For The Record 11.16.08: The Undertaker Belongs on Raw

WWE should be showcasing the cream of the crop on its flagship show. I’m not saying Raw should have all of WWE’s top stars. But the legends, the franchise players that the fans most care about, should be on Raw to improve the show’s ratings. Because where Raw goes, there goes WWE.

In my humble opinion, Raw should have such four to five star performers as The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H. To tuck away The Undertaker and Triple H on Smackdown seems a bit absurd. Until Smackdown moves from Friday nights to Thursday nights, it will always have a ratings ceiling. Let’s be honest, much of WWE’s target 18-35 demographic is not going to stay home on Friday nights. That audience has things to do and people to see. There is no way a college sophomore is going to turn down a date because of a Vladimir Kozlov/Jeff Hardy main event. Monday nights, on the other hand, has become the wrestling night for most long term fans. It is far more reasonable to have some friends over and watch Raw on a Monday night than to have a powwow on Friday nights with Brian Kendrick and MVP.

And because Smackdown’s viewership will always be limited, some of WWE’s top stars are receiving limited exposure, namely The Deadman. The Undertaker is THE most over wrestler in WWE. His entrance, mystique, and in-ring prowess have made him an amazing character. The Undertaker, incidentally, has performed as though he were immortal. Who else has actually improved in his 18th year in the wrestling business? Who else has actually become a more talented wrestler in his 40s than his 20s? The Undertaker is in peak physical shape. Sure he is having knee problems, but most fans would never know that The Undertaker is in great pain. However, as fans, we must be realistic. The Undertaker only has a few years left in him. Though he’s a great wrestler, his body is bound to let up. Taking bumps at his age is never a good idea. For his quality of life, in order for him to able to walk properly when he’s in his 70s, he’ll have to hang up the boots. McMahon is extremely lucky to have such talented freak of nature. Therefore, if the Taker’s departure is imminent, he should be spending his final precious years in the wrestling biz on the Raw brand where his exposure will be of most benefit to WWE.

The Undertaker has nothing more to accomplish on Smackdown. For starters, he has won Smackdown’s past two Wrestlemania World Heavyweight Championship matches. He has already feuded with Vickie Guerrero and Edge. He is also on the verge of completing his program with the Big Show. I suppose he could do some work with Triple H and Jeff Hardy, but besides that, there isn’t much for The Undertaker to do on Smackdown. In the long term, The Undertaker has the potential to benefit Raw far more than Smackdown for the simple reason that Smackdown has a ratings ceiling and Raw doesn’t.

An Undertaker move to Raw would open the door to several feuds that could draw in the casual fan. Right off the bat, he could re-visit his feud with Randy Orton. Orton is arguably WWE’s best heel and he has improved by leaps and bounds the past year and a half. There’s enough potential heat in that feud to set all of Monday Night Raw on fire. And of course, there is the most obvious feud that could take place between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. WWE fans were treated to a Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker encounter at the close of the 2007 Royal Rumble. It was the among the most exciting few moments in Royal Rumble history when those two men battled for bragging rights and a Wrestlemania title shot. New fans watched in awe as they witnessed those two legends lock horns for the first time. Old school fans of the 90s were reminded of the unforgettable Michaels-Taker 1997-98 feud that saw them battle in a Hell in a Cell and Casket Match. A match between those two men, in Texas, at Wrestlemania, would produce a main event of mammoth proportions. Of course, a feud with John Cena would do wonders for WWE programming. Imagine if you would, a match at Wrestlemania 25 between John Cena and The Undertaker, Title vs. Streak. This match would be the greatest threat to The Undertaker’s Wrestlemania streak since Triple H in 2001. I would bet that most fans confidently predicted that Taker would defeat King Kong Bundy, Kane, Mark Henry, and even such heavyweights as Orton, Batista, and Edge. But with John Cena, you never know what Vince McMahon is thinking. McMahon is so high on Cena that he would probably put him over Taker at Wrestlemania. However, it’s also possible that McMahon would put Cena on Smackdown to even things out. But if McMahon were to keep Cena on Raw, then all the above feuds, plus even one with Jericho, would be possible.

