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This past Monday night WWE had their annual draft special two months early.  They then followed with the supplemental draft on Wednesday.  Whenever there is a draft, some moves will be surprising and others will not.  In this column, we will take a look at the 15 RAW draft picks, the 15 Smackdown draft picks, and the 6 ECW picks.  Plus, I will throw in some suggestions for the superstars that have been moved to new homes.

 

 

1.) Triple H - This move was probably the most predictable of all moves in the draft.  Technically, he lasted ten months as a member of the Smackdown roster, but realistically the Game has been back on RAW every week since No Way Out.  The move does crowd the babyface side of the main event picture with Triple H, John Cena, Batista, and Shawn Michaels all on the same roster.  Triple H is in a feud with Randy Orton that has lost a lot of its initial luster, some of it to bad booking, and some due to this being the fifth or sixth go-round for this feud.  Unfortunately, with the way Backlash is set up, the feud will be going further.

 

2.) MVP - I like this move, and in fact called for it to happen already last year.  MVP lost a lot of steam with that ridiculous losing streak angle last fall.  He has started to regain some momentum.  I think it would be best if returns to being a heel.  MVP has more fresh opponents in Triple H, John Cena, and Shawn Michaels.  I think Cena especially would be a perfect match for him.

 

3.) The Big Show - This move really doesn't make much of a difference, because Big Show seems to get drafted every year.  This will probably mean that his snoring and boring soap opera storyline with Vickie Guerrero continues.

 

4.) Maryse - While I am not a fan of Maryse, I do like their idea of switching Maryse and Melina.  This now allows the very talented and underutilized Mickie James back into the title picture.  It is also a bonus for Maryse, because she will get to work with someone who has talent, something she did not get much of on Smackdown.

 

5.) Matt Hardy - I wonder if this was something they came up with at the last minute.  I thought the Hardy vs. Hardy feud was poised for at least two more pay-per-views.  It now looks like the blowoff will be at Backlash.  As for the move itself, I like it.  A large part will be how WWE Creative sees Matt.  It is clear that they are not sold on him as a top guy, which is a shame, because he is one of their best in-ring performers, and has improved on the mic.  Personally, I would love to see a Matt Hardy vs. Shawn Michaels feud. 

 

6.) The Miz - I may be in the minority on this, but I do not like them breaking up Miz and Morrison.  They were one of the really entertaining younger acts in a company that does not have a large amount of them.  While I think Morrison will do okay on his own, I am not sold on Miz as a singles star.  I give him credit, he has improved, as evidenced by that good match he had with Kofi Kingston, but I just do not feel like he is ready to be on his own.

 

7 and 8.) Primo and Carlito - With Vince reducing the number of tag team championships to one, and the number of tag teams to three, this move was insignificant.  Most likely after Backlash, they will start feuding with Rhodes and Dibiase over the unified tag team titles.  I think the Colons are a great duo, and the pairing seems to have rejuvenated Carlito.  Maybe since they are unified champions, the Colons will also be able to feud with Cryme Tyme, who jumped to Smackdown.  However, I would not be surprised if next year at this time, WWE has no more tag teams.

 

9 and 10.) Brie and Nikki Bella - The Bellas are back together in a reunion very few actually saw since it occurred on wwe.com.  I really can't see either one of them seriously contending for the Divas Title yet.  Maybe, they ought to take a trip back in time to 1986, and bring back the WWE Women's (or Divas) Tag Team Titles.  It might be an interesting way to promote this sister act.

 

11.) Mr. Kennedy - Most folks probably don't remember he was even on Smackdown since he has been out for so long with an injury.  There are several questions about when, or even if, Kennedy will ever return to the ring.  If he can comeback, it will be a big plus for the RAW roster, and give them another future main event option.

 

12.) Hornswoggle - Why?  Moving Hornswoggle away from Finlay is idiotic.  Hanging out with Finlay is really the only thing the guy has going for him.  Unless they are going to be bringing the minis from Mexico back (I would love to see Hornswoggle vs. Super Porky), then there is no point to this move.

 

13.) Chavo Guerrero - Chavo is on RAW to push Vickie's wheelchair, which I can't believe they put her back in again!  It reminds me of Gorilla Monsoon's old phrase about, "going to the well once too often."  I would have rather seen Chavo go back to ECW.  He was a top guy on ECW.  On RAW and Smackdown, he is barely above jobber status. 

