For some wierd reason, the Podcasts section was the only place this could go. Oh well.
Since the 29th of August, 2011, there has been a major blurring of the lines between the two main WWE brands, Raw and Smackdown. The WWE have named this blurring of the lines the "Raw Supershow", which consists of Raw and Smackdown Superstars & Divas appearing on Raw every week, regardless of their actual roster situation. As a direct result of this "genius", Smackdown, a brand that many once considered to be the better of the two back in 2010, now pales in comparison to Raw. The WWE's drive to ensure its flagship show provides the WWE Universe with the best viewing it can offer has had a direct effect on not just Smackdown but also NXT, and really you can't blame any fan for thinking that there's just one big roster, with Superstars & Divas eligible to appear on all four shows.
The whole Raw Supershow concept was introduced to increase ratings by including Smackdown's top talent and to give further exposure to those who the WWE want to develop into main event stars. At first it was a good concept to keep for the short term, but quite frankly it has been going on for far too long now. At first I thought it would maybe last a month or so, but when it extended past that I then thought it'd extend up until Wrestlemania and after that order would be restored. Now I'm afraid it has become a permanent thing for the foreseeable future, and doesn't the future look bleak because of it.
The WWE are just pulling the blindfold over everybody's eyes by offering a temporary fix for their problems, but there will come a time, if they have even realised this yet, that the Raw Supershow and how they book their talent isn't developing enough future stars. If you take a look at the current Extreme Rules pay-per-view line-up, you'll find Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan, CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho, Randy Orton vs. Kane, Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes and a pre-show match of Santino Marella vs. The Miz. Out of those 12 Superstars, only Daniel Bryan and Cody Rhodes are future stars being booked prominently. At one time that was The Miz, but now look at him. He only just got on to the Wrestlemania card and now has to settle for a United States Championship match that is relegated to YouTube. So much for having one of the better WWE Championship reigns in recent memory.
If the WWE want to keep Raw, Smackdown and NXT, which it clearly seems like they want to, they need to make everything on all three shows actually matter. The way I see it, WWE Superstars is a show where talent can be placed into a televised match and not necessarily take up time on Raw or Smackdown, so that's why I am excluding it from the rest of this article. It doesn't need any fixing. It can either continue doing what it's there for, or it can be removed and be done with. Either way it holds really no significance to the rest of this article. Simply put there are three shows that need immediate fixing for the future of the product, because there are too many talented Superstars like The Miz and Dolph Ziggler, who at one time played a big part on Raw, have now fizzled away and have done nothing of note for some time. That shouldn't be the case; instead they should be continuing their development in becoming a main event talent.
My solution? Simple - ensure the WWE Universe can once again see the line between shows and brands. This mainly applies for Raw and Smackdown as everybody can see the line between those two and NXT, but NXT has no direction whatsoever and, in a way, is really just like WWE Superstars. Here is where my solution comes in, and it's something that I really think can work if properly followed. It is a solution that's necessary for the Superstars and not the Divas. Simply put the Diva's Division is virtually non-existent and their jumping from brand to brand really isn't anywhere near as significant as the men. In no way am I being sexist by saying that, it's purely how it all sits in the world of the WWE.
To start, I will list the current WWE Roster and where the Superstars are actually "contracted" to, then move on to NXT:
NXT
Over the past couple of weeks, I have had a change of heart regarding NXT. The WWE seem to be trying to (and failing at) make NXT a brand where Superstars who are used sparingly can appear and keep themselves somewhat relevant. These Superstars would often lose on Raw or Smackdown, but on NXT they'll actually be victorious against up-and-coming opposition. So what I would change with NXT are things to make it its own brand, similar to ECW. Although the NXT name contains a history of it being a competition, it's nothing like the history that the ECW name carried with it, so having NXT become its own brand is less troubling and less complicated. They've already been put in motion but just never finished, so what I will do is finish it:
- General Manager: There will no longer be a Host AND Match Co-Ordinator. Instead NXT will now have its own General Manager, and that will be William Regal or Teddy Long. Long's an experienced ex-GM, whereas Regal is a well known WWE figure; either could bring an air of respect to NXT if they were GM.
- Commentators: Josh Matthews will no longer be at the NXT broadcast table and will be replaced by either Matt Striker or Scott Stanford. If Regal becomes NXT GM, both Striker & Stanford will be on the broadcast table. Stanford only broadcasts the occasional Superstars match, whereas Striker is a great commentator but is never used. I'm sure they could strike a nice partnership together. Matthews is above NXT.
- Championship: Like ECW, NXT would have its own championship. It won't be regarded as a World Championship ever, and depending on the success of the revamped NXT, it won't begin in the same regard as the two mid-card championships either. Nonetheless, NXT having its own championship gives the roster something to reach for, giving the best of the new talent a place to shine. ECW was where John Morrison, CM Punk, Jack Swagger & Sheamus made a name for themselves, as well as making the likes of Chavo Guerrero, Kane, Mark Henry, Matt Hardy, Christian & Tommy Dreamer actually relevant instead of toiling away in mid-card hell. It's also where Ezekiel Jackson broke away from being a bodyguard, even though he's doing nothing of note nowadays.
