TJR Q&A #64: Roman Reigns on Smackdown, Bray Wyatt’s Return, Next WWE Champion and More
The Q&A here on TJRWrestling has returned. The questions come from my Facebook page. Some of them are similar in type because they are hot topics that people want to know about, so I tried to answer them a bit differently when they felt similar. Thanks to everybody that asked questions. Let’s roll.
1. Damie Sinanan
Who do you think is next in line to take the belts off Seth and Kofi following the shakeup?
For Seth, maybe AJ Styles gets a run with that title because he had runs with the Universal Title. Perhaps they pull the trigger on Drew McIntyre. I’d like to see Braun Strowman have a shot like he should have had two years ago.
As for Smackdown, they are hurting in terms of heels, so I don’t know. Randy Orton is a possibility although I don’t think that would be a great thing. Kevin Owens would work if he becomes a heel. Maybe it ends up being Roman Reigns later this summer closer to the Fox launch in October.
2. Andy Savieo
Who do you want to see Bray Wyatt work with upon his return?
Randy Orton because that 2017 feud was amazing! Kidding. It sucked. I dunno. I hope Wyatt gets a solid face run, but it looks like he’s back to being a creepy character. Maybe Daniel Bryan? I always liked their chemistry. We also don’t know if Wyatt is Raw or Smackdown, so it’s hard to predict.
3. Tim Gaughan
With Mickie James on SmackDown now will she be back in a babyface role?
I just hope she is featured more. She is so great and I want to see a more consistent push for her. I know she’s almost 40, but a lot of guys are older too. I think what would be best is putting her in a stable with another guy or two girls (maybe Mandy and Sonya?), have her as kinda like their mentor and then build a feud off that. I would put her as a heel and then turn her face down the road. Making her an ally of Charlotte Flair could work too, then do a feud after that.
4. John Mezzio
What was your favorite “non big 4” PPV of the 90s?
Canadian Stampede 1997. Amazing show with a hot crowd! Review is here: https://tjrwrestling.net/tjr-retro-wwe-canadian-stampede-1997-by-john-canton/
5. Mike Mello
Who are your picks to win men and women’s MITB? I’m thinking McIntyre and Charlotte. Also, do you suspect a KO heel turn after all this New Day membership stuff? Seems likely, and he’s Kofi’s next big feud for the title.
I have answered with McIntyre for the last few months, so I would pick him. I’d love to see Ricochet do it too. He should be a main eventer within the next year and that would help him get there. KO turning heel is definitely possible since they need heels on Smackdown.
For women’s, Ember Moon is somebody I want to see get a push. I’ll pick her. Charlotte Flair doesn’t really need it, but last year’s winners Bliss and Strowman didn’t need it either. I guess Flair is a possibility.
6. Joe Sondag
Do you think WWE will have Becky be the only Woman in her division to hold both the Smackdown & Raw Women’s Championships because of her nickname “Becky 2 Belts” and because it will make her stand out as her accomplishment similar to when Jericho is the first Undisputed Champion?
I don’t think it’s going to last that long. If she is still holding both by SummerSlam I would be surprised. Winning both at the same time at WrestleMania was a tremendous thing and something that can be mentioned forever, but it isn’t a good idea to keep two titles on a person at once. They could keep one title on her for a year, though. A little birdie told me she is likely going to settle on Raw (with Seth), but I don’t know if that is true or when.
7. JD Robert
What do you think about Wyatt’s new character direction?
It’s hard to really know. I think those over the top characters are harder to do than ever because fans are more fickle and will complain. For example, if The Undertaker started the exact same way in 2019 as he did in 1990 then there’s a 100% chance people would shit all over it. I wish Bray the best with it, but fans are “smarter” now and the silly stuff isn’t going to work that well in 2019.
8. Deryl Parnell Jr.
Do you think they will give Ricochet and Aleister Black the Tag Team Championships before Summerslam?
Probably not. I’d like to see them as singles wrestlers, especially Ricochet. Maybe one of them will get the US Title from Samoa Joe. I’d love to see The Usos vs. The Revival feud over the Raw Tag Team Titles for most of the year.
9. Frank Shattuck
Lately they’ve been having the women brawl with the men (mostly security guards), but would you be open to them doing something similar to when Chyna fought Jericho for the IC title? Like maybe Charlotte. I could see her doing it.
I don’t think so. I am reviewing those WWF in 2000 in detail and Chyna matches never really excite me. I don’t think it’s a good idea to do intergender matches. Lucha Underground did it a lot and it didn’t interest me.
10. Geoff Landtbom
Will Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole go down as the best 2 Out Of 3 Falls match of all time? And where do you think NXT Takeover New York ranks among the very best wrestling shows ever? I have it number 2 behind Wrestlemania X-7 and think that NXT just showcased it’s equivalent.
It might be the best 2/3 Falls match ever. I think Austin/Triple H at No Way Out 2001 was amazing and I haven’t watched it in years. I feel like there was Flair/Steamboat match as well. Different times and eras. It’s hard to rank them.
I have only given three shows a 10 out of 10: WM17, NXT Takeover New York and NXT Takeover New Orleans last year. If I had to rank them, I’d probably stick with WM17 first, but I mean the two other shows have no bad matches.
11. Christopher Saheed Houston
What level on the roster do you see EC3….from a big star in impact to someone that is hardly used?