 

14.) Festus - Festus is going to be lost without Jesse.  This is a team that really should not have been broken up, and should have been pushed more.  They started off on a huge initial run on Smackdown, but somebody pulled the rug out from under them, and turned them into glorified jobbers.  They started trying a heel turn with Jesse and Festus at house shows, which might be an option, because they are currently short on top villains in the company.  It would help if they find him a manager.

 

15.) The Brian Kendrick - You think Ross and Tazz were annoying saying "the Brian Kendrick" 500 times per match?  Get ready for at least double that from Cole and Lawler.  The gimmick had a good initial run, but much like everyone in WWE, they let him only go so far, and then had to knock him back down the ladder of success again.  The way he has been booked lately, one has to wonder if his time with the company is coming to a close.  Too bad they can't bring back the Cruiserweight Title.  With the guys on the three rosters, they could make it interesting.

 

        

1.) C.M. Punk - Maybe it is the start of a youth movement on Smackdown.  With Triple H joining Batista, Cena, and Michaels on RAW, Smackdown is wide open.  Smackdown's top babyfaces now consist of the Undertaker, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, and Punk.  Since Smackdown is currently without a champion, I could see lightning striking in the same place by having Punk cash in his title shot and beat Cena or Triple H to get one of the belts back. 

 

2.) Chris Jericho - Jericho has said in past interviews that he has always wanted to have a match with the Undertaker.  Given how long both guys have been with WWE, it is amazing that they have not faced off yet.  Jericho also gives Smackdown another main event heel option besides Edge.  In addition to the Undertaker, Jericho could renew his old WCW rivalry with Rey Mysterio, or face off with Jeff Hardy.  Maybe he might even get a passable match out of the Great Khali.

 

3.) Rey Mysterio - This is another move that makes a lot of sense.  Smackdown has a large Hispanic viewership.  Mysterio also has matches waiting for him with Edge, Jericho, and Umaga (another dropped angle).  Jim Ross can finally get a chance to call some Mysterio matches, which is something he has not gotten much of a chance of over the years.  Plus, with the U.S. Title jumping to RAW, it makes sense that the Intercontinental Title jump to Smackdown.

 

4.) Kane - Due to his frequency of being drafted, this move is not that big of a deal.  Kane is one of the better working big men in the company, and will be an asset to Smackdown.  With D-X back together on RAW, maybe the Brothers of Destruction could be reuniting on Smackdown?  I proposed in a previous column about building off the success of the Undertaker vs. Michaels match at Wrestlemania with a D-X vs. B.O.D. match.  Maybe they are going to take my advice.

 

5.) Melina - I mentioned above that I liked the idea of them switching the female titleholders.  WWE has two strong female babyfaces in Melina and Mickie James, and I think it is better for them to be on separate rosters.  Both are too good to be shoved in the background.  Since Melina became WWE Women's Champion, that is exactly what happened to Mickie.  I imagine some of the divas will have to switch sides, because after the draft, the babyface divas outnumber the heel divas on Smackdown six to two.

 

6 and 7.) Cryme Tyme - What was the point of moving them over to Smackdown when the only two other tag teams left in the company are on RAW?  JTG and Shad definitely needed a change of scene, but it makes no sense to send them to a roster that contains no other tag teams.  Hopefully since the Colons are unified champs, they can face teams on all three shows.

 

8.) John Morrison - While I would have loved for the Miz-Morrison duo to stay together, Morrison has greener pastures ahead of him as a singles star.  I always think back to Tough Enough 2, when WWE Executive Producer Kevin Dunn made the decision to cut him.  Morrison came back for Tough Enough 3, and boy has he proved them wrong ever since.  A feud with Mysterio over the Intercontinental Title is a gimme. 

 

9, 10, and 11.) Candice Michelle, Alicia Fox, and Layla - I grouped all three of them together, because they are in the same boat.  Candice has been vocal about her lack of on-air time.  Candice, Alicia, and Layla still have a lot to learn, and a move a Smackdown is a good thing.  Now their matches can be edited.  There are also going to be some heel turns coming.  The babyface side currently has Melina, Candice, Alicia, Maria, Gail Kim, and Eve Torres, while the heel side has only Layla and Michelle McCool.  Maybe Natalya and Katie Lea can make some guest appearances from ECW since they don't have any babyface divas over there to feud with.  And can someone please get rid of those hideous one footed dropkicks?  They look terrible, and if the women cannot get both feet up, they should not be doing them. 

