WWE Draft 2012: The ReLaunch

[DDelaware2009]

The other day I was surfing around on YouTube when I came across a clip that showed all 20 live draft picks made during the inaugural WWE Draft back in 2002. Since then, they only had random drafts where each brand swapped superstars and picks were made by a computer, not a GM. Then, in 2012, the draft became obsolete with the introduction of the "Super Show."

This got me thinking: what if they had a draft today, but instead of it being computerized, it was a real draft like the one from 2002? It would essentially be like starting the rosters from scratch. The neat thing IMO about the 2002 draft is that it at least somewhat gave us, the fans, an idea of how they, WWE, valued their superstars. And today, I think it would be really interesting given the climate of WWE and the makeup of its current roster. There is ALOT of debate that could be had over which superstar should go higher, etc. Now obviously this all has to pay mind to a significant level of kayfabe that is involved, but nonetheless its interesting to think about, for fantasy's sake.

Here is what I came up with. Some notes: i used the WWE roster off their website to do this, and excluded all non-wrestling personalities and part-time talents like Triple H, Undertaker, The Rock, etc.

I also stayed away from unproven guys like Sandow, Ambrose (who hasn't even debuted), etc. who get a lot of love on here but have yet to prove anything yet, as I didn't see it as a prudent use of a top-10 draft choice.

RAW 1 (#1 overall pick): John Cena - Raw goes with "The Franchise" 1st overall - he's the top draw in the company so its a no brainer

SD 1: Randy Orton - tough call between him and Punk but I see Orton as a better "fit" on SD and he's a WWE home-grown guy so where kayfabe meets reality, they put Orton over by making him SD's #1 pick

RAW 2: CM Punk (WWE Champion) - a guy worthy of being a #1 pick, RAW gets Punk 2nd overall

SD 2: Sheamus (World Champion) - SD goes with the World Champion who is a top babyface and over with the younger SD crowd

RAW 3: Chris Jericho - Raw is still Jericho; a high risk pick as who knows how long Jericho is going to stay, but when he's here he's instant star power

SD 3: Rey Mysterio - Another "fit" pick as Mysterio is one of those guys super over with the SD demographic

RAW 4: Wade Barrett - The first heel to RAW and on the verge of breaking through as a top heel in the business

SD 4: Daniel Bryan - not as highly touted as some of these other names but the man can flat out wrestle and he just keeps proving the doubters wrong, thoroughly validating himself in this current feud with CM Punk

RAW 5: Cody Rhodes - tough call here between Rhodes, Del Rio, or Ziggler, but Rhodes pedigree and superior promo skills, compared to the other two, makes him best "fit" for the Monday Night crowd, IMO

SD 5: Alberto Del Rio - a natural foil to Mysterio and again, a good fit for the SD demographic; the internet crowd is wishy-washy on him but apparently WWE brass is high on ADR and looking to push him hard in 2012 - I like his look, he just needs to develop his character

RAW 6: Christian - the Intercontinental Champion is a great "value" pick, Christian can go main event or mid card, face or heel, tag team, the man is over and can do it all; if he or Jericho turn, you have an instant alliance

SD 6: Dolph Ziggler - probably lower than most on the web would have him selected; 2012 is a make-or-break year for Dolph, IMO - is he world title material or is he the guy doing jobs to Brodus Clay?

RAW 7: Big Show - he just turned 40 but stated recently he's got quite a few years left and is in the midst of significant push right now; he has few fans but is useful to put people over

SD 7: Ryback - SD matches power with power, and takes a high-risk/high-reward pick with the monster Ryback

RAW 8: Kane - RAW continues to stock household names with the Big Red Monster

SD 8: Santino Marella - takes the US title to SD; Santino is more sports entertainer than wrestler these days, and not really worthy of a belt, IMO, but you can't deny he's over with the younger crowd

RAW 9: Kofi Kingston - one half of the tag team champions and a useful face

SD 9: Layla - total kayfabe pick here- she's the Divas' Champ, so she's the pick

RAW 10: R-Truth - obligatory pick here for RAW, as this keeps the tag champs together

SD 10: The Miz - could be a total steal or a complete waste, but the last live pick for SD is used on a former Wrestle Mania headliner, so its worth a gamble


For the record, I had a REALLY hard time with this. Which is why I decided to make a thread out of it and get some feedback. I'd love to see/hear about your "draft projections" and welcome all critiques of mine.

 

[StaRRStruck]

Here's mine:

1st Raw: John Cena - Like you said, he's the guy and will continue to be so for the next couple of years.

