4 Signs that the Wild Card Rule hasn't actually ended
We are officially done with the 2019 edition of the WWE Draft, as both RAW and SmackDown went head to head to choose Superstars for their respective rosters. Taking place right after the two shows received a huge makeover, this move looks to be a solid step toward an overall improved product in the coming months.
One of the draft's biggest talking points was how it would bring an end to the Wild Card Rule. Introduced by Vince McMahon in early May, after the Superstar Shakeup, the Wild Card Rule was supposed to allow up to four Superstars to appear on the opposing brand's show on any given night. While the intention was to let top Superstars appear on both brands, the rule soon began to affect the entire purpose of the brand split.
Having two separate rosters gave opportunities to many younger talents to showcase themselves on live TV, but with the Wild Card Rule in effect, it was common to see established players like Shane McMahon, Roman Reigns, and many others appear on both shows. This led to fewer opportunities for the rest of the roster.
While the Wild Card Rule has officially ended, there are still a few areas on WWE programming which suggest otherwise. In this article, let's take a look at four signs that indicate that the Wild Card Rule hasn't ended completely.
#4. The 24/7 Championship scene
The entire purpose of the 24/7 Championship is to ensure lighthearted chaos among the otherwise serious programming. Ever since the title was first introduced in May by Mick Foley, we have witnessed some hilarious antics courtesy of Superstars like R-Truth, Carmella, Drake Maverick, and others.
The recent draft saw the current 24-7 Champion, R-Truth, moving over to RAW, while his partner-in-crime, Carmella, was drafted to the Blue brand. Now, the biggest question that comes to mind is: with R-Truth on RAW, does it make 24/7 Championship RAW exclusive? If the 24/7 Champion appears on SmackDown, the whole title scene could ultimately make the draft look meaningless.
A simple way to fix this would be to have some title changes on social media, where a SmackDown Superstar can pin the champion and vice-versa. This would allow the title to keep shifting brands.