The Draft - who came out better Raw or Smackdown?

[Wolf Pac]

Raw because it's got WWE's 3 top heels in Del Rio, Miz & Punk, the E's top face Cena and Mysterio will be a big help in bringing in more kids to Raw since him & Cena are the only ones who appeal to kids in the WWE.

SD has only got one heel main eventer, Sheamus which doesn't bode well for the main event scene as it will be face vs. face matches most of the time now unless they turn Orton heel, so that when he defends the World Title once he wins it, against Christian, maybe Kane, it will be heel vs. face rather than face vs. face which offer nothing exciting.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

WWE Monday Night Raw

John Cena
Rey Mysterio
The Big Show
Alberto Del Rio
Jack Swagger
Kelly Kelly
JTG
Drew McIntyre
Curt Hawkins
Chris Masters
Kofi Kingston
Tyler Reks
Beth Phoenix

Analysis - Raw got itself a good mix of long established big names, promising mid-carders and a few wrestlers that have the potential to be something. Aside from JTG, nobody really sticks out on the Raw draft picks as being horrible. A year ago, Kelly Kelly was beyond horrible but she's improved a helluva lot inside the ring. Tyler Reks has a good look and I've generally enjoyed his matches. If he dropped the 1 dimensional, silent bruiser then things could look good for him.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown!

Randy Orton
Mark Henry
Sin Cara
Daniel Bryan
The Great Khali w/Ranjin Singh
Alicia Fox
William Regal
Yoshi Tatsu
Natalya
The Usos
Ted DiBiase
Tyson Kidd
Tamina
Alex Riley
Sheamus

Analysis - SmackDown! doesn't really have much in the way of long term & established star power in their draft gains aside from Randy Orton. However, what SmackDown! did get was a lot of wrestlers that a LOT can be done with. Sin Cara, Daniel Bryan, Tyson Kidd & Sheamus are four in particular that I think the WWE could do great things with over on the blue brand. Maybe the WWE could get things back on track with The Usos as they have potential to be a good tag team and now we finally get to see whether Alex Riley can sink or swim without The Miz. SmackDown! did get a few duds with Mark Henry, The Great Khali & Tamina. There's really nothing that any of these three bring to the table.

Conclusion - Depending up on what you're looking for, either brand could be considered as getting the best out of the WWE Draft this year. Raw got more wrestlers with more long term success with guys like John Cena, The Big Show & Rey Mysterio. Alberto Del Rio is and has been the biggest heel on SmackDown! and will be a success on Raw. Guys like Kofi, Drew McIntyre & Swagger have shown themselves to be, at least, very strong mid-card competitors. Raw seems to be generally more balanced overall I think. The gains SmackDown! got in the Draft looks to be mostly untapped potential of very promising guys. They're short on star power as Randy Orton was the only huge name they got. Sin Cara brings a ton of energy that the WWE audience is digging. Daniel Bryan will have more of an opportunity to spread his wings on SD! than on Raw as SD! has generally been the more wrestling oriented show the past few years especially. There's a lot that could be done with Tyson Kidd as well I think. I'd love to see William Regal get used in a signifigant way. Sheamus just flat out works and can lend the stability of a great heel presence. I'm curious to see what Alex Riley can do on his own. I don't know if either side "won" when it all boils down to it. I generally think that things worked out in ways that, for the most part, fall in line with what Raw & SmackDown! have been about the past few years. When it comes to Raw, that's typically viewed as the "A show" where you get moved up to when you're "ready and SmackDown! is where a lot of talent gets built and molded before eventually heading to Raw. There are some aberations in that sort of philosophy of course, such as JTG winding up on Raw and Sheamus going to SmackDown!.

 

[Wickpeeka]

I wanted to make this further observation in regards to the draft.

Isn't it great that this is really the first time in some time where this is a legitimate discussion? Previously, although the writers really did make the best they could of it, it was clearly RAW that came out better in the draft.

This time legitimate conversation can be made that Smackdown did indeed come out on top. In the past we've been left hoping that they could build names up. Even the year that we wound up with the famed Smackdown 6 it was RAW who undeniably at the time of the draft came out on top.