1st SmackDown: Sheamus - As the WHC, it's only fit for Sheamus to continue to grow as one of the top guys on SmackDown with the provided fueds he has over the year with the guys I will list later.

2nd Raw: CM Punk - Punk is now a top name with likes of Cena and Orton. In order for him to stay there, I believe he has to continue going through more opponents on Monday nights, much like how Cena did back in 05-06 to a lesser extent.

2nd Smackdown: Randy Orton - Only reason I put Sheamus over Orton is because of the title which would give said GM to have more approval to picking Sheamus rather than Orton. But anyways, Orton would be in a couple of top feuds on SmackDown along with chasing the title to keep things interesting.

3rd Raw: Daniel Bryan - The only reason I picked Bryan over Jericho is because I feel everyone I have named so far has already had an established feud with Chris. Bryan on the other hand, is in the midst of a fued with Punk and would be a fresh new target of Cena to feud with, which would give Bryan more oppurtunites to develop has a heel in 2012.

3rd SmackDown: Chris Jericho - I know this is pushing it for household names for SmackDown, but I just feel like Y2J on SD! will help guide some of the younger talents to get over and can also put on a solid feud throughout the fall or early winter to get Sheamus over. Jericho can easily fill the void as a top heel on SmackDown as he is already established.

4th Raw: Big Show - Show has developed a new character this year which may be more fit on Raw rather than SmackDown. Big Show is still a top name today so he can help fill the void of a monster over on Monday Nights.

4th SmackDown: Kane - SD's monster is Kane, Kane can provide solid weekly perfomances with the likes of Orton and Sheamus which can easily headline SmackDown and help the midcard out if needed too as he is easily transitional.

5th Raw: Dolph Ziggler - Ziggler needs this. For Dolph to get over, he NEEDS to be on Monday Nights to concrete himself in the Main Event. Having solild performances with the likes of Punk and Cena on Raw will help elevate Dolph as a serious contender throughout 2012 and will hopefully finally fulfill as a true Main Eventer.

5th SmackDown: Alberto Del Rio - Challenge the likes of Orton and hopefully has more solid feud than the crap him and Sheamus has right now. Be built back to a legit contender like he was in 2011.

6th Raw: Santino Marella - Comedy relief for Raw and is a favourite to watch along with the fact he has the US champ and the face of Raw's midcard.

6th SmackDown: Christian - Depending if Christian stays face throughout the year he can either the stay in the Midcard or move up as a heel and be one of Sheamus rivals during the year.

7th Raw: Layla - Divas champ, leave her on Raw.

7th SmackDown: Cody Rhodes - Give this guy a little more time to build and late in the year have him jump in the title picture with the likes of Sheamus, Del Rio and Orton.

8th Raw: Wade Barrett - Late and surprise pick as his shock value can help establish him immediately and hopefully give him a Wwe title run along the year.

8th SmackDown: Kingston & Truth - I packaged them as tag champs, provide an entertaining division on SmackDown.

9th Raw: Brodus Clay - Another comic relief who seems more fitting for Raw to provide a filler to the 3 hour phenomenon.

9th SmackDown: Ryback - Have Ryback drill through the competition on SmackDown them make his way over to Raw the following year to become a top superstar.

10th Raw: Rey Mysterio - Rey will be the surprise return pick to help bring some soild matches weekly and help put over the likes of Ziggler and Bryan.

10th SmackDown: The Miz - Following his shooting Miz should come to SmackDown and have solid feuds as a heel against Orton and Sheamus or as a newly found face and feud with the likes of Del Rio.

Supplemental Picks (Just some that come to mind)
Raw
Tyson Kidd
Tensai
Heath Slater
Justin Gabriel
David Otunga
Hunico
Sin Cara
Epico
Primo
Kharma
Beth Pheniox
AJ
Eve

SmackDown
Damien Sandow
Zack Ryder
Ted DiBiase
Prime Time Players
Natalya
Tamina Snuka
Alicia Fox

 

[#SAWFT]

Okay, I'll have a go, I agree with a fair amount of yours, but I'd also change a few.

Raw 1 - John Cena - obvious pick, number one, out the way.
Smackdown 1 - (WWE Champion) CM Punk - may disagree, but I think CM Punk is more over than Randy Orton, and CM Punk could do with 'freshing up'.

Raw 2 - (World Heavyweight Champion) Sheamus - Raw would need a world title, and with CM Punk on Smackdown, Raw would counter with the other World Championship.
Smackdown 2 - Randy Orton - Next obvious pick if we're not choosing 'Legends', but I think he'll be better off heel on Smackdown, as Randy Orton face is just meh.

