Rate the Smackdown!: 10/27/2023

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

It's time for the OTHER Weekly Poll Sensation that sweeps the FAN-Nation! It's time, to RATE THE SMACKDOWN! ...LIVE!


So how good, bad, or meh was Smackdown this week?? It's time to find out. It's time to Rate the Smackdown... LIVE!!


Last Weeks Most Voted Rating: 8

------ 2016/Start of New Era Smackdowns

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}
7/19: 2.92
7/26: 5.98
8/2: 7.4
8/9: 5.88
8/16: 6.62
8/23: 8.61
8/30: 6.41
9/6: 7.28
9/13: 8.37
9/20: 7.63
9/27: 7.72
10/4: 6.74
10/11: 7.46
10/18: 7.55
10/25: 6.70
11/1: 6.51
11/8: 5.71
11/15: 7.62
11/22: 7.04
11/29: 7.36
12/6: 6.79
12/13: 6.21
12/20: 8.14
12/27: 7.36

------ 2017

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}
1/3: 7.57
1/10: 6.41
1/17: 5.89
1/24: 5.79
1/31: 6.24
2/7: 6.21
2/14: 7.14
2/21: 6.88
2/28: 5.47
3/7: 5.92
3/14: 4.84
3/21: 6.16
3/28: 5.58
4/4: 8.09
4/11: 7.21
4/18: 4.26
4/25: 5.54
5/2: 6.23
5/9: 5.50
5/16: 5.66
5/23: 5.14
5/30: 6.94
6/6: 6.41
6/13: 5.5
6/20: 5.61
7/27: 6.75
7/4: 5.07
7/11: 5.57
7/18: 5.24
7/25: 7.69
8/1: 7.91
8/8: 5.68
8/15: 4.19
8/22: 6.61
8/29: 5.83
9/5: 6.22
9/12: 7.42
9/19: 4.11
9/26: 7.18
10/3: 5.56
10/10: 7.18
10/17: 6.89
10/24: 6.46
10/31: 6.22
11/7: 7.42
11/14: 7.46
11/21: 6.41
11/28: 4.91
12/5: 5.44
12/12: 4.64
12/19: 4.33
12/26: 6.47

------ 2018

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}
1/2: 5.81
1/9: 2.71
1/16: 2.54
1/23: 3.65
1/30: 5.91
2/6: 4.92
2/13: 3.52
2/20: 4.33
2/27: 5.05
3/6: 5.63
3/13: 5.13
3/20: 8.19
3/27: 5.78
4/3: 5.23
4/10: 7.29
4/17: 7.73
4/23: 6.77
5/1: 5.78
5/8: 6.35
5/15: 6.85
5/22: 7.15
5/29: 5.96
6/5: 6.08
6/12: 6.14
6/18: 7.83
6/26: 5.39
7/3: 4.57
7/10: 5.06
7/17: 6.93
7/24: 6.50
7/31: 6.04
8/7: 7.05
8/14: 6.07
8/21: 5.46
8/28: 7.12
9/4: 5.86
9/11: 4.67
9/18: 6.90
9/25: 7.17
10/2: 5.59
10/9: 5.71
10/16: 6.76
10/23: 5.90
10/30: 6.62
11/6: 7.75
11/13: 6.24
11/20: 6.63
11/27: 6.91
12/4: 6.54
12/11: 6.40
12/18: 6.75
12/25: 6.90

------ 2019

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{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}
1/1: 6.17
1/8: 7.93
1/15: 7.74
1/22: 7.29
1/29: 7.00
1/5: 6.65
2/11: 7.18
2/19: 5.81
2/26: 5.65
3/5: 6.93
3/12: 6.88
3/18: 6.33
3/26: 4.41
4/2: 6.24
4/9: 5.11
4/16: 6.50
4/23: 5.47
4/30: 4.30
5/7: 5.39
5/14: 5.50
5/21: 5.89
5/28: 4.24
6/4: 5.30
6/11: 3.47
6/18: 5.05
6/25: 4.78
7/2: 6.33
7/9: 5.57
7/16: 5.17
7/23: 5.59
7/30: 7.29
7/6: 6.33
8/13: 6.17
8/20: 7.27
8/27: 5.47
9/3: 7.61
9/10: 6.18
9/17: 6.44
9/24: 5.92

------ Official move to FOX/Friday Night!

