Draft

[tbondrage99 0]

Didn't George Bush tell us before the election there would be no draft?

You mean to tell me you would believe something that he would say?

[slimm44 0]

It hurts guys more than it helps...at least that was the case last year IMO. I don't think there is going to be one and think it's overkill for them to do it every year. Also who's to say they have to announce it on RAW? They could announce it on Smackdown tonite

[Dark Age 0]

Let's just trade the smackdown roster for the raw roster.

Yeah, because that's what I proposed, huh? Fool. The shows need a drastic change. Moving one or two people won't do shit.

[Adam 0]

Move the ENTIRE Cabinet plus Reigns and Heidenreich to RAW for Jericho, Benoit, Christian, Tajiri, Benjamin (both midcard belts switching) and HBK, then I would have no reason to watch RAW whatsoever, and WWE can have that sure fire Feud-of the-Year between JBL and HHH over who is the bigger god. Then on SmackDown we can have Jericho winning the gold from Cena, HBK-Angle II, Benjamin feuding with Haas, Tajiri back into CW action against new signee Super Crazy, and Benoit with or against Eddie.

 

I know, I'm dreaming the impossible dream, but its nice. Imagine having a PPV card with matches such as Rey Mysterio vs. Psicosis, Super Crazy vs. Tajiri vs. Paul London vs. Nunzio (for the CW Title), Eddie Guerrero vs. Chris Benoit, Shelton Benjamin vs. Charlie Haas (for the IC Title), Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho winning the WWE Championship from John Cena. Imagine that.

[iggymcfly 0]

The draft idea's stupid because it breaks kayfabe. Obviously, if it were real, the GMs would just take all the main eventers instead of the crappy people they do take.

 

If they want to move a couple people between shows, all they have to do is announce a trade or say someone's contract ran out. They could even make it a storyline, where someone like Undertaker demands a trade, and decides to make Teddy Long's life hell until he moves him.

[Angelus 0]

The GM's can't choose the wrestlers if i remember

[ISportsFan 0]

The GM's can't choose the wrestlers if i remember

Correct, it's a random "lottery" style draft.

 

Jason

[Guest nokia]

Move the ENTIRE Cabinet plus Reigns and Heidenreich to RAW for Jericho, Benoit, Christian, Tajiri, Benjamin (both midcard belts switching) and HBK, then I would have no reason to watch RAW whatsoever, and WWE can have that sure fire Feud-of the-Year between JBL and HHH over who is the bigger god. Then on SmackDown we can have Jericho winning the gold from Cena, HBK-Angle II, Benjamin feuding with Haas, Tajiri back into CW action against new signee Super Crazy, and Benoit with or against Eddie.

 

I know, I'm dreaming the impossible dream, but its nice. Imagine having a PPV card with matches such as Rey Mysterio vs. Psicosis, Super Crazy vs. Tajiri vs. Paul London vs. Nunzio (for the CW Title), Eddie Guerrero vs. Chris Benoit, Shelton Benjamin vs. Charlie Haas (for the IC Title), Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho winning the WWE Championship from John Cena. Imagine that.

I'd mark out like a Japanese schoolgirl if they put these matches on a PPV....

[Carnival 0]

Let's just trade the smackdown roster for the raw roster.

Yeah, because that's what I proposed, huh? Fool.

Ya pretty much it is.

 

Do you think they really should trade that many people?

 

They would have so many match ups people wanna see, true. But they would have that happen in a span of a year and have nothing to do after that. It makes NO sense for them to blow all those angles and new fresh matchups in that little time. That would be the worst thing they could do with the draft.

 

The draft is meant to bring in a few fresh matchups a year. Trading mass amounts of people would kill the brand extension. For the fans, in the short term, it's great. But for the company, in the long term, it's just plain stupid.

[iggymcfly 0]

The GM's can't choose the wrestlers if i remember

Correct, it's a random "lottery" style draft.

 

Jason

Oh, I guess that's what I get for not actually watching the show. I just read the results later, and they made it sound like they picked people straight up, but still took crappy midcarders instead of the top guys.

[Guest JMA]

Smackdown Drafts

1: Edge

2: Randy Orton

3: Sylvain Grenier

4: Shawn Michaels

5: Val Venis

 

Raw Drafts

1: Doug Basham

2: Charlie Haas

3: Big Show

4: Carlito

5: The Undertaker

[Zack Malibu 0]

The thing with Smackdown is they really aren't in a position to lose any "name" talent. They have nothing they can afford to lose, but everything to gain. Plus remember, it won't be the strict 5 for 5 drafting. They can and probably will do a few trades just like last year.

 

The draft can be used for a few good things. Break up Conway and Grenier, and let Rob go it alone as a singles. Hell, put La Resistance on Smackdown together, then have Dupree and Grenier turn on Conway. Conway/Haas vs. La Rez would be something fresh. Unless Haas went to RAW, which leads me too...

 

Haas vs. Benjamin. This should happen. Turn Charlie heel and have him show up on RAW and jump/attack/feign friendship with Shelton. The angle writes itself. Charlie got "ditched", had to sit back and watch Shelton become a star, and now he wants the chance that he should have gotten in the first place. They have a backstory already so it'll be easier for fans to get into.

 

Orton should definitely go to Smackdown once he's healed up.

 

I think both Michaels and Jericho should go to SD! Imagine Michaels/Rey vs. Eddie/Jericho on an episode of SD!

 

Heidenreich to RAW to form a hoss team with Snitsky. There's nothing else for them to do, so why not. Throw in Big Vis just to make it the sloppiest three man team in history.

 

I could see The Dudleys winding up back on RAW as babyfaces.

