should remain on Raw if they really want it to be seen as the top show of the WWE.

 

[King Patrick Star]

y do u guys keep saying smackdown.....theres always that possiblity that he goes 2 ecw. I mean think about it. He could wrestle people like Christian...which would be a great feud....or imagine him wrestling someone like vladimir kozlov or eziekiel jackson.....i would love 2 see cena wrestle them...those guys r huge. Or just see him as ecw champion...that would change things up

I agree with the points on the Pro’s side of Cena to Smackdown, but I love Jake3176's idea.

I see a 44% chance of Cena staying on Raw, a 44% chance of Cena moving to the NFC Conference, and a 12% chance of John Cena wearing Black. Let’s face it, half the world hates Superman and the other half loves him. By putting the Doctor of Thugonomics on Tuesday nights will make both halves whole again.

For those that want to give him a Spinner Belt full of Kryptonite gems, this keeps him away from the Top Two Titles in the WWE which in turn would keep him away from the two main Main Events. This also deletes any sequel to a past feud.

For those that want him as their Icon, this automatically puts him in the position to be a contender, or even Champion of the Land of Extreme. Hell, he could even go back to his thug mentality fighting in Extreme Rules matches, chains and padlocks and all. It provides feuds that can’t be any fresher, unless the Chain Gang Commander invades Orlando.

For those that love ECW, he could put the newer talent over real easily. Just one victory over him, and instant “credibility”. Imagine the following matchups:

Cena vs. Christian
Cena vs. Jackson
Cena vs. Goldust
Cena vs. Burchill
Cena vs. Benjamin
Cena vs. Helms
Cena vs. Sheamus
Cena vs. Dreamer
Cena vs. Reks
Cena vs. Kozlov
Cena vs. Regal
Cena vs. Tatsu
Cena vs. Ryder

Cena could also make the Heel turn we’ve been all waiting for. I see a 56% chance of Cena losing the match.

Oh, and Christian can finally move out of “3rd Place” and show up at the beginning or end of the wrestling week.

 

[johnbragg]

I just found something else on the Internet--Smackdown's contract with MyNetworkTV runs through 2010--Next year. So WWE might want to move their biggest star and biggest draw to pump up Smackdown ratings while they shop the show around. Even if they stay with MyNetworkTV, they'll want to have leverage with offers from WGN or USA or Fox or someone.

I don't know how happy WWE really is with MyNetwork TV. They signed up with MyNetwork when they were supposed to be a network that was going to chase young males the way WB and then CW went after young females. Now they're a syndication service. Before that, they were on CW for 2 years after UPN and WB merged. Usually a network lasts longer than a show, but not with Smackdown, it seems.

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/article/mediaweek-article-says-mynetwork-tv-pins-future-on-wwe-59226

 

[OWEN-ing It All]

I think Cena will be better off on SmackDown. WWE's attempts of late to turn his critics into fans of his, have not gone to plan......at all.

They've tried putting him up against the top heel on RAW, aligning him with their top faces in the WWE, showing his charitable work, acknowledging the fans comments about him, etc etc.

He will benefit more from a Return to SmackDown. He could so easily be turned into a top heel by joining with CM Punk, which I think is how this will all play out. Going up against Taker, Batista and Mysterio, aligning himself with Vince and Punk are ways to get him over as a heel. He'll never get completely over as a face with the in-wrestling crowds and at PPV's it makes him look bad. This would be a great move by WWE, if that is what they are doing.

As for where that levaes RAW.....

You have plenty of firepower on RAW. Swagger, and MVP can easily fill the void left by Cena. MVP is just like Cena, but he can actually wrestle. I think MVP and Swagger are ready for a push. They've already done that with Swagger by giving him this undefeated gimmick and not giving him the US Title (surprisingly I might add, since he was clearly more "ready" than The Miz) is a huge warning sign of this. And MVP and Mark Henry have been having good matches week in and week out.

I think they do need to bring one more face to Raw, but not yet....I mean Orton faces Cena at bragging rights, he doesn't HAVE TO have a title match at SS and I don't think he should. So they have time til the Rumble to let things play out before thinking about who's Orton's competition going to be from here on out. I expect a DX split soon and a Legacy split soon. So you could potentially pencil in any one or all of those guys as future opponents.

I see Orton, Legacy and Jeri-Show vs. D-X, MVP & Mark Henry and Santino at SS. Until recent plot elements unfolded, had Cena in the match instead of

Kofi, Evan Bourne, Primo, Chavo Guerrero vs. The Miz, Swagger, Carlito, Chris Masters

They could get Bret Dibiase back and start a him and Ted vs. Cody and Randy feud too. Wouldn't be a bad time.

That would make Smackdown have:

Undertaker, Batista, Rey Mysterio, John Morrison vs. CM Punk, John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, Eric Escobar

Kane, Drew McCintyre, Mike Knox & The Hart Dynasty vs. R-Truth, Matt Hardy, Finlay & Cryme Tyme

I think this is going to benefit, a lot of the young talent on RAW and make SD have more established stars, which it has been lacking. Taker was out, Edge is out, Hardy's Gone, Mysterio served a suspension, and Batista just got back, SD has taken a ton of hits and if it wasn't for Punk, Morrison and Ziggler I wouldn't even have watched it, but a Cena switch plus the returns and additions, on top of Jeri-Show alternating, makes both shows much more even and open for more exciting tv.