The final piece of the puzzle is a roster. As it stands, NXT has just Derrick Bateman and Percy Watson now that Darren Young & Titus O'Neil have been moved to Smackdown. I'd keep them both on NXT, but add many more to that list. Considering Young & O'Neil were just moved off NXT, it wouldn't make much sense to move them back, so they won't be included in the next process.
Here is who I'd move from the Raw roster and why:
Alex Riley - I didn't want to put his name here, but I had no choice. The occasional report in regards to Riley's booking ever since his feud with The Miz basically states he's in the doghouse, so I'd move him to NXT where he can be booked prominently. I'm a fan of him and think he has a massive future, but he needs to be used so he can develop a fan base and actually move to Raw or Smackdown with some momentum behind him.
Evan Bourne - Definitely a major player in the doghouse after he returns from his injury. The WWE won't just forget his back-to-back suspensions, so he will get buried big time on Raw. That's why I would move him to NXT, but also because he's not booked well enough as a Mysterio-type character. Also his mic skills are non-existent, so NXT will give him a place to develop those somewhat.
JTG - There was a point where I'd even forgot he was still with the WWE. Ever since Cryme Tyme ended this guy has primarily been used as a jobber, sparingly at that. I don't mind JTG as I think the only thing going against him is his size. I think he has decent mic skills and is decent in the ring, but he's just taking up a spot on the Raw roster.
Mason Ryan - This guy should never have been brought up to the main roster. He's too green and isn't very good on the mic, and the only thing he has going for him is his size. He LOOKS impressive, but that's about it for him. NXT would be the place for him to warm up to being used on television and to develop the whole package right in front of your very eyes.
Michael McGillicutty - I didn't want to put this guy in the list either, but again I had no choice. Unlike Riley, McGillicutty isn't in the doghouse. He's simply just not booked, and frankly I think it's a waste. I was a fan of his on NXT 2 and I wanted him to win from the start, but ever since the Nexus he has done nothing. I would move him over to NXT and feature him prominently so he can showcase what he has.
Zack Ryder - Some may find this to be an interesting decision, and really I was surprised when I chose it too. I was somebody who wanted this guy to be given a chance after watching his YouTube series for the first 30-odd episodes, but now I think that we probably should've trusted the WWE's judgement after all. He's really awkward and goofy, and now that he has returned to jobber status on Raw once more, I think it's time he moved away from the spotlight to a "quieter" show so he can actually earn his way up the food chain through WWE television.
Epico & Primo - Now I know that they're the reigning Tag Team Champions, but I've always thought it came too soon. Don't get me wrong, these cousins form a great team and are one of the only legit teams the WWE have, but they really only appeared together for a few weeks before winning the gold. It was way too soon for my liking and we've pretty much learnt nothing about them. They're never used on Raw, and when they are they get jobbed to fucking Big Show and The Great Khali. NXT would help them actually shine. On a side note, I don't even know what Epico sounds like.
I nearly put Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks on that list, purely so they can actually be booked, but I'm hoping their firing from NXT means they'll return to Raw through John Laurianitis. Sad thing is they'll probably be used as jobbers then too, so maybe they should just stay on NXT. Either way, I've left them off the list.
Now from Smackdown, I'd move:
Drew McIntyre - I have no idea why McIntyre has suffered such a fall from grace, but it's gotten to the point where he is no longer booked. He only managed to get on Team Laurianitis due to the fact Christian hadn't properly healed from his injury, so that doesn't really count. Nonetheless he is a talent being wasted; therefore I would move him to NXT and feature prominently so the WWE take notice once again.
Ezekiel Jackson - He has lacking mic skills, isn't polished enough in the ring, and frankly is never used. He never should've become Intercontinental Champion as that was a low point for the title in my eyes. The guy has the look and that's really all, but in saying that ECW was the place where he moved away from being just a bodyguard. An example of what a brand like NXT could do for you if used like ECW, and really he needs that treatment again.
Heath Slater - Just toiling away in the Smackdown mid-card isn't going to help Slater OR the WWE with coming up with something unique for this guy to really develop him. NXT would be the place to assist Slater in becoming the heat magnet I know he can be. His accent already makes me dislike him, so I'd move him to NXT so he can work on harnessing his uniqueness (that a word?) and really build his career. Believe it or not but I think he has potential, but remaining on Smackdown will just make him stick out too much... and in a negative way.
Jinder Mahal - This guy is one of the youngest on the WWE roster and a move to NXT would mean he'd be used more. I think he needs work all round, and featuring frequently on NXT would ensure that, but just taking up a spot on the Smackdown roster isn't going to help him at all. The only thing of note he ever did was being able to control The Great Khali for like two weeks and that was it. I think he could become a heat magnet too, similar to the way Muhammad Hassan was. Moving to NXT would put him one step closer to achieving that.
Johnny Curtis - From what I've seen of this guy's creepy character, I love it. I've not watched a lot of NXT in the past few months, but what I have seen proves that frequently appearing can assist your development. Curtis is proof, but I think he needs to go back there and stay there for a little while longer. He's also proof that winning a season of NXT doesn't guarantee you a thing, other than vignettes hyping your debut, only to be buried first appearance and that's that. He needs to continue building himself back up once again.
