WWE Draft: Difference between revisions
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*In [[May 2006]], WWE added a third brand; the revived version of [[Extreme Championship Wrestling (WWE)|Extreme Championship Wrestling]].<ref name="WWElaunchesECW">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2006/2006_05_25_02.jsp |title=WWE Launches ECW As Third Brand}}</ref> "ECW Representative" [[Paul Heyman]] was allowed one pick from RAW and one pick from SmackDown!. |
*In [[May 2006]], WWE added a third brand; the revived version of [[Extreme Championship Wrestling (WWE)|Extreme Championship Wrestling]].<ref name="WWElaunchesECW">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2006/2006_05_25_02.jsp |title=WWE Launches ECW As Third Brand}}</ref> "ECW Representative" [[Paul Heyman]] was allowed one pick from RAW and one pick from SmackDown!. |
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*On [[May 28]] [[2007]], [[Shane McMahon]] announced a new draft which featured all three brands. The Draft took place on [[June 11]] [[2007]] on a special three-hour episode of ''RAW''. |
*On [[May 28]] [[2007]], [[Shane McMahon]] announced a new draft which featured all three brands. The Draft took place on [[June 11]] [[2007]] on a special three-hour episode of ''RAW''. |
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*On [[May 26]] [[2008]], [[Vince McMahon]] announced a new draft, which would feature all three WWE brands. The draft will take place on [[June 23]] [[2008]]. |
*On [[May 26]] [[2008]], [[Vince McMahon]] announced a new draft, which would feature all three [[WWE]] brands. The draft will take place on [[June 23]] [[2008]]. |
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===Draft lotteries=== |
===Draft lotteries=== |
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Revision as of 02:31, 28 May 2008
Template:Future The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Draft Lottery, also known as the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Draft, is a device used to provide new brand competition and to refreshen the promotion's rosters. The Draft was first used during the brand extension of 2002 and the brand extension of 2006, but was officially created and used in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008.
History
On June 10 2002, McMahon became the kayfabe sole owner of World Wrestling Entertainment when he defeated Ric Flair in a No-Holds-Barred match. The following month, he appointed general managers (Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon) to lead each brand. Since then, there have been four further drafts:
- In March 2004, with the theme of WrestleMania XX being "Where it all begins again," Mr. McMahon announced a draft lottery, stating "it's time to shake things up again." Each general manager received six picks.
- In June 2005, Mr. McMahon announced a second draft lottery which would take place throughout the entire month of June. Both general managers received five random picks.
- In May 2006, WWE added a third brand; the revived version of Extreme Championship Wrestling.[1] "ECW Representative" Paul Heyman was allowed one pick from RAW and one pick from SmackDown!.
- On May 28 2007, Shane McMahon announced a new draft which featured all three brands. The Draft took place on June 11 2007 on a special three-hour episode of RAW.
- On May 26 2008, Vince McMahon announced a new draft, which would feature all three WWE brands. The draft will take place on June 23 2008.
Draft lotteries
| Year | Brands | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Raw SmackDown |
After World Wrestling Federation (WWF) acquired World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the WWF split its roster into two distinctive wrestling brands, where wrestlers were drafted to each brand; Raw and SmackDown. |
| 2004 | Raw SmackDown |
To remain active with the WrestleMania XX tagline of "Where it all begins again," WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon announced a draft lottery, as he stated it was time for a "new WWE." |
| 2005 | Raw SmackDown |
Unlike previous draft lotteries, where they occurred on one night, this draft lottery took place over the month of June. During the draft, the SmackDown brand was left without at World Heavyweight Championship after the Raw brand drafted it's World champion, though it acquired a World Heavyweight Championship via drafting the Raw World Champion. |
| 2006 | ECW | In 2006, WWE launched the Extreme Championship Wrestling brand, where the Representative of ECW, Paul Heyman, was allowed to draft one superstar from the Raw and SmackDown brands. |
| 2007 | Raw SmackDown ECW |
Was the first ever tri-branded draft lottery, where all three of WWE's brands took part in the draft. Unlike previous drafts, where the general managers were able to randomly select their draftee, matches took place between representatives of each brand, where the winner received a draft pick. |
| 2008 | Raw SmackDown ECW |
Impact on championships
Whether a champion keeps their championship after being drafted is unpredictable. During the 2005 Draft, John Cena, the WWE Champion, was drafted from SmackDown! to RAW and kept his championship. General Manager Theodore Long announced that a new SmackDown! World Championship was to be created but the idea was abandoned when Batista, the World Heavyweight Champion, was drafted to SmackDown! from RAW, bringing the title with him. During the 2007 Draft, however, the ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley was stripped of the title after being drafted to RAW.