'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE is the largest wrestling promotion in the world and, in many places, is synonymous with the term Professional Wrestling.
However much that may be true, there is always room for improvement. One of the major problems that the promotion has been suffering from of late is that the brand split has been slowly but surely fading away.
With the introduction of the Wild Card Rule after WrestleMania, it seemed that WWE had sounded the death knell of the beloved brand split.
Despite all the assumptions made by fans, it is actually far more probable that the brand split is about to make a return to WWE – in a big way. Before the end of the year, WWE might have a full draft to help the roster take shape after the brand split.
Trending
In this article, I will be highlighting 5 reasons why the WWE brand split will be making a huge comeback, and WWE will host a draft of the entire roster in 2019.
#5 Fresh feuds
For a long while, there have been singles matches in WWE over the last few months. These matches are termed as dream matches. However, they do not even go anywhere near the feuds that WWE could be putting on among some of the best Superstars on their product.
Currently, there are so many Superstars just being ignored and not receiving any television time. Given the size of WWE’s enormous roster of talent, these Superstars are some of the best in the world. A brand split will allow these Superstars to be featured.
These fresh feuds between WWE wrestlers who would otherwise only have the occasional dream match make for extremely entertaining and interesting content.
These Superstars could be helped to put on some of the best feuds and content that WWE has seen in years if the booking is made properly.
#4 The WWE Draft is extremely popular
Let’s take a look at what we know: what was one of the most popular and exciting decisions that WWE made in 2002? Why it was the first-ever WWE Draft, of course.
The draft separated the Superstars across the two brands. It was a sign that they were changing everything about how their program was about to be viewed over the next few months. It also provided some of the best content that WWE regularly dished out.
WWE in 2016 – The Draft returned in a big way. Over the next year, WWE SmackDown Live would regularly put out content that would receive universal acclaim. While there were some decisions that did not work well, for a long time there was an excitement about WWE’s new programming direction.
Currently, WWE is trying to do things to get eyes on their product. The re-introduction of the King of the Ring tournament has been one such incredible example of WWE pulling moves to make their product more attractive to the fans.
Having a WWE Draft currently would be the best way to have all the eyes turn towards the WWE product.
#3 The Wildcard Rule makes no sense
The Wildcard Rule might have been one of the worst things to happen to WWE in 2019. The rule, while it had potential, was basically a death knell to the brand split.
Not only that, there were some weeks when there were more than five Superstars from RAW on SmackDown Live and vice versa. This meant that there were several Superstars from both brands who were not being able to get any screen time at all.
What’s more, the Wildcard Rule also means that the two brands are regularly interacting with each other.
Currently, there have been no reports that the WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view will be anything except a battle of the brands – RAW vs SmackDown Live. Promoted as the only time of the year when the two brands interact with each other and the importance of brand warfare to understand which is the superior wrestling product, it will be something that the two brands can do well when the Wildcard Rule has ended. Otherwise, RAW and SmackDown Superstars are on each other’s brands every other week.
The brand split is what makes the Survivor Series feel special in the search for brand superiority. If there is no brand split, the entire concept no longer makes sense for Survivor Series.
#2 Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman will have their own rosters to play with
The appointment of Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff as the Executive Directors of RAW and SmackDown Live, respectively, might be the biggest statements made by WWE in 2019 about what they want in their product.
It was a signal that they knew there were problems with their current product that needed to be changed up in a big way. Given that the reports stated that Vince McMahon would be stepping back from the trenches and giving Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman far more latitude when it comes to the creative department.
Both Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman have very different styles about booking their shows. Both men have experience from their time in the Attitude Era, where Heyman was in charge of one of the most innovative promotions of all time – ECW. Bischoff headed the competition for WWE during the Monday Night Wars by being in charge of WCW.
Given their separate styles, they will want to create a wall between their booking decisions. Given that they would want to portray their wrestlers in their own specific manner, there is no other option than to have a solid brand split between RAW and SmackDown so as to allow them to have the best shot at making their brand the more creative one.
#1 Fox wants SmackDown to be separate
WWE landed a huge deal last year when they secured a contract with Fox. The deal not only helped WWE out tremendously financially, while multiplying the households they reached, but it put SmackDown Live on Fox for Friday nights. The deal is set to take effect on the 4th of October 2019, as WWE’s blue brand will finally be making the move to Fox.
SmackDown is going to be reaching out to more homes than they ever could during their time on the USA Network. If there was ever a time that WWE could ensure that their blue brand is finally going to get more viewers than their supposed Flagship Show of Monday Night RAW, it is now.
Fox would not want wrestlers on their brand who are split between different brands. They are paying WWE a massive amount and the last thing they possibly want to do is share wrestlers with USA Network. Having wrestlers on their brand who would only be representing their own show.
For this reason, a brand split makes more sense than anything else. It would make sure that the wrestlers on their brand are kept feeling more special as well.
Do you think there will be a WWE draft soon? How do you think it will go down? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
ALSO READ: 5 Superstars who had unexpected jobs after leaving WWE