Raw 3 - Dolph Ziggler - Let him prove to people on Raw that he can be a main eventer, have him feud with Sheamus, and make him interesting again.
Smackdown 3 - Daniel Bryan - I think they should take the feud over to Smackdown, and this could bring Smackdown live, as they'll have enough Superstars who can perform without having retakes.

Raw 4 - Chris Jericho - I love Jericho, and I think him and Cena could have a great feud together. Jericho is still a good enough draw to bring in the heat, and have people boo or cheer him whenever he wants.
Smackdown 4 - Alberto Del Rio - I don't want him on Raw. That's why he's on Smackdown.

Raw 5 - Cody Rhodes - I love this guy, and so do WWE. Bring him to Raw to feud with a Legend, maybe Triple H? I think this could go well, should Triple H decide to put him over.
Smackdown 5 - Wade Barrett - Don't see the hype, but I would get him to feud in a heel on heel feud with Orton.

Raw 6 - (Intercontinental Champion) Christian - Heel, face, world champion, Midcard champion, jobber, tag team champion. This guy is the most compatible person in the WWE. Can work with anyone on any stage.
Smackdown 6 - Rey Mysterio - Have him in this feud with Sin Cara. Get it over with.

Raw 7 - (Tag Team Champion) Kofi Kingston - Take the titles of Kofi/Truth, and push Kofi as a more aggressive face. Maybe feuding against Big Show.
Smackdown 7 - Ryback - Have him just fight. He shouldn't lose until his first feud, have him lose the first match, and find the heel opponent backstage knocked out. Thus, Creating the feud.

Raw 8 - Big Show - Have him out over younger talent, maybe feuding with Kofi Kingston, to put him over.
Smackdown 8 - (United Stated Champion) Santino Marella - Have him feud with Damien Sandow, and LOSE THE TITLE. Comedy is fine, but not him as a champion.

Raw 9 - R-Truth - Have him as a jobber. Simple.
Smackdown 9 - Mark Henry - When he returns, have him bring back the Hall of Pain, and destroy everyone.

Number 10 is the GM 'draft pick'
Raw 10 - William Regal - I think he's great, and I loved him as an evil GM.
Smackdown 10 - Edge - A heel Edge as the GM could be brilliant, have him feud with CM Punk without any fights.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

RAW 1 - Sheamus : Draft Sheamus to RAW along with The World Heavyweight Championship.
Smackdown 1 : CM Punk : As World Heavyweight Championship goes to RAW, WWE Champion needs to be drafted to Smackdown.

RAW 2 : John Cena : As the face of the WWE on the flagship show of WWE.
Smackdown 2 : Randy Orton : As he is the 2nd most over face after John Cena.

RAW 3 : Christian : Intercontinental Champion to RAW.
Smackdown 3 : Santino Marella : US Champion to Smackdown.

RAW 4 : Chris Jericho : Jericho to RAW. In the World title picture fueding with Sheamus.
Smackdown 4 : The Miz : Can develop as a main-eventor on Smackdown.

RAW 5 : Kane : Kane can fued with Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Championship and maybe have a World Championship run.
Smackdown 5 : Big Show : Big Show as a heel on Smackdown in the US title picture.

RAW 6 : Alberto Del Rio : Fued with Christian or maybe Chris Jericho.
Smackdown 6 : Cody Rhodes : Can fued with The Miz which can make them both rise to the main-event.

RAW 7 : Tensai : Have him fued with Christian for the Intercontinental Championship. Build him as a legit dominant heel.
Smackdown 7 : Dolph Ziggler : Have random matches with CM Punk or John Cena with him always complaining that he isn't WWE Champion.

RAW 8 : Wade Barrett: Maybe make him fued with John Cena in which Cena puts over Wade Barrett.
Smackdown 8 : Drew McIntyre : Make him the US Champion or maybe a fued with Randy Orton.

RAW 9 : Divas Champion to RAW whoever the champion is.
Smackdown 8 : R-Truth : As the Tag-Champ.

RAW 10 : Daniel Bryan : Fued with John Cena.
Smackdown 10 : Kofi Kingston : As R-Truth (Tag-Team Champion) is drafted to RAW.

 

[LeviCook]

I agree with most of your picks. I would switch CM Punk and Cena though. Have CM Punk (WWE Champion) picked first and Cena picked second. It wouldn't hurt Cena's credibility at all to be picked second but it would hurt Punk. It would show no matter champion or not he would still be under Cena. That's not a good look for the champion.

