Welcome to another edition of eWN Round Table, where we gather some of the most active writers here on eWrestlingNews and share the platform to answer some questions surrounding a centralized topic, upcoming event, etc.
This is meant to showcase the potential for both a wide range of perspectives as well as how sometimes, there can be a group consensus no matter what your viewpoint is, so we also invite all of you to join in on the discussion by answering these questions yourself in the comments section below.
For this particular volume, we’ll be focusing on a general look forward to WWE in 2019.
Participants for this round = Anthony Mango, Richard Staple, Ethan Absler and Chris Holden.
1) “Do you think WWE will turn things around for the better in 2019, or will things continue down the same path or even get worse?”
MANGO: I really, really want to believe they’ve actually learned some lessons, but I don’t buy into it whatsoever. I think that whole apology was hollow with empty promises and we’re not going to see any changes whatsoever. Or, sadly, if they do implement changes, it will be for the worse and they’ll think the solution is doing more things like random title swaps and swerves for the sake of swerves and more. I hope I’m wrong.
STAPLE: Only time will tell if Vince McMahon’s prophecy of shaking things up will bear any fruit. I think Smackdown is in relatively good shape, but RAW won’t change until the core issues are addressed. No more repetitive segments. Give opportunities to different people. Create storylines that make sense. Develop characters. Give us a reason to care about your product and don’t make it feel like a chore.
ABSLER: I think 2019 seems like a really promising year for the WWE. As long as they take the title off of Brock Lesnar, RAW will inevitably improve, 205 Live will continue to amaze, and Smackdown will prosper. With that being said, WWE also has, in my opinion, the greatest wrestling roster of all time so it will be hard for the in-ring product of 2019 to not be spectacular so I think we’ve got a good year ahead of us.
HOLDEN: I don’t think things can get any worse than they were in November and the start of December. I like the concept of dropping General Managers, and I definitely like the instant rematch clause being written out. Those were two plot devises that have run their course, unable to spin out any more meaningful or different stories. I don’t feel a lot of optimism if they’ll be continuing with the same set up of their Creative Department. If there remains an insistence to “write” entire shows, the organic ways talent were able to connect with audiences get over will never return.
2) “On a scale from 0-10, how excited are you for WrestleMania 35 at this very moment?”
MANGO: I’m about a 6. I have so many reservations that they’ll book matches I don’t care about, like Brock Lesnar against anybody (particularly if he retains the title) and that they won’t be able to properly manage most of the talent and they’ll rush at the last minute to throw people onto the card. Once Royal Rumble goes down, I’ll have a better idea of whether that should be higher or lower, but they haven’t sold me yet.
STAPLE: Can’t say for sure since we don’t know what will be on the card as of yet. Speculation has suggested Seth Rollins will challenge Lesnar for the Universal Title, Lynch may battle Ronda for the RAW Women’s Title, and Bryan may be defending against the Miz. If those matches are on the card and a wonen’s match main events, put my excitement level at around a 7-8.
ABSLER: At this very moment, I am only a 3/10 excited, but that is because I don’t know any of the matches. As time progresses, I will get more and more excited until I spontaneously combust moments before the show stars. Wrestlemania is my favorite night of the year, I’ll be a 10/10.
HOLDEN: Just because it’s WrestleMania, the scale starts at 5 for me. Definitely excited to see Ronda versus either Becky or Charlotte in the main event, but aside from that, what match ups could anyone get excited about? Is there anyone that makes a credible opponent for Brock Lesnar at the moment? If Strowman wins the belt at the Rumble, who hasn’t he faced that would make for an interesting matchup at Mania? Daniel Bryan can put on incredible matches, but we’ve already seen him versus AJ a couple of times, him versus Miz more; Bryan vs Nakamura could have been great, but does Nakamura have any credibility left now? I honestly try to avoid thinking too much about Mania right now, because I can’t see the card being any less than disappointing. They’ve got time to fix things, but they have to have the will.
3) “Excluding those already announced, which NXT stars do you think will come up to the main roster in 2019?”
MANGO: After WrestleMania (or maybe even after Royal Rumble), I think at various points in the year, we’ll see Ricochet, The Undisputed ERA, Aleister Black, Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir, Jessamyn Duke, and Kairi Sane.
STAPLE: I certainly think Velveteen Dream’s time will come sooner than later, and at this point, I think it’s a matter of time. However, I want him to have a run with the NXT Title first. Lord knows what will happen to him on the main roster, especially if he goes to RAW. I want to enjoy as much of him in NXT as I possibly can first. Maybe The Undisputed Era, but they feel so essential to NXT at this stage. Perhaps Aliester Black once his NXT Title feud is over.
ABSLER: I think there’s a good chance we see Kassius Ohno or Velveteen Dream called up in 2019. Both of those guys are ready for the glory and responsibility that comes with being promoted to the main roster and Velveteen Dream is sure to be a fan favorite.
HOLDEN: Velveteen Dream seems like a no-brainer. Tomasso and Gargano are both obviously ‘ready’. More important than who is called up will be the fixing the issue of knowing what to do with talent when they’re called up.
4) “Do you think NXT will expand in any fashion in 2019? Another hour? Another territory? Another title?”
MANGO: This all depends on what’s going on with FOX. If there’s a deal in place to do something with NXT on FS1, I think they’ll get a second hour in October. If not, no. No more titles and no more territories just yet, unless there’s something of a preliminary step like having an NXT Asian Championship Tournament or something like that like they did with NXT UK at first.
