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WWE Brand Split: 5 Changes You’re Likely To See

By Aric Mitchell

From the archive: published Jun 3, 2016, 10 years ago. Details may have changed since.

The WWE brand split, for many fans, can’t get here soon enough.

Despite the litany of injuries that the company has faced over the last year and a half, the general perception is that Stamford, Connecticut, is loaded with more athletic talent than it’s ever had.

While superstars have a varying degree of proficiency on the mic — some would say due to overly-scripted promos — it’s hard to argue with the in-ring ability.

A large part of the credit for the company’s developing talent goes to its “feeder” system at NXT (and to a similar degree, EVOLVE).

So now there is enough confidence to launch a WWE brand split, but what will it mean? What can fans expect? Here are some changes that you are most likely to see.

1. A ‘Smackdown’ Championship

As Dave Meltzer and other industry journalists have observed, there is a lot of talk in the company that a Smackdown Championship is forthcoming, and that it may actually be a vehicle through which John Cena is finally able to beat the 16-time world champion record set by Ric Flair.

While it isn’t clear whether Cena will be the Raw or the Smackdown guy, establishing a second world title will make him a shoo-in for holding it since he moves more merchandise than anyone else in the company and is, by all accounts, its most profitable and recognizable star.

Per the link above, Cageside Seats reports that John Cena and AJ Styles are expected to be the top guys at Smackdown, while Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins will carry the banner for Raw. Nothing has been set in stone yet though.

2. A Splitting of Mid-Card Titles

The two mid-card titles — the U.S. Championship and the Intercontinental Championship — will almost certainly be divided between the brands.

Since technically they “cover” the same territories, there is little sense in having two equal champions on the same show after the WWE brand split happens.

3. Tag Team, Women’s Championships Will Float Back-and-Forth

Singles titles usually benefit from being isolated, especially as men’s performers are concerned. That’s because most performers that go into professional wrestling (or sports entertainment) do so with the intent of becoming the next John Cena or “Stone Cold” Steve Austin; therefore, there is a deeper talent pool to draw from, thus keeping the titles interesting.

Quality tag team performers and female wrestlers are fewer and further between, however. The two divisions, while more promising than they’ve been in quite some time, do not have enough depth to warrant two separate titles.

If there were Smackdown and Raw versions of each, it would only further dilute the acts. Besides, NXT is already built up for supporting these divisions better, so it makes sense to keep the two titles floating back and forth from one show to the next, adding a little prestige and unpredictability in the process.

4. NXT Will Enter a Rebuilding Phase

NXT fans will need to exercise patience as the WWE brand split takes hold. That’s because most of the best talents will be needed on Raw and Smackdown, so you’re about to see what many call the best wrestling show on television take a large step back in an effort to give greener talents a chance to build their platforms.

The good news: NXT became what it is today on the backs of such “green” performers, and the company has shown interest in bringing in older talents to help the younger guys and girls along, which means…

5. The WWE Brand Split Will Likely Lead to More New Japan/TNA/ROH Talents on NXT, But Don’t Get Your ‘WrestleMania Moment’ Hopes Up

Vince McMahon has a reputation for wanting to own his creations. That doesn’t leave guys like Eric Young, Samoa Joe, and Bobby Roode much room to grow after the WWE brand split.

Guys like AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens are more the exceptions to the rule.

Therefore, expect to see a lot more TNA, New Japan, and Ring of Honor guys turn up on NXT to help the younger crop of talent along.

If there are any call-ups with main event potential, look for those individuals to be homegrown rather than indie darlings — people that WWE can repackage or build from the ground up while taking full ownership of their characters.

So there you have it, wrestling fans: the five things you can most expect from the WWE brand split. Agree, disagree, or were any changes left out that should have been included? Sound off in the comments section below.

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