 

[Workrate]

I should make clear that I did this as if I were an actual WWE employee, not as if I were starting some kind of fantasy league where I could omit wrestlers that I don't particularly care for personally. If it were my own personal list, it'd look a lot different. Here we go...

FIRST 10 PICKS - SELECTED LIVE ON RAW

Raw 1 - John Cena
Smackdown 1 - CM Punk

This one is obvious. John Cena is the no-brainer top pick as the face of the company, though in my own personal universe I'd like to see Punk and the WWE Championship go off the board first (and it relegates it to Smackdown rather than Raw). However, if you take the WWE title, Smackdown is immediately forced to take the World Championship, which means Sheamus goes second. But Cena HAS to go ahead of Sheamus in my book, so this is how it plays out.

Raw 2 - Sheamus
Smackdown 2 - Randy Orton

By picking up Sheamus, Raw gives themselves the World Championship, a move they had to make after the WWE Championship ended up on Smackdown. Meanwhile, the Friday night program goes with Randy Orton, who I wouldn't personally draft at all, but who makes sense as a top pick given the current WWE landscape.

Raw 3 - Daniel Bryan
Smackdown 3 - Christian

Even though Daniel Bryan is quickly becoming a face, this gives Raw their first legitimate heel. Smackdown, meanwhile, takes Christian, effectively choosing the Intercontinental Championship over the United States Championship and once again forcing Raw into a position where they have to use a pick to secure a belt.

Raw 4 - Santino Marella
Smackdown 4 - Alberto Del Rio

Santino comes off the board far too early in this situation solely because he has that strap. Raw couldn't have afforded to let him slide by and allow three titles to be represented on Smackdown (of course, if we're strictly doing this based on kayfabe, that would never happen, but I've elected to add a sense of real draft methodology to this). Del Rio gives Smackdown another heel former champion.

Raw 5 - Dolph Ziggler
Smackdown 5 - Big Show

After effectively wasting a pick on Santino, Raw uses this pick to grab Dolph Ziggler, a hot young talent that is beginning to go over massively with the audience. Smackdown, meanwhile, grabs the Big Show, which may be a reach given his lengthy history of mid-carding, but makes sense given that it's a Friday night program and he's a unique big man that's been built lately as the giant he should have been all along.

Raw 6 - Chris Jericho
Smackdown 6 - Rey Mysterio

Here's the trouble with Jericho: if this draft weren't held to any kayfabe restrictions, he may not get drafted at all because he's not a long-term guy. Drafting Jericho is like drafting Peyton Manning over Cam Newton if the NFL held a league-wide draft. But because of kayfabe, Jericho is a viable option. Plus, by drafting him to Raw after Ziggler, it would set up a nice face Ziggler versus heel Jericho feud, with the crux being Jericho's bitterness towards being drafted behind Ziggler. Putting Mysterio on Smackdown gives them a top star, former champion, and interesting challenger for CM Punk's strap.

Raw 7 - Wade Barrett
Smackdown 7 - Cody Rhodes

Two young up-and-comers spread across either show. This was a toss-up for me, but I went with Raw selecting Barrett because I feel like Barrett/Sheamus has more potential than Rhodes/Sheamus at this point in time.

Raw 8 - Kane
Smackdown 8 - Kofi Kingston & R-Truth

Since Smackdown drafted their giant in Big Show, Raw gets their monster in the form of Kane. And again, with Sheamus carrying the World title on the brand, it sets up an eventual Sheamus/Kane rivalry. Meanwhile, Smackdown picks up the Tag Team Championships with Kofi and Truth, who I allowed to be drafted as a package deal because splitting up teams and champions through the draft has only ever proven to be a detriment to the division.

Raw 9 - The Miz
Smackdown 9 - Ryback

I don't understand why Miz is in the doghouse, but he deserves to come out of it. On top of his game, he's one of the best in the business at drawing heat and cutting promos. He gives Raw another former champion to build the brand around. Ryback, meanwhile, heads off to Smackdown where he can continue mauling jobbers and low card talent until eventually running into heels like Del Rio and Big Show to help get him over as a bigger fan favorite.

Raw 10 - Mark Henry
Smackdown 10 - Sin Cara

Sort of by accident, I put Henry, Sheamus, and Kane on the same brand, which I didn't really want to do. But the good thing is that they're all former champions with histories with one another, so there are built in feuds in place. Sin Cara is flawed for any number of reasons, but his biggest issue is finding opponents that can mesh with his style. So, to help resolve that, he goes on the same brand as Rey Mysterio. If I were booking, I'd somehow put Sin Cara and Mysterio together to capture the Tag Team Championships from Kofi and Truth, also on Smackdown, before breaking up, which would set up the long-rumored match between Cara and Mysterio.