 

[wazaboi98]

i think smackdown came out on top with in ring performers such as sin cara but i would have like to see mysterio stay on smackown so he feaud or team up with sin cara and alberto del rio should have stayed on smackdown to feaud with orton

 

[Good Golly It's Ollie]

More or less ... equal - SD got Orton while Cena stays on Raw. The two need to be on separate brands, otherwise it gets clogged.

SD's mid-card is freshened up while Raw gets McIntyre and Kofi. Some of the women and undercarders get moved around. All in all I thought it wasn't a bad effort coming off the back of Edge's retirement. But who's the top heel on SD now? Rhodes? Barrett? Sheamus? There are a couple of options here.

 

[FSWWE]

I honestly think that RAW got the best ones!!
I only need to name 3 and you have to accept it:

• Alberto Del Rio
• Drew McIntyre
• Jack Swagger

Why does this guys sound very good to me?... Because they are the future of the WWE...
With some improvements one of them will be WWE Champion sooner than we think

Of course SD got Randy Orton, but they have lost Rey and Show, so it was a punch in the stomach!
Randy will carry the show and Sheamus will improve a lot, alongside Cody Rhodes!
If they indeed push Ted DiBiase, i would love to see him in a triple threat match with Cody and Randy Orton for the WHC!

 

[GW_Hart86]

I'm not the biggest fan of the whole brand idea anyway, in fact I'm totally against it!

But the answer to the question is definately SmackDown for the near future at least anyway. I think it has been a very interesting draft that has taken place, particularly for those who moved to RAW. I think the thinking behind that is exactly how Marcos555 stated in his previous post that they are looking to the future, therefore moving all the young fresh talent with a mountain of potential to RAW and hopefully they will grow and steal the show.

Exciting times ahead I think, I just hope the WWE takes advantage of this massive opportunity and deals with it correctly.

 

[JWGunslinger]

I have to say they're close but Raw edged out a close one. Raw got more big names if you can count Cena and add Alberto Del Rio, Rey Mysterio & Big Show and then solid mid carders like McIntyre, Kofi and Swagger. While Smackdown got a huge one in Randy Orton along with Sin Cara & Sheamus and guys like Khali, Mark Henry, Tyson Kidd and the Usos. Raw definetly got quality in this draft.

 

[Sykesy]

Smackdown for sure.

Yes Smackdown lost some big guys, Cena (Technically), Big Show, Mysterio but look at the underlining talent they received.

Sin Cara - The guy who will feel the void of Mysterio on Smackdown. Will probably be thrown in the Main Event within a few months.

Daniel Bryan - Bryan has had a huge following since his return Last August. He has had some great airtime and his fan appeal is increasing all the time. He is easily the top upper Mid carder along with Ziggler and Morrison so this move is great for him and Smackdown. It is going to give a fresh face to the "Main Event".

Sheamus - A Former 2x WWE Champion, Current US Champion. I don't think there is a better Supplemental draft pick.

Mark Henry - Personally don't rate him, But a heel change is freshening him up a bit and it seems he is being thrown into the upper mid-card/ Main Event like in 2006. I had no problem with that as it was something different and it definitely will be again.

Ted DiBiase - The most miss used talent of 2010 if you ask me. The guy can wrestle better then most, Just watch his matches with Ziggler and bryan. He is also great on the mic so to finally see him released from Maryse's web is a great sign. Hopefully this will lead to a big push for Dibiase. Perhaps even Main Event within a few months.

Alex Riley - Not to sure with this one. He will either work great or flunk out and be released within a few months. Either way, I like this pick.

Tyson Kidd - Definitely in need of a second tier Championship. He will fresh'n up the Mid-carder picture within Smackdown.

So even without mentioning Orton, I find Smackdown to get the better end of the Draft this year round.

 

[DAFC_Punk_Can_Save_Us]

Smackdown! have come worse off purely because they are now stuck with Randy Boreton. He can bury off all Smackdown!'s young talents instead now, which he made an instant start doing it on Friday.

 

[klunderbunker]

Smackdown. They needed star power and got it, which is the whole point in having the Draft moved up. After Orton, anything else was a bonus. The midcard shifting was pretty stupid as almost everyone moved. The Draft was a bit lackluster but it still wasn't anything bad. They managed to shift the shows around and make things far more balanced, which was needed badly as well. Smackdown won, mainly because it had a big need and got it fulfilled.