Trent Barreta - I haven't heard about Barreta for ages, which is a bad sign. He's the youngest guy on the main roster (a year behind Mahal, two years behind Ryder, McIntyre, Hawkins, Rhodes) so he has time on his side. Being used will help him develop as I definitely remember him being decent on the mic. His in-ring style is one that the WWE Universe would grow to love, but right now he's going nowhere. He's probably the one that needs to be moved to NXT the most.
Yoshi Tatsu - Considering he's the same age as Alberto Del Rio, John Cena and Sheamus, Tatsu is very far behind and doesn't have much of a future. A move to NXT would not only free up a spot on the Smackdown roster, but it could also be a useful one. I would use Tatsu in the same way as Finlay was used in ECW - always a threat, but would primarily be used to put over talent. I think he could do a good job with that, but he doesn't really have much of a place on Smackdown for me. I actually thought he was on Raw, so there you go.
Camacho & Hunico - These guys have never teamed up, so I think it's about time they did... but on NXT. I would have Camacho moved to NXT by Laurianitis, but force Hunico to go with him if he wants to stay alongside his... esse? Anyway, Hunico isn't doing much on Smackdown, and like Tatsu he's 34 years old and way behind the three guys I listed in Tatsu's blurb, so he could play a big part on NXT. Camacho is only 28, so this team could benefit both in the long run if used frequently, and a move to NXT would make sure of that.
Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd - Two more guys I didn't want to move but felt I had no choice. These guys have teamed up once in a match most of us never even witnessed, and individually they were only used on NXT. Both are 31 and are sadly going absolutely nowhere on Smackdown, so I would move them to NXT for a little while to develop their team and their bad mic skills. Of course, this would come once Gabriel returns from injury.
Alright, so here is my new NXT roster:
I would try to ensure that most future cuts come from this roster, leaving Raw and Smackdown to have only the best talent distributed EVENLY across both brands. If anybody that has been on NXT for a while and the WWE decide has no real future, or they don't have anything for them, they will be released to free up a spot for somebody to come up from FCW or even down from Raw or Smackdown. Some cuts could come from the main roster, making room for an NXT talent to move up or an FCW guy to bypass straight to Raw or Smackdown, but most should come from NXT.
Think of NXT as a trialling ground to see whether you have what it takes or not to become a future star of the company. All these changes would ensure that NXT can be taken much more seriously and that the Superstars have something to aim for. Also, if the WWE don't want to move an FCW talent straight to the main roster but think they deserve to be elevated from FCW, NXT is the show they'll go to. If they demonstrate they have what it takes and develop a following, eventually they could be elevated to the main roster. If not, they'll be released or even moved back down to FCW. Whatever the WWE decides.
Now that the "deadweight" has been removed from their respective rosters, it's time to take a look at the Raw & Smackdown rosters. To start with, I've removed The Rock, Triple H and Undertaker off their respective brand rosters. If they're all going to wrestle, it will be rarely until Wrestlemania 29. No need for any to be on the roster.
Due to my changes, the Raw and Smackdown rosters are now much smaller. Raw was reduced from 27 Superstars to 17, and Smackdown was reduced from 31 Superstars to 19 Superstars. The only changes I would make to the Commentators would be to take Michael "Douchebag" Cole off Smackdown. The fact he's infesting Raw is enough.
Now, my Raw & Smackdown rosters look like this:
Before those changes, there were a total of 58 Superstars on both brands, but that has been cut down to 37 due to 19 Superstars being moved to NXT to join Derrick Bateman and Percy Watson, as well as the removal of The Rock, Triple H and Undertaker. Not only have I solved the issue of half their rosters being neglected, but I have also provided a show that's already in existence as a building block that will eventually create a stable career. This can only occur if they're moved to the main roster with a proper future already planned. Just moving them to the roster to wrestle a couple of matches here and there is just going to put the WWE back to square one and making this whole solution all meaningless.
Now, I would keep all four championships in existence for the time being. I'm not really sure how to go about removing any, so for now they will all stay, but what does need changing is the star power of each brand being evened out. The only thing Raw should be favoured over Smackdown for are special attractions, like the returns of former Superstars like Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho and The Rock. That is it!
The way I'd begin splitting the star power down the middle is by completely severing any ties between Raw and Smackdown, ensuring they both remain separate and that the lines aren't blurred. That means no more Raw Supershow! Having the same GM for the two brands hinders this, but for now let's pretend like it can be done. I would then assess the talent and place them into four categories - Main Eventer, Upper Midcarder, Midcarder and Tag Team, along with whether they're a Face or Heel. Here is how I've assessed the current rosters and their star power:
Something that has been an issue with the WWE for some time is the fact they don't have enough top faces. If you take a look at how I've graded them, there are 12 Main Eventers and its split evenly. I think that's perfect, but the issue comes further down. I've graded 9 Upper Midcarders, with only 2 of them as Faces. That's a big difference, and it's something the WWE has done to themselves and would need to fix. There's nothing I can suggest to solve that problem other than ensure they have an even spread of Faces and Heels in all categories. Due to the numbers of both rosters dwindling, I'd ensure they remain as they are as they seem to be much more even than I thought.