NEXT 5 PICKS - SELECTED LIVE ON SMACKDOWN

Raw 11 - Brodus Clay
Smackdown 11 - Tyson Kidd

Want to jump start a push for someone like Tyson Kidd? Have him be the first pick of the second day's worth of draft selections. By putting him on Smackdown, you also set yourself up with a decent little cruiserweight-type division alongside Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio. Brodus Clay going to Raw makes sense if only to keep him away from Ryback.

Raw 12 - Damian Sandow
Smackdown 12 - Prime Time Players

Sandow may be a reach here because he's fairly unproven, but I feel like he brings a talent unique to the Raw roster that's already been compiled here. The Prime Time Players, meanwhile, go to the show with the gold for them to vie for, making the tag team division essentially a Smackdown exclusive.

Raw 13 - Justin Gabriel
Smackdown 13 - Evan Bourne

These are both investments in young talent, with the Bourne pick being just another way to bring some semblance of a high flying atmosphere to Friday nights.

Raw 14 - David Otunga
Smackdown 14 - The Usos

Otunga isn't a personal favorite of mine, but he is the type of guy who should be in the running to take that United States Championship from around Santino Marella's waist. He can do that in this scenario, as both are Raw property. The Usos, meanwhile, fit the bill for Smackdown's resurgent tag team division.

Raw 15 - Antonio Cesaro
Smackdown 15 - Jack Swagger

Again, Raw invests in some young talent to compete for the United States Championship. Smackdown, on the other hand, puts stock into a risk/reward type prospect in Jack Swagger, who has plenty of history between the ropes and the resume of a former champion, but needs some work to restore his image and reputation.

 

[The_Midnight_Show]

To start I love the idea of this as a thread. I don't think I'd want to see it occur in today's WWE (especially since as you mentioned the innovation of the "supershow"), but here's how I would do it. Raw GM making the picks is HHH and Smackdown GM is Teddy Long because I struggle to see the WWE ever letting him go (please note that since Long is GM it is real tempting to not have him pick all tag teams).

RAW 1: John Cena (WWE Champ at the time of whenever this draft may occur)
Smackdown 1: CM Punk

I believe the WWE Championship should stay on Raw and the WHC on Smackdown! We have been taught to believe that the WWE Championship is more prestigious and at least for a bit I would find it hard to adjust. WWE still portrays Cena as the face of the company and it makes sense that RAW would pick him first. As for Punk, I believe that he is a better candidate for the face of Smackdown than someone such as Orton or Sheamus

RAW 2: Daniel Bryan (w/AJ)
Smackdown 2: Randy Orton (WHC at the time of draft)

Both of these guys are heels at the time of the draft. Randy has had more than enough time in his face personna for us to see that he is better as a heel figure. Also, this sets up a Punk/Orton feud (this time the heel/face role is reversed) since Punk was selected before the WHC. Daniel Bryan is given more time to showcase his ability on Raw

RAW 3: Sheamus
Smackdown 3: Chris Jericho

Since HHH is Raw GM, as mentioned before, having him pick Sheamus is a bit of a no-brainer. Chris Jericho is risky as others have mentioned because you never know when he'll leave but the fact of the matter is as long as he is there Jericho can be incredibly versatile.

RAW 4: Christian (IC title)
Smackdown 4: Ryback (US Title)

Obviously my draft has been done a bit in the future and Ryback has since proven himself more than crushing the likes of Stan Stanksy and Rutherford P.S. Hayes. Both mid-card titles are picked fairly high given them so kayfabe respect. IC Title is now on Raw as I believe it should be.

RAW 5: Alberto Del Rio
Smackdown 5: Big Show

Another pair of heels is selected. I'm not a fan of the Big Show and never will be, but I find him more bearable on Smackdown than on Raw for whatever reason. Alberto Del Rio has more of a chance to get over on Raw where the crowd always seems to be more into the show.

Raw 6: Dolph Ziggler (w/ Vicki Guerrero)
Smackdwon 6: Wade Barrett

Ziggler is tough to place. As I've mentioned my draft is done in the future so it's hard to predict whether or not Ziggler has made his "permanent" spot in the main event scene or not. Obviously we'll get a better idea by Sunday night. For this draft though, I'll say he has yet to become a WHC. His reign during the Edge feud excluded. I like Wade a lot on Smackdown! and wouldn't like him to move as of now.

Raw 7: Kane
Smackdown 7: Prime Time Players (Tag Champs)

The tag champs can rotate between shows so it's not a huge deal, but the division can't be ignored during the draft so Teddy does what everyone expects him to do.

