10 Reasons To Be Optimistic Following WWE Draft 2016
8. New Opportunities For Old Superstars
The younger wrestlers aren’t the only ones who’ll benefit from the Brand Split, however. Separating the rosters has dramatically reduced competition for screen time, and while we shouldn’t expect wholesale changes in the creative department, WWE have no choice but to put some of their underpushed, underused talent to better use.
Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are the only recognised full-time main eventers on Raw, for example. While Brock Lesnar will come in and occupy a slot throughout his fleeting appearances, there’s a clear opportunity for wrestlers like Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Rusev to ascend to WWE’s highest level.
Even at a midcard level, wrestlers like Neville and Darren Young can now look forward to more than their usual five minutes of weekly TV time, aiding their progression to no end.
SmackDown, meanwhile, currently suffers from a paucity of top level heels, which should ensure Bray Wyatt’s long-awaited push to main event status finally comes to fruition. There are also countless opportunities for long-forgotten wrestlers like Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler to get their careers back on track, and underdeveloped personalities Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin will at long last be able to grow as characters.
Yes, WWE have largely failed at crafting a unique identity for each brand, but that doesn’t mean the existing talent won’t benefit.