Era of AEW Begins

The State of Pro Wrestling is taking a seismic shift this week. WWE is beginning the Smackdown on Fox era, and will be debuting new sets, graphics and announce teams, along with the return of pyro starting on Raw Monday!! NXT on the USA Network is expanding to two hours, and there are rumors of CM Punk returning as an analyst for a new studio style show on FS1.

The biggest news of the week though, is the debut of AEW Dynamite on TNT, the first real challenge to McMahon since WCW. I'll be giving some brief big picture thoughts on all four brands, but keep in mind WWE is holding their annual Draft next week which will lead to more changes.


Raw - The flagship show for almost 27 years may soon become the B-brand to Smackdown. WWE's relationship with USA is strong, since they have been the driver of the applecart for decades. The move of Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Renee Young to Smackdown may give you an idea of where Vince views the brand. Ratings continue to decline, especially during the 17 weeks a year they go against football, and the three hour format has drawn criticism for years. Seth Rollins' title reign hasn't moved the needle for me and I think The Fiend will grow old quick if he wins the strap at Hell in a Cell. Paul Heyman has taken the reigns on creative, and while the show has improved I think the damage has been done.

Smackdown - Fox has put it's full marketing machine behind the blue brand. They're all over football broadcasts, and the wrestlers will be appearing on all of Fox's properties leading to the Friday debut. Fox is hoping it chose correctly paying up for WWE's rights and letting the UFC leave for ESPN. The debut show is loaded, with appearances by Stone Cold and Hulk Hogan, Brock vs Kofi for the belt and Shane and Kevin Owens in a ladder match. It will be interesting to see how the performance holds up over time.

NXT - WWE's third brand, ran by Triple H, was a fan favorite for it's use of top indy stars and a different wrestling style than you'll see on the main roster. In my opinion, they will be damaged the most by the new landscape. From what we've seen so far, AEW does NXT better than NXT. The idea of being a developmental brand is over with the debut of a two hour show on national television. Also, their popular Takeover shows are reportedly going be scheduled against top AEW events, creating an us vs them mentality.

AEW - So far, AEW has exceeded everyone's expectations. Fans have been waiting for an alternative to WWE for 18 years, and it will be interesting to see if Dynamite can quench their thirst. The promotion has a smart team behind the scenes, (led by Tony Khan, Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and the Young Bucks) and has made waves with the addition of Chris Jericho and John Moxley (Dean Ambrose). It would be premature to write about WWE's demise, but as a fan I hope the competition makes both companies stronger.

Week 4 Picks

I went 3-2 last week bringing my record to 6-5 on the season. I apologize for the Raiders game, I read that completely wrong.

This week I like

Titans +3.5 @ Falcons - Titans are a better team than they looked last Thursday, which being in primetime hurt their public perception. Falcons defense keeps losing key defensive players, including safety Keanu Neal. Tennessee dominates the line on both sides of the ball and may win outright.

Giants -3 v Redskins - Washington is a mess, with rumors of Jay Gruden coaching for his job. Daniel Jones impressed last week, and should have no problem covering in his first home game.

Patriots -7 @ Bills - Bills Mafia needs to learn they aren't on the Pats level. Every year a dildo gets thrown on the field and New England covers. Josh Allen will learn quick he's not playing the Jets or Giants this week.

Browns +6.5 @ Ravens - The season is on the line for Cleveland and the Ravens are mentally exhausted after losing a heat check game in KC last week. I don't think the Browns win, but keep it within a TD.

Broncos -3 v Jaguars - Taking the opposite approach as the Titans game. The Jags are America's Darling with Mustache Minshew after a primetime win Thursday, and are reportedly without Jalen Ramsey. Pressure is on Denver, who hasn't recorded a sack yet this season. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb hit the taste saver off the Jags QB and get their first win.

Cowboys -2.5 @ Saints - The Cowboys have looked like the best team in the NFC this season, behind an improved passing game from Dak and Cooper. I think they let Zeke eat this game. Bridgewater is a very serviceable QB and we can find value in N'Awlins the next few weeks, but not Sunday.