Eyes On WWE: What If John Cena Stayed On Smackdown In 2011?

By @AmeenKnows 

For a little background on how I came up with the idea for this article, I work a 16 hour shift every Sunday. So that means I have a lot of time on my hands and what I do with that time is I look up random episodes of wrestling and watch them. For those who may want to go back and watch the 2011 Draft, it happened on April 25th. Anyways, back to more important matters.

The 2011 Draft kicked off with The Big Show and Kofi Kingston eliminating Mason Ryan to earn the Smackdown brand the first pick in the draft, which turned out to be none other than the man who called the blue brand home 6 years earlier, John Cena. However, by the end of the night, there was a 6 man Raw vs Smackdown tag team match. Team Raw consisted of The Miz, CM Punk and Alberto Del Rio. Team Smackdown consisted of John Cena, Christian and Mark Henry. Team Raw won this match and Cena was subsequently traded back to Raw. Why even waste our time or a draft pick to keep Cena on the same show? That's when I started thinking what if Cena had stayed drafted to Smackdown.

Raw Without Cena
Now since Raw won the match, they still need to have someone drafted over to their show so let's just plug in Jack Swagger in that spot since he was brought over to Raw in the supplemental draft. The day of the draft, Cena was already penciled in to face The Miz and John Morrison in a Triple Threat Steel Cage match for the WWE Championship. Cena won that match so that means in this scenario that Cena loses and let's give the title to Morrison. Okay, so Morrison beat R-Truth for his Number One Contender's spot at Extreme Rules. Truth turned heel that same night so moving forward Morrison beats Miz to retain the WWE Title, then proceeds to feud with Truth. Without the company's resident Superman in the fold that means there is a realistic chance that the ever-so entertaining Conspiracy Theorist R-Truth could finally have a taste of Gold. The problem with that is there's a lack of babyface competitors on the roster to carry Raw for the rest of the year. So this means we miss out on the 5 Star Classic between Cena and Punk at Money in the Bank. This is not to say that Punk wouldn't become a WWE Champion, but he'd have to go an less interesting alternate route whether it be with Morrison replacing the role of Vince's Batman to Punk's Joker. Or maybe the momentum created during the "Pipebomb" turns Punk face a few weeks early to feud with a heel Truth, although the dynamic of that feud would change with Truth laying under a crushed table instead of Cena while Punk sits a top the ramp, letting everyone know how he really feels. Even though ADR cheated his way to the WWE Title he doesn't have the notch in his reign of beating Cena at Vengeance and Hell in a Cell, but then again he also doesn't drop the belt just a month after winning it at SummerSlam.

Smackdown with Cena
With Cena on Smackdown, the entire brand experiences a shift in power. In reality, Cena was involved in the WWE title picture in some form for the rest of 2011. Over on Smackdown, Christian wins his first World Heavyweight Championship. However the question is, does Randy Orton still come out on Smackdown 2 days after Extreme Rules and beat Christian for the World Title? We got an entire summer worth of great matches between two fresh opponents who have insane chemistry. Orton was a boring World Champion and having Cena as the leading babyface may have been better in the short term, but it also gets in the way of Mark Henry's Hall of Pain arc. I doubt Henry cleanly beats Cena for the World Heavyweight Championship so if they did add Cena to the Hall of Pain arc, I think they'd do it early in the arc to let Henry at least beat Cena down to boost the credibility and let Orton and Christian continue feuding. That also gets in the way of Daniel Bryan's cash in at the end of the year if Cena is the one holding the title at the end of TLC instead of a beat down Big Show.

When I started this article I actually had a positive mindset about Cena's return to the blue brand. It had been so long since he was really a big part of Smackdown at that point so I thought it would be a good thing. However it hurts a lot of great things that happened that summer. Taking away a 5 Star Classic just for possibly a month or 2 of Conspiracy Theory R-Truth as WWE Champion just isn't enough. Also, having him on Smackdown could possibly threaten a great Orton/Christian rivalry, threaten Daniel Bryan's Cash In and derail the Hall of Pain. So maybe it was a good thing after all that he got drafted back to Raw that night, but if that's the case they could have used those 2 picks to make different moves. Maybe they did it for ratings, but it's still a confusing move nonetheless.