But there you go, that's my solution in fixing the rosters. If only the WWE could take a look at this and consider it, but I doubt it'll ever be seen other than on this forum. If they continue doing what they're doing than they're just going to continue making rash decisions, silently moving Superstars from brand to brand like they just did with Del Rio a day or so ago, and as a result no real development will occur. They have a massive amount of Superstars on the main roster and with many well known guys entrenched in FCW ready to make the jump up. It's about time they make sure they can utilise the majority of their talent most weeks.
Anyway, if any of you even read this far, thank you for taking the time as I truly appreciate it. For those of you who skipped down to here and claim to have read it, I know it's long but it's worth it. Take the time as I'd love to know if my solution is great or if I'm just crazy.
WARNING: This article is long. I would love for you all to read it and give your honest opinions. Whenever I've taken the time to write something like this, nobody seems to take notice or bother to comment, so I'd appreciate it if you could.
Since the 29th of August, 2011, there has been a major blurring of the lines between the two main WWE brands, Raw and Smackdown. The WWE have named this blurring of the lines the "Raw Supershow", which consists of Raw and Smackdown Superstars & Divas appearing on Raw every week, regardless of their actual roster situation. As a direct result of this "genius", Smackdown, a brand that many once considered to be the better of the two back in 2010, now pales in comparison to Raw. The WWE's drive to ensure its flagship show provides the WWE Universe with the best viewing it can offer has had a direct effect on not just Smackdown but also NXT, and really you can't blame any fan for thinking that there's just one big roster, with Superstars & Divas eligible to appear on all four shows.
The whole Raw Supershow concept was introduced to increase ratings by including Smackdown's top talent and to give further exposure to those who the WWE want to develop into main event stars. At first it was a good concept to keep for the short term, but quite frankly it has been going on for far too long now. At first I thought it would maybe last a month or so, but when it extended past that I then thought it'd extend up until Wrestlemania and after that order would be restored. Now I'm afraid it has become a permanent thing for the foreseeable future, and doesn't the future look bleak because of it.
The WWE are just pulling the blindfold over everybody's eyes by offering a temporary fix for their problems, but there will come a time, if they have even realised this yet, that the Raw Supershow and how they book their talent isn't developing enough future stars. If you take a look at the current Extreme Rules pay-per-view line-up, you'll find Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan, CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho, Randy Orton vs. Kane, Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes and a pre-show match of Santino Marella vs. The Miz. Out of those 12 Superstars, only Daniel Bryan and Cody Rhodes are future stars being booked prominently. At one time that was The Miz, but now look at him. He only just got on to the Wrestlemania card and now has to settle for a United States Championship match that is relegated to YouTube. So much for having one of the better WWE Championship reigns in recent memory.
If the WWE want to keep Raw, Smackdown and NXT, which it clearly seems like they want to, they need to make everything on all three shows actually matter. The way I see it, WWE Superstars is a show where talent can be placed into a televised match and not necessarily take up time on Raw or Smackdown, so that's why I am excluding it from the rest of this article. It doesn't need any fixing. It can either continue doing what it's there for, or it can be removed and be done with. Either way it holds really no significance to the rest of this article. Simply put there are three shows that need immediate fixing for the future of the product, because there are too many talented Superstars like The Miz and Dolph Ziggler, who at one time played a big part on Raw, have now fizzled away and have done nothing of note for some time. That shouldn't be the case; instead they should be continuing their development in becoming a main event talent.
My solution? Simple - ensure the WWE Universe can once again see the line between shows and brands. This mainly applies for Raw and Smackdown as everybody can see the line between those two and NXT, but NXT has no direction whatsoever and, in a way, is really just like WWE Superstars. Here is where my solution comes in, and it's something that I really think can work if properly followed. It is a solution that's necessary for the Superstars and not the Divas. Simply put the Diva's Division is virtually non-existent and their jumping from brand to brand really isn't anywhere near as significant as the men. In no way am I being sexist by saying that, it's purely how it all sits in the world of the WWE.
To start, I will list the current WWE Roster and where the Superstars are actually "contracted" to, then move on to NXT:
Raw General Manager: John Laurianitis
Raw Commentators: Jerry "The King" Lawler & Michael "Douchebag" Cole
Alex Riley
Brock Lesnar
Brodus Clay
Chris Jericho
CM Punk (WWE Champion)
David Otunga
Dolph Ziggler
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Evan Bourne
Jack Swagger
John Cena
JTG
Kane
Kofi Kingston
Lord Tensai
Mason Ryan
Michael McGillicutty
The Miz
Rey Mysterio
R-Truth
Santino Marella (United States Champion)
Triple H
Zack Ryder
Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks
Epico & Primo (Tag Team Champions)
Smackdown General Manager: John Laurianitis
Smackdown Commentators: Booker T, Josh Matthews & Michael "Douchebag" Cole
Alberto Del Rio
*Antonio Cesaro
Big Show (Intercontinental Champion)
Christian
Cody Rhodes
*Damien Sandow
Daniel Bryan
Drew McIntyre
Ezekiel Jackson
The Great Khali
Heath Slater
Jinder Mahal
Johnny Curtis
Mark Henry
Randy Orton
Ryback
Sheamus (World Heavyweight Champion)
Sin Cara
Ted DiBiase
Trent Barreta
Undertaker
Wade Barrett
Yoshi Tatsu
*Camacho & Hunico
Darren Young & Titus O'Neil
Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso
Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd
NXT Host: Matt Striker
NXT Match Co-Ordinator: William Regal
NXT Commentators: Josh Matthews & William Regal
Other On-Air People: Scott Stanford & Teddy Long
Derrick Bateman
Percy Watson
* = Hasn't had a debut match, but roster inclusion imminent due to appearance(s).
