On March 23, 2001, the landscape of a booming wrestling industry was forever changed when the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) acquired the rights to rival promotion, World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The purchase marked a symbolic and hard-fought victory for the once struggling WWF, bringing about the end of a near seven-year ratings war dubbed “The Monday Night War”. The announcement of the purchase came in the form of an exciting press release for wrestling fans, or a seemingly exciting press release.
“STAMFORD, Conn., March 23, 2001 - World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWF) today announced its purchase of the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) brand from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS Inc.), a division of AOL Time Warner. The purchase of WCW creates a tag team partnership with the World Wrestling Federation brand that is expected to propel the sports entertainment genre to new heights.”
The next day, Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter released the names of 16 members of the WCW roster, whose contracts had been bought by the WWF. Another wrestling newsletter, The Wrestling Observer, reported that The National Network (TNN) had agreed to give the WWF owned WCW a two hour show every Saturday night. This news gave wrestling fans a hope that WCW would stay in business, yet be ran in a more efficient manner under the watchful eye of WWFE Inc. chairman, Vincent Kennedy McMahon.
However what wrestling fans learned three days after the announcement of the purchase, during a live simulcast between WWF RAW and WCW Nitro, was that WWF planned on running a storyline. It was announced at the end of Nitro that Vince McMahon’s very own son, Shane McMahon, had stolen the purchase from Vince, and that Shane owned WCW. The announcement added more fuel to the McMahon family feud, as Shane and Vince faced off the following Sunday at the WWF’s huge WrestleMania X7 pay-per-view event.
The true fate of WCW would be revealed over the course of the next several months, as WCW wrestlers would occasionally make run ins during matches, at the behest of WCW chairman Shane McMahon. The most notable of these run ins occurred at the 2001 King of the Ring, in June, when WCW World Champion, Booker T, interfered in the main-event “Triple Threat Match”.
On July 9, 2001, it was announced that Stephanie McMahon, daughter of Vince McMahon, had purchased her own wrestling company; the then defunct number three promotion, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). However, the true storyline was to emerge that day that would set the precedent for the months to follow, and show the world exactly how the two newly purchased promotions would be used. The McMahon children united their organizations together, and waged war against their father and the WWF, when they formed the “WCW/ECW Alliance”.
Yes, the number two and three promotions in the world had been turned into a WWF stable, to play out an “Invasion angle”. The Invasion, which saw many twist and turns, would only last until November, and would largely be considered a huge flop amongst wrestling fans, doing away with the notion mentioned in the initial press release that the move would increase ratings and buyrates. The WCW/ECW Alliance officially came to an end on November 18, 2001, in a “Winner Takes All Survivor Series Match” at WWF Survivor Series. The event saw Alliance member Kurt Angle, screw over the Alliance, and once again help WWF stand tall over the “competition”.
The WWF was now without competition, not even makeshift competition, and had no power struggle angles going. That lasted all of day though, as the very next night, November 19 on WWF RAW, Ric Flair made his return to the WWF as the man who bought Shane and Stephanie McMahon’s WWFE stock, thereby making “the Nature Boy” a 50% co-owner of Vince’s WWF. The new power struggle was born.
Over the course of the next several months, Ric Flair and Vince McMahon would continuously try to out do one another, which led to a match between the two at the 2002 Royal Rumble. Flair’s victory would send McMahon over the edge, and in a desperate attempt to be the one to kill his own creation, McMahon decided it was time to inject a lethal dose of poison into the heart of the WWF. Much to Flair’s despair, WCW cancers Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall (collectively known as the New World Order) had entered the WWF.
The power struggle between the two determined men would reach the boiling point, when WWF CEO Linda McMahon along with the board of directors, declared that Flair and McMahon working as co-owners had failed for the WWF, and as result, the WWF would experience and “Brand Extension”. Ric Flair would seize control of Monday Night RAW and Vince McMahon would take control of Thursday Night SmackDown. The announcement, made on a March 18, 2002, stated that on the next RAW, the WWF would hold its first ever draft.
And so on March 25, 2002, the WWF was separated into two distinct brands. Talent now exclusively appeared on one show. Since that time, the brand extension has undergone numerous changes. General Managers were brought in when storylines changed, titles became exclusive to specific shows, and the brands would go on to have their on “single brand” pay-per-view events. Over the course of the past couple of years, interpromotional matches have been reserved for WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble Match; other than that, the brands remained separate.
