What a week for WWE. What an incredibly difficult, draining, emotional week and it’s only Wednesday. I also can’t shake the feeling that we’re not quite done yet.
I wasn’t going to post a second article this week but I can’t seem to shut my brain down after what happened on Raw.
I posted on my personal twitter yesterday “In times of great adversity, we all come together as one voice, as a community united” I believe this, I believe it to my very core right now, because across all media platforms I have witnessed an incredible outpouring of love and unity for Joe Anoa’i aka Roman Reigns.
On behalf of everyone at PW Journal, we wish him a full and speedy recovery and I personally look forward to complaining like hell about him (Roman Reigns) in the future when he returns and gets rammed down my throat again. If anyone can beat this hideous disease, it’s him.
The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind for us all and the light of a new day brings one prevalent thought; he leaves a gaping hole in the company. For so long, he’s been the only one you truly believed could take the Universal Title from Brock Lesnar and he gave us the chance to speculate, hope and debate what the future holds for the title.
This new gap, coupled with a mid card roster plagued with injuries and the delicate nature of the Crown Jewel PPV situation, leaves me, as a fan of a WWE speculating what they can possibly to do rectify things. What can they do to keep the machine moving forward but reinvigorate the audience after this devastating news and maintain the safety and well being of these guys and girls and fill the gaps in the rosters?
The conclusion I have reached is we either need a Superstar Shake-up or some NXT call ups…. or both.
The current injured list is composed of Jason Jordan, Fandango, Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens. Sportskeeda are also reporting that Brawn Strowman, Alexa Bliss, Samoa Joe and Bobby Lashley are working with injuries. These are some big names, which the roster needs to maintain momentum.
The Crown Jewel situation has us all on tender hooks (hence the ‘we’re not done yet’ comment) It is complicated and delicate and at the time of writing, we still don’t know what’s going on. The event is being promoted and marketed but where is it going to take place? Rumors are circulating about a possible NYC/NJ location but they are purely rumors and I would wait the official announcement direct from WWE about what is going to happen.
This situation opens up a range of new issues relating to what is booked for the event. DX & The Brothers of Destruction have been dragged into the spotlight because the overseas audience like the attitude era guys and there’s a demand for them to be there. I’ve always respected HBK for the gracious way he left and stayed gone but I am absolutely shell-shocked that even he has a price for coming out of retirement.
If the event doesn’t take place in its originally intended location, my question is, should they even bother? The current WWE audience who tunes in week in and week out are not begging for these guys, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. The current Raw & SD roster is stacked with the most incredible talent at the moment, talent which is badly booked and under utilized. Most WWE fans are frustrated with the lack of direction and lack of trust in these incredibly gifted athletes who are put on the back burner for yet another nostalgic pop.
I honestly believe they could cancel Crown Jewel and nobody would care. And if they do proceed with a different location, do they include the ladies at last minute?
Given the volatile situation with the Crown Jewel event, should WWE have spent this last week pushing Evolution more? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Evolution on one hand is ground breaking and amazing but on the other hand, it’s also to placate the ladies because they are not permitted to perform at Crown Jewel. The build up and the booking has been sporadic and jagged and I’m just not sure if it’s getting the focus and attention it deserves.
A while back WWE went back to the dual branded once a month PPV, which we all agreed was a good move because it would give time for rivalries and story lines to develop. However, this is not the case. It’s about freeing up this talent for more ‘Showcase’ events.
Do you ever feel like WWE bombards your constantly with images, people, lights, music, gimmicks, events, stories and everything and anything to the point where you feel like you just want to sit in a corner with your eyes closed and your hands over your ears and ignore it all?
Once Evolution and Crown Jewel is over, the pack will thin, the nostalgia acts will go back into the woodwork and the gaps in the roster will become ever more visible.
If it were up to me, after this week I would cancel Crown Jewel and give those guys and girls a couple of extra days to rest, be with their families and friends , to regroup and catch their breath.
If there was ever a time to go back to the drawing board with almost elements of the current WWE product, now is the time. And the thing is, the audience would forgive it, allow it and welcome it. A creative rethink, a proper look at the roster, the creative process, the stories, the talent, the booking and the schedule, it all needs rethinking.
The question is, what would they do? Again, I welcome your thoughts but I jotted down a few of mine. Please be aware this is all wishful thinking, it is in no way based on anything other than ‘what if’
Seth drops IC Title and he and Dean go at it from here to eternity without the need to involve a belt.
Drew McIntyre gives the Universal title a legitimate run.
Dolph Ziggler – IC Champion (given he just cancelled his Wales Comic Con appearance due to live schedule changes, I think a title is well and truly in his future)
Raw tag titles given back to an established tag team – The Revival. Shall we call up the Undisputed Era now, please, thank you.
If Dolph and Drew hold the main titles, can we please have Roode and Balor step up as solid faces to challenge for these belts. Maybe Elias also?
Does Finn need to move to Smackdown? You could have him, AJ, The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe fight it out for the Heavyweight title for the next 3 years and they would absolutely tear it up!
I would move Jeff Hardy back to Raw to support the mid card.
The United States title needs to be brought to life again. I can’t help but think it’s been put in the back burner whilst the Crown Jewel thing is resolved but it needs to be re-established. Orton, Nakamura, Dillenger, Gargano could bring some much needed prestige back to this title.
I feel like both brands are struggling to build a believable face. AJ and Jeff Hardy are carrying the blue brand through hard work and their name alone. Raw has Seth but whilst he’s embroiled in the emerging feud with Ambrose, who else is there? Finn? Oh Finn! What are they doing to you?
Fleeting thought – I’m not averse to Jinder Mahal picking up the Universal Title. And where on earth is Bray Wyatt? One thing is for sure, they need to take Brock Lesnar and Brawn Strowman out of this equation as they do nothing for the title picture.
We need back to basics in every respect. We need guys we can booooo but more than anything we need guys we can cheer for. We need the injured parties, the ones who add real depth to the rosters to be given time to heal. Working injured does no-one any favours and right now, I think we all feel really protective of these superstars and we want them to be healthy.
We need some legitimate and believable stories, a creative reboot so we can reinvest and reestablish. They can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results. Something has to change.
The wrestling community is totally shook right now. We have received a harsh reminder that there are real people behind these characters, real people, with real lives, real problems. Remember me talking about the masks they wear? This week, the masks came off. His real name is Joe and he’s a guy with a wife and family and he’s battling cancer but for the last 11 years, he’s been Roman Reigns, a character we have cheered and booed and booed some more. If that doesn’t bring it all home, I don’t know what will. The health and well being of these guys and girls, the real people behind these characters is more important than anything. If WWE pressed pause for a week, we would forgive it.
#TheRoxSays I’m sad right now because Joe is sick and I’m sad right now because I can’t boo for Roman. What am I going to do with myself?