Raw Commentators: Jerry "The King" Lawler & Michael "Douchebag" Cole
Alex Riley
Brock Lesnar
Brodus Clay
Chris Jericho
CM Punk (WWE Champion)
David Otunga
Dolph Ziggler
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Evan Bourne
Jack Swagger
John Cena
JTG
Kane
Kofi Kingston
Lord Tensai
Mason Ryan
Michael McGillicutty
The Miz
Rey Mysterio
R-Truth
Santino Marella (United States Champion)
Triple H
Zack Ryder
Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks
Epico & Primo (Tag Team Champions)
Smackdown General Manager: John Laurianitis
Smackdown Commentators: Booker T, Josh Matthews & Michael "Douchebag" Cole
Alberto Del Rio
*Antonio Cesaro
Big Show (Intercontinental Champion)
Christian
Cody Rhodes
*Damien Sandow
Daniel Bryan
Drew McIntyre
Ezekiel Jackson
The Great Khali
Heath Slater
Jinder Mahal
Johnny Curtis
Mark Henry
Randy Orton
Ryback
Sheamus (World Heavyweight Champion)
Sin Cara
Ted DiBiase
Trent Barreta
Undertaker
Wade Barrett
Yoshi Tatsu
*Camacho & Hunico
Darren Young & Titus O'Neil
Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso
Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd
NXT Host: Matt Striker
NXT Match Co-Ordinator: William Regal
NXT Commentators: Josh Matthews & William Regal
Other On-Air People: Scott Stanford & Teddy Long
Derrick Bateman
Percy Watson
* = Hasn't had a debut match, but roster inclusion imminent due to appearance(s).
NXT
Over the past couple of weeks, I have had a change of heart regarding NXT. The WWE seem to be trying to (and failing at) make NXT a brand where Superstars who are used sparingly can appear and keep themselves somewhat relevant. These Superstars would often lose on Raw or Smackdown, but on NXT they'll actually be victorious against up-and-coming opposition. So what I would change with NXT are things to make it its own brand, similar to ECW. Although the NXT name contains a history of it being a competition, it's nothing like the history that the ECW name carried with it, so having NXT become its own brand is less troubling and less complicated. They've already been put in motion but just never finished, so what I will do is finish it:
- General Manager: There will no longer be a Host AND Match Co-Ordinator. Instead NXT will now have its own General Manager, and that will be William Regal or Teddy Long. Long's an experienced ex-GM, whereas Regal is a well known WWE figure; either could bring an air of respect to NXT if they were GM.
- Commentators: Josh Matthews will no longer be at the NXT broadcast table and will be replaced by either Matt Striker or Scott Stanford. If Regal becomes NXT GM, both Striker & Stanford will be on the broadcast table. Stanford only broadcasts the occasional Superstars match, whereas Striker is a great commentator but is never used. I'm sure they could strike a nice partnership together. Matthews is above NXT.
- Championship: Like ECW, NXT would have its own championship. It won't be regarded as a World Championship ever, and depending on the success of the revamped NXT, it won't begin in the same regard as the two mid-card championships either. Nonetheless, NXT having its own championship gives the roster something to reach for, giving the best of the new talent a place to shine. ECW was where John Morrison, CM Punk, Jack Swagger & Sheamus made a name for themselves, as well as making the likes of Chavo Guerrero, Kane, Mark Henry, Matt Hardy, Christian & Tommy Dreamer actually relevant instead of toiling away in mid-card hell. It's also where Ezekiel Jackson broke away from being a bodyguard, even though he's doing nothing of note nowadays.
The final piece of the puzzle is a roster. As it stands, NXT has just Derrick Bateman and Percy Watson now that Darren Young & Titus O'Neil have been moved to Smackdown. I'd keep them both on NXT, but add many more to that list. Considering Young & O'Neil were just moved off NXT, it wouldn't make much sense to move them back, so they won't be included in the next process.
Here is who I'd move from the Raw roster and why:
Alex Riley - I didn't want to put his name here, but I had no choice. The occasional report in regards to Riley's booking ever since his feud with The Miz basically states he's in the doghouse, so I'd move him to NXT where he can be booked prominently. I'm a fan of him and think he has a massive future, but he needs to be used so he can develop a fan base and actually move to Raw or Smackdown with some momentum behind him.
