More details about plans for the WWE brand split

Thursday's episode of Wrestling Observer Live, shared some new information about the upcoming WWE brand split, according to sources and backstage talk. Plans are of course changing all the time and nothing is set in stone, but at the moment it looks like RAW and SmackDown will be standalone television shows except for two exceptions every year.

According to WOL, WWE is planning on having two massive episode of RAW every year that will be dual-branded. One of the episodes will be the day after SummerSlam and the other will come the day after WrestleMania. One imagines that one of those two annual episodes will feature the annual draft -- if they're planning on having a draft every year.

Every pay-per-views is planned to be dual-branded, with both announce teams present and alternating matches, just as they did with dual-branded RAW and SmackDown PPVs during the initial brand split.

Bryan Alvarez also asked how a more-hands-on production by Vince McMahon on SmackDown would affect Mauro Ranallo. Dave Meltzer said it depended on what Vince's mentality toward Ranallo is. Meltzer's understanding is that Vince's opinion of Mauro is not for the best, but time will tell exactly how badly McMahon will micromanage his announcing.