10/4: 3.98
10/11: 5.58
10/18: 6.56
10/25: 6.64
11/1: 8.48
11/8: 4.58
11/15: 6.52
11/22: 7.09
11/29: 5.33
11/6: 4.39
12/13: 4.71
12/20: 7.39
12/27: 7.27

11/21: 6.41
11/28: 4.91
12/5: 5.44
12/12: 4.64
12/19: 4.33
12/26: 6.47

------ 2020

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}
1/3: 7.16 (19% DW)
1/10: 6.24 (29% DW)
1/17: 6.33 (34% DW)
1/24: 6.27 (37% DW)
1/31: 5.25 (38% DW)
2/7: 6.18 (47% DW)
2/14: 4.97 (29% DW)
2/21: 6.13 (32% DW)
2/28: 5.36 (29% DW)
3/6: 6.21 (38% DW)

------ Empty Arena Shows Begin

3/13: 8.30 (16% DW)
3/20: 6.35 (23% DW)
3/27: 6.17 (18% DW)
4/3: 6.50 (16% DW)
4/10: 6.42 (20% DW)
4/17: 6.25 (36% DW)
4/24: 3.45 (41% DW)
5/1: 6.00 (37% DW)
5/8: 5.39 (40% DW)
5/15: 7.17 (25% DW)
5/22: 6.53 (29% DW)
5/29: 6.62 (22% DW)
6/5: 7.56 (25% DW)
6/12: 8.86 (21% DW)
6/19: 6.19 (5% DW)
6/26: 6.50 (26% DW)
7/3: 7.07 (30% DW)
7/10: 3.71 (11% DW)
7/17: 6.82 (21% DW)
7/24: 6.85 (13% DW)
7/31: 7.21 (18% DW)
8/7: 6.77 (24% DW)
8/14: 7.45 (19% DW)

------ WWE THUNDERDOME begins

8/21: 6.84 (7% DW)
8/28: 8.08 (5% DW)
9/4: 8.33 (20% DW)
9/11: 5.66 (24% DW)
9/18: 6.27 (24% DW)
9/25: 7.29 (18% DW)
10/2: 6.73 (19% DW)

------ WWE Draft 2020

10/9: 6.14 (21% DW)
10/16: 7.37 (17% DW)
10/23: 7.63 (18% DW)
10/30: 6.96 (12% DW)
11/6: 6.52 (15% DW)
11/13: 5.83 (33% DW)
11/20: 5.20 (21% DW)
11/27: 5.38 (23% DW)
12/4: 7.00 (22% DW)
12/11: 5.88 (29% DW)
12/18: 8.13 (29% DW)
12/25: 8.05 (19% DW)

------ 2021

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}
1/1: 7.17 (25% DW)
1/8: 7.59 (12% DW)
1/15: 7.23 (21% DW)
1/22: 8.14 (4% DW)
1/29: 6.59 (11% DW)
2/5: 6.94 (15% DW)
2/12: 7.00 (44% DW)
2/19: 6.17 (11% DW)
2/26: 6.30 (20% DW)
3/5: 5.33 (36% DW)
3/12: 6.22 (4% DW)
3/19: 6.92 (20% DW)
3/26: 5.17 (27% DW)
4/2: 5.45 (20% DW)
4/9: 5.88 (28% DW)
4/16: 3.96 (34% DW)
4/23: 5.13 (28% DW)
4/30: 6.54 (26% DW)
5/7: 5.06 (24% DW)
5/14: 4.79 (14% DW)
5/21: 7.81 (38% DW)
5/28: 6.28 (28% DW)
6/4: 5.88 (35% DW)
6/11: 5.81 (25% DW)
6/18: 6.68 (28% DW)
6/25: 6.35 (38% DW)
7/2: 7.68 (34% DW)
7/7: 5.19 (21% DW)

------ THUNDERDOME ERA ENDS/CROWDS RETURN!!

