LIVE Raw thoughts - April 10, 2017

11:07 - Not a bad ending, but certainly not the one I expected.  One must wonder why they didn't just wait until after Payback before doing this Superstar Shake Up.  It would've avoided issues (like if Owens is being moved to Smackdown) and allowed them to close out some feuds.

But hey!  This means AJ is sticking to Smackdown!

Once again, I would like to request that you consider donating to my campaign as I attempt to raise $50,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (it's a lot of money and I'm going to need some help hitting that number!)  Here's the link:  http://www.mwoy.org/pages/nj/nnj17/mbasilo

I'll try to do this again tomorrow night for Smackdown.  Thanks for following along tonight.

10:58 - I'm guessing the ending here is a cluster.  Joe runs in to assist Owens and Rollins comes in for the save.  Show ends with a mini Shield reunion, with Dean and Seth standing tall.

10:42 - Well, since I have some attention on the blog tonight, I really do want you to consider donating to my Man of the Year campaign, with 100% of the money raised going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  It's scary to think about somebody dies of a blood cancer EVERY 9 MINUTES.  That is catastrophic.  Yet we have also come so far.  It is often said "any amount helps," but it truly does apply here.  If you're willing to contribute $5....$10....$20....whatever.  I'll take it and I will be so incredibly grateful.  Please just consider it.  You can donate at the link below:

http://www.mwoy.org/pages/nj/nnj17/mbasilo

10:39 - Love that Sasha and Alexa are on the same brand (have we ever seen them fight with Sasha as the face and Alexa as the heel), but man, snagging Mickie really depletes the Smackdown women's roster.

10:38 - Kinda thrilled.

10:36 - So Sasha pretty much has to turn on her tonight, right?

10:34 - I don't know why, but I really want Sasha and Alexa to end up on the same roster.  So here's hoping one of them gets drafted to the other show.

10:28 - Why fight something that works here?  Does anybody (at this point in time) want to see Dana as a standalone act?  Probably not.  She worked with Emma....why not just pair them back together and get both of them a little more over?

10:18 - There is a lot of red happening in this match.

Also, I can't wrap my head around how Meltzer always insists that Vince doesn't favor Raw over Smackdown.  For about 15 years worth of evidence that shows that Raw almost always gets the best out of the draft, almost always gets the big stars, almost always gets the featured match at big shows.  These are not isolated incidents.

10:07 - I don't know what's more comedic, the fact that Braun is a super hero for killing their biggest babyface or the editing of that segment.  First, Roman's stretcher completely changed location and position and secondly, Braun never closed the rear ambulance door.

10:04 - Look at the reaction Strownman gets for murdering your top babyface.  That isn't right or normal.  This big Undertaker win was the perfect moment to do something different with Roman's character.  It's terrible that they decided not to do that, because he's right back to square one right now.

Also, that is totally not where the stretcher landed.

10:00 - After some heelish behavior last week (which was intriguing) Reigns is back to his babyface ways AND now getting attacked by Strowman.  Clearly this company is unwilling to do anything to change up Roman's act.  This is highly disappointing.

9:36 - So Smackdown lost Bray, Ambrose and Miz.  Two recent WWE Champions and one of their hottest acts.  Reigns presumably moving to Smackdown is no doubt a big "name," but it's not a great act.  Based on what we've seen so far, my hope is that Smackdown keeps AJ, gains Balor AND the Club.  Owens seems like an obvious move.  I would also throw Braun Strowman to Smackdown as well.  He's gone through the big names on Raw, throw him to Smackdown and keep him away from Bray.  And maybe Rusev as well?

9:31 - I have to believe that AJ and Balor end up on separate rosters -- UNLESS they intend on reuniting the Club.  Also, I love how Balor has distinct entrances and videos depending on whether he's Balor Club or the Demon.

9:21 - I hate when Charlotte does that top rope moonsault to the outside.  Visually, it's amazing.  But there is just so much room for error and a serious injury.  Not to mention it's a throwaway Raw match.  Same that stuff for WrestleMania.

9:11 - Since they're giving us Nia vs. Charlotte tonight -- which could be a big match -- I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them heading to Smackdown.  I have to assume either Charlotte or Sasha is going to Smackdown.

9:06 - Rollins is sticking on Raw, so I assume that means Reigns is going to Smackdown.  Hope they give us a mini Shield reunion tonight, at least.

I say send Samoa Joe to Smackdown, along with Owens.

8:50 - I'm really torn on the whole presentation Cruiserweight Division.  On the one hand, I really appreciated the fact that the CWC went out of their way to tell us "Cruiserweights aren't about flying and bouncing around, it's about a weight class."  These athletes can be strikers, they can be technical wrestlers, and they can be high flyers.  And I think that was a really important message.  But within the context of Raw or Smackdown -- where everybody on the roster does the same thing -- they just look like smaller, less developed versions of the "main" Superstars.  I think, at least to get some attention of reaction, they kinda need to be high flyers and bounce around.  Otherwise, what's the point of them being a separate division with a different color scheme?  It's not like the women or tag team division get that.

8:37 - I don't know what it is, but skinny Big Show always seems so unhappy.  Not angry.  Just unhappy.

8:28 - I gotta admit, those Revival t-shirts were pretty cool.

8:15 - Logic would dictate that Owens is going to Raw.  At least with Bryan and Angle making trades (vs. a lottery system), they can logically make arrangements for title trades instead of it being a matter of convenience.

8:06 - And now Smackdown just lost their #1 draft pick.

8:03 - Annnnnnnd right off the back, Smackdown loses the person who was completely reinvigorated on Smackdown.

7:52 - It's a Superstar Shakeup and I'm bringing back my LIVE thoughts for the occasion.  What do I hope will happen?  Basically, that Smackdown doesn't get the bum end of this deal.  Can you think of a single WWE Draft where Raw didn't make out like a champ and people were left asking "so, what's going to happen to Smackdown?"
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Honestly, I don't really want ANY of the top guys to leave Smackdown.  Cena will be safe regardless, but he adds a level of credibility to Smackdown.  And guys like AJ, Dean, Miz, Orton, and Wyatt won't really be better off on Raw.

So really, I hope Smackdown gets some desperately needed top talent and that their main event scene isn't completely shattered.