8 Times WWE Ignored The Second Brand Extension
2. AJ Styles Wrestles On A Raw Pay-Per-View (WWE TLC, 22 Oct. 2017)
WWE TLC 2017 was set to be a one-match show with The Shield reuniting in the main event, but Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt being pulled from the card due to "medical issues" forced WWE to make major changes to the card. Replacing Reigns was Raw general manager Kurt Angle, which was logical given his recent rivalry with The Miz, and replacing Bálor was none other than SmackDown Live Superstar AJ Styles.
Without any build whatsoever, Bálor vs. Styles for the first time ever was given away on a B-level pay-per-view. As if that wasn't bad enough, there was no explanation given as to why Styles would be competing on the show. Of course, it was WWE's way of making it up to fans who were looking forward to Bálor vs. Wyatt (all five of those people), but it would have been way easier just to slot Samoa Joe or someone else from the Raw roster in that spot instead.
While it's important to appreciate the remarkable match Bálor and Styles contested, WWE needs to explain this somehow by saying a Raw star will wrestle on a future SmackDown-exclusive event, as that would only be fair. Otherwise, this might be the beginning of the end of the Brand Split, with superstars showing up on the opposite brand simply because WWE feels like it.