7/16: 7.94 (17% DW)
7/23: 7.08 (26% DW)
7/30: 5.13 (34% DW)
8/6: 5.05 (37% DW)
8/13: 7.04 (43%DW)
8/20: 5.93 (36% DW)
8/27: 6.28 (28% DW)
9/3: 5.80 (40% DW)
9/10: 8.21 (22% DW)
9/17: 5.55 (33% DW)
9/24: 7.06 (37% DW)

------ WWE DRAFT 2021

10/1: 5.92 (22% DW)
10/8: 5.58 (30% DW)
10/15: 7.27 (42% DW)
10/22: 5.86 (35% DW)
10/29: 5.57 (38% DW)
11/5: 4.17 (37% DW)
11/12: 4.08 (27% DW)
11/19: 5.36 (36% DW)
11/26: 5.07 (25% DW)
12/3: 4.41 (48% DW)
12/10: 4.66 (25% DW)
12/17: 6.68 (42% DW)
12/24: 6.28 (45% DW)
12/31: N/A

------ 2022

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}
1/1: 7.17 (25% DW)
1/8: 7.59 (12% DW)
1/15: 7.23 (21% DW)
1/22: 8.14 (4% DW)
1/29: 6.59 (11% DW)
2/5: 6.94 (15% DW)
2/12: 7.00 (44% DW)
2/19: 6.17 (11% DW)
2/26: 6.30 (20% DW)
3/5: 5.33 (36% DW)
3/12: 6.22 (4% DW)
3/19: 6.92 (20% DW)
3/26: 5.17 (27% DW)
4/2: 5.45 (20% DW)
4/9: 5.88 (28% DW)
4/16: 3.96 (34% DW)
4/23: 5.13 (28% DW)
4/30: 6.54 (26% DW)
5/7: 5.06 (24% DW)
5/14: 4.79 (14% DW)
5/21: 7.81 (38% DW)
5/28: 6.28 (28% DW)
6/4: 5.88 (35% DW)
6/11: 5.81 (25% DW)
6/18: 6.68 (28% DW)
6/25: 6.35 (38% DW)
7/2: 7.68 (34% DW)
7/7: 5.19 (21% DW)

------ THUNDERDOME ERA ENDS/CROWDS RETURN!!

7/16: 7.94 (17% DW)
7/23: 7.08 (26% DW)
7/30: 5.13 (34% DW)
8/6: 5.05 (37% DW)
8/13: 7.04 (43%DW)
8/20: 5.93 (36% DW)
8/27: 6.28 (28% DW)
9/3: 5.80 (40% DW)
9/10: 8.21 (22% DW)
9/17: 5.55 (33% DW)
9/24: 7.06 (37% DW)

------ WWE DRAFT 2021

10/1: 5.92 (22% DW)
10/8: 5.58 (30% DW)
10/15: 7.27 (42% DW)
10/22: 5.86 (35% DW)
10/29: 5.57 (38% DW)
11/5: 4.17 (37% DW)
11/12: 4.08 (27% DW)
11/19: 5.36 (36% DW)
11/26: 5.07 (25% DW)
12/3: 4.41 (48% DW)
12/10: 4.66 (25% DW)
12/17: 6.68 (42% DW)
12/24: 6.28 (45% DW)
12/31: N/A

------ 2023



1/6: 7.00 (18% DW)

1/13: 6.93 (13% DW)

1/20: 7.07 (17% DW)

1/27: 5,21 (18% DW)

2/3: 7.69 (7% DW)

2/10: 7.19 (13% DW)

2/17: 8.36 (8% DW)

2/24: 6.88 (13% DW)

3/3: 7.38 (7% DW)

3/10: 6.68 (14% DW)

3/17: 8.15 (8% DW)

3/24: 7.32 (14% DW)

3/31: 6.47 (15% DW)

4/7: 6.97 (17% DW)

4/14: 6.35 (15% DW)

4/21: 6.04 (14% DW)


------ WWE DRAFT 2023



4/28: 8.48 (18% DW)

5/5: 7.82 (28% DW)

5/12: 7.29 (13% DW)

5/19: 6.24 (26% DW)

