Hell In A Cell Predictions

First off, an apology. I had planned on posting an article about draft picks long before now, but unfortunately I was delayed and it got to the point where, half an hour before the show starts, I thought it might be a good idea to move on to the preview. Also a quick request to share this with any wrestling fans you know out there, by sharing us using the links at the bottom of the post, and to get involved since there’s nothing better than a bit of discussion!

So we’ve finally arrived at the show that mostly feels like The Title vs The Streak, and without further ado let’s move on to the matches!

Plebeian Point of View: The Brand Extension

Back on the 25^th March 2002, on Raw, the landscape of the WWE changed completely. That was the date of the inaugural WWE Draft – and the beginning of the Brand Extension.

In June 2006 the Brand Extension changed again with the revival of ECW as the third brand in the company. As I’m sure we all remember, it started out as a tribute to the extreme style of the original ECW with the return of various ECW alumni, but it quickly developed into a watered down, generic WWE TV show. It still served a purpose though as an enhancement show. It was eventually replaced in February 2010 by a purpose built development show known as NXT.

And the final nail was hammered into the coffin of the Brand Extension in August last year, as Supershows became the norm, allowing superstars from both brands to appear on both shows. The concept of each show having exclusive rosters was just quietly dropped, but the absence of the annual draft from 2012 was the final confirmation – if it was needed – that it was no more.

The very existence of the Brand Extension has been a contentious point since then, with some arguing that it is needed for the good of WWE television, while others argue that it was never necessary in the first place. Here I try to look at both sides, and weigh up both arguments.