Evan Bourne - Definitely a major player in the doghouse after he returns from his injury. The WWE won't just forget his back-to-back suspensions, so he will get buried big time on Raw. That's why I would move him to NXT, but also because he's not booked well enough as a Mysterio-type character. Also his mic skills are non-existent, so NXT will give him a place to develop those somewhat.
JTG - There was a point where I'd even forgot he was still with the WWE. Ever since Cryme Tyme ended this guy has primarily been used as a jobber, sparingly at that. I don't mind JTG as I think the only thing going against him is his size. I think he has decent mic skills and is decent in the ring, but he's just taking up a spot on the Raw roster.
Mason Ryan - This guy should never have been brought up to the main roster. He's too green and isn't very good on the mic, and the only thing he has going for him is his size. He LOOKS impressive, but that's about it for him. NXT would be the place for him to warm up to being used on television and to develop the whole package right in front of your very eyes.
Michael McGillicutty - I didn't want to put this guy in the list either, but again I had no choice. Unlike Riley, McGillicutty isn't in the doghouse. He's simply just not booked, and frankly I think it's a waste. I was a fan of his on NXT 2 and I wanted him to win from the start, but ever since the Nexus he has done nothing. I would move him over to NXT and feature him prominently so he can showcase what he has.
Zack Ryder - Some may find this to be an interesting decision, and really I was surprised when I chose it too. I was somebody who wanted this guy to be given a chance after watching his YouTube series for the first 30-odd episodes, but now I think that we probably should've trusted the WWE's judgement after all. He's really awkward and goofy, and now that he has returned to jobber status on Raw once more, I think it's time he moved away from the spotlight to a "quieter" show so he can actually earn his way up the food chain through WWE television.
Epico & Primo - Now I know that they're the reigning Tag Team Champions, but I've always thought it came too soon. Don't get me wrong, these cousins form a great team and are one of the only legit teams the WWE have, but they really only appeared together for a few weeks before winning the gold. It was way too soon for my liking and we've pretty much learnt nothing about them. They're never used on Raw, and when they are they get jobbed to fucking Big Show and The Great Khali. NXT would help them actually shine. On a side note, I don't even know what Epico sounds like.
I nearly put Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks on that list, purely so they can actually be booked, but I'm hoping their firing from NXT means they'll return to Raw through John Laurianitis. Sad thing is they'll probably be used as jobbers then too, so maybe they should just stay on NXT. Either way, I've left them off the list.
Now from Smackdown, I'd move:
Drew McIntyre - I have no idea why McIntyre has suffered such a fall from grace, but it's gotten to the point where he is no longer booked. He only managed to get on Team Laurianitis due to the fact Christian hadn't properly healed from his injury, so that doesn't really count. Nonetheless he is a talent being wasted; therefore I would move him to NXT and feature prominently so the WWE take notice once again.
Ezekiel Jackson - He has lacking mic skills, isn't polished enough in the ring, and frankly is never used. He never should've become Intercontinental Champion as that was a low point for the title in my eyes. The guy has the look and that's really all, but in saying that ECW was the place where he moved away from being just a bodyguard. An example of what a brand like NXT could do for you if used like ECW, and really he needs that treatment again.
Heath Slater - Just toiling away in the Smackdown mid-card isn't going to help Slater OR the WWE with coming up with something unique for this guy to really develop him. NXT would be the place to assist Slater in becoming the heat magnet I know he can be. His accent already makes me dislike him, so I'd move him to NXT so he can work on harnessing his uniqueness (that a word?) and really build his career. Believe it or not but I think he has potential, but remaining on Smackdown will just make him stick out too much... and in a negative way.
Jinder Mahal - This guy is one of the youngest on the WWE roster and a move to NXT would mean he'd be used more. I think he needs work all round, and featuring frequently on NXT would ensure that, but just taking up a spot on the Smackdown roster isn't going to help him at all. The only thing of note he ever did was being able to control The Great Khali for like two weeks and that was it. I think he could become a heat magnet too, similar to the way Muhammad Hassan was. Moving to NXT would put him one step closer to achieving that.
Johnny Curtis - From what I've seen of this guy's creepy character, I love it. I've not watched a lot of NXT in the past few months, but what I have seen proves that frequently appearing can assist your development. Curtis is proof, but I think he needs to go back there and stay there for a little while longer. He's also proof that winning a season of NXT doesn't guarantee you a thing, other than vignettes hyping your debut, only to be buried first appearance and that's that. He needs to continue building himself back up once again.
Trent Barreta - I haven't heard about Barreta for ages, which is a bad sign. He's the youngest guy on the main roster (a year behind Mahal, two years behind Ryder, McIntyre, Hawkins, Rhodes) so he has time on his side. Being used will help him develop as I definitely remember him being decent on the mic. His in-ring style is one that the WWE Universe would grow to love, but right now he's going nowhere. He's probably the one that needs to be moved to NXT the most.