5/26: 6.00 (16% DW)

6/2: 7.67 (11% DW)

6/9: 7.46 (16% DW)

6/16: 8.62 (9% DW)

6/23: 4.74 (10% DW)

6/30: 7.17 (14% DW)

7/7: 6.28 (13% DW)

7/14: 7.27 (10% DW)

7/21: 4.50 (8% DW)

7/28: 6.95 (17% DW)

8/4: 6.14 (22% DW)

8/11: 7.12 (26% DW)

8/18: 6.62 (16% DW)

8/25: N/A

9/1: 6.22 (14% DW)

9/8: 5.76 (14% DW)

9/15: 7.19 (11% DW)

9/22: 6.96 (14% DW)

9/29: 7.31 (6% DW)

10/6: 8.47 (14% DW)

10/13: 8.04 (10% DW)

10/20: 7.23 (8% DW)
10/27: TBD

[mistery]

A 6. Nothing too offensive but Bianca's promo was absolute ass and I dread her inevitably getting the title back at Crown Jewel, because it just means the division goes back to Bianca no selling everyone and running everyone over.

[chronocross]

6/10, didn't see the whole show but enjoyed the LWO vs. Street Profits, Cedric vs. Dragon Lee and LA Knight getting the better of Roman Reigns this week.

[asuka007]

8/10:

They worked hard to put over LA Knight as a serious threat to Roman.

Lee vs. Cedric was fun.

Shotzi vs. Chelsea was ok, but I wish Chelsea wasn’t such a total jobber.

I’m REALLY not looking forward to Bianca just being in the title picture again already.

[A Little Doo Doo]

6

The show just feels like it's on cruise control until the end of the year IMO. It really needs something big to happen to shake it up.

[theironyuppie]

Oct 27, 2023 21:03:30 GMT -5 mistery said:

A 6. Nothing too offensive but Bianca's promo was absolute ass and I dread her inevitably getting the title back at Crown Jewel, because it just means the division goes back to Bianca no selling everyone and running everyone over.

I would have liked her to show some more intensity at least towards the end of the promo. The script talks about her being consumed by vengeance, but you don't really feel it in her delivery.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

5 I guess. Nothing offended me per se but nothing really tickled my fancy either. It's really just riding the star power of Cena/Roman/Knight with little else going on.

[Treklubj]

9/10.

I thought all the matches were different degrees of good, especially the main and Lee vs. Alexander.

Good to see Bianca back and I have no problem with her getting a title match right away. It would make little sense if she had to work her way back up the ladder following her dominant reign and MITB cash-in loss.

I do agree that Belair didn't convey driven by vengeance in her promo. Bianca vs. Iyo should be outstanding, though, just like their match in Puerto Rico.

[mistery]

Oct 27, 2023 21:49:23 GMT -5 theironyuppie said:

Oct 27, 2023 21:03:30 GMT -5 mistery said:

A 6. Nothing too offensive but Bianca's promo was absolute ass and I dread her inevitably getting the title back at Crown Jewel, because it just means the division goes back to Bianca no selling everyone and running everyone over.

I would have liked her to show some more intensity at least towards the end of the promo. The script talks about her being consumed by vengeance, but you don't really feel it in her delivery.

The issue is that Bianca isn't a very good promo at the end of the day. Her wrestling is hit or miss depending on the day (more miss than hit, almost entirely because her selling is among the worst in the company during matches), but her promos have been pretty f***ing dire for the better part of two years now. It's very clear she's reading off a script.

This is why people aren't thrilled about her potentially getting the title back, because it would likely mean another 6 months (because we know she won't lose the title until Mania) of her putting out below average promos and no selling every other woman as a threat and running over everyone, because her selling in matches tends to be utterly atrocious the vast majority of the time.

[gl83]

Oct 27, 2023 23:10:05 GMT -5 mistery said:

Oct 27, 2023 21:49:23 GMT -5 theironyuppie said:

I would have liked her to show some more intensity at least towards the end of the promo. The script talks about her being consumed by vengeance, but you don't really feel it in her delivery.

