Which WWE Brand Split Was More Effective 2002 or 2016 ?

[@CSC52698]

2002, because everyone mattered back then. The company wasn't based on one person back then.

[@stevencampbell2018]

Only Triple H mattered.

[@superlex611]

Steven Campbell but he was building a legacy to Ric Flair

[@stevencampbell2018]

alex kanyima By burying everybody he faced? Flair never did that he elevated his competitors.

[@CSC52698]

Steven Campbell, which is why Smackdown was better.

[@superlex611]

Steven Campbell but he should have never done that; he had his Wrestlemania moment at Wrestlemania 18 and 6 months later he's world heavyweight champion handed by Eric Bischoff, no tournament, nothing

[@jet3404]

2002 because they cared about the main eventers, mid carders, produced decent storylines and rivalries, and EVERY title mattered as things progressed.

[@superlex611]

Jet 3 and made it significant, to building new stars after Austin and Rock were gone

[@jordan12118]

Jet 3 Every title didn't matter. I know Fans like to make it seem like everything was perfect then, but The Midcard titles are treated way better today then back in 2002

[@jet3404]

Jordan Davis That's debatable.

[@superlex611]

Jordan Davis wrong

[@jordan12118]

alex kanyima It’s not wrong. The IC title wasn’t even defended at Wrestlemania 19 which was the first year of the brand split, this year the IC title match at Wrestlemania was the best match on the show imo.

[@بدرعماد-خ2ل]

2016 is bad. The mid card wrestlers barely got a storyline .RAW suffered from Brock taking the belt away leaving main event wrestlers fighting for a mid card title.

[@sosarickgrimes5301]

Rock Austin HHH HBK Bookert T RVD Jericho Eddie Benoit Angle Taker Kane Hogan Hall Nash Lesnar Goldberg Steiner When you got a roster like that a the time, a brand split is very beneficial.

[@prj7894]

Da'Bones exactly today stars can't sell tickets and need part timers to help WWE stay relevant in drawing numbers..

[@DUB_87]

Da'Bones-That's what I was thinking too. It has to be 2002 because the roster back then was significantly better. It was star studded.

[@Sanguiluna]

2002 made much more of an effort to keep the brands split. Each brand had its own unique identity with their own storylines (Raw had the whole Evolution saga and the rise of Batista, Smackdown had JBL's reign of terror and Cena's rise) and you could just follow one and you wouldn't feel lost or feel like you were missing out on something. Whenever a wrestler from one brand would show up on another or there would be inter-brand matches it would feel special, and the Big Four felt like "crossover specials." And at least the first brand split lasted a good while before WWE merged them; this one didn't even last two years.

[@luisortiz1203]

In hindsight the 2016 brand split was really good. It got me watching wrestling again. AJ Styles, and Becky Lynch truly put Smackdown Live back on the map.

[@zakrowe1301]

2002, you'd have to be crazy to think the 2016 one was more effective

[@sonicheroxd5767]

The IC title has definitely benefitted from the current brand split. Miz helped that title mean something again and Seth is currently trying to make it the focal point of Raw. And since the Universal Championship hardly means anything now, that's a plus for the Intercontinental Championship.

[@wog7774lyfe]

This is a joke right? This isn't even debatable.. 2002, it's no where close.

[@jerelminter]

2002 because at first anybody who had a WWE Championship could appear on both shows, which meant anybody could challenge for the title regardless of what show they were on. Once Brock Lesnar was traded to Smackdown and took the WWE Championship with him that he took from The Rock at Summerslam, that's when the World Heavyweight Championship was introduced on RAW which means three years of Triple H (who pretty much ran RAW into the ground). Smackdown was definitely the better show during that period, especially in 2003 so I agree with Solomonster there. On RAW you had the departures of The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, that lackluster run of Goldberg and when Kane took his mask off. On Smackdown, you had the rise of John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit (before the murder suicide incident) and Eddie Guerrero. They ruined it in 2004 with the whole JBL push. But yeah the original brand split was much better, the more recent one is still happening now and it's not over yet. So there's really nothing to compare it to.

[@mikegamerofsparta]

2002 without a doubt was more effective back then there was more star power better story lines treat there titles that there were a big deal made big stars and smackdown was the A show in 02 03

[@simplyrecommended]

2002 was effective for the fans because the reign of terror by triple h was unbearable to watch. The smackdown 6 was putting on great matches. 2004 was effective for cena and batista. 2016 if finn didn't get injured it would have been interesting, they had plans for him. it benefited kevin owens. corbin mitb terrible

[@superlex611]

simplyrecommended but Balor will be on top

[@merriemelodiesfan7425]

By virtue of not watching WWE since the Hardys returned at Wrestlemania last year, I'd say 2002.

[@YessiiirTrael]

2002

[@meatsauce3751]

2002 based on smackdown six alone

[@arthurdayne7335]

Fucking hell, answer the question Solomon. You went on a right tangent here.

