Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: WWE Raw, SmackDown GMs Must Not Overshadow Superstars

1. WWE Must Push Authority Figures into the Background

When WWE makes Raw and SmackDown two distinct entities again on July 19, the faces of those brands must be folks in spandex, not suits.

Relying on authority figures to tell its stories would be a mistake for WWE. The focus of both shows should instead be the collection of rising stars on the roster. Showcasing an excess of McMahons is among the least interesting directions the company can go.

En route to the draft in July and to the brand split that will follow, both Shane and Stephanie McMahon have been angling for control of SmackDown. The siblings are currently both in charge of Raw, but the fate of SmackDown has yet to be decided.

As early as WWE's initial announcement that the blue brand would go live again beginning in July, the McMahons had their eyes on ruling SmackDown.

Former general mangers John Laurinaitis and Teddy Long have also thrown their hats in the ring for the position of SmackDown's new head, too.

That's fine as a subplot, but WWE can't let these authority figures dominate the narrative on either Monday or Tuesday nights.

Fans don't need a long memory to recall how tiresome spotlighting those in control rather those in the ring can be. Triple H and Stephanie led The Authority as it ruled Raw for years. 

Too often after that heel faction took charge following SummerSlam 2013, WWE's premier show opened with a long, drawn-out promo from a member of The Authority. Their story dominated. Raw dragged.

Anytime there has been a break from a show's GM standing on center stage, it's felt refreshing.

When Shane and Stephanie didn't show up at Extreme Rules and only briefly appeared on Raw the next night, former WWE Creative member Kevin Eck was "pleasantly surprised." He wrote of the executives, "They had been overexposed, so significantly reducing their screen time was a positive development."

On other nights, the spotlight pointed at both Shane and Stephanie quite often.

Kate Foray, creator of the Raw Breakdown Project, analyzed the screen time that each star had on the June 13 edition of Raw:

Shane popped up more than anyone else on the roster. Stephanie wasn't far behind him. Meanwhile, the women's division garnered just 2 percent of the three-hour show.

And Stephanie's character is too often used to run down wrestlers. One of the more glaring examples of that is when Charlotte pulled off the biggest heel move of her career. The women's champ had just left her father in tears after disowning him on national TV.

That heat didn't have much time to simmer. Stephanie confronted her backstage and chewed her out.

In a moment, the focus went from wrestler to executive.

That can't happen when the brands split. Raw and SmackDown must develop their own identities by leaning on Kevin Owens and John Cena, The New Day or Sasha Banks, not by continually highlighting the McMahon family's drama. 

It will be hard to feel like WWE is entering the New Era when it is telling an old, well-worn story of a broken family, one we've seen unfold for over 15 years.

2. Repeated Prey for The Lone Wolf

Baron Corbin could start to feel like he's in a Groundhog Day sequel. In his short time on Raw and SmackDown, he has seen a lot of the same two faces.

According to CageMatch.net, Corbin has wrestled in 20 TV and pay-per-view matches since moving to the main roster. Exactly half of those have been singles matches against either Zack Ryder or Dolph Ziggler. Half of his matches on Raw have been against Ziggler; half of his SmackDown bouts have been against Ryder.

That's a small sample size, but it's a sign WWE needs to mix it up with him.

The company can't be shy about feeding him enhancement talent or finding lower-rung stars other than Ryder as it builds Corbin up. The audience already knows quite well that he can beat Ziggler and Ryder.

3. Throwback Video of the Week: Gypsy Joe

The pro wrestling family lost another member last week. As James Caldwell of PWTorch noted, "'Gypsy Joe' Gilberto Melendez died at the age of 82 on Thursday, June 16."

While not the biggest name in the industry, Joe had a long career that lasted an astounding 60 years. He was known for his no-frills, smashmouth style.

That style was on display in a 1993 match in Japan against former WWE star Taz (wrestling as Tazmaniac):

Like the majority of Joe's matches, this was no wrestling clinic. Instead, it was a wild brawl that saw the two foes waste little time in moving the action into the stands. That was Joe's M.O. for decades.

4. A Door Closes, A Door Opens

After a career with WWE didn't come to pass, Chelsea Green is getting a chance to make her mark in the ring elsewhere. 

Fans first came to know Green when she played Daniel Bryan's physical therapist on Raw in 2014. Following that brief role, she was a contestant on WWE Tough Enough, but that didn't translate to a developmental gig like it did for so many of her co-stars.

Instead, TNA signed her to its Knockouts division.