The issue is that Bianca isn't a very good promo at the end of the day. Her wrestling is hit or miss depending on the day (more miss than hit, almost entirely because her selling is among the worst in the company during matches), but her promos have been pretty f***ing dire for the better part of two years now. It's very clear she's reading off a script.

This is why people aren't thrilled about her potentially getting the title back, because it would likely mean another 6 months (because we know she won't lose the title until Mania) of her putting out below average promos and no selling every other woman as a threat and running over everyone, because her selling in matches tends to be utterly atrocious the vast majority of the time.

......and it's not like Smackdown has an over-abundance of Heels that she can feud with for those 6 months(it's only Damage Ctrl w/ one member injured and Alba/Isla)......

[Treklubj]

Oct 27, 2023 23:10:05 GMT -5 mistery said:

Oct 27, 2023 21:49:23 GMT -5 theironyuppie said:

I would have liked her to show some more intensity at least towards the end of the promo. The script talks about her being consumed by vengeance, but you don't really feel it in her delivery.

The issue is that Bianca isn't a very good promo at the end of the day. Her wrestling is hit or miss depending on the day (more miss than hit, almost entirely because her selling is among the worst in the company during matches), but her promos have been pretty f***ing dire for the better part of two years now. It's very clear she's reading off a script.

This is why people aren't thrilled about her potentially getting the title back, because it would likely mean another 6 months (because we know she won't lose the title until Mania) of her putting out below average promos and no selling every other woman as a threat and running over everyone, because her selling in matches tends to be utterly atrocious the vast majority of the time.

1. I agree that Bianca's promos tend to be average at best. Her being very likeable comes across so that probably helps, but no disagreement on the mic-skills criticism.

2. I'm not sure where the hit or miss is. Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Iyo Sky all had what many consider to be their best WWE or main-roster matches with Bianca Belair. At some point, the common denominator has to be given credit for being an equal contributor all those outstanding matches.

3. I don't think the no-selling is as bad as people think. For example, my two casual fans (both ex-athletes for reference) both thought she was legit injured in the triple threat that saw Iyo cash in after the match. I think the selling is less she can't/won't and more she is directed to play a next-level type character (due in large part to her build, strength and athletic ability).

4. I'm bias. I'm a fan and I like to see her win. It has been cool as hell to see a Black woman (especially one who seems so real and familiar) rise to the level of success that she has. That said, it's not hard to look at a landscape and understand why only certain wrestlers (ex. Rhea, Asuka, Charlotte, Iyo) are seen as on level ground with her. It doesn't seem realistic that Shotzi or Dakota Kai could just get in a ring with her tomorrow and be a threat.

[mistery]

Oct 28, 2023 7:56:11 GMT -5 Treklubj said:

Oct 27, 2023 23:10:05 GMT -5 mistery said:

The issue is that Bianca isn't a very good promo at the end of the day. Her wrestling is hit or miss depending on the day (more miss than hit, almost entirely because her selling is among the worst in the company during matches), but her promos have been pretty f***ing dire for the better part of two years now. It's very clear she's reading off a script.

This is why people aren't thrilled about her potentially getting the title back, because it would likely mean another 6 months (because we know she won't lose the title until Mania) of her putting out below average promos and no selling every other woman as a threat and running over everyone, because her selling in matches tends to be utterly atrocious the vast majority of the time.

1. I agree that Bianca's promos tend to be average at best. Her being very likeable comes across so that probably helps, but no disagreement on the mic-skills criticism.

2. I'm not sure where the hit or miss is. Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Iyo Sky all had what many consider to be their best WWE or main-roster matches with Bianca Belair. At some point, the common denominator has to be given credit for being an equal contributor all those outstanding matches.

3. I don't think the no-selling is as bad as people think. For example, my two casual fans (both ex-athletes for reference) both thought she was legit injured in the triple threat that saw Iyo cash in after the match. I think the selling is less she can't/won't and more she is directed to play a next-level type character (due in large part to her build, strength and athletic ability).