Yoshi Tatsu - Considering he's the same age as Alberto Del Rio, John Cena and Sheamus, Tatsu is very far behind and doesn't have much of a future. A move to NXT would not only free up a spot on the Smackdown roster, but it could also be a useful one. I would use Tatsu in the same way as Finlay was used in ECW - always a threat, but would primarily be used to put over talent. I think he could do a good job with that, but he doesn't really have much of a place on Smackdown for me. I actually thought he was on Raw, so there you go.
Camacho & Hunico - These guys have never teamed up, so I think it's about time they did... but on NXT. I would have Camacho moved to NXT by Laurianitis, but force Hunico to go with him if he wants to stay alongside his... esse? Anyway, Hunico isn't doing much on Smackdown, and like Tatsu he's 34 years old and way behind the three guys I listed in Tatsu's blurb, so he could play a big part on NXT. Camacho is only 28, so this team could benefit both in the long run if used frequently, and a move to NXT would make sure of that.
Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd - Two more guys I didn't want to move but felt I had no choice. These guys have teamed up once in a match most of us never even witnessed, and individually they were only used on NXT. Both are 31 and are sadly going absolutely nowhere on Smackdown, so I would move them to NXT for a little while to develop their team and their bad mic skills. Of course, this would come once Gabriel returns from injury.
Alright, so here is my new NXT roster:
General Manager: Teddy Long or William Regal
Commentators: Matt Striker & Scott Stanford (Regal in there if not GM)
Alex Riley
Derrick Bateman
Drew McIntyre
Evan Bourne
Ezekiel Jackson
Heath Slater
Jinder Mahal
Johnny Curtis
JTG
Mason Ryan
Michael McGillicutty
Percy Watson
Trent Barreta
Yoshi Tatsu
Zack Ryder
Camacho & Hunico
Epico & Primo (Tag Team Champions)
Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd
Commentators: Matt Striker & Scott Stanford (Regal in there if not GM)
Alex Riley
Derrick Bateman
Drew McIntyre
Evan Bourne
Ezekiel Jackson
Heath Slater
Jinder Mahal
Johnny Curtis
JTG
Mason Ryan
Michael McGillicutty
Percy Watson
Trent Barreta
Yoshi Tatsu
Zack Ryder
Camacho & Hunico
Epico & Primo (Tag Team Champions)
Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd
I would try to ensure that most future cuts come from this roster, leaving Raw and Smackdown to have only the best talent distributed EVENLY across both brands. If anybody that has been on NXT for a while and the WWE decide has no real future, or they don't have anything for them, they will be released to free up a spot for somebody to come up from FCW or even down from Raw or Smackdown. Some cuts could come from the main roster, making room for an NXT talent to move up or an FCW guy to bypass straight to Raw or Smackdown, but most should come from NXT.
Think of NXT as a trialling ground to see whether you have what it takes or not to become a future star of the company. All these changes would ensure that NXT can be taken much more seriously and that the Superstars have something to aim for. Also, if the WWE don't want to move an FCW talent straight to the main roster but think they deserve to be elevated from FCW, NXT is the show they'll go to. If they demonstrate they have what it takes and develop a following, eventually they could be elevated to the main roster. If not, they'll be released or even moved back down to FCW. Whatever the WWE decides.
Raw & Smackdown
Now that the "deadweight" has been removed from their respective rosters, it's time to take a look at the Raw & Smackdown rosters. To start with, I've removed The Rock, Triple H and Undertaker off their respective brand rosters. If they're all going to wrestle, it will be rarely until Wrestlemania 29. No need for any to be on the roster.
Due to my changes, the Raw and Smackdown rosters are now much smaller. Raw was reduced from 27 Superstars to 17, and Smackdown was reduced from 31 Superstars to 19 Superstars. The only changes I would make to the Commentators would be to take Michael "Douchebag" Cole off Smackdown. The fact he's infesting Raw is enough.
Now, my Raw & Smackdown rosters look like this:
Raw General Manager: John Laurianitis
Raw Commentators: Jerry "The King" Lawler & Michael "Douchebag" Cole
Brock Lesnar
Brodus Clay
Chris Jericho
CM Punk (WWE Champion)
David Otunga
Dolph Ziggler
Jack Swagger
John Cena
Kane
Kofi Kingston
Lord Tensai
The Miz
Rey Mysterio
R-Truth
Santino Marella (United States Champion)
Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks
Smackdown General Manager: John Laurianitis
Smackdown Commentators: Booker T & Josh Matthews
Alberto Del Rio
*Antonio Cesaro
Big Show (Intercontinental Champion)
Christian
Cody Rhodes
*Damien Sandow
Daniel Bryan
The Great Khali
Mark Henry
Randy Orton
Ryback
Sheamus (World Heavyweight Champion)
Sin Cara
Ted DiBiase
Wade Barrett
Darren Young & Titus O'Neil
Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso
Raw Commentators: Jerry "The King" Lawler & Michael "Douchebag" Cole
Brock Lesnar
Brodus Clay
Chris Jericho
CM Punk (WWE Champion)
David Otunga
Dolph Ziggler
Jack Swagger
John Cena
Kane
Kofi Kingston
Lord Tensai
The Miz
Rey Mysterio
R-Truth
Santino Marella (United States Champion)
Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks
Smackdown General Manager: John Laurianitis
Smackdown Commentators: Booker T & Josh Matthews
Alberto Del Rio
*Antonio Cesaro
Big Show (Intercontinental Champion)
Christian
Cody Rhodes
*Damien Sandow
Daniel Bryan
The Great Khali
Mark Henry
Randy Orton
Ryback
Sheamus (World Heavyweight Champion)
Sin Cara
Ted DiBiase
Wade Barrett
Darren Young & Titus O'Neil
Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso
Before those changes, there were a total of 58 Superstars on both brands, but that has been cut down to 37 due to 19 Superstars being moved to NXT to join Derrick Bateman and Percy Watson, as well as the removal of The Rock, Triple H and Undertaker. Not only have I solved the issue of half their rosters being neglected, but I have also provided a show that's already in existence as a building block that will eventually create a stable career. This can only occur if they're moved to the main roster with a proper future already planned. Just moving them to the roster to wrestle a couple of matches here and there is just going to put the WWE back to square one and making this whole solution all meaningless.
