Change is in the air in WWE. With the new threat of All Elite Wrestling, WWE's biggest competition since WCW, and SmackDown's move to FOX, WWE has been making some big changes lately.
So far, we have seen the cult-like fan favorite WWE show NXT go live, become two hours in length and move to the USA Network. After several years of RAW and SmackDown looking the same with the exception of their logos, they have finally each been given their own unique stage designs for the first time in years.
The commentary teams have been shaken up entirely with Jerry Lawler and new faces taking over the RAW booth, and the former RAW team exclusive to SmackDown.
We are now seeing pyro becoming a weekly part of the shows again and not just for WrestleMania and Saudi Arabia events. Finally, after making a mess of the brands with multiple drafts, roster changes and the wild card rule, WWE will be holding a new draft where the rosters will allegedly be strictly staying the same for a long time.
While the 24/7 Championship and Women's Tag Team titles status for being on both shows is up in the air, WWE apparently plan on keeping RAW vs. SmackDown matches just for events like the Royal Rumble and potentially Survivor Series.
Yes, all these changes were very necessary and a long time coming. While they are all very exciting changes, we still need more. These were all big changes, but I think we also need some other changes that will also make a big difference and these are another 3 that I think they need to make for their move to the FOX network.
#3 Titantron entrance videos
This would be a rather simple change but an effective one none the less.
For several years now, probably around four or so, WWE has had boring entrance videos for superstars. I don't even think it is anything to do with the budget, it just comes off as a bit lazy.
Every WWE entrance video is simply the name of whatever Superstar is making their way down the ramp. Sometimes if it's someone like Bobby Roode, they may also include the word 'Glorious' as apart of it, or 'The Man' for Becky Lynch, but that is as far as they will go.
Entrance videos were something to help get you excited to see a Superstar, not only was it their names but we would then see highlights of matches, promo shots and logos, if they had them. Again, this is a small change they could make, but still a far better one than just a Superstar's name floating on screen.
#2 Underused talent to NXT
With so much talent and so little TV time each week, it has become increasingly difficult for many members of the WWE roster to be used to their full potential.
Some are so stuck creatively that they have nothing to do to the point that even if they do return after a long absence away, fans may lose interest in them. You have stars like Asuka and Cesaro who may once have had a strong presence but then get lost in the shuffle due to lack of creative ideas.
And then others like EC3 and Eric Young, who were top performers and Heavyweight Champions elsewhere, are floundering in their current surroundings.
We have even had talent like Buddy Murphy seemingly shoot up to super stardom one week, and be nowhere to be seen the following, and others who have been around for a long time, but are never used, like Shelton Benjamin.
There are many underrated and underutilized talent on RAW and SmackDown today, but they don't need to remain in mediocrity. With NXT now going head-to-head with All Elite Wrestling every Wednesday night, the roster needs to be beefed up quite a bit.
We have already seen Finn Balor, Tyler Breeze and Fandango return to NXT, but I believe they could also help build back up a Buddy Murphy, Shelton Benjamin, Asuka and EC3. They would all be very believable as top stars in NXT and it would work out for them, the brand and the fans.
#1 General managers
As of right now, WWE has no official General Manager's for RAW and SmackDown. As of writing, Shane McMahon still serves in an authority figure on SmackDown, but seems to be in danger of being written of television.
Kurt Angle, Baron Corbin and Paige were all serving as authority figures on RAW and SmackDown this time last year, but when change was announced to be coming last January, they were all removed from those positions. I think that needs to change back, not particularly with those three, but with someone. Reportedly, it was actually Paul Heyman who wanted the General manager role to be off TV, as he allegedly felt it was played out.
Even though he is the one to believe this, I think there is is no better role for himself on TV right now than that of the general Manager of RAW, and Eric Bischoff of SmackDown. They both played these roles before, only in reverse, are both known by the fans to be in their backstage positions, and are well loved by the fans.
It really does seem like hand in glove, especially when someone is still going to be needed on TV to be making the matches, and even before then, the important role of actually drafting the rosters.
I really don't think the General Manager TV role has been played out, it just needs the right people to play them and the right ideas for them, and that is what they have in Paul heyman and Eric Bischoff.