4. I'm bias. I'm a fan and I like to see her win. It has been cool as hell to see a Black woman (especially one who seems so real and familiar) rise to the level of success that she has. That said, it's not hard to look at a landscape and understand why only certain wrestlers (ex. Rhea, Asuka, Charlotte, Iyo) are seen as on level ground with her. It doesn't seem realistic that Shotzi or Dakota Kai could just get in a ring with her tomorrow and be a threat.

I don't think anyone is arguing against how significant it is that Bianca rose to the top. But I do think it's a huge point against her as well, because now her rise to the top is keeping a bunch of other women held down. Not counting the MITB cash in, I don't think Bianca has had a clean singles loss since she got beat by Becky at Summerslam. To say she's the most protected star on the roster would be an understatement. The only other star I can think of who is more protected than her in that regard is Roman.

She's overprotected to an absurd degree, and pushed at the expense of every other woman, who look like shit whenever they get done feuding with her. It doesn't matter if she has a ~banger~ of a match with whoever she feuds with, if it ends with her no selling everything when its done.

Because say what you will about Iyo's reign right now, but at least none of the women she's beaten so far in it have come out of it looking worse, as they have all been protected. Where you can't say that whenever Bianca is champion because she just runs over everyone and no sells them as a threat. And it's not a stretch to say that if Bianca beats Iyo and gets the title back, the division is going to enter yet another slump period, or Bianca's feuds are going to be colder than whatever feud is going on outside of it. Because the results are predictable as hell (Bianca wins and no sells every threat towards her), and her act is stale as hell. She got a decent pop last night, but it's not hard to imagine it'll quickly die off again if they just put the title back on her and return to pushing her as the "only star that matters" again.

Sad thing is, we all know she's getting the title back, because Charlotte and Bianca have been very vocal about how they want to face each other for the title at Mania. Which depending on circumstances, could end up similar to WM30 where the audience doesn't like either person in the match, and wants an underdog inserted to walk away with the title. You have to remember that while there are a decent number of Bianca fans, there are also a large number of fans who are really unhappy with her running over everyone. I know in my case, her run as the top face of the company (for the women) jumped the shark when she effortlessly beat up Damage CTRL all on her own last year, making EVERYONE ELSE look awful.

[Treklubj]

Oct 28, 2023 9:21:47 GMT -5 mistery said:

Oct 28, 2023 7:56:11 GMT -5 Treklubj said:

1. I agree that Bianca's promos tend to be average at best. Her being very likeable comes across so that probably helps, but no disagreement on the mic-skills criticism.

2. I'm not sure where the hit or miss is. Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Iyo Sky all had what many consider to be their best WWE or main-roster matches with Bianca Belair. At some point, the common denominator has to be given credit for being an equal contributor all those outstanding matches.

3. I don't think the no-selling is as bad as people think. For example, my two casual fans (both ex-athletes for reference) both thought she was legit injured in the triple threat that saw Iyo cash in after the match. I think the selling is less she can't/won't and more she is directed to play a next-level type character (due in large part to her build, strength and athletic ability).

4. I'm bias. I'm a fan and I like to see her win. It has been cool as hell to see a Black woman (especially one who seems so real and familiar) rise to the level of success that she has. That said, it's not hard to look at a landscape and understand why only certain wrestlers (ex. Rhea, Asuka, Charlotte, Iyo) are seen as on level ground with her. It doesn't seem realistic that Shotzi or Dakota Kai could just get in a ring with her tomorrow and be a threat.

I don't think anyone is arguing against how significant it is that Bianca rose to the top. But I do think it's a huge point against her as well, because now her rise to the top is keeping a bunch of other women held down. Not counting the MITB cash in, I don't think Bianca has had a clean singles loss since she got beat by Becky at Summerslam. To say she's the most protected star on the roster would be an understatement. The only other star I can think of who is more protected than her in that regard is Roman.

She's overprotected to an absurd degree, and pushed at the expense of every other woman, who look like shit whenever they get done feuding with her. It doesn't matter if she has a ~banger~ of a match with whoever she feuds with, if it ends with her no selling everything when its done.