 

One big angle they could do is to have Edge get drafted/traded to SD!, and have him snap over losing the Money In The Bank title shot he earned. Then do an angle with Long where Edge tries to force him to adhere to the stipulation, and Long won't, yadda yadda yadda, ultimately winding up with Edge vs. Cena for the SD! belt. It'd be a decent feud IMO, and Edge is one guy who could have a good match (maybe not carry him, but at least put something good together with him) that's worthy of a main event on a PPV.

[iggymcfly 0]

The thing is that both brands desperately need all the name quality heels they can get right now, as they're both trying to establish new face champions. If they were going to do a draft, I think they could probably work a more symbiotic relationship later in the year, say maybe a week after Summerslam. I still like the idea of a trade better though, as it lets the GMs build their brands, as opposed to randomly having talent taken from under their nose through no fault of their own.

[Guest krazykat72]

Im going to that "Supershow" That would be pretty cool to see live. The only thing that makes me think it wont happen is that Smackdown is being taped first,

Um, I don't think they're taping SmackDown! at the Supershow, since there's a SmackDown! taping the very next night in Trenton.

 

The 'Raw/SmackDown! Supershow' thing is a way to let people know this will be a special event WITHOUT revealing there will be a draft there (since it hasn't been mentioned in storylines yet).

The Smackdown taping in trenton is May 3rd.

 

 

-Paul Jacobi-

[MikeJordan23 0]

According to the Wrestling Observer NL, there isn't any plans right now for a draft as it was originally stated. Obviously they can change their minds.

[Boon 0]

All Smackdown really needs is Brock Lesnar.

[what 0]

How I'd do the draft.

 

To Raw:

 

Angle, The Undertaker, Heidenreich, Charlie Haas, Big Show

 

To Smackdown:

 

Christian, Tajiri, Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho

 

That way Batista can be given hosses to feud with, Haas and Benjamin can reunite, Eddie/Benoit/Jericho/Christian/Booker/RVD could put on great matches and have entertaining feuds, Angle can have more matches with HBK and a Cena/Orton match can be built up to next WrestleMania.

[Guest Ransome]

To Smackdown:

 

Christian, Tajiri, Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho

For the record, all these people were traded from Smackdown in the first place. In fact, Chris Benoit was originally drafted to Smackdown, then started on Raw, then left for Smackdown (w/ Eddie), then returned to Raw for his title shot. Just saying.

 

If they do another draft, I'd like to see them actually pick whole new rosters (with the exceptions of their champs, who'd stay). The 2004 draft was a total waste, where only several jobbers switched shows and most of them have done nothing of note since. Shelton Benjamin is the only wrestler to have benefited directly from it, as far as I can see. As long as they actually make the draft mean something and bring about actual positive changes to WWE broadcasting, I'm for it, regardless of who switches brands.

[Black Lushus 0]

No need for a draft, just do the whole "contract ran out, signed as a free agent" thing...or a trade, Randy Orton for Kurt Angle and maybe one or two other trades...they don't need to do a HUGE shake up...

 

oh and Trips will never go to Smackdown, haven't we already established that here?

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

Why would there be no draft if JBL and HHH have done backstage skits for a couple of months now and the WWE clearly wants to do a feud over who the wrestling god is. They might do a draft at Summerslam after Batista and HHH are done feuding and same goes for Cena/JBL

[JoeDirt 0]

The guys on PWInsider.com said that everyone is waiting for Vince to say it's time to do the draft. There are rumors that Vince wants to wait until they go to USA to do it, to pop a big rating for one of their first shows on that network.

[AndrewTS 0]

It hurts guys more than it helps...at least that was the case last year IMO. I don't think there is going to be one and think it's overkill for them to do it every year. Also who's to say they have to announce it on RAW? They could announce it on Smackdown tonite

It's Smackdown. WWE isn't going to make a major announcement like that on *Smackdown*.

[CanadianChris 0]

Well, there ya go. Draft in a month.

 

Discuss.

[haws bah gawd 0]

Sounds good, I guess they're waiting until after the next Smackdown ppv.

[Slickster 0]

Well, the first RAW after Judgment Day will be May 23 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Smackdown runs the next night in Milwaukee.

 

May 30 RAW - Calgary, Alberta, Canada

May 31 SD! - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

 

If they're crazy enough to do it the week BEFORE J-Day, then it will be in Omaha, Nebraska or Sioux City, Iowa.

[Carnival 0]

let's pray for omaha, since i'll be there. But i bet it's in Green Bay.

[Matt Young 0]

May 30 RAW - Calgary, Alberta, Canada

OMFG! Bret Hart is coming back to host the draft!

[RedJed 0]

Either Omaha or Green Bay, I just may have to get tickets for whatever show the draft ends up on.....

[claydude14 0]

The top two names rumored to switch brands at the upcoming WWE Draft Lottery are Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle.

 

Angle would be interesting since he and Triple H do not get along and both are political leaders right now in their respective brands. Switching Angle to RAW could cause major political clashes between the two. At the same time, it would allow WWE to do a big Angle/Batista feud once the Triple H/Batista program ends.

 

As for Michaels, his case would be interesting since he too has a lot of political power and would instantly be a top political figure backstage on Smackdown (with the Undertaker). The likely scenario for Michaels if he goes to Smackdown is to turn him heel and put him in a WWE Title program with John Cena.

 

Last year, none of the wrestlers (outside of the major stars like Triple H) knew they would be switching brands until the moves were announced on RAW.

 

Credit: PWTorch.com

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

Angle-Batista could be pretty good and do a lot for Batista. I'm not sure what kind of rub Cena would get from beating Michaels, although we'd also get Eddie-HBK which should be fun.