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