Because say what you will about Iyo's reign right now, but at least none of the women she's beaten so far in it have come out of it looking worse, as they have all been protected. Where you can't say that whenever Bianca is champion because she just runs over everyone and no sells them as a threat. And it's not a stretch to say that if Bianca beats Iyo and gets the title back, the division is going to enter yet another slump period, or Bianca's feuds are going to be colder than whatever feud is going on outside of it. Because the results are predictable as hell (Bianca wins and no sells every threat towards her), and her act is stale as hell. She got a decent pop last night, but it's not hard to imagine it'll quickly die off again if they just put the title back on her and return to pushing her as the "only star that matters" again.

Sad thing is, we all know she's getting the title back, because Charlotte and Bianca have been very vocal about how they want to face each other for the title at Mania. Which depending on circumstances, could end up similar to WM30 where the audience doesn't like either person in the match, and wants an underdog inserted to walk away with the title. You have to remember that while there are a decent number of Bianca fans, there are also a large number of fans who are really unhappy with her running over everyone. I know in my case, her run as the top face of the company (for the women) jumped the shark when she effortlessly beat up Damage CTRL all on her own last year, making EVERYONE ELSE look awful.

I disagree that Bianca's elevation is holding anyone else down. At the current time, WWE has a top-of-the-card women's roster of Bianca, Lynch, Charlotte, Rhea, Asuka and Iyo. You also have to imagine that Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton will probably enter that tier at some point in the next 6-9 months. That is 8 women who are all considered main eventers, a number I would consider to be pretty solid.

I completely get how Belair is not someone you enjoy. Tastes are subjective and I've already admitted my bias, but I've never seen anything that indicates crowds are about to turn on her outside of message boards and the one match at Backlash.

[A Little Doo Doo]

Oct 28, 2023 10:22:14 GMT -5 Treklubj said:

Oct 28, 2023 9:21:47 GMT -5 mistery said:

I don't think anyone is arguing against how significant it is that Bianca rose to the top. But I do think it's a huge point against her as well, because now her rise to the top is keeping a bunch of other women held down. Not counting the MITB cash in, I don't think Bianca has had a clean singles loss since she got beat by Becky at Summerslam. To say she's the most protected star on the roster would be an understatement. The only other star I can think of who is more protected than her in that regard is Roman.

She's overprotected to an absurd degree, and pushed at the expense of every other woman, who look like shit whenever they get done feuding with her. It doesn't matter if she has a ~banger~ of a match with whoever she feuds with, if it ends with her no selling everything when its done.

Because say what you will about Iyo's reign right now, but at least none of the women she's beaten so far in it have come out of it looking worse, as they have all been protected. Where you can't say that whenever Bianca is champion because she just runs over everyone and no sells them as a threat. And it's not a stretch to say that if Bianca beats Iyo and gets the title back, the division is going to enter yet another slump period, or Bianca's feuds are going to be colder than whatever feud is going on outside of it. Because the results are predictable as hell (Bianca wins and no sells every threat towards her), and her act is stale as hell. She got a decent pop last night, but it's not hard to imagine it'll quickly die off again if they just put the title back on her and return to pushing her as the "only star that matters" again.

Sad thing is, we all know she's getting the title back, because Charlotte and Bianca have been very vocal about how they want to face each other for the title at Mania. Which depending on circumstances, could end up similar to WM30 where the audience doesn't like either person in the match, and wants an underdog inserted to walk away with the title. You have to remember that while there are a decent number of Bianca fans, there are also a large number of fans who are really unhappy with her running over everyone. I know in my case, her run as the top face of the company (for the women) jumped the shark when she effortlessly beat up Damage CTRL all on her own last year, making EVERYONE ELSE look awful.

I disagree that Bianca's elevation is holding anyone else down. At the current time, WWE has a top-of-the-card women's roster of Bianca, Lynch, Charlotte, Rhea, Asuka and Iyo. You also have to imagine that Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton will probably enter that tier at some point in the next 6-9 months. That is 8 women who are all considered main eventers, a number I would consider to be pretty solid.

I completely get how Belair is not someone you enjoy. Tastes are subjective and I've already admitted my bias, but I've never seen anything that indicates crowds are about to turn on her outside of message boards and the one match at Backlash.

