Was This The End Of WWE's Raw Vs. SmackDown Saga?

Select recent moments might've ended WWE's fascination with brand warfare for good.

by Jamie Kennedy
Rhea Ripley
WWE.com

Rhea Ripley was handed a brand new Women's World Championship on Monday's episode of Raw, and it could've brought the curtain down on WWE's fascination with brand warfare.

None of the company's top singles titles are brand-specific in name anymore. They don't have the old red and blue colour schemes either, which theoretically means creative could shift champions during future Drafts without anyone complaining that a Raw champ is walking around with that belt on SmackDown (or vice versa).

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That was a problem following the 2023 Draft, but WWE has since sorted it out by introducing new straps for workers like Ripley and Asuka. Of course, Seth Rollins also won the World Heavyweight Title, and Roman Reigns' WWE and Universal belts were merged into one shiny new gold prize.

So, is this the end of Raw vs. SmackDown as we know it? Most wouldn't be upset to see that trope go, because it's been a bit of a nuisance in WWE circles for the longest time. Triple H already moved away from formulaic "us vs. them" by replacing that brand clash with WarGames at last year's Survivor Series.

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2023 could be the end point for Raw vs. SmackDown, and Ripley's new title may have been the killing blow.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.