The WWE/World Heavyweight Titles and the brand split
 

<font color=goldenrod>Okay, so last night as Jack Swagger was entering with his newly won title belt, his nameplate showed that he was still a Raw guy. Makes sense. However, WWE.com today shows that Jack Swagger has been moved to SmackDown. While I'm much happier with Jack on SmackDown, I've noticed that it's just another example of WWE being really inconsistent with the shows the champs are on.

-In 2006, Raw superstar Kurt Angle entered a battle royal for the vacant World Heavyweight Title on SmackDown and won it. He was moved to SmackDown by default.

-In 2007, Raw superstar Edge cashed in his MITB on SmackDown against The Undertaker and won the World Heavyweight Title. Again, Edge was moved to SmackDown by default. Fair enough.

-In 2008, Raw superstar CM Punk cashed in his MITB against SmackDown superstar Edge. Punk won the belt but stayed on Raw.

-In 2009, SmackDown superstar Edge took out Kofi Kingston before the Raw Elimination Chamber and entered the match himself. He won the title and took it to SmackDown with him.

-Not even two months ago, SmackDown superstar Batista beat John Cena for the belt after the Elimination Chamber. Batista technically was still on the SmackDown roster even though he only appeared on Raw for WM buildup.

-And then last night, Swagger wins the belt but this time he changes shows...they've seemingly changed the rule again.

---

It's not a huge deal or anything, and we can all agree the brand split doesn't mean much at all at this point...but it just seems weird how they pick and choose who moves when they win the belt. I don't know if it's because they don't pay attention and keep track of it, or they assume nobody notices it (probably a combination of both).

I dunno. Just thought it was interesting.</font>

Maybe it depends on what show you win it on.

That would sort of explain it.

Its fake.

This was fun.

Cool thread, bro.

I'm happy with Batista on Raw because I prefer Smackdown anyway.

this actually does bother me a little I mean I wish they would just either move them or not but quit with the sometimes yes sometimes no crap

It's WWE, what do you expect?

The kayfabe reason would be that the belt is contracted to the show unless the person owning it is traded in a draft. So if you have a chance to compete for it via a battle royal, MitB, or Mr. McMahon and you win, welcome to your new show. It's better than having two belts on one show and it really doesn't happen often enough to make that much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. A bigger issue was when they had no one honoring the draft a few years ago and everyone was just turning up on every show.

If Taker and Kane can repeatedly murder eachother and then be a tag team again six months later, why would they need to be consistent with this as well?

DISCLAIMER: This is all IIRC. I reserve the right to be proven wrong.

This event happened just after the draft that sent HHH to Smackdown. Trips held the WWE belt at the time, meaning SD had both top belts. I saw no problem with Punk staying put with the belt.


Pretty sure Batista cut a promo saying that since he helped Vince out, Bats was given a trade over to Raw.

Good for the disclaimer, since Bats is still a SD! member.

the different brand splits and drafts and trade are fuckin retarted... it could be used right as two different shows, a champ for each show, but they keep movin everyone around and it just gets old... but swagger as smackdown champ is awesome...they should have him come out and rescue raw champ cena and turn him major face... bu

<font color=goldenrod>Yeah. I can't think of a single kayfabe theory that would explain the situation with the belts. The closest I can see is Inadequacy's suggestion that it might depend on which TV show you win it on (and in the case of PPVs you stay a member of your original brand ala Edge and Batista), but that would be dumb. Like I said, it's not a big deal but it always struck me as odd how they seemingly change the "rules" on it every year.

I do like how last year they more or less stuck with the brand split rosters after the draft. They then started ignoring it to build to Mania. I'm hoping this year after the draft they don't move anybody else until the 2011 Draft. Make it like the first several years of the draft where the only time you'd see Raw guys vs. SD guys was the Rumble (and I suppose now Bragging Rights).</font>

Kurt Angle won the belt on Smackdown.


Edge won the belt on Smackdown.

CM Punk won the belt on RAW.

It was a joint venture pay per view so he stayed on Smackdown.

It was a joint venture pay per view so he stayed on Smackdown.

Swagger won the belt on Smackdown.

Just because it's different brands doesn't mean they're limited to only wrestle on that specific brand. I actually like it that these title changes have happened over the recent years with the exception of the whole Triple H moving to Smackdown while Edge was already champion over their. I didn't like that one.

I mean, the Royal Rumble winner has the choice to either face the Raw champ or Smackdown champ and with the Money In The Bank winner gets to do whatever the fuck they want.

Nobody mentioned that when "The Great" Bobby Lashley [/Trump] was drafted to Raw, he was stripped off the ECW World Heavyweight title whereas in 2008, Kane was drafted to Raw and he took the ECW strap with himself leaving ECW with the United-States title then held by Matt Hardy.

Since the WWE lacks any meaning for the US Title and IC title, why not have those champs have to perform on both shows like they do with Unified Tag Belts?

I think both secondary titles look pretty good right now, actually.

But yes, it is confusing how they do that sort of stuff. Of course the actual idea behind it is convenience and where they want guys to be, but it doesn't seem to make perfect sense in storylines. Guru Dave came up with a good way of explaining it. It really depends on where you win the title?

Very early on in the brand split, I remember two guys (might have been Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero?) feuding over the Intercontinental Title, and where that belt would be. And there is that ECW Title thing, but that can be explained away by Mr. McMahon's dislike for Bobby Lashley.

Either way ya have to admit that Kurt An... uh I mean Swagger as much as I think how overrated he is looks alot better with the WHC then he would have the WWE then again most don't.

Yeah, the WWE Title definitely needs a new design. Something classy.

None of this would be a problem if they would have just stuck with the WCW vs WWE storyline. Biggest storyline fuck up ever. They could have made it WCW was its own orginization. They could have the World Title, US title, and Cruiserweight title. Because it's straight fucking ridiculous to have 2 women's title, and not a single lightweight title.

i miss the design jbl,guerrero,and lesnar had during there regeins as champion i throught it was going to be change when Orton or triple h won it cause i throught the spinner was kind of rapper cena's grimmick belt simular to austin's smoking skull belt

It bugs me as well. It's like WWE is either choosing who goes where with the belt(s) or completely forgetting what guy is where when the decision comes to swap a title.

If the WWE possessed a sense of internal consistency, I'd be bothered by this. I'd enjoy it, actually, if they did. That doesn't mean it has to be "real" or even have strict rules, but even TV shows have "writer's bibles," so why can't a show that mimics a sport mimic the rules structure of one?

On the other hand, I can see arguments both for keeping the belt on the show it represents and keeping the person on the show they're contracted to. The discrepancy is far from the worst.