Yeah, you've just gotta look at the reaction she's gotten the last couple shows to see the crowds aren't even close to turning on her yet.

[Deleted]

I am not gonna say crowds were turning on her in droves BUT there were clear instances like already mentioned where the reactions to her with the title were starting to wane ...remember how she got beat up in her hometown and the crowd was all ONE MORE TIME...her own home town by the way.

But her title reign was becoming a detriment to the division...she has done nothing but completely trounce Dmg Cntrl and looks like we are back to this again and like already said no one came out of feuding with her better off and that is partially on Bianca because for all her athletic gifts she sucks at selling her opposition as any sort of threat to her but this also partially falls on the company itself because they book her so far above every other woman that it is like why even do anything else except staple the title to her.

ITO's reign without going into Bayleys booking involvement has been such a refreshing thing simply because IYO always feels like she is fighting from beneath and that in turn makes it feel like she can lose at any moment and it creates this level of intrigue about her defences and her impeccable selling just heightens that.

This is something likes of Bianca , Charlotte and Rhea so far during her current title run all have severely lacked....unless it was the usual obvious tippy top subjects you never believe those women are going to lose to any other woman on the roster.

Hell just look at crown jewel and both womens matches...you and that guys dead grandmother all know Rhea is retaining her title...but you can't say the same about IYO but 95% of the discussion is Bianca is winning the title back and that goes back to why Biancas title reign was a detriment to the division because Bianca is now in that Charlotte class of booking...where no one can see her outside the title picture.

[gl83]

Oct 28, 2023 7:56:11 GMT -5 Treklubj said:

Oct 27, 2023 23:10:05 GMT -5 mistery said:

The issue is that Bianca isn't a very good promo at the end of the day. Her wrestling is hit or miss depending on the day (more miss than hit, almost entirely because her selling is among the worst in the company during matches), but her promos have been pretty f***ing dire for the better part of two years now. It's very clear she's reading off a script.

This is why people aren't thrilled about her potentially getting the title back, because it would likely mean another 6 months (because we know she won't lose the title until Mania) of her putting out below average promos and no selling every other woman as a threat and running over everyone, because her selling in matches tends to be utterly atrocious the vast majority of the time.

1. I agree that Bianca's promos tend to be average at best. Her being very likeable comes across so that probably helps, but no disagreement on the mic-skills criticism.

2. I'm not sure where the hit or miss is. Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Iyo Sky all had what many consider to be their best WWE or main-roster matches with Bianca Belair. At some point, the common denominator has to be given credit for being an equal contributor all those outstanding matches.

3. I don't think the no-selling is as bad as people think. For example, my two casual fans (both ex-athletes for reference) both thought she was legit injured in the triple threat that saw Iyo cash in after the match. I think the selling is less she can't/won't and more she is directed to play a next-level type character (due in large part to her build, strength and athletic ability).

4. I'm bias. I'm a fan and I like to see her win. It has been cool as hell to see a Black woman (especially one who seems so real and familiar) rise to the level of success that she has. That said, it's not hard to look at a landscape and understand why only certain wrestlers (ex. Rhea, Asuka, Charlotte, Iyo) are seen as on level ground with her. It doesn't seem realistic that Shotzi or Dakota Kai could just get in a ring with her tomorrow and be a threat.

Which is why WWE desperately needs a midcard title to help elevate those in the midcard into potential main event slots. For all these years it's been feast-or-famine where if you're not in the main title picture you're nothing. NXT has avoided that pitfall and they have a thriving Women's division....now contrast that to the main roster(at least Becky was able to give some shine to those under-utilized girls on Raw......Smackdown on the otherhand.....)



I think the main area of concern I have with Bianca winning the title back right away is that Smackdown doesn't really have much in the way of Heels. You only got Damage Ctrl, who have one member of the group(Dakota) out with an injury and another(Bayley) who's been jobbed into oblivion; then there's Alba/Isla(who are mainly in the tag team division and have mainly been MIA). So, if the plan is for Bianca/Charlotte at WM then that's going to be a problem because you have a lot of dead air between now and WrestleMania.

[Sam Punk]

Another great show!

[Celgress]

8 out of 10, IMHO.