Fight Select has a new report regarding WWE’s streamlining of the titles and their future plans.
It was said that with Asuka receiving an updated belt on Friday night’s SmackDown and the title’s name change was done to make issues between the SmackDown and Raw Championships more simplified, as per the WWE Draft.
Fightful Select also noted sources within WWE said the visual changes made to the belt were intended to place the title on similar standing to the new belt presented to Roman Reigns. It was further said WWE has plans on changing the look and name of the SmackDown Women’s Title Belt currently held by Rhea Ripley, who is on Raw.
The report notes that in regard to the WWE and Universal Championships held by Roman Reigns, WWE had plans to separate the two belts prior to WrestleMania 39, which fell through. It was then soon after WrestleMania, plans to keep the belts split was reinstated with intent for the Raw brand to have its own championship.
As seen on this past Friday’s SmackDown, plans are also underway to combine the NXT and WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. The match to unify the belts will take place on the June 16 episode of SmackDown. Fightful Select said according to sources, the unified Women’s Tag Team Title holders are intended to make appearances as necessary on NXT and any NXT house shows. Sources also said the unification likely would have been done sooner but was delayed by roster injuries.
Fightful Select’s report concluded by saying that WWE sources shared some internal frustrations with things focused on “Undisputed” in various titles, as with Roman Reigns and Asuka despite the championships currently held by Seth Rollins and Rhea Ripley. One WWE source was quoted as saying the following:
“…that’s admittedly confusing. I don’t know why there is an insistence on doing that, and a lot of people have brought that up and it’s been dismissed.”