{"id":217177,"date":"2026-05-30T22:00:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T03:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?post_type=podcast&#038;p=217177"},"modified":"2026-05-28T11:43:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T16:43:00","slug":"wkpwp-interview-classic-10-yrs-ago-jim-ross-on-pros-and-cons-of-separate-rosters-for-raw-and-smackdown-plus-cody-reigns-seth-okc-thunder-ad-free-130-min","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/podcast\/wkpwp-interview-classic-10-yrs-ago-jim-ross-on-pros-and-cons-of-separate-rosters-for-raw-and-smackdown-plus-cody-reigns-seth-okc-thunder-ad-free-130-min\/","title":{"rendered":"WKPWP Interview Classic (10 Yrs Ago): Jim Ross on pros and cons of separate rosters for Raw and Smackdown, plus Cody, Reigns, Seth, OKC Thunder (Ad-Free &#8211; 130 min.)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-4189913856\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p><strong>SHOW SUMMARY:<\/strong> In this week\u2019s Interview Classic podcasts, we jump back to ten years ago this week (5-26-2016) when PWTorch editor Wade Keller interviewed Jim Ross with a predominant focus on WWE\u2019s announcement that Smackdown goes live on Tuesdays in July and would include a distinct roster from Raw. Ross dissected the possible benefits and pitfalls of such a major change in WWE\u2019s structure, looks back at the prior brand split and what is different today, his preference for how the separate rosters would be structured and how champions should be ideally featured. Also, live calls and emails delved into more aspects of the brand split and other topics. Plus some Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and NBA OKC Thunder-Golden State Warriors talk at the end.<\/p>\n<p><strong>DIRECT LINK: <\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/android\/legacyuploads\/wp-media\/2026\/05\/20260530WKPWP-IntClassic-VIP.mp3\">VIP AUDIO LINK<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>NOT VIP? NO PROBLEM\u2026<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorchvipinfo.com\">CLICK HERE FOR VIP SIGN UP INFO<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>OTHER LINKS&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Or support us on Patreon&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/pwtorchvip\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/pwtorchvip&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1751173881549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Q7ZrxqjTjmliv0ww4ly6q\">https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/<wbr \/>pwtorchvip<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Subscribe to our YouTube Channel&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/pwtorch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/pwtorch&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1751173881549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0UdLztcgHotVkox8U_nu8E\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/<wbr \/>pwtorch<\/a><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-1197005877\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Follow us on Blue Sky&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/pwtorch.bsky.social\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/pwtorch.bsky.social&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1751173881549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0srWkoArAQ4Gwtief8lXhc\">https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/<wbr \/>pwtorch.bsky.social<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Emails&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:kellerwade@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">kellerwade@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:pwtorch@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pwtorch@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-3752562406\"><div id=\"pwtor-400726771\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>SHOW SUMMARY: In this week\u2019s Interview Classic podcasts, we jump back to ten years ago this week (5-26-2016) when PWTorch editor Wade Keller interviewed Jim Ross with a predominant focus on WWE\u2019s announcement that Smackdown <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/podcast\/wkpwp-interview-classic-10-yrs-ago-jim-ross-on-pros-and-cons-of-separate-rosters-for-raw-and-smackdown-plus-cody-reigns-seth-okc-thunder-ad-free-130-min\/\" title=\"WKPWP Interview Classic (10 Yrs Ago): Jim Ross on pros and cons of separate rosters for Raw and Smackdown, plus Cody, Reigns, Seth, OKC Thunder (Ad-Free &#8211; 130 min.)\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":135832,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/podcast\/2026\/05\/20260530WKPWP-IntClassic-VIP.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"2:10:33","filesize":"60.21M","filesize_raw":"63134925","date_recorded":"2026-05-28 11:42:52","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":""},"tags":[],"series":[1037,1018,6929,1202,6939,1034,5889,6987],"class_list":["post-217177","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","series-all-vip-audio-shows","series-analysis","series-pwtorch-vip-audio","series-all","series-viphistory","series-thursdays","series-wkpwp","series-wkpwpflashbacks"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2022\/03\/WKPWPPodcast2022_VIP.png","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/PWTorchVIPAudio2015_1400.png","download_link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/podcast-download\/217177\/wkpwp-interview-classic-10-yrs-ago-jim-ross-on-pros-and-cons-of-separate-rosters-for-raw-and-smackdown-plus-cody-reigns-seth-okc-thunder-ad-free-130-min","player_link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/podcast-player\/217177\/wkpwp-interview-classic-10-yrs-ago-jim-ross-on-pros-and-cons-of-separate-rosters-for-raw-and-smackdown-plus-cody-reigns-seth-okc-thunder-ad-free-130-min","audio_player":"<a class=\"wp-embedded-audio\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/podcast-player\/217177\/wkpwp-interview-classic-10-yrs-ago-jim-ross-on-pros-and-cons-of-separate-rosters-for-raw-and-smackdown-plus-cody-reigns-seth-okc-thunder-ad-free-130-min\">https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/podcast-player\/217177\/wkpwp-interview-classic-10-yrs-ago-jim-ross-on-pros-and-cons-of-separate-rosters-for-raw-and-smackdown-plus-cody-reigns-seth-okc-thunder-ad-free-130-min<\/a>","episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/feed\/podcast\/all-vip-audio-shows","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"0iguHHpoKC\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/podcast\/wkpwp-interview-classic-10-yrs-ago-jim-ross-on-pros-and-cons-of-separate-rosters-for-raw-and-smackdown-plus-cody-reigns-seth-okc-thunder-ad-free-130-min\/\">WKPWP Interview Classic (10 Yrs Ago): Jim Ross on pros and cons of separate rosters for Raw and Smackdown, plus Cody, Reigns, Seth, OKC Thunder (Ad-Free &#8211; 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