Posted in: Mr. Tito
MR. TITO STRIKES BACK - WWE No Mercy 2016 Predictions, WWE Viewership Issues, and Donald Trump
By Mr. Tito
Oct 9, 2016 - 2:00:56 AM

Follow Mr. Tito on Twitter.com: @titowrestling

Being totally honest here, I'm really excited for the WWE No Mercy Smackdown brand Pay Per View on the WWE Network. Chances are, I'll be reviewing it exclusively here LordsofPain.net / WrestlingHeadlines.com sometime that evening... Whether it's the INSTANT COLUMN format or not, we'll see... I plan on simultaneously watching WWE No Mercy on the iPhone and Debate #2 between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on the big screen. Are you kidding me? How could I miss that trainwreck...

But Smackdown is GOOD and I am baffled as to why more people don't watch it. Smackdown has a GREAT main event scene with AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, and John Cena and they could easily mix in Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt into that fold when needed. That's FAR BETTER main event star power than RAW could ever imagine. The Female "Smackdown 6" is nothing but fun and has lots of chemistry together. The Miz has FINALLY found his calling by having a legitimate edge to his character instead of appearing to be a corporate shill. If Dolph Ziggler wins and then the WWE actually lets him run up a winning streak, they could have something there... Damn KFC commercials. The Tag Team division isn't bad, particularly now that the Usos have been repackaged. I wish that the WWE would figure out how to book Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin better, but I see upside with both... In particular, I believe Apollo Crews could be the next #1 babyface...

However, fans aren't watching... 2.4 million has become the regular viewership for this show... Sigh. I think some of it is "RAW Fatigue" as I reported in one of my last columns as you're so worn out from a lame 3 hour edition of RAW that your demand to watch 2 more hours of WWE programming on Tuesdays just isn't there. Many fans are telling me that Tuesday is a big television night for them and the don't have time or DVR space to watch Smackdown. That could be true... Overall, Monday is usually a weak television night because Networks know that NFL's Monday Night Football exists during the Fall and they usually reserve their best stuff for Tuesday and Thursdays (although NFL is on Thursday now too).

Last month's Backlash Smackdown Pay Per View was mocked heavily for having a THIN card yet the talent on that show delivered. I recently watched a Smackdown show and it is probably my favorite WWE event that I've attended. The chemistry among everyone is strong and that's due to the environment that the Smackdown based creative staff has created. Reportedly, several of the NXT writers are helping on that show. Gee, that's why their Title Belts matter and why feuds have been simplified. The end result has been the BETTER wrestling product for the WWE despite a very thin roster.

The focus by the WWE Corporation needs to be on FIXING Monday Night RAW. Somehow, they have to make a 3 hour show compelling. RAW repeatedly suffers from two problems I notice:

(a) Wrestlers winning non-title matches grant them title matches. Huh? Has anyone EVER seen a boxing or UFC event where the match was "non-title"? Anytime a champion wrestles it should be FOR the title. Completely stupid and it undermines the credibility of their champion. Laziest booking ever and it deteriorates the title holder.

(b) Stop giving away big matches for FREE. We have seen Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks for the Women's Title twice now on RAW and both times resulted in Sasha Banks winning the Women's Title. By the way, how did that work out for you? RAW's third hour dropped over 200,000 fans from the prior 2 hours. Past few RAW episides have been headlined by Pay Per View matches and they are not booming the ratings. Cage match between Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns drew poorly as well. By the way, Roman won a non-title match...

Cruiserweight Title is already off to a bad start... Not compelling at all... RAW's Women's division has already burned through their top match-ups and Bayley has already lost repeatedly upon debuting. New Day is great but who else can wrestle a tag match on RAW? Kevin Owens is in a no-win situation because he has Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, the two wrestlers who have combined lost over 1 million viewers as top dogs during 2015-2016, in his way always.

RAW just isn't doing it for me and if it weren't for my Mr. Tito columns here at LordsofPain.net / WrestlingHeadlines.com, I wouldn't cover it. At least I have Smackdown and NXT to keep me entertained as a wrestling fan. As Meatloaf says on his first Bat Out of Hell album, "2 out of 3 ain't bad".