-Ameen

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Eyes on the Ring 1:08 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: The 5 Moves That Need To Happen In The Superstar Shakeup

By @TrueGodImmortal

With the makeshift superstar shakeup of the WWE right around the corner, we wanted to stop and take a look at some of the trades and moves that truly need to be made this Monday and Tuesday. Before I get into it, I will say one thing: AJ STYLES BETTER NOT BE MOVED TO RAW. Now with that out of the way, let's get into the 5 moves that need to happen in this superstar shakeup. Let's get into it.

*The New Day To Smackdown

-While I do think the New Day haven't had a good direction for the last few months, I think a new move to Smackdown will really revitalize this trio. There isn't much to do on Smackdown in terms of a tag team, but American Alpha vs The New Day and perhaps The Usos as tag champions vs The New Day (and a debuting DIY) could really be fun for all involved. The New Day to Smackdown seems virtually like a done deal.

*Charlotte And Alexa Bliss Switch Brands 

-As odd as it sounds, Alexa Bliss has hit her ceiling on Smackdown and could benefit from a feud with Bayley on RAW that leads to her taking the RAW Women's Title. I think the dichotomy of a Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss feud would also be fun, but I honestly think we could also see Sasha and Becky Lynch switch brands considering. If you send Charlotte and Sasha to Smackdown for Becky and Alexa, I think it changes the dynamic of each show, but honestly, I could also see a lesser women's wrestler like Summer Rae going over to Smackdown instead of Sasha, and maybe Carmella going over to RAW with James Ellsworth. However, the main trades I see are Charlotte and Alexa switching brands.

*Dean Ambrose To RAW 

-I think Ambrose goes over to RAW on Tuesday for Smackdown and drops the IC Title on the show to either Corbin or Miz. With that being said, after he drops the title, he will go to RAW and knowing how ridiculous the WWE is, they will try to make The Shield get back together at some point in effort to keep Roman Reigns as a failure of a face. The plan that I see happening is The Shield reunion to combat this rumored Triple H stable which leads to the Finn Balor heel turn and The Club reuniting as well. Ambrose has nothing to do on Smackdown and RAW would be a good move for him, and to help out his "brothers".

*Bray Wyatt To RAW

-I know this sounds unlikely... and it should be, but hear me out. Bray is going to end up on RAW... and turn face. He was headed that route before his mini injury and when he went to Smackdown, you knew he had to stay heel, but on RAW... Bray turning face could be a big deal. We could see Bray vs Samoa Joe, Bray vs Owens, even a tease of Bray vs Triple H. If Bray stays heel, could you imagine a Bray vs Seth, Bray vs Finn, or even a Bray vs Braun feud? This needs to happen as the only feuds that would work for Bray now on Smackdown are against AJ and Nakamura. And that's just not going to work in the long run.

*Sami Zayn To Smackdown 

-I don't even want to go into detail. It's simple. Corbin vs Zayn for the IC Title and Miz vs Zayn would be great and honestly, I'd love a Zayn vs Styles feud. I'd love to see Ziggler vs Zayn as well if Ziggler stays on Smackdown. The fact remains however, with Foley gone off RAW and the storyline with Zayn basically dead in the water, a move to Smackdown for Zayn is exactly what he needs to revitalize him and his momentum. He's one of the best in ring performers and a Smackdown move is the biggest move that needs to happen. The same could be said for Cesaro, BUT it is very possible that Cesaro and Sheamus move to Smackdown as a team before eventually breaking up to be solo stars again.

These 5 moves aren't the only ones that need to happen but they are the ones that should happen the most. Let's tune in this week and find out who ends up where in the WWE. It will be more than interesting.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 10:47 PM  No comment

Death to the "Everyone Brawl" Pre-Rumble Spot

It's the Jericho of EOTR, Speed on the Beat, back with a nugget of information. The WWE is lazy, who knew? Sarcasm aside, I just read over the Smackdown spoilers for Thursday’s go-home show for the Royal Rumble. The show seems crap, but at least Daniel Bryan was in the main event. That’s always a good thing, right?

