Tuesday, April 14, 2009

2009 WWE Draft

I am back with a run down of the 2009 WWE Draft. I dont quite expect the shocking stuff from last year. If you remember last year saw Raw mainstays Jim Ross and HHH drafted to smackdown. They did this to try to make Smackdown seem bigger and for anticipation of the switch to My Network TV. Well that didnt work very well. I fully expect HHH to be drafted to Raw and Smackdown to be gutted again.


I am not gonna run down the show. They had matches to see which brand would get a “random” draft pick. I also expected to be introduced to a new GM for smackdown but that didnt happen. No Theodore Long either. MMMMM The show was set up like it should. The main story line was advanced through its own match (HHH Batista and Shane vs Rhodes and Teddy JR) I liked how they set us up to believe that Raw as gutting Smackdown at first and then Smackdown started rolling.


Here are the results


RAW Picked Up

MVP (US Champion) From Smackdown

Big Show From Smackdown

Matt Hardy From Smackdown

HHH (WWE Champion) From Smackdown

The Miz From ECW

Maryse (Divas Champion) From Smackdown


Smackdown Picked Up

Melina (Womans Champion) From Raw

CM Punk From Raw

Kane From Raw

Chris Jericho From Raw

Rey Misterio (IC Champ) From Raw


ECW Picked Up

Vladimir Kozlov From Smacdown



Overall Thoughts

Well Raw got everybody. I dont for a second buy this to be an even draft. I figured after a while that Cena would go to smackdown but he didnt. Now Smackdown is left with out a world champ (All but telegraphs the end to the Last Man Standing match at backlash). I did like how they swapped the mid card titles. I didnt see it coming and dont mind the swap.



Raw Thoughts

HHH was an after thought. Matt Hardy and MVP went from a brand where they had maybe four guys ahead of them to more like six or seven. Two things might happen. 1. Matt gets a heel Jeff Push from one of the main guys giving him the rub or 2. Get lost in the mid card shuffle. I hope they keep the focus of the the US title on the mid carders (Kofi, MVP, Santino, Regal) instead of having the main eventers with nothing to do go for it. I AM LOOKING AT YOU BIG SHOW. While this could be a good thing to let these two talented guys go with the big boys only time will tell if this is good. Big Show is being booked a lot better then he has in years so I dont think he will get lost in the shuffle but some ones got to take kanes spot. The Miz will get lost in the shuffle. Most people believe the star was John Morrison on that team and now they have broken up. I am saying it now, I feel he will be released in a year. Maryse was drafted to Raw because they wanted to Melina to go to Smackdown. If she fails there are plenty of talent on Raw to pick up the slack but I have never really seen her wrestle.


Smackdown Thoughts

For some reason WWE thinks there is a huge Hispanic following for smackdown. I dont know why but I could believe in it. Since Rey Misterio went to Raw that audience has dwindled. So naturally they were gonna put Rey Rey back to Smackdown. Melina also has some of this drawing power so go to Smackdown. For Melina she went from being one of the three top stars in the womens division on Raw to being the top star on Smackdown. So I dont really mind that move. Rey is one of those guys that it doesnt matter where he goes his fans will follow. This need also meant the mid card title needs to be swapped. Lets go to other three. Kane is one of those guys who can go any where. He probably will not be pushed higher then he is. I see one more feud with taker before the end of takers career. For Jericho this move is good. He goes from a roster filled with talent to a roster where the only two guys in his league are Edge and Undertaker. He will be a big main player in Smackdown. The other person whos career was helped from this draft was CM Punk. He was squished under the talent of the Raw roster. There isnt a top face on the Smackdown roster so he can fight with Jeff Hardy for that spot. CM Punk is also another way for Smackdown to get a world title.


ECW Thoughts

Man I thought ECW would get raped in this draft. They would take away the title contenders and leave them with nothing. Instead they gave ECW another heel in Koslov. I am begining to feel that management is tailoring ECW around one CHRISTIAN. I see the title chase to end at Summerslam and Christian having to go through Koslov. Its sink or swim time. Either this will show Koslov as a competent wrestler or some one who needs to be fired.



Overall

You would think Raw got all the goods in this but I think not. Smackdown has the right talent in its roster to make Jeff Hardy and CM Punk into superstars that next year will have to move to raw. Chris Jericho is in a spot where he could continue to be a title threat no matter who has the belt. I am foaming at the mouth for Edge vs Chris Jericho. This could also be good for Kane if they want it to be. Same goes for Rey Misterio. Vince has given the ball to these Smackdown stars for them to prove that they are true main event players.



Draft Pick Of The Night CM Punk To Smackdown

The WWE will have you believe that HHH is the huge draft pick. Perhaps even Jericho. I believe this is the defining moment in CM Punks Career. He has to show management that you can put the brand on your shoulders. This is what will catapult Punk into the stratosphere. I am also foaming at the mouth for a CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy spot fest.



I will be back tomorrow with the compulsory draft on WWE.com. That usually just moves lower carders and will probably give Raw a couple of more jobbers. I also think this is were ECW will be shook up.


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