Raw 8: Brodus Clay
Smackdown 8: Rey Mysterio

Brodus is currently filler but he has potential more so as an unoriginal big-guy heel. Mysterio can be sort of a surprise selection, maybe this is his return.

Raw 9: The Miz
Smackdown 9: Cody Rhodes

As heels, being picked so low greatly offends both wrestlers. They will both come out in future shows with something to prove. With that said, I am not opposed to seeing a face Cody Rhodes. I think he could do it and my Smackdown thus far seems to be lacking faces.

Raw 10: R-Truth and Kofi Kingston
Smackdown 10: Damien Sandow

Sandow is another one that is hard to judge where he will be a couple of months from now. I think he will definitely be in the mid-card scene, thus making this a bit low for his selection. Maybe a swap with PTP? I'm too lazy to actually change it.

Supplemental Draft RAW: Cole & Lawler, Swagger, Hawkins & Reks, The Ascension, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Layla, Beth Phoenix.

Supplemental Draft Smackdown: Josh Matthews and Booker T, Otunga, Primo and Epico, The Usos, Tyson Kidd, Sin Cara, Tensai, Santino Marella.

I apologize if I left out anyone notable. I don't believe I did. I obviously didn't include people like the Rock, Brock, etc. since they are "part-time" and would appear on Raw anyway.

 

[Workrate]

I almost did what you did, The_Midnight_Show, which is change the champions around based on how I'd like the table to be set at the time of the draft. That changes things a lot, because Santino ends up being one of those supplementary online picks, Sheamus drops a couple rounds, and the WWE title ends up on Raw with the World title on Smackdown.

 

[DDelaware2009]

Workrate, I love the idea of an extended draft, with picks 11-15 on Smack Down...it would be kinda like the day 2 of the NFL draft, hardcore fans eat that stuff up and they could book it so we could see some of the younger, more promising up and comers get picked there after the big names go on RAW. Like you noted with your drafting of Tyson Kidd 11 overall to SmackDown.

Also guys like Sandow (even thought I hate his hype and don't find him nearly as interesting as the rest of you), Cesaro, and then a guy like Swagger could get hyped as a "day 2 steal" as part of the storyline, etc.

 

[lil bitch Kid]

If they do a draft, I would have matches on both shows, and the winner chooses where to go. By having a few top guys choose to be on SD, you add value to the show.

 

[Mark Gallows]

I wouldn't try and do another draft right now, it kinda made sence after the invasion because they esentially had 2 rosters, which was too much to focus on each show without dropping guys down the card/wasting talent. Right now I just don't think they have enough draws to make it compelling TV, I'd much rather they went back to the 2000 style of having a single roster with better defined/more active IC and Tag divisions, just my opinion.

 

[Da Solo]

I liked the idea someone above me put to have the 1st 5 picks on RAW and the last 5 on SD! It'd boost some ratings for the blue brand but still keep RAW as the flagship by keeping the 1st 5 picks.

I'm changing no champions, assuming all current titleholders still hold their respective title.

Pick 1
RAW: CM Punk; SmackDown: Sheamus
I feel that the world titles should come 1st and foremost. Seeing as how they are the most important titles in the promotion, they should, without question, take top priority. I kept Punk and Sheamus on their current brands because Punk is too valuable to keep off of the flagship show, and frankly, I don't wanna see Sheamus go to RAW. He'd become Super-Cena 2. I would like to see the WWE on SD and the WHC on Raw though. It would give the WHC more prestige for being on the flagship, and could bump up SD! ratings considering they have the best title.

Pick 2
RAW: John Cena; SD!: Chris Jericho
I know some might argue with Cena being second pick, but it doesn't devalue him at all. Punk and Sheamus are world champions, so they can understandably take 1st ticket. I'd keep Cena on RAW because I like the dichotomy he and Punk provide as 2 top faces on 1 brand: The clean-cut Superman of Cena or the Bad-ass Dark Knight of Punk. As for Y2J, he'd be a good 2nd pick for SD! over Orton due to his in-ring prowess and star power. Plus, it would hurt the company's heels to know that they would be picked after 1st and 2nd round picks.

Pick 3
RAW: Daniel Bryan; SD!: Randy Orton
It's about time RAW gets their first heel, and DB fits the mold perfectly. He has fit comfortably within RAW since the Punk/Kane/AJ angle, and would have no problem being the top heel of RAW. As for Orton, I only placed him now because he is seen as too valuable for me to make him a lower level pick. If it was up to my personal taste, I'd have him at 5th pick, but I can acknowledge the fact that he's worth more than that.

