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Richard Reacts To The Upcoming WWE Draft - What I Would Like To See Happen To All Three Brands

Written by Richard Gray on Jun 19, 2008 - 2:37:32 PM

Unless you have been living in a cave for the past month then you know that WWE will hold yet another draft on Monday during a special three-hour edition of Raw from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. A lot has been written about draft rumors, possible moves, and superstars that could flourish in front of a new audience. One of the most intriguing things about the WWE draft is that not only do the moves affect us, the fans, but they also affect the talent. Wrestlers who have gotten used to traveling together for at least a year are forced to switch things up with new co-workers, new creative teams, and a new taping schedule. Monday's edition of Raw is the one show where even though the moves are scripted and pre-planned, they have a very real outcome on a superstar's career.

Who will be the next Johnny Nitro and rise to the top of a brand? Who will be the next Bobby Lashley that is elevated to main event status only to leave the company? Who will be the next Shelton Benjamin who has high hopes upon being switched only to dwindle in mediocrity? It matters when a superstar switches brands - whether or not it happens in the draft or in a separate move later in the year... it still matters. Instead of sitting here and trying to accurately project the draft I am going to tell you what I would like to see happen in this year's draft.

I'll start with ECW since it is WWE's C brand and the brand that seems like the televised developmental territory for the company. One of the biggest things that I think should be kept in mind as talent is moved to ECW is that instead of essentially being a B level SmackDown worker, a wrestler traded to ECW will now be a B level Raw worker with the taping schedule being changed. I also think it is important to keep in mind that WWE's contract to keep the show on the Sci-Fi Channel is only good through 2008 and with the lackluster television ratings, there is a real possibility that ECW could lose its television clearance.

ECW needs to be full of young talent - talent that could work the mid-card on Raw but could main event on ECW and with the right amount of "seasoning" turn into a big superstar. A prime example of what the ECW brand can do for a worker is what it has done for The Miz. The Miz came to ECW in last year's supplemental draft from SmackDown where he was considered a joke. He was not respected and even resented by most of the locker room. Fast forward 365 days and The Miz is one of WWE's brightest young stars. One half of the WWE Tag Team Champions, Miz has greatly improved his in-ring skills to the point where not only do the other workers respect him but they want to work with him.

SmackDown is WWE's B-level brand. It's a show with different demographics than Raw and is WWE's only network television program. This year's draft is more important for SmackDown than years past because this year SmackDown will prepare to move television networks from the CW to MyNetworkTV. The time is now for SmackDown to get more main event talent that can draw. As good as the matches have been I cannot tell you how tired I am of Edge vs. Batista, Undertaker vs. Edge, and other derivatives. The time is now for a big move that is going to help balance out the brands. I would not be against Undertaker moving to Raw and Triple H coming to SmackDown. I would not mind seeing John Cena make the transition. Even Chris Jericho would be an excellent fit on the SmackDown roster. As a matter of fact, I think that Jericho should be traded and put in feuds with Edge although that may not happen with Jericho's new heel turn.

Nonetheless I do not expect SmackDown to become the obvious B-level brand that it has been in years past. There is no doubt about it that Vince McMahon is going to want to show the executives at MyNetworkTV that his company can draw. He is going to want to instill the same close working relationship that he has with the people at NBC Universal which controls the USA Network and the Sci-Fi Channel. Expect big moves to SmackDown and I hope to see a brand dominated by veterans and talent that can draw.

Raw is WWE's flagship show. It's the company's top rated show, the live show, and the show that everyone relates too when they think of the words World Wrestling Entertainment. WWE has no choice but to make Raw their "A-brand" as it is the way that they reach the majority of their fanbase on a weekly basis. What I would like to see happen in this year's draft is not only for it to stay strong but for the brand to develop more of an Attitude Era identity. SmackDown is the company's show that is more related to kids so now it's time to bring the edge back to Raw.

No, I am not Mike Adamle, I am not talking about the edge as in the current World Heavyweight Champion but I am talking about the type of programming that is going to bring back the casual wrestling fans. It's necessary for the brand to be loaded with top drawing talent but at the same time it's time to bring up some of the new guys on Raw. I am all for the rumored heel stable of 2nd and 3rd generation wrestlers on the brand. I am all for beefing up the tag division and focusing more on wrestling but I am not for the lame storylines and the desperate attempts at bringing up the ratings. Back in the late 90s, Vince McMahon didn't have to give away $1 million to get fans to watch. They watched because they wanted to be entertained.

That is the goal that I hope is accomplished or at least recognized in this year's draft. The stagnant 3.0 Raw ratings have got to go. It's time to bring the Attitude back to Raw and make it the enjoyable show that everyone in the world remembers it as. It's time to once again toe the line about what is offensive and what is entertaining and get people talking about wrestling again. WWE has the capabilities to change their product and their television ratings and that has to be done from the flagship show on down. If there is one thing that WWE can accomplish in this year's I hope that this time next year we are talking about a much strong product based on moves made in Monday's draft. The turnaround has to start somewhere so why not with Monday's three-hour special?

In conclusion I am excited about the draft, although I hope that WWE officials realize what moves need to be made. I hope that it is recognized that ECW needs the younger "to be seasoned" talent and that SmackDown needs more talent that can draw. I hope that WWE officials realize that the time is now to spice things back up with Raw and that it doesn't have to be done with superstars that are 35 years or older. There are a lot of young guys that I think if brought in storylines properly can flourish and create a new millennium Attitude Era than can not only rejuvenate a brand but the company as a whole.

Richard can be contacted at richard [at] grayinternet.com.

Live WWE Draft Coverage: Be sure to join us here at Wrestling News World on Monday at 8 PM EDT for exclusive play by play coverage the 2008 WWE Draft. I will be typing the coverage myself while including my popular Richard Reacts feature so you can get analysis on the picks as they are made in real time.