[@MikeGlasses]

Hey 2 years later the IC title is held in high regards. But i think the US title has gotten more focus as well

[@blaineperry2740]

2002's brand extension without a doubt. Most effective. As far a Miz and Daniel Bryan for the WWE championship...I honestly wouldn't mind that at all...for a Mania main event...if they do it right and tell the story perfectly. Definitely. Go for it. Just my opinion.

[@MahdiRanger]

Its been 2 years since the brand split of 2016. You compare the two year mark from thr original split and its obvious the 02 split wins. The goal is to make new stars, give people more screen time and feel seperate.

[@michaelhubbard4989]

How is this even a debate, Ruthless Aggression Rules

[@Andysnyc]

2002, easily. They made the brand split matter to the point where even the announcers and referees assigned to one show didn't work the other. They presented it as two separate factions and if one made the mistake of arriving on the other one's turf that was a big mistake

[@ONTheRopesShow]

Why is this even a question?

[@Gwolf888]

The original brand split hat wrestlers from WCW and ECW which made sense to have a brand split and they had a Undisputed championship which was the defend it on both shows the same as the Women's Championship the superstars were just better back in the day Rising Stars like Dave Bautista John Cena Randy Orton Brock Lesnar Rey Mysterio those are the Big Five

[@superlex611]

Gerard Johnson what about Rey Mysterio ?

[@Gwolf888]

Okay I'll will add Rey Mysterio

[@superlex611]

Gerard Johnson ok

[@JETLIFEMUZIK]

2002 def cause it felt like two different companies

[@prj7894]

2002 just based on roster fandom back then

[@alinadeem1363]

I think 2002 was better overall, but it was probably more necessary in 2016.

[@jordan12118]

Today's Brand Split, because of How important (especially on Raw) the "midcard" titles are treated. So many top guys in WWE today, that Midcard titles are now only held by Main eventers

[@shiningwizard202]

The 2002 brand split was literally just so Triple H could book his own 4 year title run.

[@diggitydave75438]

THIS IS A LONG POST....SO GO AHEAD AND SKIP THIS NOVEL OF A COMMENT IF YOU DON'T LIKE LONG COMMENTS. That original brand split with Smackdown doing so well comes down comes down to something that Paul Heyman was doing so great for Smackdown. It's also what those in charge of WWE main roster are doing so piss poor now.....BOOKING. Paul Heyman was an outstanding booker. Look at what he did in ECW, specifically during the years in ECW after WCW & WWF raided ECW's roster. Heyman was a genius when it came to finding untapped talent, and taking that talent and putting them in the right position to get over. He learned from one of the best, Eddie Gilbert. Booking is why that '02 Smackdown was so much better than '02 Raw. And it's the reason why the WWE Main Roster product has been so poor lately. You can have all the talent in the world, and then do a roster shake up with all the talent.......but it don't mean shit if you don't know how to book the wrestlers and present the product in a way that makes the fans clamor for more. Look at how anti "old school pro wrestling" Vince Jr is, and how that is shown in the main roster product. Then, at the same time, look at how fond Triple H and Steven/William Regal are of "old school pro wrestling", and how it is represented in NXT's product. One is putting on shows where people throw beach balls around and chant retired wrestlers names, while the other puts on shows where the fans are on the edge of their seats wanting more..... BOOKING MY FELLOW MARKS.....BOOKING.......BOOKING.......BOOKING.......BOOKING....................BOOKING!!!!! AGAIN....SORRY ABOUT THE LENGTH. I HAD A GOOD AMOUNT TO SAY ON THIS. HOLLA!!!

[@travishaywood4852]

2002 hands down

[@ericdxfan511]

2002 all the way, 2016's Brand Split shouldn't have happened in the first place.

[@DarthCipient]

Brand splits are always shite. If you want to improve WWE, merge the rosters, cut most of the titles, cut Raw back to two hours, cut the amount of PPV's and reintroduce jobbers so the stars don't face each other every other fucking week in every possible combination.

[@rickyaguilera2301]

I never liked the draft since it started to begin with and that's why my mom's and older brother doesn't watch it with me anymore and because great guys like Austin rock Goldberg flair Vader aren't no longer wrestling

[@Gaelek13]

We'll probably have _another_ Roman Reigns main event at Wrestlemania 34. Oh yay....

[@awsalkindi9328]

2002 was a mess

[@litodat233]

2002 was way better we got edge Batista Eddie Benoit smackfdown was on fire better than raw

[@markmenning1804]

You can't have 2 world champions!

[@williamnimbach6419]

I disagree 2 world championships makes things easier for up and coming guys to get a belt!

[@nationofmasturbation4052]

Edge wasnt even the face of smackdown when he first arrived batista was. edge was the top heel of smackdown.the world title died when jack swagger won it in my opinion

[@michaelhubbard4989]

How is this even a debate, Ruthless Aggression Rules

[@bubbabexley6604]

2002

[@kwyamebutler5937]

2002