7 Ways to Better Organize Raw and Smackdown

4. Focus on No. 1 Contender Matches

This is something that WWE booking has greatly mishandled for awhile now. It’s one thing if there is a current feud, or a former champion is getting their rematch. However, having no. 1 contender matches for all title on a regular basis establishes talent as worthy of facing the champion. This is how 3 hours of Raw become useful.

On Raw, Cena has the US Open Challenge, so no. 1 contenders aren’t always important, but for all other titles, it definitely is important. For Smackdown, this means having number one contenders matches in the main event of the show for either the Divas, or IC title. The Divas could main event Smackdown, or the IC title’s focus would be on the challenger as much as the champion.

If WWE wanted, they could have such matches on Raw to push Smackdown to be a place where titles are regularly defended just as the US title is on Raw. It’s important to establish the challengers, or the champion doesn’t look as strong.