While TNA's viewership isn't nearly what WWE's is, Green has to be thrilled that she's already been spotlighted so much. There is little chance that within days of inking a deal with WWE she'd be featured like she was in the above interview with Josh Mathews. 

Green also has a number of top-notch potential opponents in front of her now, from former Knockouts champ Madison Rayne to newly announced TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim.

5. Pabst Blue Ribbon Knows Its Wrestling

John Cena and Pabst Blue Ribbon are engaged in the most unexpected rivalry of the year.

A legal battle over a T-shirt design that looks a lot like the PBR logo looks to have ended. After first pulling the Cena T-shirts off the shelf, WWE has begun selling them once more, as Nick Schwartz of Fox Sports detailed.

That led to an exchange on Twitter where the beer company took one last shot at him, referencing his penchant for kicking out of finishers:

While Cena and WWE are the clear victors here, PBR can claim a win, too. The beer has been mentioned quite a bit as this story has developed.

6. The Tourney Just Got More Enticing

Add one more reason to be pumped about the Cruiserweight Classic.

The tournament already boasts an impressive assortment of talented wrestlers from around the world including Zack Sabre Jr., Kota Ibushi and Cedric Alexander. WWE has upped the event's entertainment value by way of a surprising pair at the announce table.

Daniel Bryan and Mauro Ranallo will host the upcoming showcase of high-flyers, per WWE.com.

Ranallo has been earning rave reviews for his work on SmackDown. He brings an infectious passion to matches and treats WWE action just as he did boxing and MMA—as a dramatic test of wills.  

Bryan's knowledge and charm will make him a strong complement to Ranallo's play-by-play. The former WWE champ previously provided commentary for Saturday Morning Slam and was entertaining in the role.

7. Dean Ambrose a Close 2nd

The Lunatic Fringe nearly broke a record on Sunday's pay-per-view.

Dean Ambrose won the Money in the Bank briefcase in a ladder match and used it to seize the WWE title from Seth Rollins on the very same night. That's the second-shortest time anyone has ever been named Mr. Money in the Bank. 

As Nick Paglino of Wrestle Zone noted, Ambrose's cash-in came 57 minutes after winning the briefcase, while Kane waited only 49 minutes to cash in back in 2010. 

Ambrose became only the second wrestler to not even wait 24 hours to make use of the prize. WWE.com's recap of the history of cash-ins (which only goes up to 2012) details how other wrestlers have been far more patient.

8. A Kurt Angle Primer

The roster could soon be welcoming a future Hall of Famer. After a decade of wrestling for TNA, Kurt Angle says that he's on his way back to where his career in the squared circle began.

The former WWE champ appeared on Mark Madden's radio show in Pittsburgh on Monday. He said he didn't know when it would happen, but that he will return to WWE.

For those who missed out on his WWE run or simply want to relive it, these clips and highlights of some of his best work are good places to start:

• Kurt Angle vs. The Rock: No Way Out 2001
• Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit: Raw, June 11, 2001 (Steel Cage)
• Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar: SummerSlam 2003
• Kurt Angle vs. John Cena: No Mercy 2003
• Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio: SmackDown, March 31, 2006

Angle won't look like he did in there with Mysterio and Lesnar. He's 47 years old, with his prime well in his rearview mirror. He is still producing at a high level, though, and it will be mighty fun to see him collide with a whole new generation of Superstars.

9. Chasing Down The Miz

The Miz hasn't defended the Intercontinental Championship since May, as he has been busy filming The Marine 5: Battleground. The title was picking up momentum after WrestleMania and was the center of a thrill-ride match at Extreme Rules.

WWE has done well to keep The Miz in our minds with videos of him on set.

The company, though, could still be showcasing the IC title in his absence via the battle to be the No. 1 contender. While The Miz wraps up his latest acting gig, WWE should have wrestlers like Sami Zayn and Apollo Crews position themselves for a title shot when he gets back.

A short tournament would be a smart way to handle that. There's an opportunity for high stakes and big drama there.

10. Ross on Reigns

When WWE announced on Tuesday that it had suspended Roman Reigns for 30 days due to a violation of its wellness policy, many of us just let our jaws drop. The company's golden boy's image was suddenly tarnished.

Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross, meanwhile, looked toward the future. 

He wrote on his blog, "How Roman invests his time in the next 30 days will be eye-opening, because one would hope that the highly regarded young talent will want to come back better than when he left."

That's exactly what Reigns should be thinking. He has plenty of critics to quiet and ample work ahead to convince WWE that he is someone it can rely on to be the face of the company. That process starts now.