So, in an attempt to add more content to Retro Pro Wrestling, whilst at the same time making this blog a sort of complete archive of my 20+ years as a wrestling fan, I thought I'd share some of those features (and later Raw, Smackdown and PPV reviews) with you guys.
Here goes.
On the face of it, the annual draft which took place on Monday’s three-hour edition of WWE Raw seems to prove the E's own lackadaisical attitudes to their other brands.
Once again Raw dominated the draft proceedings and, at least on paper, depleted Smackdown’s stock when it comes to the amount of talent left on the blue show.
With WWE Champion Triple H taking his title with him to Raw, Smackdown finds itself without a main event champion (at least until Backlash).MVP, Matt Hardy and The Big Show have also been moved over to Monday nights, diminishing Smackdown’s star power even further.
It’s almost as though WWE wants you to believe that Raw is the only show that really matters, enforcing the point by bringing over the majority of Smackdown stars who are even remotely over and who come armed with a decent amount of talent.
Though this time, perhaps Raw’s gain isn’t necessarily Smackdown’s loss.
Assuming that Edge doesn’t somehow get switched in the supplemental draft on Wednesday, let’s look at who Teddy Long has on his books right now:
CM Punk, Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, Shelton Benjamin, Rey Mysterio, Edge; six men who, between them, could deliver some outstanding matches over the course of the next twelve months.
Add some on-form performances from The Undertaker, get Christian over in the supplemental draft and you’ve got the makings of a solid top-tier on what I’ve often thought of as WWE’s ‘wrestling show’.
Of course, this could all go skew-whiff.
Judging by the spoilers for this Friday’s show, it seems the company don’t quite have enough faith in their new Smackdown line-up to let them get on with it, and have given us a Raw main event to finish things off.
Not only that, but feuds which should have ended thanks to the split seem to be continuing on, draft or no draft.
Still, I remain optimistic.
Creatively, World Wrestling Entertainment seems to be in limbo at the minute, with the aftermath of Wrestlemania 25 still lingering in the air.
Let them get all the loose ends tied up with Backlash (which, by the way, is free on Sky Sports for fans in the UK), and hopefully Smackdown can get on with being an awesome show.
At least until the next draft.
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