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Mr. Tito's PHAT WWE No Mercy 2016 Predictions

Nikki Bella vs. Carmella
By the way Internet Wrestling Community, welcome to the "Nikki Bella Bandwagon". After years upon years of bashing her and insisting that she's only featured as a female wrestler because of her dating John Cena... Now, you're suddenly a big fan of hers. Right... Did it take neck surgery to impress you? Fact is that through 2015, Nikki had a weak supporting cast until the "Divas Revolution" occurred. But her in-ring ability has improved and her look is obviously top notch. Just look at her work right now with Carmella... She's selling for her! Bravo to the Smackdown Creative Team for switching Carmella to heel! It's working but mostly because Nikki is selling like a champ for Carmella.

WHO SHOULD WIN/WHO WILL WIN: Carmella. It's a great storyline of Nikki, the longest reigning Women's Champion, is struggling with an aggressive newcomer. Carmella fits better on her own as a heel. What a funny move to try? Have Carmella rub Nikki on her washboard abs like a cheese grater. I'm sure male fans would love that...

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Baron Corbin vs. Jack Swagger
At the Smackdown Houseshow on 9/26/16, I saw Baron Corbin utilize the eyepoke when the referee was distracted with fixing the ring apron to help Corbin beat Swagger. I believe that we'll see a repeat of this until Smackdown can figure out how to better use Swagger. One thing I do know is that Swagger's "We the People" phrase is still over but I don't know where Swagger fits on this roster.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Jack Swagger, I can do more with him overall as a wrestler.

WHO WILL WIN: Baron Corbin.

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Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt
Still baffled by the Kane loss last month by Bray Wyatt... Sigh. Anyway, I think as a rebound from that and Orton needing more time off to heal up from Brock Lesnar's elbows, Bray has a chance to win here. And he should. Bray Wyatt has tremendous upside as a Main Eventer but he has to stay healthy. Otherwise, he'll "fear the buzzards" that continue to fly in circles around his career.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Bray Wyatt

WHO WILL WIN: Randy Orton and he may then feud with AJ Styles following this event.

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Intercontinental Title: Miz (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler, Title vs. Career
During June/July of 2015, multiple wrestling websites reported that Dolph Ziggler signed a new WWE deal. Last I checked, the WWE usually tried to sign wrestlers for at least 3 years and those same websites were implying that the deal was "multi-year". Therefore, I don't think Dolph Ziggler is leaving the WWE... I also don't think that Ziggler is moving to RAW, either. Smackdown needs him as a talent due to that roster being thin. I believe that this storyline has been designed to get to this point... Just when Ziggler is at his breaking point, he overcomes his losing streak and beats his bully.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Miz. Sorry, but Ziggler is damaged goods no matter how great of a win this becomes. After Miz, then what?

WHO WILL WIN: Dolph Ziggler

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Smackdown Tag Titles: Heath Slater/Rhyno(c) vs. Usos
I believe that the bloom is already off the Slater & Rhyno rose... The follow-up act to actually winning the titles just hasn't been there. However, the Usos are BACK! The switch to heels was the right formula and I believe the titles change here. Then, the Usos can be strong heel champs as the await which team is ready to take the titles, the Hype Bros or American Alpha. Slater and Rhyno actually might have greater value as singles competitors.

WHO SHOULD WIN/WHO WILL WIN: Usos as a reward for going along with the heel turn.

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Smackdown Women's Title: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Alexa Bliss
True story, bro... From the Smackdown Houseshow on 9/26/16 that I attended, two things... For one, it was impressive to see Alexa Bliss act legitimately repulsed by wrestling fans. Anytime someone would taunt her, she's turn her head and stare at the fans with a look of disgust. Then for Becky Lynch, she was very pro-fan... Both before and after the match, she went around ringside and greeted fans. Big smile on her face when doing it as well... When she came to my section, I gave her high five and told her, to her face, that "I'm proud of you". She said "thank you" with appreciation for my comments. Now, as for this match... Reportedly, Becky Lynch may have sustained an injury that might keep her from this match. If so, I expect Naomi to act as a replacement and lose to Alexa.

WHO SHOULD WIN / WHO WILL WIN: Becky Lynch unless she's truly injured. I don't expect the title to be vacated if Lynch is only out for a month, unless early reports are wrong.