 

12.) Mike Knox - Knox now gets his shot on the Smackdown roster after starting on ECW, and then moving to RAW.  The long hair and beard seem to have helped him improve his in-ring presence.  He's still not great, but he's better than what he was.  His feud with Rey Mysterio showed some promise, but was dropped with no real explanation given.  I was kind of surprised that they also have not brough up his incident last fall with Evan Bourne.  I could see him winning the Intercontinental Title at some point, but I think he is still a long way from a World or WWE Title. 

 

13.) Charlie Haas - Arguably the most underutilized piece of talent in WWE history.  This guy is such a good wrestler, but this is WWE, where we don't do wrasslin', we make movies.  I was actually enjoying his mimic gimmick on RAW.  I was hoping they would pair him Jamie Noble, and they could give their tributes to classic tag teams.  Can't you just see them in the Demolition face paint, or putting on the Killer Bee masks, or the Road Warrior spiked shoulder pads?  What about the Bushwhacker walk or the Nasty Boys' Pit Stop?  That would have been a riot.

 

14. and 15.) Dolph Ziggler and Ricky Ortiz - How long before these guys are released?  Their gimmicks stink, and their matches bore the heck out of me. 

 

 

1.) Vladmir Kozlov - I was actually expecting him to go to RAW.  He has fresh matchups there with John Cena, Batista, and Shawn Michaels.  I still think a feud with Cena is inevitable.  WWE thinks Kozlov still needs work, and they're right.  He has some really talented individuals on ECW to bring him along.  Christian and Finlay are the natural choices, since they are the top babyfaces on the brand.  I could also see them turning Mark Henry babyface to battle Kozlov.  Helms, Bourne, and Dreamer are talented, but if they face the Moscow Mauler, it is a safe bet they are getting squashed. 

 

2.) Ezekiel Jackson - Zeke's move to ECW from Smackdown could go one of two ways.  I could see them having Tony Atlas turn on Mark Henry (causing Henry to become a babyface) and have Jackson attack him, or Henry could turn on Atlas, blaming him for his recent losses, and Jackson could come out to save him.  Atlas could then be the mentor and mouthpiece for Big Zeke as a babyface duo.  I see a lot of potential for Jackson, and from what I've heard, he is a student of the game.  All he needs is the right break.

 

3.) Natalya - The move was inevitable since she's been more on ECW lately than Smackdown.  I hate that her wrestling talents are going to be wasted being a second to Tyson Kidd.  Maybe with her cousin D.H. Smith finally getting the call back up to the main roster, she might be turning babyface.  I think that would be a good idea considering the only other Diva on the ECW roster is Katie Lea Burchill.  You would think with her being connected to the Hart family, she would be a natural babyface, especially in Canada.

 

4.) D.H. Smith - His exile to FCW appears to finally be over.  The third generation star spent the past ten months listed as a member of the Smackdown roster even though he never wrestled a match for the brand.  With ECW developing future big stars in Jack Swagger and Evan Bourne, this seems to be a good next step for Smith.  There has been talk of reforming Hart Foundation 2.0 with Tyson Kidd, a gimmick they did in the WWE developmental territory. 

 

5.) Hurricane Helms - His long awaited return from neck surgery crashed and burned pretty quickly didn't it?  Though in the Hurricane's defense, the creative team had no clue what do with him, which is a common theme in the company.  Because the top heels in ECW are now all big guys like Jack Swagger, Mark Henry, Ezekiel Jackson, and Vladmir Kozlov, I do not like his chances here either.  Had Miz, Morrison, and Chavo stayed on the roster, Helms might have had a better chance.

 

6.) Zack Ryder - He's still on the payroll?  When was the last time he and Hawkins worked a match on TV?  Ryder and Hawkins barely made a passable tag team, what makes them think they'll fair any better as a singles stars?  Other than their past association with Edge, they had nothing going for them.

 

The goal of the draft was pretty clear, beef up Raw, keep Smackdown middle of the road, and keep ECW a distant third.  While they did some nice moves, it will be interesting to see if any of these amount to anything.  If it were me, I'd rather have three strong brands rather than an "A" show, a "B" show, and a "C" show.  One thing is for sure, if the booking does not get any better, none of these moves will mean anything.  We'll have to play the waiting game.

 

Feedback may be sent to Doug at brownsbros3@yahoo.com.