SmackDown to debut two new titles tonight

The WWE Draft left SmackDown with only two titles on the brand, but that will be changing tonight.

SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan tweeted on Tuesday afternoon: “It’s a #NewEra for #SDLive and a new era needs NEW Championships! Tonight @shanemcmahon & I will debut TWO new titles exclusive to #SDLive!”

Bryan previously said that his brand would introduce new titles when the time is right, and that time looks to be now as the build to SmackDown’s first brand-exclusive pay-per-view begins tonight. Backlash will be the first brand-specific PPV since the draft and will take place on September 11th.

Dean Ambrose’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship and The Miz’s Intercontinental Championship had been the only SmackDown-exclusive titles until this point.

It’s long been speculated that SmackDown would add titles for its women’s and tag team divisions, and Dave Meltzer confirmed that the brand would eventually be adding those titles on the August 2nd edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.