TJR Q&A #52: The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan on Smackdown, WWE Superstar Shake-up Reactions and More
The WWE Superstar Shake-up is over and that means there are a lot of questions among WWE fans about what feuds should happen right away, what superstar might get a surprising push like Jinder Mahal last year and plenty more. It’s the perfect time another edition of the TJR Q&A here on TJRWrestling.
The way this works is the questions come from my Facebook page. I’ve chosen 30 of the best ones with my answers right underneath them. Thanks to those of you that asked the questions. Let’s get to it.
1. Nudge Adam Medley
Do you think it would be a waste to have either the IC / US title on Miz for his feud w/ Brian? I think it would be because that feud doesn’t need it.
I don’t think they need it either. It would be nice if it was for the WWE Title, but it’s fine if they have a feud without a title involved. I would have them wrestle on a few PPVs with a blowoff at SummerSlam. They could even do it where Miz gets the WWE Title later in the year and they can build to a WrestleMania match next year with Bryan beating him. It’s definitely the right thing to have them on the same show.
2. Deryl Parnell Jr.
Do you see Big Cass getting a title run this year and if so what title?
I think it’s possible that Cass gets pushed all the way to the WWE Title. I don’t know if he deserves it, but if he improves as a worker then they may pull the trigger on him. Winning a midcard title like US Title is more likely.
With that said, I thought Baron Corbin and Braun Strowman would hold WWE/Universal Title type titles last year and neither did, so who knows?
3. Rob Brown
What is the Raw and SD feud you are most looking forward to now that the Shake Up is over?
I might do a longer column on that, but I think Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz, AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe (cool to see it in a WWE ring) and Ronda Rousey vs. Natalya just to name a few. I could pick a lot of names.
4. Daniel Hill
Do you think Kenny Omega is on WWE’s radar? Would Okada ever be tempted to WWE also?
I’m sure WWE would want Omega now, but he’s got a good life wrestling about 100 times per year or less and making great money while headlining a lot of shows. If he was in WWE he’d be wrestling close to 200 matches and may not make more money while he does it. I think he’s happy where he is, but maybe he’ll go in a year or two whenever he is free because he is in his mid-30s.
I don’t think Okada will go. He’s the top dog in his country, they are growing in the US with him on top and there’s no reason for him to leave. He’s still under 30, so I guess it’s possible he may want to see what he can do in WWE later in his career. Who knows? I am leaning towards a no at this point.
5. Andre Jones
What’s your favorite Sweet Chin Music of all time? I’m fond of the Shelton Benjamin leap off the ropes into it…
Yeah, that’s the best one. There’s also one on Rey Mysterio off the ropes that was incredible.
6. Bob Stephen
How do you think WWE will book McIntyre/Ziggler and how would you book them?
They’ll probably feud with the likes of Rollins and Balor in that upper midcard level. I can see it being a situation where McIntyre gets pushed more, then he feels like Ziggler is holding him back and McIntyre attacks Ziggler. That’s more down the road. I hope McIntyre becomes a main eventer within a year. He is certainly good enough.
7. Aj Giacobbe
Thoughts on Chad Gable going to Raw? I think this might be one of the best moves from superstar shake up that no one is talking about.
I’m as excited for him as anybody on either show in terms of those that moved. The problem is that anybody under six feet tall is going to have a tough time getting a push. It took Bryan and Styles a long time to be in those spots. I hope they book Chad as a face because I think that’s the more natural role for him and he can get over due to how awesome he is.
8. Do you think the women’s Royal Rumble will be every year now or just a one of like the 40 man rumble?
Every year. They have enough women to do it and I don’t see how they do a Rumble match this year without doing it ever again. Same with Money in the Bank, Elimination Chamber and so on.
9. Josh Warner
For Smackdown…how would you book Miz vs Bryan? I would do what I can to prolong the chase for a year ending with a WWE title Match between the 2 at Mania!
They can have two PPV matches leading to SummerSlam, Bryan wins the blowoff at SummerSlam, Miz wins the WWE Title later in the year (from whoever the champ is) and then Bryan beats Miz for the WWE Title at WM next year. All of that sounds good to me.
10. Michael Child
How far do you think they will push Cass?
All the way to the WWE Title if he develops like they hope he will. It’s up to him to improve as a performer. He’ll get way more opportunities than people a foot shorter than him, that’s for sure. I’m not complaining. It’s just the way it is in WWE.
