Advertising for the May 23 Raw has been changed to calling the show "WWE Raw." For a few weeks, it had been listed as "Monday Night Raw vs. WWE," which could be an indicator of future plans for a brand split. Creative direction can always change before then, but there have been rumblings of splitting the roster again.
WWE released a video on Shane McMahon's history in the company, which makes sense considering how long he's been gone. There are fans who aren't familiar with his Attitude Era work, or even his later stints involving the rebooted DX and Legacy.
Shinsuke Nakamura told a Japanese news outlet he's recommended Kota Ibushi for WWE's Global Cruiserweight Series. I fully expect WWE to reach out to international talents more in the years to come as they expand to other countries with live events and the Network. The GCS is part of that.
Everything else from yesterday is after the break.
Hirooki Goto will face Dalton Castle at ROH's 14th anniversary PPV. It'd be crazy to have a big PPV without Castle.
The Crockett Foundation, as in Jim Crockett Promotions, is teaming with Ricky Streamboat, the Rock and Roll Express, and Baby Doll Roberts to assist in charity endeavors to help military veterans. The foundation has been working to help veterans and those with mental health issues for decades now.
TNA's audience for Lockdown was 210,000 for the initial airing, and 87,000 for the replay. Despite this theoretically being one of the biggest nights of the year for TNA, this was the lowest audience they've gotten in 2016 by a notable margin. They've got their work cut out for them at the next set of tapings. They were hurt by not getting Styles, Anderson, and Gallows, and I think they're also going to be hurt if they don't get some new and returning faces on the show in the months to come.
The Hall of Fame ring showcased on "Pawn Stars" belonged to the family of Paul Bearer. Why Sunny was advertised for the show when she wasn't on the episode is unknown.
Roman Reigns is not advertised for live events this weekend or next, likely to sell his beating from Triple H. I think that's smart. I'm sure they'll take a hit for those specific shows, but it brings home how badly HHH attacked him. They need to make it look like it's not inevitable Reigns will win at WM32. HHH is an executive now, true, but he's also one of the most ruthless competitors ever.
Brock Lesnar is advertised for the Raw after Wrestlemania. It'll be interesting to see what he does following that show.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I haven't read the remarks in question, but I do think there's a difference between HHH the competitor and HHH the executive building for the future.
1. I haven't read the remarks in question, but I do think there's a difference between HHH the competitor and HHH the executive building for the future.
2. The final few years of the ECW brand were sort of a precursor to some of what we have now in NXT: people who weren't being used well elsewhere got something of a reboot (as in Christian, Benjamin, Matt Hardy, Henry, Miz, Morrison, Ryder, Paul Burchill, Goldust, Finlay, Big Daddy V, Matt Striker, Elijah Burke, Ezekiel Jackson, and the Hurricane), and we also got to see some debuts there (Tatsu, Punk, Swagger, Kofi, Sheamus, Tyson Kidd, and David Hart Smith). Obviously it wasn't the ECW of old, but I think it was a beneficial place for people who in 2016 might be stuck on Main Event and Superstars. I'd love for Main Event and/or Superstars to be turned into something like the ECW brand became, with its own storylines and champion. Imagine if people like Sandow and Fandango actually got character development and feuds! It's worth noting ECW was replaced with the first season of NXT, so there could be something to the idea of it being a bridge to the main roster.
3. I think Bayley's great, and I think she'll be great on the main roster. I also think she would be lost in the shuffle if she had to share air time with people like Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky on the main roster. They should wait to bring her up when the Divas' division could use a new fresh face, and when NXT has more women who are ready to carry the brand in her absence. As was said, she's more valuable to NXT right now than she would be to the main roster.
4. Live events aren't a big priority, booking-wise. They definitely don't want to do anything on those that would conflict with what's happening on TV. So, they're usually feel-good shows where faces win most of the matches. Considering the vast majority of fans don't keep up with who wins and loses on those shows, and a lot of the fans there just want to have a good time with the faces winning, that's how WWE books the way they do.
5. Some of those figures are really great, but I don't want to spend so much money on action figures. There's nothing wrong with collecting them. I just have other financial priorities.
More wrestling tomorrow.
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