WWE already blurring brand split
This past Monday on Raw, Randy Orton showed up out of nowhere to RKO Brock Lesnar.
The next night on Smackdown, Lesnar showed up to attack Orton.
So much for the Raw and Smackdown brands being kept completely separate!
And to boot, Mick Foley has invited Daniel Bryan to appear on Raw tomorrow night.
I understand the fact that the WWE had penciled in Lesnar versus Orton months ago, even before the brand split was announced, but if the WWE wants to truly make fans feel as if the shows are completely divided, it needs to move away from having talent cross over already.
One of the questions I was sent this week came from Yves from Fredericktown and he asked, 鈥淲hy did Smackdown wrestlers appear after Raw went off the air in Pittsburgh last week?鈥�
The WWE did that so that it could give fans a non-televised match that had a big time feel to it.
That doesn鈥檛 bother me, but hopefully both shows make stars soon enough so that each brand does not need stars from the other brand to show up off-camera.
The sooner the WWE can truly go with a hard split, the more it will mean when wrestlers do show up unannounced on the other brand蘑菇视频 television show.
Smackdown creating titles
Last week, the WWE announced that Raw was creating a Universal championship for its heavyweight champion.
This week, Smackdown announced that it will have a Women蘑菇视频 title and Tag Team titles.
Garcia leaves WWE
Lilian Garcia announced on Monday that she will not be traveling with the WWE any longer due to helping take care of her father who has two forms of cancer.
While Garcia did not say that she has left the company, I wonder if she chose her words carefully for a return in the future.
WWE lowballing former talent?
There has been some talk that the WWE has been negotiating with former talent, but that it is starting negotiations low with them.
Several former talents who were said to be coming in have balked at the low offers and will not sign unless the WWE gives them a better offer.
Great week for Banks
At Monday Night Raw in Pittsburgh on July 25th, Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte to win the WWE Women蘑菇视频 title.
Well, that wasn鈥檛 the only big happening in her life in the last two weeks.
This news will break the heart of wrestling fan Wyatt Biddy of Brownsville, but Banks married her longtime boyfriend last weekend.
1970s Mt. Rushmore
The 1970s was the last full decade of territories as Vince McMahon would buy out a lot of promotions in the 1980s.
There were numerous stars worthy of making the Mr. Rushmore of professional wrestling in the 1970s, but there is only room for a quartet of grapplers.
Bruno Sammartino
A repeat honoree, Sammartino had a WWWF title reign that lasted over three years and four months, and had he not broken his neck, it may have lasted longer.
Andre the Giant
Without a doubt, Andre the Giant will go down as one of the biggest draws in pro wrestling history.
Undefeated for most of the 1970s, Andre traveled the world as was a bigger star than most of the heavyweight champions in the different territories that he traveled to.
Harley Race
Unquestionably the man in the NWA during the decade, Race is legitimately considered one of the toughest men in the history of the wrestling business.
Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes pulled off an amazing feat during his career that was not realized at the time.
He was at the pinnacle of his career from the mid-1970s through the 1980s and this was during the boom period of steroid use.
Stars from the 1970s through the 1990s, like Billy Graham, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and Lex Luger were all guilt like gods and their popularity, or dislike, from fans, stemmed from their looks.
But Rhodes was the complete opposite.
Overweight, Rhodes was able to really perform in the ring and was able to make anyone look good.
Naysayers would mention that Rhodes knew how to play the political game and that is why he was always a major star wherever he wrestled, but Rhodes truly could go in the ring.
1980s Mt. Rushmore returns next week
Next week, we look at the 1980s.
A quick thought of the decade brought three easy names to list, but then I realized that I had to pick in between three or four more for the last spot.
Who are the four who gets the honor?
Find out next week.
Email questions/comments to Bill at powerhousehughes@gmail.com or tweet them to @BillHughes_III