Make a WWE Network Show

[klunderbunker]

The Network turns four years old later this week and there have been a bunch of shows around in its life span. A lot are of course wrestling shows and there have been a bunch of interview shows, but what do you want to see?

I've love to see something where wrestlers offer commentary on a match. This can't take long to produce and could be padded out with some stuff hyping up the match (ala Wrestlemania Rewind, which could have gone on for years in various forms). Air the match in full with the wrestlers (or even just one) giving commentary. There must be some good stories or just a look at how a wrestler's mind works.

Any other good ideas?

[Dave]

I think, as wrestling fans, we all like to see behind the curtain a bit more. I think that's the reason why Total Divas and Total Bella have been a success outwith the Network. The WWE 24 series is probably my favourite series on the Network too, simply because you get a look at wrestlers like you never have. The last one, showing the Undertaker like it did, was something really special.

So with that in mind, I'd like more reality stuff. The ESPN 30 for 30 series is a blue print that the WWE could and should follow. The stories there are incredible and there's no reason that the WWE couldn't exploit that and do it their own way. Really compulsive and entertaining viewing. Documentaries should have a place on the WWE Network too.

[Slyfox696]

I wouldn't mind seeing more biographies of wrestlers. Rather than an hour and a half long epic of a biography, though, just a short 30 minutes would be fine. There are so many interesting characters in wrestling history, it would be good for the WWE to highlight some more of those.

[Yaz]

I echo the idea of more behind the scenes type of stuff. I don't need a camera following a guy around 24/7 in the lead up to Wrestlemania, but the WWE 24 special on Angle was solid.

To build on KB's idea about match commentary, I'd probably, and I say probably because you know how hit and miss WWE comedy is, enjoy like a MST3K or Riff Tracks style show where guys can give commentary over their bad matches. A few companies like High Spots do this for indie wrestling, but seeing someone like Trish Stratus who was awful in the beginning or Triple H who underwent drastic gimmick changes kind of roast their own work could be fun.

[Dave]

The thing that always annoys me about the WWE is the lack of original content. I know that it can't be that easy to put together a show in a small period of time. But they seem to be making no effort anymore. I honestly thought that the Stone Cold Podcasts were very good. But that seems to have taken a nosedive lately. I don't think they're even doing that any more. I'm left wondering why?

It was surely a cheap show that they could run and stars could do them after any Raw or Smackdown. More proof that the WWE doesn't really care what we want.

[Yaz]

I think it has to do with A) WWE not actually knowing what the fans want B) Them trying to force their own stupid content no one asked for on fans C) Not liking it when their stars are given a platform that isn't Raw/SD/PPV/NXT and D) Anything that costs money has to be thrown away so they can keep paying Brock Lesnar 12 million a year to lose to Roman at Wrestlemania.

Outside of Up Up Down Down, which is run and filmed almost exclusively by Xavier, WWE has no original content that people care about, because WWE doesn't really know what their fans care about.

[Phoenix]

And given they haven't touched Xavier's stuff, like they did with Ryder, it's surprising.

While Tough Enough isn't the best show, what would be interesting is doing a series on the Performance Center, see new people coming in and preparing for their NXT/WWE life. You could spotlight 2-3 different people each time and see what the early impressions are. I wouldn't necessarily do it as frequently as Total Divas, but it would be cool to get that insight into the pre-NXT time for newcomers.


I wouldn't mind seeing more biographies of wrestlers. Rather than an hour and a half long epic of a biography, though, just a short 30 minutes would be fine. There are so many interesting characters in wrestling history, it would be good for the WWE to highlight some more of those.

I like this idea, do 30 mins of the biography, followed by another 30-ish mins of their best/favourite matches.

[The Bearded One]

There used to be a program that came on NFL Network that would replay the week's games based around real time. For example, it would show something that happened at 1:05 p.m. in one game, and then shift to another game if something important happened at 1:07 p.m. I thought it was always fun to see how the games developed throughout the day.

The WWE is obsessed with the Attitude Era and Monday Night Wars, and a similar program would work based around that time. It doesn't have to be the full two hours Raw and Nitro ran, but just show the important segments/matches from each week based around the actual time they happened. If they need to fill in time in a given week, have someone do a talking head segment about what they thought of the segment/match and what went into its production.

I also enjoy the character profiles they do on the Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard podcast. They take a character, and based upon how long he or she was around, they go into detail either about a certain time frame of their career or the entirety of their run. They discuss the creation of the character, shooting vignettes, big matches etc. A video version on the Network would be awesome. They could actually get the wrestlers to give interviews about the time frame and character.

[Spidey]

I'm also more about the stuff backstage. Show me how they set up the ring day after day. I want to know the people behind the costume making. Pyro guys probably have great stories to tell. I would love to see what writers have to deal with when working on a script. Let me see what goes in to an episode of Smackdown or Raw. I'd love to see what measures are taken to provide a solid show, plus dark matches. Let's meet the guys behind the graphics. I realize I'm asking for a lot here, but it's not like they couldn't do it. A documentary of how they set up a standard show could prove to be worth our time as subscribers. Maybe we can develop a greater appreciation for the performing arts.

[Yaz]

I'm also more about the stuff backstage. Show me how they set up the ring day after day. I want to know the people behind the costume making. Pyro guys probably have great stories to tell. I would love to see what writers have to deal with when working on a script. Let me see what goes in to an episode of Smackdown or Raw. I'd love to see what measures are taken to provide a solid show, plus dark matches. Let's meet the guys behind the graphics. I realize I'm asking for a lot here, but it's not like they couldn't do it. A documentary of how they set up a standard show could prove to be worth our time as subscribers. Maybe we can develop a greater appreciation for the performing arts.