Pick 4
RAW: Alberto Del Rio; SD!: Dolph Ziggler
These picks round out the draft so far as to have 2 heels and 2 faces at this point, even though Ziggler is blurring heel/face lines as of late. ADR is thought of highly to management, so him on RAW would be better than SD, as he fits in with the crop of Stars I placed there rather than SD. As for Ziggler, he is going to be pushed to the moon obviously, so I put him on SD! where he can shine as a heel/face/whatever rather than being behind Punk, Cena. He can carry the blue brand, and its a good test to see if he would be able to hold down a show before giving him to RAW

Pick 5
RAW: Christian; SD!: Kane
I put Christian on RAW solely because he is the IC champ, and should be treated as important enough to get on the first 5 picks. Plus, the IC obviously outranks the US, so give the more important one to RAW, and give SD the US to build it back up to the glory days of Booker, Benoit and MVP. Kane to SD for his versatility. Heel, face or whatever, Kane can do it, and it's that veteran ability that SD! needs to keep from being completely overshadowed.

Pick 6
RAW: Mark Henry; SD!: Rey Mysterio
I picked these big names as low as Pick 6 because in reality, pick 6 is as important as pick 3, because though it is 6, it starts of the SD! transmission of the brand, giving it more meaning. I grew tired of Rey on RAW a while back. When they first did it, it was cool considering he was a staple of SD! for a while, but let's be honest: he's a much better fit to hold down the B show. He brings star power and the love of the kiddies, which is good for business. Henry to RAW because they could use a monster heel, and his monster heel run could work wonders for RAW and offer an alternative to ADR, who some can't stand as a top heel.

Pick 7
RAW: Cody Rhodes; SD!: Brodus Clay
In the last days of the brand split, RAW's midcard suffered because, as the A show, the main event took up much of the show. Cody is a perfect pick to hold down the midcard scene by being at the top of it, and even being a part-time main-eventer when he isn't needed in the midcard anymore. The same goes for Clay, who would do the same for SD!, except as a face. Whether you like him or not, he is over as hell, and is deserving of this.

Pick 8
RAW: Kofi Kingston; SD!: R-Truth
Why separate the tag titles? I did it so that they can, storyline, invoke a clause saying that as long as they are together, Kofi and Truth, as champs can appear anywhere given their situation. I like this because it gives at least 1 superstar some brand-bending options and gives the tag champs exposure. The clause part also makes the tag titles seem more important, since it makes the titles seem important enough to become an exception. Kofi to RAW because his in ring style goes well with the live crowd/transmission, and Truth to SD! because if he goes heel again (which I hope to God he does), he can be SD!'s top heel.

Pick 9
RAW: Ryback; SD!: Santino
The US title needs to be somewhere on the live part of the draft as to not devalue it. Santino is also a bit better suited on SD!, where if he can hold down the midcard as well, and if he does a joke that doesn't go over, it can be edited. I gave RAW Ryback as to give them a rookie pick who can shake things up. Plus, with him on the main show, he truly can be fed more.

Pick 10
RAW: Zack Ryder, Damien Sandow and Wade Barret; SD!: Sin Cara, Big Show and The Miz
I made pick 10 worth 3 to close out the show on a big stage, and to make it have that big ending feel. Ryder needs the exposure of the main show, as does Barret if he is to become a top heel. Sandow I chose because I feel his gimmick would be AWESOME for a live crowd. He would get over quickly. Cara I sent to SD! for obvious editing reasons (he's fun to watch, but botches), Miz can get re-pushed like he deserves on the lesser scale of SD! and Show would be the last televised pick, as to give SD! a go-to heel and to make the last pick seem like a doozy.

After the televised picks, I'd have each brand get 10 superstars in a supplemental draft:
RAW - Prime Time Players, Ezekiel Jackson, Drew McIntyre, Hunico, Camacho, Antonio Cesaro, Jinder Mahal, The Uso's
SD! - Reks and Hawkins, Primo y Epico, JTG, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Tyson Kidd, Ted Dibiase, Great Khali

Divas: RAW gets Eve, Kharma and AJ, SD! gets Layla, Natalya and Beth Phoenix. The rest can go wherever.

