WWE News: Interesting Take On The WWE Brand Split From Current Star & Multi-Time World Champion
For the most part, the upcoming WWE brand split has been met with positive feedback. Wrestlers, experts, pundits, and journalists alike all agree that the company needed a shake-up for some time now, and a brand extension would certainly accomplish that if nothing else. The only (public) negative reaction, really, has come from “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who, of course, has been known to shoot straight. Austin’s only hesitations stemmed from Vince McMahon boasting that he’d have the deepest roster ever. While “Stone Cold” agreed that the brand split would spawn a large talent pool, he questioned whether there was actually enough talent to boost the ratings.
The other drawback to the brand split among many wrestling purists is the idea of two world champions. When the WWE pitted John Cena against Randy Orton at the end of 2013, critics applauded the decision to recognize one singular, undisputed champion. While no decision on that matter has been made public when it comes to the latest iteration of the brand split, it has been discussed. There will either be one champion on RAW and one on SmackDown, or the WWE World Heavyweight Champion will be assigned to appear on both shows. A similar scenario is still being determined for the women’s division, with the option of placing all the females on one show only still on the table.
The #TMNT2 Premier red carpet wearing a dapper suit by @davidalanstyle… Cinemas #June3rd pic.twitter.com/IEv3MNNYJy
— Sheamus (@WWESheamus) May 22, 2016
The brand split will not only shake the foundation of the future of the company, it will also give certain superstars mired in mid-card mediocrity a chance to shine with some added exposure. One of those former WWE World Heavyweight Champions who currently fits that description is the Celtic Warrior, Sheamus. While promoting the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows movie, Sheamus was very candid in a recent interview with Zap2It in regards to the brand split set to take shape in July.
“I think it’s great. I think the brand split is good. When I came into WWE in 2009, I had a huge opportunity and got a huge push. It was fantastic. Myself and Daniel Bryan made it because of ‘Smackdown.’ We were doing two-minute segments on ‘Raw’ before we moved over to the blue brand. To me, ‘Smackdown’ is much more the wrestling style show. The great thing about ‘Smackdown’ was, when things were separated last time, a lot of guys were able to breakout. We’ve got great characters and such a vast pool of talent that hasn’t really gotten the chance to shine yet.”
It’s interesting that Sheamus, an established superstar and multi-time world champion, would be so overtly supportive of the brand split, clearly hinting that he’d like to move to Tuesday nights. But ever since his return from injury last year, he’s struggled to recapture some of the magic during that initial run he alluded to. The League of Nations will be looked back on as an abject failure, and his time as WWE World Heavyweight Champion in late 2015 was clearly meant as a transition in an attempt to get Roman Reigns more over. Since then, his group dissolved, a potential feud with the Wyatt Family never materialized, and Sheamus has been floating without significant direction.
So perhaps the brand split comes at the perfect time for someone like the first Irish-born world champ. He’s finally got some semblance of a feud, as he and Apollo Crews appear to be headed for a showdown. But it’s hard to imagine that program leaving a major dent on WWE programming. The brand split will shake everything up at a time when Sheamus could use it. But whether he’s able to repeat the feats he mentioned from 2009 will remain to be seen.
[Image via WWE]