11. Daniel Mount
How do you like Roderick Strong being added to the Undisputed Era?
Great fit. He doesn’t have a strong personality on his own, so I think being part of a stable is smart. None of those are that big or anything like that, but when you put them together it looks like an impressive group that can go in the ring.
12. Daison Thomas
What does the “Day One Ish” mean? I never understood what it stands for.
It means they are twins that have been together since the first day of their lives. The “ish” part is just a slang thing about how one of them was born before the other by a few minutes. I think it’s pretty cool. Fans can buy the merch saying they supported The Usos from the beginning.
13. Jeremy Barnes
How do you fix the Raw Tag team division? How many heel/face turn do you see for the Raw Superstars and which one will it happen to?
Pair some cruiserweights up, give some wins to Zack Ryder and a partner even if it’s like former partner Curt Hawkins – it’s not that complicated. Book people to win matches that don’t win them that much. It’s going to be tough with Authors of Pain around, though, because they’ll be booked so strong.
There will probably be a few turns like Natalya might be a face for now, but I can see her turning on Rousey. Chad Gable might be a face. Drew McIntyre was a face in NXT and is a heel now, so there’s a few already.
14. Cory Andrew Plaza
Ariya Daivari or Shawn Daivari… which brother do you prefer?
Shawn is a better performer. Better talker and a very good in-ring performer. He was in his early 20s when he was in WWE and should probably have had a longer run.
15. JT Adams
Would you do an American Alpha (Jason Jordan and Chad Gable) reunion? If so would you make them as a heel or face?
I would tease it with them as faces for a few weeks and then have Jordan turn heel because the fans don’t want to cheer him. I think fans would cheer Gable. Maybe they get close to winning the titles, but end up falling short.
16. Patrick McMullen
What do you think of a year long slow build for the Miz vs. Bryan where the Miz heelishly avoids the inevitable til Mania.
I don’t think WWE could keep those two guys apart for that long, nor should they. Do it at upcoming PPVs and like I said earlier, have a match at SummerSlam that Bryan wins to end the feud and if they want to do it at Mania they can do that too where Miz gets the WWE Title leading to another match. There’s no need to wait until Mania to start this rivalry. It can be a hot storyline right away.
17. Roman Hojsak
Obviously, nobody saw Jinder’s big push coming. Who do you think could or should be the next guy to receive the “Out of left field Jinder push”?
Big Cass because Smackdown doesn’t have a lot of top heels and he’s tall. I know that may not be a stretch, but look at the guy and what Vince likes.
I’m sorry if that’s not a great answer. I just don’t think there’s anybody at Jinder’s level last year that will get the same push. Zack Ryder? I doubt it.
18. Todd Johnson
Do you see Kevin Owens ever getting back in the World/WWE or Universal Title picture??
Of course he will be. He’s one of the top heels they have and he’s the top heel on Raw right now unless you want to count Brock, who is probably dropping the title next week. I’m a huge KO fan. I like Sami more because I want to see him get a big push too, but KO is an all-around great talent even if Vince hates his body lol. I know people loved the comedy with Jericho, but I like the more serious heel run with Zayn.
19. Matt Livingstone
Who should beat Brock Lesnar if Roman doesn’t?
Roman should and he should have at WrestleMania. If he doesn’t win it next Friday I’ll be surprised. The only other name is really Braun Strowman and not much else on the Raw roster.
20. Ian Pinkett
Out of the current roster including NXT who do you see Undertaker facing in his last match?
I don’t have a strong opinion either way. I thought he really was done last year. Maybe Cena again in the last match. You can do it at WrestleMania where Cena challenges Taker again, this time Taker accepts and they each put their career on the line. Cena wins and Taker is done.
21. Oscar Deejay O Valencia
Do you think Rusev is getting the same treatment Zack Ryder did when he got over on his own? They got a main eventer on their hands that’s extremely over but use him ridiculously.
I don’t know if it’s similar to that. I think it’s just WWE being naive and they don’t listen to the fans enough. Rusev has been a heel for like four years, so they should turn him and the fans want to cheer him. I thought they should have done it at the Royal Rumble. Zack Ryder did get a decent push as US Champion and then there was nowhere for him to go, but he could have been booked better.
A lot of people in WWE could be used better. It’s tough when they have such a big roster with a lot of talent on there.