Commentators (this can be televised too):
RAW - Booker T, JR and William Regal/Matt Striker (wishful thinking, but nontheless...)
SD! - Michael Cole, King and Josh Matthews

 

[TriggaTrey]

This is my first post since becoming a member of WrestleZone, and what better thread to begin with than a WWE Draft? With that said, let's begin. RAW has the first pick:

#1. RAW- CM Punk (WWE Champion)
#1. SmackDown- John Cena

Right off the bat, we have a monster shake-up. Punk, is one of, if not THE, hottest superstar in the WWE today, so this one was pretty much a no-brainer. Cena, however, has been the poster boy for the flagship show since '05. With Cena on SmackDown, he brings his popularity and ratings to the WWE's B-show.

#2. RAW- Daniel Bryan
#2. SmackDown- Sheamus (World Heavyweight Champion)

RAW takes Bryan with its second pick, quickly establishing its top heel and face. Bryan is a great worker and big time talent. Again, a no-brainer. And plus, he and Punk have a great dynamic that fans love to watch. SmackDown cannot let the WHC and WWE Championship belong to RAW, so they select the WHC Sheamus. This gives SmackDown two top faces on the show. This is either really good or really bad.

#3. RAW- Dolph Ziggler
#3. SmackDown- Randy Orton

Ziggler is a big time talent. He has all of the tools necessary to be a top superstar for years to come, so RAW takes a chance a snatches the Show-Off from the board. Orton may be on his second strike for violation of policy, but that does not mean that he is not one of the company's biggest draws. With this pick, SmackDown also secures its top heel, assuming Orton does turn heel upon his return.

#4. RAW- Christian (Intercontinental Champion)
#4. SmackDown- Chris Jericho

RAW grabs Christian with the forth pick, giving RAW an establish vet that can help put guys over and also anchor the mid-card. Jericho is then taken by SmackDown to counter RAW. Jericho, also a vet, is more popular than Christian, but he is also more of a risk. How long will he stay? Guess that's a chance SmackDown has to take.

#5. RAW- Wade Barrett
#5. SmackDown- Cody Rhodes

RAW selects Wade Barrett at #5. RAW has its top face, top heel, top talent, great veteran, and now, a monster heel. Wade Barrett can pick up where he left off with the Barrett Barrage and begin to run rampant on the RAW roster. Rhodes is a budding star, but he is still associated with the mid-card scene, and that is not going to change in the near future. But at least he does have superstars on the SmackDown roster that can help really put him over.

Through the first 5 picks, it looks to be shaping up as RAW's talent vs. SmackDown's star-power. Let's continue.

#6. RAW- Zack Ryder
#6. SmackDown- Alberto Del Rio

Ryder is the sixth pick for RAW, and boy does he make an impact! I dont know what it is about Long Island Iced Z, but he is crazy over with the fans. This pick was for the RAW fans and the WWE Universe. ADR is chosen by SmackDown. Although ADR has lost some steam since his recent injury, he still has potential. Along with Rhodes, he is a nice heel for the mid-card.

#7. RAW- Ryback
#7. SmackDown- Santino (United States Champion)

There is no doubt that Ryback is a force in the WWE and RAW's prime time spot will give him a chance to showcase his talent against top WWE talent. SmackDown cannot let the US Champ slip any further, so Santino is the pick. Even though this is way too high for Santino, SmackDown needs a minor title.

#8. RAW- Big Show
#8. SmackDown- Kane

RAW takes its second consecutive big man in Big Show. With a few years left in his career, Show can solidify the mid-card or main event scene. (probably the mid-card). SmackDown counters with its first big man in Kane. The Devil's Favorite Demon can also range from mid-card to main event and provide interesting storylines as well.

#9. RAW- Kharma
#9. SmackDown- The Miz

A diva pick? Yes, a diva pick. Kharma easily runs through the Diva's divison, but that is not my concern. I eventually want to see Kharma challenge men for the IC and maybe the WWE championship. SmackDown takes the steal-of-the-draft with Miz. The Awesome One has seemed to be forgotten amongst the WWE Universe. Miz is a talented heel that can return and make an immediate impact on the SmackDown roster.

#10. RAW- Kofi Kingston (1/2 Tag-Team Champion)
#10. SmackDown- Mark Henry

RAW rounds out its roster with the exciting Kofi Kingston. Another superstar to bolster the mid-card and provide a solid show. Henry is the final pick for SmackDown, giving the blue show its second big man. Henry can return and bring along his Hall of Pain and try his luck against this new-look Smackdown roster.


Supplemental:

#1. SmackDown- Brodus Clay
#1. RAW- Sin Cara

#2. SmackDown- Tyson Kidd
#2. RAW- Layla

#3. SmackDown- Beth Phoenix
#3. RAW- R-Truth (1/2 Tag-Team Champion)

General Managers:

RAW- David Otunga
SmackDown- Mick Foley