4 superstars that WWE should build Eric Bischoff's Smackdown around
Last week, WWE announced that they had hired Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff as Executive Directors of Raw and Smackdown. These newly created positions would have them oversee the creative process of their respective shows, while still reporting to Vince McMahon. This news sent the internet wrestling community ablaze, mainly with optimism. With the experience both Heyman and Bischoff have to offer, things could be looking up. It came off as a massive statement of intent from WWE, as they are willing to take such measures to ensure that the product will improve heading into the fall.
Eric Bischoff will take over the primary creative duties of Smackdown, a role he has some experience in. Bischoff was in charge of World Championship Wrestling and took them to great heights in the late 1990s before they ended up losing the Monday Night Wars and capitulating. While his run in TNA was not as successful, Bischoff does look like he has something to offer. He has dug WCW out of a bigger hole than the one WWE is currently in, so hopes will be high for him to succeed.
Bischoff's experience in working with major television networks has also made him a good fit for Smackdown, as they are set to debut on FOX at the start of October. He is more in tune with the entertainment side of things and knows what needs to be done. Bischoff has stated in the past that Raw and Smackdown have to feel completely different for the brand split to succeed. So expect a grittier and more entertainment-based product on Tuesday nights and eventually, Friday nights. Hopefully, this would lead to more creative freedom for him and the talent as well.
Here are four WWE superstars that Eric Bischoff's Smackdown should be built around.
#4 The New Day
In terms of entertainment, no act on the WWE main roster does it better than everybody's favorite babyface trio, the New Day. Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods turned their entire fortunes around in 2015, after a rocky start as a team. Now, these three are still some of the most popular names in WWE today. After numerous tag team title reigns and an extremely compelling WWE Championship program for WrestleMania 35, the New Day are featured as much as anybody on WWE programming at the moment.
There may be a lot of money and story line potential in a New Day breakup angle, but it would be best for the three to stick together. Eric Bischoff knows all about the entertainment value that the New Day brings to the table. The tag team division also needs all the help it can get, so building the division around these three is not a bad idea at all. When Kofi eventually loses the WWE Championship, the 5-time champs should remain a staple on the Blue brand, as they have been. There is even potential for a New Day vs Undisputed Era program, if the latter debut on Friday nights.