"Everybody is on both shows" - Veteran exposes WWE's flawed brand split (Exclusive)

SmackDown
SmackDown's Bayley was on RAW this week while CM Punk appeared on the Blue brand. [Images via WWE.com]

The brand extension is still officially active in the WWE but several experts such as Vince Russo don't think that's the case. With the next premium live event being Survivor Series: WarGames, the promotion has had to feature specific talents from RAW on SmackDown and vice versa.

The brand split has not been enforced strictly enough, and as Vince Russo highlighted, stars have been appearing on both shows recently. While speaking on Legion of RAW, the former WWE head writer explained the fundamental problems with the current brand split and how he no longer knew which brand a superstar was assigned to.

Russo recalled a few recent examples of CM Punk, Jey Uso, and Sami Zayn and couldn't see the brand split being pushed as a big deal that adds another dynamic to the ongoing storylines. WWE will soon begin broadcasting RAW on Netflix, and Vince wondered if the company would scrap the brand split again after the shift.

Russo stated:

"God, bro. Everybody is appearing on both shows. I don't even know who is on RAW anymore. Sami is on SmackDown, and Sami is on RAW. What show was Sami on? [on RAW] Okay, I guess he would be considered a top babyface. I guess Jey would be considered a top babyface. Is Punk on RAW? [...] Unless they are getting away from the brand split going into Netflix, that's what it feels like; everybody is on both shows. " [From 14:45 onwards]
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Multiple reports have been made regarding the apparent "death" of the brand split, but we should ideally only get more clarity after Survivor Series.


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Edited by Angana Roy
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