MJ Rawls: I’m sure we have all done this sitting in the comfort of our own home intently watching RAW on Monday Nights. Within the past couple weeks, the show has been a chore. Let’s go ahead and get it out of the way. It’s been stocked with the heels constantly getting over on the faces and leaving them in a heap. Chalk it up to the sudden loss of Roman Reigns which RAW is still trying to course correct and then also losing Braun Strowman. Other than Seth vs. Dean and how Dean’s character is evolving, there’s nothing that really hooks you in.
So, how do we fix this? After all, it’s the flagship show. NXT call-ups are a short term bandage if you don’t utilize the talent the right way. It would be the same thing if you shifted Smackdown talent to RAW. If men and women are put in situations where they become stagnant, you arrive right at the same problem. Luckily, there’s a stockpile of NXT talent that is waiting in the wings for a call up. It’s to the point where it’s not allowing the other talent to move up the card. Ciampa, Baszler are a couple of wrestlers I can think of right off the bat.
You also have to get the WWE Universal title on the show weekly and defending on the PPV’s consistently. Brock Lesnar is a special attraction, but it doesn’t help anyone if they don’t see the main title. Use that main title to elevate someone like a Seth Rollins or a Drew McIntyre. That’s how you build your next superstar. When you take the IC title off of Seth, that gives you room to make another star. Maybe put it on Finn Balor or you could move Almas over from Smackdown. Apollo Crews even. Make winning these titles really mean something.
Also, fix that damn tag team division. It’s really bad. That’s where movement from Smackdown, NXT, and RAW could benefit. Smackdown has a surplus of good teams and NXT as well. RAW definitely needs an infusion of new blood as well as better stories for teams such as the Revival. A women’s tag team title would not hurt either because you would give talent like the Riott Squad, Bayley, and Sasha something to fight for. Of course, you have to figure out because there isn’t enough talent yet if these titles are going from show to show.
Smackdown has great, compelling stories at the top of the card involving their men and women’s title holders. The “Constable Corbin triumphing over the faces and the faces fighting back” thing isn’t working. We’ve seen variations of this before. You have to start letting some of these personalities shine from under a tried and tested shtick. Give the fans a reason to resonate with a star whether it be loving or hating them from under an umbrella.
