2009 Draft Discussion

[noumenon]

We're only two weeks away from the annual WWE Draft. It will be taking place the night after Wrestlemania on RAW.
I'm sure we've all heard the rumors that Smackdown is going to get royally screwed this year with the possible decision to finally truly recognize RAW as the main show and have Smackdown become more of a developmental territory and moving most big names over to Monday nights.

So the question being, what do you guys see happening this year? Who do you see going where? And do you think that Smackdown becoming more of a developmental territory with a few big names spinkled around could be a good thing?

I think that this could honestly be the right move. There are so many feuds that we never get to see because of the brand division, by mid-year often times the show is already stale as programs are dragged through the dirt and are simply continued and repeated for the point of taking up some time.
With that said in order for Smackdown to become a show for up and coming guys there still need to be a few bigger names left over there to actually put people over. If not then we're essentially left with another ECW, nobodies trying to go over other nobodies with nothing much happening for anyone.
I see this year's draft being much like last years with each brand having to "earn" their picks via matches.

RAW
Triple H (w/ WWE Title)
MVP (w/ US title)
Edge

(I know it's only a few for RAW but you have to realize they'll have HHH, HBK, Orton, Edge, all on one brand)

SMACKDOWN
John Cena (w/ World Heavyweight Title)
Rey Mysterio (w/ Intercontinental Title)
Christian
Chris Jericho (it's really time he becomes the true top heel of a show)
Batista


That's basically what I see for the main eventers and what not. And of course every year we see a few new sacrificial lambs sent down to help out ECW.

 

[X-Sterl-X]

I really doubt Cena will be getting moved to the developmental show.. He is the WWE's new Rock.. He will stay on RAW I can promise that.Anyway I see

These are my top 3 for each show

RAW
Triple H (lost title to Orton)
Edge
Mizorrison

ECW
Rey Mysterio
Kofi Kingston
Dolph Ziggler (big push)

Smackdown
Batista
Chris Jericho
Matt Hardy

 

[Moonlight Drive]

@ Sterl: In regards to Cena, isn't that the exact same thing people said about Triple H?

I also doubt he'll move, but still, there's always a chance. I'll post my list later, although there's definitely going to be a Edge/Randy Orton switch imo, to seperate Edge from Vickie and so each man can continue their respective feuds if necessary.

 

[noumenon]

Matt Hardy is already on Smackdown

Cena is 90% most likely walking out of Mania as champ...are we going to have both major titles on RAW?

 

[X-Sterl-X]

Matt Hardy is already on Smackdown

Cena is 90% most likely walking out of Mania as champ...are we going to have both major titles on RAW?

Matt Hardy is on ECW....


I believe that Orton will win and call me crazy but I have a feeling the Big Show is walking out with the belt. The WWE has seemed to really like him lately, and they seem ready to let him lead a B show...

 

[noumenon]

No....Matt Hardy is on Smackdown. Go check....come back and appologize..lol

 

[X-Sterl-X]

I could have sworn he got drafted to ECW last year, and than just started showing up on Smackdown at the beginning of the Jeff feud... Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Moonlight Drive]

You're right, but he got officially moved to Smackdown after the Rumble.

 

[X-Sterl-X]

My bad.... well than scratch hardy and add Christian

Anyway yeah, I'm pretty suprised to see we can't all agree that Orton is going to win at WM... Kinda shocked

 

[noumenon]

I'm still torn... either way the WWE title is coming to RAW, whether it's drafted in on HHH or won by Orton.

 

[Airfixx]

Main thing I wanna see is SD continue it's mid-card heavy approach and actually start pushing their mid-card title, beyond that for one reason or another SD's ME has felt pretty inflexible(*) for the last year or two so a thin ME shouldn't really affect things too much as long as you have a fair few fresh fueds between the guys that will make up said upper-card.


(*Most recently, I'm refering to them having no-one in the the ME that was in a suitable position to take a pin and I think a lot of the merry-go-round ttreatment of the title on SD was in part influeneced by this.)