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WWE Title: AJ Styles(c) vs. Dean Ambrose vs. John Cena - Triple Threat
First and foremost, I may have witnessed the dress rehearsal for this match. I attended a Smackdown Houseshow on 9/26/16 which was headlined by a Triple Threat Match between John Cena, Dean Ambrose, and AJ Styles. It was EXCELLENT. The dynamic of AJ being a heel, Dean as a Tweener, and Cena as a babyface really works well. It allows all 3 to legitimately go at each other and the result was a match full of constant yet crisp action. Particularly, I've noticed that John Cena and Dean Ambrose have good chemistry much like Cena and CM Punk used to. Opposites attract? All 3 guys are full of energy and there was never a dull moment. Often, Cena and Ambrose would attempt to team up to attack AJ Styles but soon begin to attack each other. AJ won this match by hitting a low blow on John Cena... Just saying, we might be in for a "Match of the Year" candidate.

WHO SHOULD WIN: AJ Styles. Although he has wins now over both Cena and Dean, the WWE Title was just switched at the last Pay Per View. The triple threat format allows AJ, the heel, to escape loss... But...

WHO WILL WIN: John Cena, recognized World Title win #15. Why? Simple, WWE doesn't want to remain at 2.4 million viewers on Smackdown. I know, John Cena will be taking time off to do that television show again but I can envision WWE making a quick title change to pop the ratings this week on Smackdown. Furthermore, I could also envision WWE making arrangements to have John Cena just wrestle on Smackdown's television shows while not working the houseshow circuit. They need his star power NOW and as I proved in my last column, I statistically proved that John Cena as WWE Champion draws ratings. I would be arrogant to think that WWE would read my columns, but if there was ever a way to draw younger fans into watching Smackdown on Tuesdays, John Cena as WWE Champion could do that.

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THE LAST WORD

I've implied this before in another column, but I'll say it again...

Why has Donald Trump made it this far? I have long argued that he's taking simple pro wrestling tactics of the past to talk smack on his political opponents to "draw heat" and become polarizing. In doing so, Cable News Networks are seeing RECORD ratings in covering Trump because his words are controversial, he's polarizing as a human being, and he has the ability to draw people in just to hear what he'll say next.

Maybe if he loses, he could take up Pro Wrestling as a full time job... Could you imagine him, week in and week out, as the RAW General Manager?

WWE could learn from Donald Trump... No, not on saying highly suggestive things to women... But being UNSCRIPTED. Donald's draw is that he's not scripted or rehearsed. He essentially cuts wrestling promos on his opponents and often pulls zero punches. Because he doesn't operate under the rule of Party officials, he does and says what he wants. Granted, it often gets him in trouble but only because this is real life and for the President of the United States. In the confines of a wrestling promotion, talking smack on opponents should be expected. Hell, the Rock and Steve Austin made a living out of it. John Cena did as well before they took his raps away..

AGAIN - I'm not saying that pro wrestlers should act like Donald Trump politically... What I'm saying is that being unscripted creates a feeling of authenticity that could draw in more fans. If you look at Debate #1, many of Trump's hardcore supporters said that he won it because he was unscripted compared to Hillary Clinton who might have been reading off memorized punchlines like a robot. Trump's rallies have been packed as many just attend to see the trainwreck and not the message he might be pushing.

Pro wrestling is about drawing heat and interest from what their wrestlers do or say. By WWE scripting every word, wrestlers are neutered from captivating or polarizing audiences. We've been heavily scripted since the early 2000s when the WWE became more corporate. Wrestling fans have to get a feeling that the wrestler in front of them is real and not spewing out the words of someone backstage. After all, Roman Reigns once blurted out "suffering succotash" in a promo because Vince McMahon thought that Warner Bros. generated catchphrase used by Sylvester the Cat would get a reaction. In fact, quite the opposite happened... It proved that Roman Reigns was fake and much of his promos that have followed have been void of personality because WWE controls his every word.

The GOP Debates would push over 20 million viewers on Cable, setting records, while Debate #1 against Hillary did 84 million viewers! Record shattering... Why? Because viewers wondered what unscripted Donald Trump would say next. After this 2005 Billy Bush conversation, I expect Debate #2 to exceed viewership of the first debate. Trump has major heat heading into this debate but many are wondering what unscripted Trump will say in retaliation. After all, he's still pissed about the Miss Universe and now he has 1995 Tax Returns and a 2005 recorded conversation about women to cause desperation. The threat of heel Trump unloading on Hillary in an unscripted manner will draw in more viewers.

Again - Not condoning what Trump has ever said, just saying that his ability to be unscripted on a big stage is drawing eyeballs. WWE needs viewers and wrestlers do use microphones on the television shows...

SO JUST CHILL... 'TIL THE NEXT EPISODE!

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