Details on World Heavyweight Title, Universal/WWE Title unification
Added 2023-05-02 19:45:28 +0000 UTCThe WWE unified title was a hastily made decision after Roman Reigns couldn’t appear at Day 1.
Fightful Select has looked into the decision to unify the WWE top titles in 2022, and to establish a new title in 2023.
We’ve learned that prior to WWE Day 1 2022, there were no plans to combine the WWE and Universal Championship. However, when Reigns contracted COVID and was pulled from the show, the late decision was made for Brock Lesnar to be added to the WWE Title match, win it, and then compete in a unification match at WrestleMania 38. Prior to that, there were no plans to unify the two titles.
As of one point last year, there were some internal documents that indicated a plan to split the WWE and Universal Titles. At one point, Drew McIntyre or Seth Rollins were slated to face Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship, but that didn’t end up happening. Within a few weeks, plans were altered and the idea of splitting the titles were abandoned. We weren’t told how the titles were set to be split, but as of that time, Reigns’ opponent was “TBA.”
Originally the King of the Ring tournament was supposed to take place in May, but after WrestleMania, that was altered to accommodate the booking of the new WWE World Heavyweight Title.
Comments
Who would you want someone to defend them weekly?
Ryan
2023-05-05 07:06:14 +0000 UTCThat makes no sense… Roman can’t do a PLE because of COVID, and the panic move is to put BOTH belts on him?
Siege Hann
2023-05-03 12:54:42 +0000 UTC*SIGH*
Gina
2023-05-02 22:51:41 +0000 UTCLmaooo what a horrible company
Andrew Bates
2023-05-02 21:03:21 +0000 UTCIt was the old regime
Brady Livingston
2023-05-02 20:29:29 +0000 UTCIs there any info or books to read regarding how WWE/WWF was booked at its height vs how it’s booked now? And when/how/why it’s changed (if it’s changed, I’m assuming it has as Vince’s grip as tightened). The changing everything last second approach just seems like the most difficult and least beneficial route all the way around.
julian
2023-05-02 20:08:18 +0000 UTCIt was a stupid idea, too. Put the 2 main belts on a guy who's gonna defend them 7x a year when you have a half dozen+ legit superstars who could defend them weekly.
Kyle Longwar
2023-05-02 20:00:36 +0000 UTCTo me the real question is, why is Roman's unified title still represented by two belts with two lineages on WWE.com? If they want to replace the two belts with a single unified belt, what's taking so long? If they want to keep the belts separate so they can be un-unified someday, what are they waiting for?
Jim Into Mystery
2023-05-02 19:59:50 +0000 UTCIs the King and Queen of the Ring tourneys rescheduled for later in the year?
Greg Bonfey
2023-05-02 19:58:07 +0000 UTCThese "seat of their pants" decisions, wreak of the old regime. I hate how close we were to having better Ling term programming, and how far away any future improvements feel.
Rincewind
2023-05-02 19:57:51 +0000 UTCWhy does WWE do this all the time?
Tucker
2023-05-02 19:56:15 +0000 UTCBruh imagine uprooting your entire main event scene for over a year on your flagship show based on a whim because Roman couldn't show up for one (1) PLE. Ridiculous.
Jahwan Wishardt
2023-05-02 19:55:00 +0000 UTCSo….another hastily made booking decision? Wonder who thought of that idea……..
thaddperkins
2023-05-02 19:52:18 +0000 UTC
