"BIG 4 OR NOTHING" Booking Is Not Working

[GDR Mateo]

Had this discussion off-forum but it really feels like a lot of the booking is just heavily centered around the Big 4 shows anymore and it just makes things really rough. Yes, there's build on the regular shows but title changes and big moments rarely, if ever, happen on them any more (IYO's title win notwithstanding). For all the supposed worship that Trips does of old school NWA/WCW, those companies could do big stuff on TV without minimizing what they did at their big shows.

Hell, I very much remember when 2006 SD had big stuff happen on TV or the smaller PPVs, like King Booker becoming champ or the US title runs of Finlay, Mr. Kennedy, and Benoit. Eddie Guerrero's triumph over Lesnar in 2004 was at No Way Out for crying out loud. And now it feels like unless it's January or April or late July or November we don't get shit. And it makes things DRAG.

[fw91]

There's a lot that needs to be fixed. the 5 match non big 4 PLE's make them feel insignificant too. There were some who would say that they like it because it also lets feuds cook, and may puts focus on lower card feuds that make the PLE cut, but it just contributes to dragging things out

[Lizuka #BLM]

Not sure where the idea that Survivor Series matters is coming from.

[Kleya Marki Smile]

Aug 5, 2025 0:22:45 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Not sure where the idea that Survivor Series matters is coming from.

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

One thing I’ve thought lately with their booking of titles is that it also puts a massive amount of additional pressure on getting the title change right if they must have it at Wrestlemania or Summerslam.

People still would’ve been upset at the match but look at Cody/Cena then and the reactions at this last Mania. Nobody says you need to hot potato shit but when something fails that you’ve been saving for the biggest show of the year, it multiplies the damage.

[grumpy frog]

I see discussion like this a lot, but it's simply not true.


In the past year the following happened on RAW or Smackdown:

Gunther beat Jey Uso to win the World title

Rhea and Iyo both won the Women's World title

Tiffany Stratton cashed in to become WWE Women's Champion

Jey Uso and Bron Breakker both won the Intercontinental title

Lyra won the IC title tournament to become the first champion

DIY, Bloodline 2.0, MCMG, DIY again, Street Profits and Wyatt Sicks all won the WWE Tag Titles

Judgment Day, War Raiders and Judgment Day again all won the World Tag titles

Liv & Raquel won the women's tag titles, twice

LA Knight won the US title

Zelina Vega and Giulia both won the Women's US title



And then you have none big four changes like Naomi cashing in at Evolution. Chelsea winning the US title tournament final on SNME, Becky winning the IC title at Money in the Bank and Solo winning the US title as Night of Champions.


There's really only been the WWE Undisputed title that has only changed hands at Mania and Summerslam, and without checking I imagine that goes back several years thanks to Roman's 'reign' 🥁

[polarbearpete]

Aug 5, 2025 1:08:10 GMT -5 grumpy frog said:

I see discussion like this a lot, but it's simply not true.


In the past year the following happened on RAW or Smackdown:

Gunther beat Jey Uso to win the World title

Rhea and Iyo both won the Women's World title

Tiffany Stratton cashed in to become WWE Women's Champion

Jey Uso and Bron Breakker both won the Intercontinental title

Lyra won the IC title tournament to become the first champion

DIY, Bloodline 2.0, MCMG, DIY again, Street Profits and Wyatt Sicks all won the WWE Tag Titles

Judgment Day, War Raiders and Judgment Day again all won the World Tag titles

Liv & Raquel won the women's tag titles, twice

LA Knight won the US title

Zelina Vega and Giulia both won the Women's US title



And then you have none big four changes like Naomi cashing in at Evolution. Chelsea winning the US title tournament final on SNME, Becky winning the IC title at Money in the Bank and Solo winning the US title as Night of Champions.


There's really only been the WWE Undisputed title that has only changed hands at Mania and Summerslam, and without checking I imagine that goes back several years thanks to Roman's 'reign' 🥁

Yeah I was going to say Raw and Smackdown feel more important than ever with all of the big matches and title changes that take place, partly as a function of the limited PLE cards.

[BlackoutCreature]

I actually think the WWE has gotten a lot better about making weekly shows and B-tier PLE's seem more important ever since Vince left. He had basically settled into the mindset that everything was just filler between WrestleMania's.

[One of the Cooler, Candid TOKs]

Aug 5, 2025 0:22:45 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Not sure where the idea that Survivor Series matters is coming from.

They've used War Games as a major story beat for the top of the card for the past few years. It's by far at the bottom of the stadium show rankings, but it's still above the non-stadium PLEs.

[fw91]

Aug 5, 2025 10:25:17 GMT -5 One of the Cooler, Candid TOKs said:

Aug 5, 2025 0:22:45 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Not sure where the idea that Survivor Series matters is coming from.

They've used War Games as a major story beat for the top of the card for the past few years. It's by far at the bottom of the stadium show rankings, but it's still above the non-stadium PLEs.

Idk. It seems like most of the big 4 PLES head abroad which kind of even outs the comparison with Survivor Series.

[Citizen Snips]

Hasn’t Money in the Bank replaced Survivor Series in the BIG tier?

[longtimelurker29]

Tbh, I think the only title that only changes hands at Wrestlemania or Summerslam is the WWE title. Which it being the biggest title in the industry, I don’t mind.

Every other title has been won on WWE TV within the last calendar year or at least defended pretty regularly on regular TV.