Revisiting The 'Brand Extension Champion' Market

It has been ten days since the oddsmakers at 888Sport.com released a market where its customers can bet on a New World Heavyweight Champion. I have now taken another look at the odds to compare them to how they opened. Two names have had their prices shortened.

This market has been written up with the thought that a new world championship will be created once there is a brand split later on this summer. For all of these bets to pay out, the new title must be created and won in a match by the close of this year.

Of the two names whose odds have dropped, one is a surprise.

Firstly, Brock Lesnar has been backed from 13/2 into 4/1. This does not come as too much of a surprise considering the brand split will take place shortly after Lesnar's apparent one night only return to the UFC.

The customers could have seen his 13/2 as a decent price for someone who will be back in WWE post-UFC 200 and, barring a medical suspension, will be on the SummerSlam card.

This all depends on where he is drafted (if he is) and if he ends up with the brand without the current WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

The surprising name of the two is Alberto Del Rio.

The ex-US Champion was originally 66/1, but the price has now been halved within the ten days. I surmise the punter, or punters, may have backed ADR because they know he's on a huge deal. Being a titleholder on one of the brands may be done as a way to justify his contract.

However, I don't think this will end up happening. Not in the foreseeable future, anyway. Whoever wins the new championship - if there is one - should be somebody already in the mix or on his way up the card. Del Rio has been floundering for too long to make the title appear to be equal to the current World Heavyweight Championship.

If it isn't Brock Lesnar, then another 4/1 favourite in John Cena would be my pick.

He's the perfect example of my idea regarding a wrestler giving value to a title. The work he did re-establishing the US Championship last year is a testament to this notion.

To close, I'll show you how some selections have drifted as a result of the interest in Del Rio and Lesnar.

John Cena from 7/2 to 4/1
Roman Reigns from 4/1 to 5/1
Seth Rollins from 4/1 to 5/1
Randy Orton from 13/2 to 7/1

This market can be found under 'First Champion Of The New Heavyweight Title' in the WWE betting markets that can be found at 888Sport.com, Unibet.com and 32Red.com.