While they probably want to keep some things as trade secrets but I would enjoy this. I went to my first show when I was 11 or 12 and watching them set up the ramp for Gangrel's entrance and change the ropes and ring skirts from Velocity to Smackdown and watching the dark matches was all very fascinating to me. I would love more of that.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

I'd like WWE Legends of Wrestling to return. Those were really cool.

['Ravishing' Ned Flanders]

I've been binging American Ninja Warrior on Hulu and I'd really love to see how both the male and female superstars do on an intense obstacle course like that.

[smarkmouth]

Full-blown Roasts. I always thought that would be a lot of fun, and would be one of the rare instances that celebs and wrestlers rubbing shoulders isn't painfully awkward. I suspect there's many people in both WWE and Hollywood who would love 5 minutes of verbally ripping into Vince McMahon or The Rock.

Also bring back Legends House, but with Scott Steiner.

[Wildcat66]

You know what I want to see? I want to see WWE attempt a full blown cartoon parody of Survivor. Go all in on it, all the tropes Survivor does and exaggerate them like mad. Don't be afraid to borrow tropes from the TD series while your at it.

That would get over like gangbusters.

[Gazprom]

II think the problem with the Network is that the WWE don't really have a clue what they want the non-wrestling content to be. A biography programme, like the one on the history channel (of which there is definitely a Stone Cold episode) would be good content. A shoot interview style programme with an actual journalist as opposed to JBL would also go down well.

They need to outsource anything comedy/drama based and if they are insistent on going that way, then they need to basically make a show that has one or two wrestlers in it with some actual actors etc. Like their films, only hopefully less shit.

[Alex]

I'd like to see wrestler's hobbies. I've always liked the extras on DVDs relating to that. I liked Jeff Hardy talking about his paintings and CM Punk talking about music

[jmt225]

It's not a show idea, but I really wish the Network allowed subscribers to make custom Collections (playlists).

I love the Collections section, but some of my favorite wrestlers will never be on there, and with those that are, there's obvious matches missing.

It'd be really nice if they simply added a playlist section (all they have is Watch Later).

[Smally]

This would probably be only useful for a few people, but I wish there was an option to watch everything on it chronologically

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

Braun Strowman Breaks Things -Live!-

Just have him break normal every day objects. What kind of damage could he do to a microwave that didn't cook his Pizza Pop correctly? You just beat him at Fifa on the Xbox? Look out controller, console, chairs, television and most of the living room wall.

[TheManTheyCalledNorCal]

Now that the WWE has revealed they don't mind a 30 minute show, there is no reason to not fill say the Thursday block with 30 minutes of 205 and 30 minutes of the British territory it looked like they would do but died off.

For a 30 minute show with a commercial you could pretty easily tape 2 months worth of shows in one night. If you did it this way it would be easy to loan out some of the NXT guys to help fill and pump the card up. It's high time the WWE properly utilized the best looking belt they have.

[Yaz]

Braun Strowman Breaks Things -Live!-

Just have him break normal every day objects. What kind of damage could he do to a microwave that didn't cook his Pizza Pop correctly? You just beat him at Fifa on the Xbox? Look out controller, console, chairs, television and most of the living room wall.

Strowman does have a YouTube show called Monster Arms where he reviews guns. It is actually a fairly fun show if you are into guns and watching giant men shoot them.

[DNA 2.0]

I'd like to see a once per year PPV around the Cruiserweights. Sign Mysterio for one night only. Have Balor have a special appearance on the show and then place no boundaries on them. Just let them WRESTLE like they only know. And if you are afraid for ticket sales, book other special matches, like Cruiserweight vs Heavyweight, and have a cruiserweight take on Brock Lesnar or Roman Reigns or any other big drawing name.

Possible card:
Mysterio vs Kalisto vs Sin Cara vs Gran Metalik
Finn Balor vs Brock Lesnar
Cruiserweight Championship Ladder match

That card would definitely feel special and attract viewers as a single PPV event.

[King Patrick Star]

I would like to see a show dedicated to Championship Title Belts. After all, Championship Title Belts should be the first and foremost reason why Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment exists. The goal of every SuperStar should be to win Championship Title Belts.

The show could discuss the lineage of Champions, the history of Titles, and the various designs of Belts. They can discuss Championships won and lost. They could delve deeper into Titles that were created, but never used, like the Rock’s Brahma Bull Championship Title Belt. We could hear stories of Belts lost and found. They could feature SuperStars and fans gold and leather collections. We could see the process of how one is created, designed, developed, and made. We can look at the debuts. Maybe we could finally get some insight on what EdgeÃ?’s Rated R Championship Title Belt was supposed to look like.

I’m not sure what I would name the show, but I’m sure if I sat and thought about it, I could probably come up with 12 titles. Hell, I might even title it, “Title”.

[mrluck_07]

I would like to see a show dedicated to Championship Title Belts. After all, Championship Title Belts should be the first and foremost reason why Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment exists. The goal of every SuperStar should be to win Championship Title Belts.

The show could discuss the lineage of Champions, the history of Titles, and the various designs of Belts. They can discuss Championships won and lost. They could delve deeper into Titles that were created, but never used, like the Rock’s Brahma Bull Championship Title Belt. We could hear stories of Belts lost and found. They could feature SuperStars and fans gold and leather collections. We could see the process of how one is created, designed, developed, and made. We can look at the debuts. Maybe we could finally get some insight on what EdgeÃ?’s Rated R Championship Title Belt was supposed to look like.

I’m not sure what I would name the show, but I’m sure if I sat and thought about it, I could probably come up with 12 titles. Hell, I might even title it, “Title”.

I'd watch.