Well this will probably be the unfiltered, CWC version of the cruiserweights, so it will likely be pretty good

One one hand, at least they're trying so I'll give them that. I'd rather them throw a bunch of shit at the wall and see what sticks instead of just giving up on something. On the other hand, does it say how these will be taped? If this is just taking the spot of Superstars/Main Event matches taped before Raw and Smackdown I'd be worried. They already have the Cruiserweight Division on it's own little island, I'm not sure what separating it further would do if it's still in front of the same crowds.

To me this comes off as WWE not knowing what to do with them on Raw and figuring having their own show worked before.

I thought it was a one time special where they would try and put over the cruiserweights, but reading it says it's a weekly show and with a name, day and time like that, I guess it will be recorded after SmackDown Live.

Best case scenario: they don't use all the cruiserweights every week on Raw but need to keep them active. Hence the additional show.

Gran Metallik will eventually be finishing up with CMLL soon, and Tozawa and Gallagher should be coming in as well. Hopefully you're right and they need an extra show to keep everyone busy.

 

Still, it's going to be odd if the Raw Exclusive Division has it's show taped at Smackdown every week.

Still, it's going to be odd if the Raw Exclusive Division has it's show taped at Smackdown every week.

I believe that's the plan given Mauro Renallo will be doing commentary with Corey Graves and it's airing (live I guess) on Tuesday's at 10:00 PM which is once SmackDown Live ends.

If they're smart, they will darken arena more and maybe allow fans to come down and fill empty seats because having your new show full of guys that many are unfamiliar with wrestling in front of a crowd clearing out of the arena is not gonna be a good look.

The new collection this month is Randy Savage matches

They also added a part 2 in the Austin vs McMahon collection.

The new collection this month is Randy Savage matches

 

I watched the Savage-Austin match. It was only about three minutes bell to bell. Man, what a crime, because what we did get was great. Yet another example of WCW being WCW.

Dave mentioned in the latest Observer that there's plans to have Heyman and JBL do opninon shows on the network in the vein of ESPN style talking head shout shows.

 

I figure that would either be amazing or a disaster depending on how much input the two get to have.

That sounds like a disaster either way, tbh. I don't see how that doesn't get blown up within a week.

In the vein of Talking Smack (very successful) it makes a lot of sense given how those shows draw the highest ratings on ESPN and FS1,

 

Not my cup of tea but could see a big swath of subscribers.

Watching Survivor Series 1988, and while all the "WWFs" are back in tact, someone forgot to unblur the WWF writing on the back of Koko's trunks.

Something I always wondered I know most of us heard of those Satellite feeds in the trading community where a feed was taped that showed Dark Matches as unedited broadcast stuff as well as after show segments matches. Now when WWE started with the Network and had pre show stuff and post show stuff why was it just a panel talking instead of the juicy stuff fans wanted to see ie those after show dark matches that tend to happen during every taped Raw or Smackdown show?

I'd doubt there'd be much interest beyond the "gotta see everything" types.

 

Very often they have little story line progression, or are just there as either crowd warmup or "send the crowd happy" or celebration segments.

 

They are better off as parts of collections (there is a Post Raw DVD compilation out there, and often they'll show up in various wrestler specific collections) or a rare and interesting nugget situation (Danielson (I think as American Dragon though), Cade and Kendrick in that pre-Velocity (IIRC) taping match in San Antonio while they were in Shawn Michaels' training school).

I will say though, that I am disappointing a bit that all the pre-WM 30 PPV warmup shows and other extra content produced through the years (Free For All, Heat, Internet "exclusives," Home Video exclusives (including an HBK-Goldust title match from Buried Alive) and whatever else) where not included in the PPV programming archives.

They do have some extra post-airing stuff on the 1998 RAWs. For instance I watched the episode with the Austin/Undertaker vs Kane/Mankind Hell in a Cell match and there was actually a finish after RAW went off the air, I think it was Austin pinning Foley. Kind of like showing the finish to the Harts-Strike Force match from the Hogan-Andre Main Event show that didn't air previously. Those kind of things are pretty cool to see even if they don't really matter all that much to the average fan watching. The preshows for the PPVs would be a nice addition at some point in time, but still a lot more TV stuff I'd prioritize before that.

JR retweeted a pic of Heyman, Dreamer, Bubba Ray Dudley, and Taz on set for the ESPN shouty head show I mentioned earlier so that looks like a thing now.

the...shouty head show

 

I hope that's the title of the program.

They do have some extra post-airing stuff on the 1998 RAWs. For instance I watched the episode with the Austin/Undertaker vs Kane/Mankind Hell in a Cell match and there was actually a finish after RAW went off the air, I think it was Austin pinning Foley. Kind of like showing the finish to the Harts-Strike Force match from the Hogan-Andre Main Event show that didn't air previously. Those kind of things are pretty cool to see even if they don't really matter all that much to the average fan watching. The preshows for the PPVs would be a nice addition at some point in time, but still a lot more TV stuff I'd prioritize before that.

 

Yeah I love watching the post show Raw bits from 1998 and I know they did a load for 1999 as well but did they do any other years? I cant recall them doing any Smackdown related segments.

 

I bought the Raw DVd that had similar bits like Hogan posing with Cena & Batista but what I always found odd with this is why they didnt show the match that took place before the posedown which I believe was Hogan/Batista/Cena vs HBK/HHH/JBL.

Anyone watch Story Time yet?

 

It's not bad, actually.

 

Four "road" stories told by the wrestlers themselves, narrated by Gene Okerlund, and given the animation treatment.

 

All in all, it's only 11 minutes long - the perfect length for a "bedtime story," if you ask me.

I liked the animation and the overall tone, but the stories mostly lacked good payoffs. I'd watch another one, though.

Whatever happened to Season 2 of Camp WWE?

 

Supposedly Ultimate Warrior did some voiceover stuff before he passed away.