Now, World Wrestling Entertainment is gearing up for the ninetieth annual Survivor Series on November 27, and this event will see five RAW guys take on five SmackDown guys in a classic Survivor Series Elimination Match. Starting in October 2005, crossovers have taken place to build towards the match. A match that wrestling fans have been waiting to see, a match that wrestling fans hope ends with one thing made clear for the coming months… the end of the brand extension, and the beginning of a new era as one united WWE.
AFTER 4 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR, IT’S TIME TO MARCH AS ONE
What is not clear during that little “history of”, is that at the time of the extension, it was a necessity. The WWF, being the only place in town, had become overpopulated with wrestling talent. The only solution, next to firing a herd of people, was to create two distinct brands, each with their own exclusive talents; thereby creating a mock rivalry between the two shows.
With each passing year the split stays intact, the extension continues to lose what initially made it special, and continues to lack in terms of overall excitement. Lopsided drafts and firings have not helped matters at all, as one show is always worse than the other, due to a lack of caring. This year alone, Friday Night SmackDown has suffered in a major way, in terms of its talent pool. The 2005 “Draft Lottery” saw SmackDown’s most popular superstar, and champion, switched to RAW. It would also see SmackDown’s best wrestler (Kurt Angle), their giant (Big Show), their cool new talent (Carlito), and everyone’s favorite laid-back stoner (RVD) is put on RAW. At the same time, SmackDown tag-team The Dudley Boyz’ contracts were let go and several cruiserweights were fired.
This month alone has proven to be critical for the SmackDown crew, as Christian defected to TNA Wrestling, World Champion Batista was injured, and SmackDown’s most popular wrestlers, Eddie Guerrero, passed away. Now, SmackDown’s best technical wrestler, Chris Benoit, may soon be walking away from it all as well, in what would be a huge loss for SmackDown and the WWE in general.
Neither RAW nor SmackDown are doing well keeping matches fresh, as we continuously see the same matches on pay-per-views. Both shows have had to resort to bringing in past names and “legends”, just to keep things going. Schedules are increased, there are more pay-per-view events, and attendance and buyrates are not at the level where they could be, though neither is any real danger.
The unfortunate passing of Eddie Guerrero opened the eyes of many people, on a variety of different topics. The life wrestlers lead is grueling and laced with loads of pain, and is unhealthy. Clearly, that is one of the negative (albeit minor in comparison to a life) that Guerrero’s death has shown people. Yet there was a positive,and that positive came in the form of WWE honoring their fallen superstar with a 4-hour tribute show. For those two hours of RAW, and two hours of SmackDown, the WWE was one again. World Wrestling Entertainment stood together, a collective group separated by no boundaries, to pay tribute to a friend, a peer, and one of the greatest wrestlers of our time.
Storylines were thrown out the window, the brand extension ceased to exist, and the WWE allowed that middle W to shine through in remembrance of a man who excelled at it. Yes, WWE showed the world the way things could be if the WWE were one big family, were one union. Matches that cannot and should not be rated, yet would score highly if they were, took center stage, as we witnessed the first ever encounter between Shawn Michaels and Rey Mysterio. Kurt Angle and Shelton Benjamin were allowed to wrestle their hearts out for the fans, and for Eddie Guerrero. Chris Benoit, as heartbroken as he was, was able to put on another wrestling classic with Triple H. All wrestlers were able to put on a wrestling show, were able to do what they have trained in, wrestle.
Yes, for those two tribute shows, WWE had turned into THE World Wrestling Federation. A federation of wrestlers who were able to share a locker room with one another, and not be separated by different “brands”. Wrestlers who were able to wrestle someone from an opposing brand, not have interference, and not have it be a big deal. They were able to wrestle the way they should always be allowed too, as one company working for a common goal. That night, the goal was to pay tribute to their friend, and they succeeded in a way many probably did not expect possible.
The brand-extension has had a successful run. Four years is a long time in the world of professional wrestling, and the fact that this brand extension has lasted that long, is a testament to the entire WWE staff. They, however, have to be well aware that the tank on this split is almost on empty, heck SmackDown is barely hanging on now. The need for competition, or an alternative if you will, has been filled in the form of TNA. You longer need to have a shattered union as your company. That moment has passed, and it is time to get back to the roots that made the WWF/E a success to begin with. It is time for one brand under McMahon; it is time the WWE truly unleashes its potential and shows the world that yes, the power really is back.
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