It completely takes the wind out of Smackdowns sails in terms of feeling like the fresher brand. I mean, can you even imagine a more boring title picture than Cena vs. Orton for the billionth time which is undoubtedly what they are going to built toward again? It's so fucking bleh, and completely unnecessary when you consider how much more interesting it would be to have Wyatt on top or maybe Ambrose or Styles.
It fucking blows, and even if it's because they feel like they need some more talent on the upper midcard then bring up some fucking NXT talent for christ sakes! Nakamura and Roode are both more than ready to be brought up and NXT has enough talent to stay afloat regardless. It's just so frustrating to see them revert back to the status quo like this.
I think the upper and upper mid card on Smackdown is fine. You've got Styles, Wyatt, Cena, Orton, Miz, Corbin, and Harper. That's more than enough talent for two singles belts. The problem is that the mid and lower-mid cards are an absolute mess right now. After those six, you've got Ziggler and...that's about it. Crews hasn't gotten over in the slightest, to the point where fans are cheering for heels to cripple him. Kalisto looks a step slower than he used to, especially compared to the cruiserweights they've brought in now, most of whom are better than he is. Is there anyone else on Smackdown? That's like the entire singles roster.
As for Nakamura, I think they'll bring him up to the main roster after Wrestlemania season, which is fine. I think they're planning a triple threat match for Takeover: Orlando between Nakamura, Roode, and Kassius Ohno (formerly Chris Hero), which should blow the roof off the place. By the way, Ohno is scheduled to take on Bobby Roode for the NXT Title next Wednesday on NXT, and while I doubt that match ends clean (I can't see them handing Hero a clean loss in his first televised match back, and I can't see him winning the title either), it should make for the most must-watch NXT weekly show in ages.
Roode, on the other hand, is currently working the Samoa Joe role in NXT. He's the popular, well-known veteran they use to prop up their house show cards and sell tickets. I think he'll be on the main roster eventually, but not any time in the near future. I think he's in NXT for at least the next six months to a year. And while he's not exactly young, he's also only a year older than Cena and Styles, so he's still got a few years left in him at least barring any major injuries. Anyway, I don't think they give a guy an entrance like Roode's without planning to bring him up eventually. I just don't think it will be as soon as people think. Joe could have stepped straight onto the main roster, but he was in NXT forever because they were using him in a specific role. I think Roode has taken that role now that Joe is on Raw.
I'll take smackdown over raw any day.
Orton with the title will kinda suck, but my god has smackdown been blowing raw out of the water. Raw is virtually unwatchable without Rollins. Even with Rollins it's tough. The only thing I was looking forward to, from the raw perspective, is Rollins v HHH. I have zero interest in Goldberg and zero interest in Reigns. The cruiserweight division is a flop, minus Gallagher. The tag team division, despite being 100x more talented than Smackdowns, is boring. Even New Day is losing my interest. Enzo & cass get maybe 4 minutes of mic time on a 3 hour show..
Raw is horrible. To make things worse, the title will be on a part time guy in less than 3 weeks. Then passed to another.. Don't get me wrong, Lesnar is great. I enjoy every match he fights.. He just doesn't fight often..
Every young talent on the raw roster is putting over part time talent and I can't take it anymore.. I can't. I really can't. I hate Vince McMahon and CM Punk was right from day one. Raw's ratings were the lowest since I believe 97 on days no major event was happening.
Major change needs to happen..
I don't think Rollins even added all that much to Raw until recently. It's pretty much been the Owens/Jericho show for the past several months with occasional good to great matches from Sasha and Charlotte (their Raw matches were generally better than their PPV bouts, in my opinion). Rollins' feud with Triple H was finally getting interesting when Joe attacked him, but naturally he got hurt and derailed that. That said, I think that Joe/Zayn will be a significantly better
match anyway, as Zayn is just better in the ring than Rollins is. Rollins hasn't really had a banner match since returning from his first injury, whereas I think Zayn could have a four star match with a broom and make the broom look like a million bucks. I'd currently rank Zayn second behind AJ Styles as far as in-ring talent goes (with Owens at third place).
I'm really, really hoping that Owens turning on Jericho now is an indication that they've altered their plans and intend to keep the belt on him. The Festival of Friendship was the greatest Raw segment in years, and probably one of the best ever. The fact that Owens met with Triple H prior to it makes me think that they may finally be going through with the oft-speculated idea of a Triple H led NXT call-up faction. And if they're doing that, doesn't it make sense to keep the belt on Owens?
What I would do is have Jericho come out at Fastlane and help Owens win. He made a promise to his best friend and he intends to keep it. After the match, though, he delivers a codebreaker on Owens and sets up their title feud for 'Mania. Goldberg stays strong because he didn't lose clean, but the title stays where it belongs, on a full timer.
Also, the problem with Enzo and Cass is that I think their act is just wearing thin. You can only mask the fact that Enzo is an absolutely horrendous wrestler for so long with cutesy promos. Eventually he has to deliver in the ring, but he can't. I think that's why they're hesitant to push them in a tag title feud.