22. Louis Conner
Do you think Cass attacking Bryan will eventually lead to a Cass/Miz partnership?
I guess they could do it, but would be too similar to Ziggler and McIntyre. I feel like WWE took the Miztourage away from The Miz because they wanted The Miz to be on his own now.
23. Simon Daniel
Is Braun Strowman the most organically over face since Daniel Bryan blew up and why won’t WWE really get behind him?
I don’t see how it’s organic. It was pretty much designed by doing every trick in the book to get him over from letting him do way more stuff out of the ring than anybody else, wrestling Big Show multiple times where they did the ring breaking and other stuff. If you’re the only guy pushing over a semi truck or breaking a ring then you’re really going to stand out from the pack. I think they saw him as a face from the beginning and they just debuted him as a heel because that’s how things tend to go.
I think turning Strowman face was the plan for him just like with Jax, which is why they put her with Bliss.
24. Lonnie Nawrot
Do you think it would be the perfect time for the Reigns heel turn? Especially after calling Joe a “lazy fat ass” which is kind of a heel thing to do.
The perfect time was 2015 after WM, then 2016 after WM and even better in 2017 after WM. Now is fine, but I have given up on thinking Vince will do it even though Raw has some good faces that he can feud with like Rollins, Strowman and Balor. I think Reigns calling Joe a “lazy fat ass” is a reply by a face Reigns to what Joe said about Reigns not being able to get the job done.
25. Paul Samuel
John, what’s your take on how the women in WWE wrestle these days? They’re bumping harder, taking stiffer shots and in general, putting their bodies more on the line.
They are wrestling a physical style and I definitely worry about some of them especially when they weigh 110 pounds like Banks or Bliss, who might even be less than that. The good thing about a match like the Elimination Chamber is that they put padding instead fo the steel grating that would hurt a lot more.
Look at Paige or Nikki Bella. Their careers ended early because of neck injuries. Some of them like Mickie James have had 20 year careers and I’m so proud of her as her friend, but sometimes I tell her to be careful like when she told me she was jumping off the Elimination Chamber lol.
Women should do everything the men can do and get the same opportunities. I am fully in support of that, but people shouldn’t expect 130 pound women (if that’s the average) to bump like 230 pound men on a nightly basis.
Charlotte benefits from being a bigger woman. Not fat obviously, but having a bigger body due to her height. She’s built. Some of them I worry about being reckless like Banks, who has managed to avoid injuries.
I think WWE is smart about it, though. The talent takes care of their bodies better than any generation in wrestling history.
26. Shay Smithers
What are some feuds you’d like to see WWE do this year, and why?
I don’t have any choices outside of the obvious ones like Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz or Bryan vs. Nakamura. Rollins vs. Zayn would be a lot of fun just as a huge fan of both guys. Rousey vs. Natalya could be great since I know they are close. I may write a column on this by Monday. I have a lot of thoughts lol.
27. Brandan Kelly
Who do you think Braun Strowman’s next feud will be?
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Raw has some new heels, so I hope it can be fresh.
28. Alex Jackson
With Gallows and Anderson moving to smackdown do you see them linking up with Styles again? And if so who would you have them feud with?
They could, but they may be needed as heels on SD to feud with Usos and New Day. Bludgeon Brothers are ahead of them right now. If you put Gallows and Anderson with Styles I think it limits Styles and WWE wants him to be on his own.
Could they interact with Styles and do a 6-man tag? It would be fine once in a while. Not all the time, though.
29. Erin Somers
Hopefully this hasn’t been asked yet, but who would you have moved to a different show that wasn’t moved??
I would have moved Becky Lynch to Raw because I think she needed a fresh change. Same with Sasha Banks and even Bayley.
For tag teams, one of Usos or New Day should have moved. WIth Usos that would mean Naomi too since she is married to Jimmy.
I think most of the male singles roster moves are fine although I would have moved one of Rollins, Balor or Strowman. I had Balor and Strowman in my predictions. I just think Raw keeping those three plus Reigns makes it pretty stale after we’ve seen them dominating the show for the last year.
30. Justin Irok
Who’s sniffing the title picture first? Drew McIntyre or Cass?
I think Cass probably will, but I think Drew is better as a performer for sure. Cass isn’t even that much taller than Drew.
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There were a lot of questions, so I anticipate doing another TJR Q&A post in a day or two with another 30 or so questions and answers. Thanks to those of you that took part.