And while we’re on the subject of Raw, allow me to make a comment about Shawn Michaels. While a feud with the Undertaker would be awesome, Michaels needs to do something about freshening up his character. Not for the benefit of Shawn Michaels, but for the benefit of the Raw brand. WWE needs Shawn Michaels to be the HBK of the 90s. He seems a bit too restrained and reserved at the moment. Some might say he even looks borderline depressed. He is always so serious and reflective. But acting so cerebral was not what made him a star. What made Michaels so dynamic was his passion to be the best, whether in the ring or on the mike. Whether he was a face or a heel, after 1995 when he began his hunt to be the WWE Champion, nobody was more crazed for superstardom and adulations than Michaels. He wasn’t referred to as the icon or the legend as he is today. He was focused on being the best at that time. But now, it feels as though he is coasting on his legacy and letting his reputation precede him. He still puts on excellent matches and is still WWE’s most consistent big match player. But his character is quite underwhelming. If Michaels could get his swagger back, become a bit more sophomoric, and have a little more fun out there, he might move ratings. He needs to take the best of his character in the late 90s and merge it with the character of today. Contentment is never helpful in wrestling. All it breeds is complacency.

The Undertaker, on the other hand, has improved in numerous ways since the 90s. The Undertaker’s gimmick, with the exception of his biker phase, has been remarkably consistent for almost 18 years. Though The Undertaker has gone through a few subtle changes regarding attire and workrate pace, the general premise of his character has remained intact. The Undertaker was always “cool” whether the year was 1990, 1995, 1998, 2005, or the present. Now, a comment on his biker gimmick. I understand that some people enjoyed it. But The Undertaker just didn’t seem right during that time. There were even some broadcasts where he came off on camera as just another big man. The core of his character was gutted for those awkward years. But when he went back to his roots at Wrestlemania XX and reemerged as The Deadman, The Undertaker reawakened the character that “made him famous.” When Hulk Hogan brought back The Hulkster gimmick, fans rejoiced. And at the same time, many winced because the Hogan of 2002 was washed up. But nonetheless, fans wanted to re-live the magic of Hulkamania. Hogan gave them what they wanted with his limited abilities, and the fans were pleased. How much more pleased would fans be if the real Shawn Michaels would stand up? The problem is that while Hogan and Taker worked their tails off to give the fans the best renditions of their vintage characters, HBK has not equaled those efforts.

At the moment, WWE has three legends that are arguably better workers now than they were last decade. I’m talking about Triple H, The Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels (though his character could be better). Those three men know the recipe to success, and if used correctly could bring Raw back to par. Those three superstars could bring back a tone to Raw that they are “where the big boys play.” They have just as much talent as in the Attitude Era. So many people lament that The Rock is gone, but Shawn Michaels has the potential to steal the show every bit as much as “The Great One.” And though Austin is gone, Raw has such stars as Randy Orton and John Cena (if he were to remain on Raw) that could fill his void. Raw could have somewhat of a renaissance by bringing back its more established stars that can still go and building the show around the aforementioned legends. It might not be a long term solution, but in the short term it would generate interest and give Raw the boost it so desperately needs. And if done correctly, it wouldn’t have to hurt Smackdown.

If Raw could put some of those superstar veterans on their show, they could afford to put guys like Batista, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, and perhaps even John Cena on Smackdown. There’s no reason why Smackdown needs to suffer. A show with Edge, Jeff Hardy, Batista, Myserio, Punk, Umaga, Kennedy, and once again, perhaps even Cena, would still be stacked. It’s just that the buzz around WWE should be with the show without a ratings ceiling (Raw) as opposed to the show with the ceiling (Smackdown).

The USA Network has to be disappointed with Raw’s declining ratings. Vince McMahon should do whatever it takes to show NBC execs that he is addressing the problem and trying to improve programming. Adding The Undertaker to Raw would show NBC Universal and the USA Network that he is willing to make a major investment in their station. Sure, WWE might have given MyTVNetwork the impression that Triple H and The Undertaker would be the cornerstones of Smackdown, but guys like Batista and Rey Mysterio gave the same ratings, perhaps even a little higher, when they were headlining Smackdown. So why not use the icons for the Raw brand and put the younger and hungrier stars on Smackdown?