WWE Wrestling concert In April 2009, Mick Foley replaced Jonathan Coachman as Color commentator. Following the 2009 WWE Wrestling Draft, Jim Ross became the new play-by-play announcer for SmackDown, while Michael Cole moved to Raw. The WWE Wrestling Champion Triple H was also drafted to SmackDown, which gave SmackDown two world championships to be featured on the brand. A week later, CM Punk cashed in WWE Wrestling's Money in the Bank contract and defeated the World Heavyweight Champion Edge, bringing the World Heavyweight Championship back to Raw.
It currently airs in the United States on The CW, in Canada on The Score Network and on E! Montreal, in Turkey on S'nek, in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan on Ten Sports, in Germany on DSF, in the UK and Republic of Ireland on Sky Sports 3, Italy on Sky Italia, in Finland on Urheilukanava, in Portugal on TVI, in the Dominican Republic on Antena Latina Channel 7, in Puerto Rico on WAPA and on The CW, in Ecuador on Teleamazonas, in Chile on Chilevisión, in Malaysia on TV3, in Mexico on 52MX, in Australia on FOX8, in New Zealand on The BOX,in Bulgaria on GTV, in the Philippines on Jack TV and C/S on RPN, in Peru on ATV, in Spain on Cuatro, in Romania on TV Sport, in Serbia on FOX Televizija, in Saudi Arabia and Middle East on Showtime Arabia and ShowSports 4, in France on NT1, in Japan on J Sports, on e.tv in South Africa, on AFN Xtra, on the Super Channel (Channel 10) in Fiji Islands, on VTV in El Salvador, on Canal 9 in Argentina, on TVC Canal 5 in Honduras, on Canal 4 RP in Panama, on Super Sports in Singapore, on tvN in South Korea and on AB3 in Belgium.
On January 7, 2009, WWE Wrestling announced that all 3 brands (Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW) would be broadcast in HD, codenamed "WWE HD" starting with Raw on January 21. WWE Wrestling invested an estimate of about $20 million dollars on new recording and broadcasting equipment to prepare for the move, as well as new pyrotechnics and lighting. The move replaced the Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW sets with a new state of the art set shared by all brands.
Wrestlers now would become show-exclusive, wrestling for their specific show only. At the time this excluded the WWE Wrestling Undisputed Championship and WWE Wrestling Women's Championship, as those WWE Wrestling titles would be defended on both shows. In August 2002, WWE Wrestling Undisputed Champion Brock Lesnar refused to defend the title on Raw, in effect causing WWE Wrestling's title to become exclusive to SmackDown! The following week on Raw, General Manager Eric Bischoff awarded a newly instated World Heavyweight Championship to Raw's designated #1 contender, Triple H. Due to the fact that since the WWE Wrestling Undisputed Championship was now SmackDown! exclusive it was no longer seen as "undisputed". Following this, the WWE Wrestling Women's Championship soon became Raw-exclusive as well. As a result of the Brand Extension, an annual "draft lottery" was instituted to exchange members of each roster and generally refresh the lineups.
WWE Wrestling concert In April 2009, Mick Foley replaced Jonathan Coachman as Color commentator. Following the 2009 WWE Wrestling Draft, Jim Ross became the new play-by-play announcer for SmackDown, while Michael Cole moved to Raw. The WWE Wrestling Champion Triple H was also drafted to SmackDown, which gave SmackDown two world championships to be featured on the brand. A week later, CM Punk cashed in WWE Wrestling's Money in the Bank contract and defeated the World Heavyweight Champion Edge, bringing the World Heavyweight Championship back to Raw.
