3 days Ago By Graham GSM Matthews
WWE's all-hands-on-deck mentality for Raw's Netflix premiere on Jan. 6 ensures the show will be a historic happening, especially with three marquee matches already announced for the episode. Unfortunately, the heavy hype for the highly-anticipated event has completely overshadowed SmackDown, which will be expanding to three hours for the first time ever starting Friday.
WWE shouldn't allow its renewed focus on Raw to come at the expense of what should be its equally important counterpart. AEW Worlds End 2024 featured the long-awaited returns of Kenny Omega and Adam Copeland, two notable names who will provide the product with a big boost heading into 2025. Copeland will clearly challenge Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship at an upcoming event, but Omega's roadmap is a little less certain.
Aside from the obvious clash with Kazuchika Okada, it's unknown what exactly the new year will have in store for him. The final installment of Quick Takes in 2024 will tackle Omega's outlook for 2025, WWE's reported interest in doing more two-night pay-per-views, a SmackDown star on the brink of breaking through to the next level, and more. Since the inception of SmackDown over 25 years ago, WWE has developed a pattern of prioritizing one brand and completely neglecting the other.
It was commonly the case whenever SmackDown switched networks or once Raw transitioned to three hours on a permanent basis in 2012 and needed a deeper roster. Stacking one show with star power and putting in maximum creative effort negatively effects the opposing brand when it's not evenly distributed. That's currently the case with Raw's imminent move to Netflix, which is set to feature a slew of massive matchups and returning headliners.
SmackDown isn't receiving remotely the same treatment, which will inevitably pose a problem as the show expands to three hours and needs the attention. The final SmackDown of 2024—and the final two-hour episode for the foreseeable future—is a prime example of what will happen to the blue brand if it loses most of its main event talent. If Roman Reigns and others wind up on Raw full-time and SmackDown doesn't get Superstars of their caliber in exchange, the storytelling will suffer considerably.
The blue brand being booked with equal importance will prevent it from floundering at three hours long during WrestleMania season, WWE's most pivotal period. Between SmackDown transitioning to a three-hour format and a new report from WrestleVotes Radio suggesting interest in expanding more premium live events to two nights, quantity over quality seems to be WWE's approach to 2025. WrestleMania becoming a two-night extravaganza starting in 2020 was a winning formula, though it was inevitable other events would follow suit.
Sure enough, SummerSlam has been announced as a two-night show in 2025 and beyond. Per WrestleVotes Radio, Money in the Bank could be the next PPV that expands to two nights along with the Royal Rumble soon after as they feature two specialty matches respectively, resulting in one for each night. It would no doubt translate to significant success for WWE from a financial standpoint, but creatively, it runs the risk of burning the audience out.
That happened with WrestleMania adding more and more hours to its runtime when it was still only one night. Two-night cards aren't always the answer if the creative direction doesn't call for it. It works for WrestleMania and potentially SummerSlam with those being tentpole PPVs, but those shows will lose their luster if others are made out to be just as grand.
Tying up the loose end with Adam Cole and MJF looked to be the logical call upon their respective returns to television in October, but the rekindling of their rivalry has been anything but interesting. MJF missing most Dynamite shows in the last two months due to his infrequent filming schedule combined with poor storytelling ruined whatever mystique their feud had left. What was believed to be the big blow-off at Worlds End was entertaining enough, but the post-match angle with Cole and the rest of Undisputed Kingdom standing tall over MJF hinted at there being unfinished business between the two.
Putting the rivalry to rest and moving both guys in totally different directions is desperately overdue. MJF has been actively hurt by the storyline since it started up again, while Cole has failed to find his footing and recapture that spark he had prior to his most recent injury. Nothing good can come from them continuing to wage war, even if the endgame is the former NXT star finally beating his friend-turned-foe.
Although there aren't any obvious opponents for MJF at the moment, he has fresh feuds waiting for him with Swerve Strickland and Adam Copeland eventually, in addition to an unresolved rivalry with Daniel Garcia. As for Cole, the six-man tag team ranks might be the best place for the reunited Undisputed Kingdom for the time being. Carmelo Hayes' latest stellar showing on SmackDown against Sami Zayn was yet another indicator of his future being bright in WWE and finding himself on the brink of breaking through to the next level in the first quarter of 2025.
The 30-year-old received a rousing endorsement out of the gate on the main roster when he was called up as a first-round draft pick for SmackDown in April. Following standout performances versus Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, the former NXT champion truly hit his stride in his series of matches with Andrade and pursuit of the United States Championship. Hayes is fresh off a count-out win over Braun Strowman and has a lot to gain going forward, regardless of where he ends up in WWE's transfer window.
He has demonstrated time and time again that he's an exceptional athlete between the ropes as well as a talented talker. He simply needs more opportunities to showcase those skills and a stable direction. With the proper push, Hayes could be holding singles gold at some point in 2025 and will ideally be main event-bound before long.
Kenny Omega's presence on AEW programming throughout 2024 was sorely missed, but his thrilling return at Worlds End creates countless possibilities for what he can do in 2025. All signs point to him and longtime rival Kazuchika Okada meeting for the AEW Continental Championship following their face-off at Saturday's event, though a match of that magnitude should be saved for a stage such as Grand Slam in Australia on Feb. 15 or All In at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on July 12.
Until then, there are plenty of people Omega can square off against, namely Jack Perry. While the former TNT champion isn't the most exhilarating adversary for The Best Bout Machine on paper, a mini program between the two would make sense seeing as how The Elite were responsible in storyline for extending his injury layoff by attacking him on Dynamite in May. As an AEW original, Omega should also play a role in taking down The Death Riders once he settles his score with The Elite.
Another run as AEW world champion doesn't necessarily need to be in his future anytime soon, but he does belong in the main event mix for that title. "Hangman" Adam Page, Jay White and MJF are other potential opponents for Omega given his history with all three. Bryan Danielson—provided he comes out of retirement for one or two blockbuster bouts—would be the ultimate matchup for The Cleaner next year.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant , and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content..