Personally, I see no benefit of moving MVP to Raw - it'll just slow down his climb to the top... I say have him REACH the ME and hold his first world title on SD... The gradual approach. At the same time, I really like the idea of most of the big guys and uber-stars together... Ultimately something's GOTTA give.

A fair few peeps seem to want/predict Orton moving to SD, but unless Legacy is a short term deal, I reall can't see that happening.... As I've said in another thread, they've invested way too much time in creating this faction to have it just be a WM-angle or indeed to draft them all to what is finally going to be shown to be the 'B' show.

Also, I'm at a loss as to how they can juggle the top heels and still get the most out of them... I'm somewhat reluctant to have Orton & Edge on the same show (but regardless I'm gonna 'do' it, even if it means Edge taking a backseat in the short term - I think Jericho is on top of his game right now whilst both Edge & Orton have youth on their side.), so here's what I'd like to see:

> Raw
Edge
HHH
Undertaker
Mark Henry

> Smackdown
Chris Jericho
Christian
Rey Mysterio
Dolph Ziggler
Evan Bourne

> ECW
Vladimir Koslov
R-Truth
Shelton Benjamin
Kane
Jamie Noble

Whilst the tag teams are (hopefully) tri-branded.

 

[kingovkings]

IM Going with
RAW HHH, Edge, Mizorrison,

SD Rey, Jericho, Christian, Bourne,

ECW
Kozlov, Umaga

Im also not sure were Cena will be There is that chance he could go over to SD. They might alternate big stars every draft just to draw and try keep fans watching each week. Plus Cena gunna be filming next summer so he gunna be off for that. Who knows but it's a possibilty it could happen.

 

[noumenon]

I'm pretty sure Cena and Batista will both end up on Smackdown. Batista will most likely secure role of top face over on Smackdown during Cena's break to film his movie (which I believe will be around 3 months)...Cena will return around October and they'll start building towards Cena/Batista for Mania as originally was planned for this year.

 

[Millzy Pt. 2]

I really doubt Cena will be getting moved to the developmental show.. He is the WWE's new Rock..

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit after reading that.
:yeahright:

 

[MikeRaw]

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit after reading that.
:yeahright:

C'mon Milly, I thought you were better than that? Eevryone knows The Rock is 10x better than Cena, but even someone with no brain can understand what Sterl meant. He meant, like it or not, they MARKET his as the face of the comapny (similar to how Rock and Austin were the face of the company before), so therefore, he would never go to the C brand.


Anyways, on to this...

I think this will happen...

To Raw:
Christian; I see him being brought over to Raw to be showcased. WWE didn't bring him back for nothing, and I really think they have some big plans for him, plus, he brings the diversity that he can be a heel or face, and main eventer or midcarder. Seeing as the Raw writers are often more storyline based and creative, I can see him going there, so they can try alot of different things with him.

The Undertaker; Nearing the end of his career, I see him on one last big run on Raw.

MVP: If he wins MITB, which I'm guessing he will, I see him on Raw, to get a change of scenery

Matt Hardy: I think after WM, they'll want to give him an actual run as a heel, and a bit of a push too, and try to do it without the spotlight of Jeff. he should solididy himself at Mania, and I see them pushing him on Raw.

Edge: I'm thinking that it'll end up being Show and Vickie together, thus ending the Vickie/Edge thing, and Edge being moved to Raw. He could feud with Orton in heel vs heel, or Mysterio, or Taker (again, which is good and bad), but I definately see him oving to Raw.


To Smackdown:
Batista: I think they'll want to really shake things up, and send Batista back to SD.

Shawn Michaels: I know it's a stretch, but I could see it happening.

Chris Jericho: Imagine feuds like Batista vs Jericho, HHH vs Jericho, Kennedy vs Jericho, Jericho vs Hardy, etc?

CM Punk: I think on raw he's shown what he can do, and on SD it would give him a better chance to be showcased, and compete in both the Main Event and the midcard.


My guess is that Triple H will be Orton for the WWE title, keeping it on SD. And weither Edge or Cena will win the WHC, bringing it to Raw.