Now, I would keep all four championships in existence for the time being. I'm not really sure how to go about removing any, so for now they will all stay, but what does need changing is the star power of each brand being evened out. The only thing Raw should be favoured over Smackdown for are special attractions, like the returns of former Superstars like Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho and The Rock. That is it!
The way I'd begin splitting the star power down the middle is by completely severing any ties between Raw and Smackdown, ensuring they both remain separate and that the lines aren't blurred. That means no more Raw Supershow! Having the same GM for the two brands hinders this, but for now let's pretend like it can be done. I would then assess the talent and place them into four categories - Main Eventer, Upper Midcarder, Midcarder and Tag Team, along with whether they're a Face or Heel. Here is how I've assessed the current rosters and their star power:
Brock Lesnar (HEEL)
Chris Jericho (HEEL)
CM Punk (FACE)
John Cena (FACE)
Kane (HEEL)
Rey Mysterio (FACE)
Dolph Ziggler (HEEL)
Jack Swagger (HEEL)
Kofi Kingston (FACE)
Lord Tensai (HEEL)
The Miz (HEEL)
R-Truth (FACE)
Brodus Clay (FACE)
David Otunga (HEEL)
Santino Marella (FACE)
Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks (HEELS)
Alberto Del Rio (HEEL)
Big Show (FACE)
Christian (HEEL)
Mark Henry (HEEL)
Randy Orton (FACE)
Sheamus (FACE)
Daniel Bryan (HEEL)
Cody Rhodes (HEEL)
Wade Barrett (HEEL)
Antonio Cesaro (???)
Damien Sandow (HEEL)
The Great Khali (FACE)
Ryback (???)
Sin Cara (FACE)
Ted DiBiase (FACE)
Darren Young & Titus O'Neil (HEELS)
Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso (FACES)
Chris Jericho (HEEL)
CM Punk (FACE)
John Cena (FACE)
Kane (HEEL)
Rey Mysterio (FACE)
Dolph Ziggler (HEEL)
Jack Swagger (HEEL)
Kofi Kingston (FACE)
Lord Tensai (HEEL)
The Miz (HEEL)
R-Truth (FACE)
Brodus Clay (FACE)
David Otunga (HEEL)
Santino Marella (FACE)
Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks (HEELS)
Alberto Del Rio (HEEL)
Big Show (FACE)
Christian (HEEL)
Mark Henry (HEEL)
Randy Orton (FACE)
Sheamus (FACE)
Daniel Bryan (HEEL)
Cody Rhodes (HEEL)
Wade Barrett (HEEL)
Antonio Cesaro (???)
Damien Sandow (HEEL)
The Great Khali (FACE)
Ryback (???)
Sin Cara (FACE)
Ted DiBiase (FACE)
Darren Young & Titus O'Neil (HEELS)
Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso (FACES)
Something that has been an issue with the WWE for some time is the fact they don't have enough top faces. If you take a look at how I've graded them, there are 12 Main Eventers and its split evenly. I think that's perfect, but the issue comes further down. I've graded 9 Upper Midcarders, with only 2 of them as Faces. That's a big difference, and it's something the WWE has done to themselves and would need to fix. There's nothing I can suggest to solve that problem other than ensure they have an even spread of Faces and Heels in all categories. Due to the numbers of both rosters dwindling, I'd ensure they remain as they are as they seem to be much more even than I thought.
But there you go, that's my solution in fixing the rosters. If only the WWE could take a look at this and consider it, but I doubt it'll ever be seen other than on this forum. If they continue doing what they're doing than they're just going to continue making rash decisions, silently moving Superstars from brand to brand like they just did with Del Rio a day or so ago, and as a result no real development will occur. They have a massive amount of Superstars on the main roster and with many well known guys entrenched in FCW ready to make the jump up. It's about time they make sure they can utilise the majority of their talent most weeks.
Anyway, if any of you even read this far, thank you for taking the time as I truly appreciate it. For those of you who skipped down to here and claim to have read it, I know it's long but it's worth it. Take the time as I'd love to know if my solution is great or if I'm just crazy.