I don’t know who he pissed off or what he did to get booked so shitty, but it’s a shame to see how he has been used. I don’t really get it. If they aren’t going to use him now, keep him in NXT where he can improve on whatever Vince wants him to improve on. He’s got the body they like. Give him Drake Maverick as a manager and see how he does. It’s tough to evaluate a guy when they aren’t given a fair chance.
12. Damie Sinanan
What was the best live event you ever attended? Also best match you saw live?
I think WM30 is my favorite. Fun show. People hate the Lesnar/Taker match though haha.
Best match is probably Gargano/Ciampa vs. Revival at NXT Takeover Toronto in November 2016. Also loved being at Undertaker vs. Triple H HIAC match at WM28.
13. Chris Rowlands
With Eric Young having now been moved to the Raw roster, how do you see things working out for the three members of Sanity?
I don’t think it’s a good thing, but they might want to push Killian Dain as a singles guy on Smackdown. Maybe his wife Nikki Cross will be paired with him.
I can’t see them making it a priority to push nearly 40 years old Eric Young on Raw.
Good talent and can do serious or comedy gimmicks, but I don’t see him being used much.
Alexander Wolfe may be out of the company or may be moving to NXT. Don’t know yet. They barely did anything on the main roster. It reminds me of The Ascension.
14. Danny Diaz
Should WWE used the superstar shake up to move some of the roster to 205 live or NXT? And announce it?
They could move a few people around, but they also have over 200 people under contract right now. It’s hard to utilize everybody and find the right show. I just don’t think moving somebody like a Bo Dallas to NXT is going to help NXT. Keep the NXT guys where they are and keep developing them.
15. Zach Buck
Do you see them copy what they did with Kurt Angle in 2000 to Becky Lynch regarding losing both titles?
I wouldn’t do that where she loses both titles in the same night. I would get the Smackdown title off her in a few months and then hold the Raw title for a long time, maybe even a year.
16. Marlon Nedd
Do you think that some of the underutilized talent/ wrestlers that don’t get on tv a la Tyson Kidd before, should go to NXT? And who do you think from Raw and Smackdown should be the ones to go back?
I think it’s different today than 2014 or 2015. They have more people in NXT now and I would rather see them develop those guys. Let’s see the guys like Dijakovic, Keith Lee (when healthy) and the girls like Candice, Mia Yim, etc. on Takeover shows.
17. Francis Tasse
Do you think Shayna Baszler will be called to the main roster, and if so, when?
I don’t know. She’s almost 40. Maybe they will just keep her in NXT for her WWE career and not put her on the main roster. The main roster has a lot of people now.
18. John Czech
Do you think Shawn Michaels is truly done or that one day we will actually see him come back for a meaningful last program or match?
I hope he’s done. He is old. He didn’t need to have that match last year. I know we want our favorties to keep going forever, but the reality is nobody can beat Father Time.
19. Tony Lamoureux
With Roman Reigns on Smackdown, does that mean we will hear Tom Phillips refer to him as “the big dog”?
Probably. Vince makes the announcers say things so I assume Phillips will do it like Cole did. The announcers are robots.
20. Nate Kuhl
Will we eventually see NXT UK wrestlers on Raw or Smackdown?
Pete Dunne should be, Tyler Bate at some point and women like Toni Storm and Rhea Ripley should be soon. There’s no rush. They need to develop that brand, so keep them there.
21. Alejandro Rodríguez
What happened to AoP?
Akam had knee surgery in January. I think they said it was around 4-5 months at that point, so they should be back soon. Rezar has worked live events and some Main Event tapings, but not really utilized on Raw.
22. Christian Slawecki
As the saying goes, first-time long time. Your thoughts on the Enzo and Cass stunt during the G1 show and how that may affect ROH’s relationship with NJPW moving forward?
They got paid money by ROH to be there as far as I know. People saying they didn’t know is probably bullshit to try to make it seem real. I can’t say I’ve ever anticipated an Enzo and Cass match. Good talkers, especially Enzo, but when the bell rang there’s not much to get excited about.
23. Daniel Mount
Why does everyone say so and so is going to AEW when ROH is pretty established?
AEW has more money. When Jericho said that AEW gave him the richest deal of his career or whatever it was then that opened people’s eyes. Plus, fans know the AEW owners are worth like $10 billion or whatever and own the Jags plus Fulham and other shit. ROH doesn’t spend that much money on their talent.
ROH fine as a company and it’s been 17 years for them, but ROH is mostly for guys to get noticed by bigger companies. If I had to guess, I think about 30% of the current WWE roster has spent time in ROH. That’s a lot.
24. Aj Giacobbe
How much control will Fox have over Smackdown when they move in October?
I’m sure they’ll have a say in some things to some degree because they are paying WWE $200 million + per year for five years, so if they want it to be more serious matches, less comedy then WWE is going to adhere to it. If Fox wants Daniel Cormier to be an announcer instead of Byron Saxton then sorry Byron, but WWE would probably go with Cormier. Fox will make some demands and WWE will work with them to satisfy them as you would expect in any partnership.
25. David Threlfall
How long before Roman Reigns is Smackdown champ? How do they play this out getting it off of a current face (Kofi) on to another face (Reigns)? Do you think Reigns goes more than a year on Smackdown?
Maybe a year, but as I mentioned earlier I can see it being before October when they go on Fox. I don’t know what Smackdown is going to do about top heels because they don’t have a lot of big heel names. Maybe Reigns wins the title on the first October show on Fox. That will be a big deal. I think he might get more than a year on Smackdown.
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Thanks to everybody that participated. Check out our Q&A archives here as well.