Source: www.F4WOnline.com

By Joseph Currier | @josephcurrier | Nov 24, 2017 9:48 am


As was noted in this week's edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE is making some changes to their pay-per-view schedule for 2018.

There are 14 PPVs planned for next year, down from the 16 the company presented in 2017. Of those, there will be five shows with wrestlers from both Raw and SmackDown and nine brand-exclusive events. Five of those will be Raw-only PPVs and four will be SmackDown shows.

Joining the traditional "big four" as a dual-brand event next year will be Money in the Bank, which will take place in Chicago, Illinois. With WWE having done their first women's Money in the Bank ladder match this past June, it isn't known how many MITB matches will be on next year's show or whether there will end up being Raw and SmackDown wrestlers in the same matches or not.

Here's a look at the planned PPV schedule for 2018:

January 28th -- Royal Rumble (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
February 25th -- Elimination Chamber (Raw PPV in Las Vegas. Nevada)
March 11th -- Fastlane (SmackDown PPV in Columbus, Ohio)
April 8th -- WrestleMania 34 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
May 6th -- Backlash (Raw PPV in Newark, New Jersey)
May 27th -- Payback (SmackDown PPV in Baltimore, Maryland)
June 17th -- Money in the Bank (Chicago, Illinois)
July 15th -- Battleground (Raw PPV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
August 19th -- SummerSlam (Brooklyn, New York)
September 16th -- Extreme Rules (Raw PPV in San Antonio, Texas)
September 30th -- Hell in a Cell (SmackDown PPV in Nashville, Tennessee)
October 21st -- TLC (Raw PPV in Boston, Massachusetts)
November 18th -- Survivor Series (Los Angeles, California)
December 16th -- Clash of Champions (SmackDown PPV in San Jose, California)

I like the cut-back in the number of shows, but I think it would make a lot more sense for the first September show and the October show to be SD and the late September show to be Raw (then change the December show to Raw and the do an SD show the first week of January. Otherwise you're going over four months without an SD-exclusive show, plus Raw has more PPVs a year than Smackdown.

What I really don't like is that we have THREE gimmick PPV full of what should all be major gimmick matches back-to-back. Why are we doing these stupid gimmick PPVs still, anyway? Do they really draw that much better than the non-gimmick PPVs?

As for MITB, I'd prefer there to be one per gender, with four wrestlers from each brand.

So no more Great Balls of Fire, which is relieving.

However, for Smackdown to not be considered a “B-show”, shouldn’t they have the same number of brand specific shows as RAW?

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 12:01

As for MITB, I'd prefer there to be one per gender, with four wrestlers from each brand.

this sounds troublesome since it implies 4 MITB matches, that is way overkill of the same gimmick in one show

cero2k wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 15:09

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 12:01

As for MITB, I'd prefer there to be one per gender, with four wrestlers from each brand.

this sounds troublesome since it implies 4 MITB matches, that is way overkill of the same gimmick in one show

What about one men's, one woman's, with half from each show?

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 18:38

cero2k wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 15:09

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 12:01

As for MITB, I'd prefer there to be one per gender, with four wrestlers from each brand.

this sounds troublesome since it implies 4 MITB matches, that is way overkill of the same gimmick in one show

What about one men's, one woman's, with half from each show?

That's what he meant in the first place lol.

KILLdozer wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 23:57

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 18:38

cero2k wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 15:09

this sounds troublesome since it implies 4 MITB matches, that is way overkill of the same gimmick in one show

What about one men's, one woman's, with half from each show?

That's what he meant in the first place lol.

I missed that, my bad.

Posting from my phone sucks.

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Nov 25th, '17, 11:06

KILLdozer wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 23:57

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Nov 24th, '17, 18:38

What about one men's, one woman's, with half from each show?

That's what he meant in the first place lol.

I missed that, my bad.

Posting from my phone sucks.

No, Cero started it because he missed it first lol.

Thank you, Dozer.

I know it's been a few years, but MITB from Chicago... aren't they just asking for trouble?

Bob-O wrote: ↑Nov 28th, '17, 09:28 I know it's been a few years, but MITB from Chicago... aren't they just asking for trouble?

Of course, but I guess they just don't care. This year's Rumble is in Philly again, they've got Raw PPVs in Pittsburgh and Newark, and SummerSlam in NYC. You'd think they'd at least book Roman's show's PPVs in cities that won't be as hostile to him but apparently not.

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Nov 28th, '17, 11:45

Bob-O wrote: ↑Nov 28th, '17, 09:28 I know it's been a few years, but MITB from Chicago... aren't they just asking for trouble?

Of course, but I guess they just don't care. This year's Rumble is in Philly again, they've got Raw PPVs in Pittsburgh and Newark, and SummerSlam in NYC. You'd think they'd at least book Roman's show's PPVs in cities that won't be as hostile to him but apparently not.

The only explanation is that Vince is actually deaf.

OF COURSE THEY DON'T CARE! LOL.