STAPLE: I don’t think NXT will change in any significant way and I like it that way. NXT kills it at every Takeover, develop characters and make titles feel important. I don’t think any significant change is necessary. I would like NXT to one day have a show on a stage the level of WrestleMania, but even if they don’t, they’ve shown they can overshadow WWE’s big shows anyways.
ABSLER: I think NXT could benefit from a second hour and with the way it’s moving, I am sure NXT will change drastically in 2019. The problem is, I have no idea what decisions they will make. This year for example, the addition of the North American title and NXT UK have shifted the landscape 180 degrees. I have no doubt NXT will change in 2019, possibly with a second performance center.
HOLDEN: I like the idea of multiple NXT franchises around the globe, it opens up a lot of avenues for stories and matches. I don’t believe there’s an NXT Oz yet, or an NXT Mexico. I could see, or would like to see, them do more of this. I know, it’s a lot of echoing back to the old days of Vince killing independent territories, and I know there’s panic on the UK scene because of contracts over there. But solely from the single-minded perspective of WWE, it makes a lot of sense, and it really does keep a feel of brand separation somehow.
5) “Who do you think will be the first two women to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship in 2019?”
MANGO: Bayley and Sasha Banks, who will win the belts at WrestleMania 35 from Trish Stratus and Lita.
STAPLE: Sasha Banks and Bayley. They’re the only ones who cared about those tag titles anyway, so it makes sense they hold it first.
ABSLER: I think with strong booking, the IIconics would make incredible Women’s Tag Champions. Their heel antics and snobby promos really get under the fan’s skin and Bayley and Sasha as the inaugural champions is just to predictable.
HOLDEN: Last month, I’d have said Nia Jax and Tamina. Fast forward to now, and the faces are in the drivers’ seats. Sasha Banks and Bayley make history.
6) “Which male superstars do you think will have a breakout year in 2019?”
MANGO: Drew McIntyre will win the Universal Championship. Matt Riddle will possibly be the one to dethrone Tommaso Ciampa. EC3 could have a great year, as could Ricochet, Dominik Dijakovic (next North American champion?), and I wouldn’t count out the quartet of Ciampa, Gargano, Velveteen Dream and Aleister Black from doing just as well or better in 2019 than they did in 2018.
STAPLE: Shot in the dark here, but how about Mustafa Ali? He was a standout of 205 Live that made me tune in more often. I think he can perform greatly on a bigger stage. Not saying he’ll be WWE Champion, but I think he’ll make a name for himself. Andrade Almas and Drew McIntyre are my other reasonable choices.
ABSLER: Bro, this goes without saying… Matt Riddle! It’s clear to me that WWE management is high on Matt Riddle and I would bet that the man becomes NXT Champion in 2019.
HOLDEN: Kevin Owens is sitting on the brink. If he’s allowed to return from his injury with a major storyline and in-ring push, he could be their most bankable star for several years.
7) “Which female superstars do you think will have a breakout year in 2019?”
MANGO: Shayna Baszler is going to have a great year, I think, as I expect her to come up to the main roster and possibly even win the Raw Women’s Championship from Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair, or the SmackDown title from Asuka. Bianca Belair could be the next in line to take the top spot away from Baszler on NXT, so she’s up there. I can see Lacey Evans getting a decent run, too.
STAPLE: I want to say Ember Moon badly, but I’m afraid she’ll be overshadowed by the tag team division, Ronda, Nia and Becky if she joins the RAW division. It’ll be contingent on her to make a name for herself, but I can see her winning the title this year.
ABSLER: I think Nikki Cross is in line for a breakout year of her career. A few big wins agains some of WWE’s top women upon her call up could cement Cross as a real threat and breakout star.
HOLDEN: Liv Morgan has the looks and the in-ring ability to be fantastic. I can’t see them keeping the Riott Squad together for much longer, they’re upsetting too many of the cleaning staff with their rampant disregard for neat piles of paper, and they’re doing nothing for each other in matches. I think she’s the star to rise out of this grouping.
8) “Do you have any bold predictions for 2019?”
MANGO: With the increased work on XFL and this need for change, Vince McMahon will give even more power to Triple H for Raw and SmackDown, and in the latter half of 2019, we’ll see a big shift into more of an emphasis on the sports side of sports entertainment, similar to how NXT operates. My even bolder prediction is that there will be an announcement that they’ve worked out a deal with Impact Wrestling and have purchased their tape library, as the company finally folds with some talent going to All Elite Wrestling, some going to Ring of Honor, some to New Japan and some to WWE, but the assets being dissolved into NXT more than anything else.
STAPLE: Samoa Joe wins the WWE Championship. The Smackdown main event scene just screams that he should win. As long as he stays one Smackdown the opportunity for him to win will still be there. I thought he would be the one to end AJ Styles’ reign, but I think 2019 will finally be his year. He has yet to win any titles since being called up to the main roster. Why not this year?
ABSLER: My bold prediction for 2019 would be that both Finn Balor and The Miz will win the respective World Title on their brands. Balor will become Universal Champion, and The Miz will defeat Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Title.
HOLDEN: Kenny Omega jumps to WWE. I believe there’s interest in all the Elite guys, if for no other reason than they’re popular elsewhere. But I think Omega is the only one that truly fits their ideal of what a Superstar should be. There’s not much else for them to do that would bring about that level of shock-value, and at the same time give them an instant, credible main eventer.
Big thanks to everyone who took part in this edition!
Those are our thoughts, but what do you have to say about these issues? Keep the discussion going by chiming in via the comments section below!