More on SD, Rumble, and DB's forklift fail after the jump

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Eyes on the Ring 4:10 PM  No comment

"But Whose Side is He On?" - Thoughts on the RAW Ending for 1/19/15

As we inch closer to the Royal Rumble and Roman Reigns making us suffer through more Sufferin' Succotash, we saw something that looked like it was booked by Russo circa 1999 last night during the closing minutes of RAW. But, as overbooked as it was, it was pretty great to see (and quite significant).

To recap, the main event was John Cena versus The Authority in a handicap match with both his title shot and the jobs of Ryback, Erick Rowan, and Dolph Ziggler on the line. Cena's getting the crap kicked out of him, prepping to RISE AGAINST HATE, per the usual with Cena matches these days. However, instead of the Five Moves of Doom (as much as I have a disdain for Cena, that's bullshit. He's got more than five moves. He just doesn't use them unless it really really REALLY counts for something), we get STING! coming out decked out in red and black, scaring the crap out the Authority, allowing Cena to get the roll-up and the pin. After this insanity (and Sting's almost instantly downplayed RAW debut), who comes out to clean up the mess that's been made (and doesn't beat the hell out of Cena...again)?

BARRRRRROCCCCCKKKKK LESSSSSNARRRRR (did I get it right, Paul?)

Yep, Brock Lesnar comes out, beats Seth Rollins, gives Kane and Big Show some F-5s and stands tall at the end of the show. Now, most people are clamoring about saying that this is both an apparent face turn and a sign that Brock's headed back to UFC. I'd like to play the Devil's Advocate and point something out. In all the time that Lesnar has been back in WWE, he's been in business for one person. That person is not Triple H, it's not Vince, it's not even Paul Heyman. Lesnar has been in business for himself. So, of course, he's going to pick the meat off the bones of the guy who stands the best chance to pull some sneaky crap on Sunday and eek out a victory. He's not concerned with Cena because:

a) He's already beaten Cena in the Suplex Fest at Summer Slam '14
b) Cena's probably going to be pretty focused on Rollins himself
c) Cena's not going to win the belt back (especially if the Roman Reigns/Daniel Bryan/Dean Ambrose/who-the-fuck-else rumors are true)

That doesn't make Brock the face of all faces. It makes him a tweener who's just out there kicking ass, taking names, and trying to make the biggest payday possible for himself. It also doesn't full-on suggest that he's leaving for UFC. Let's say that Brock does go full-on face and retains at the Rumble. What, is he going to take the friggin' WWE Championship with him to UFC to defend it in some crazy, cross-branded, Inoki Genome Federation-style clusterfuck (as cool and maddening as that kind of sounds)? No, because Vince's ego won't allow that and Dana White--as sports entertainment as he is--won't allow for a fighter to actively, purposely promote a wrestling championship on his stage, much less defend it.

However...if Brock does retain, where does that leave him and the championship? We know that WWE doesn't really like to go Face vs. Face these days (assuming a face wins the RR), so what'd we get? Cena goes heel from losing again, enters himself in the Royal Rumble, eliminates Daniel Bryan in the most violent way possible (just saying), and gets a rematch with Lesnar? Eh. Seen it, don't care. Would Rollins cash in on Lesnar? Maybe, but who's really next in line for Rollins? Daniel Bryan? Dean Ambrose? Roman Reigns? I mean, it could work, but I just don't see WWE pulling the trigger on Rollins' cash-in just yet. Or would WWE get a Face vs. Face thing started with someone like Roman Reigns (who'd have to, y'know, eliminate Daniel Bryan and 'em), but then feed off the crowds and have Roman become Batista circa 2014?

Possibilities are endless, my friends, but one thing's for sure. When it comes to asking "whose side is [Brock] on," there's only one side.

His own.

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Eyes on the Ring 12:23 PM  No comment