Why should the WWE draft return?
Ladies and gentlemen my name is Callum Owen, and I am one of the newest writers for SLTD wrestling.
My first ever editorial will be on that very question, which I will answer throughout this article.
Firstly, the WWE draft began in 2002 when the brand extension began between Raw and Smackdown. It ran on until 2011, since then many big name superstars were involved in the draft; John Cena, Triple H, Batista and CM Punk are notable names.
Anyway, on with the question, and my first reason why the draft should return. With NXT growing a lot of popularity, with the likes of Kevin Owens and Neville setting the main roster on fire in the past months, surely numerous NXT superstars could make the switch to Raw and Smackdown. The likes of Bálor, Itami, Zayn,Banks and Charlotte are all likely to be on the main roster within 9 months, so by doing a draft, it will be fun to watch and different and give NXT more publicity .
The reason why NXT has gotten more publicity is down to the award-winning WWE Network, by showing a two hour exclusive of the WWE draft on the network it will get lots of subscribers to the network, because the draft was always a must-watch. Also there will be matches which decide the draft picks, let’s say you have 5 guys representing Raw and 5 representing Smackdown. Raw could have, Cena, Dolph, Ambrose, Reigns and Orton, and then you have 5 representing Smackdown; Owens, Rollins, Sheamus, Wyatt and Rusev, so it’s the old heels vs faces scenario. A win is two draft picks, so there could be 5 singles matches between raw and smackdown, then a battle royal which sticks with the draft tradition.
Arguably both raw and Smackdown have gotten stale since the brands re-joined together in 2011, as many main events of Raw were repeated on Smackdown and as good as it is to see Ziggler vs Rollins on raw, but if they repeat that match following weeks on Raw and Smackdown, that match may be seen as boring and predictable.
Also with a brand extension WWE could reinstate the World Heavyweight Championship and the WWE Tag team championship, this would allow mid-carders to receive a deserved push, for example Ziggler could have a run with World Title. But one downfall would be the tag titles on smackdown, is the current state of the tag division, with both Kidd and Jey Uso out injured therefore, both the Uso’s and the Brass Ring Club are out of the tag division, so really the best two tag teams are currently not competing. But this can be sorted out with the introduction of new tag teams from NXT.
By bringing the WWE draft back, it allows main roster stars time to relax, as it would bring a brand extension again, currently superstars are competing 4/5 times a week, this is on raw,smackdown and house shows where there usually 2 a week. To save injuries by bringing back the brand extension and therefore the draft, superstars are likely to perform 2 times a week once on raw and once on a house show.
The suspense killing me, is what the WWE draft did to many WWE fans, the night of the WWE draft was a big night in the WWE calendar, no one knew who would be drafted from raw to smackdown or from smackdown to raw. That shock element when Cena went to raw to smackdown in 2011 sticks in my mind fondly, this is why WWE should bring the draft back, for shock moments, imagine the likes of Rollins going to Smackdown or Brock Lesnar to smackdown, it will get people watching both shows because it’s new and it’s fresh.
Currently smackdown is sometimes unwatchable, believe it or not smackdown was more popular than raw over a decade ago, with thanks to the creative genius that is Paul Heyman, many have been complaining that smackdown is the “B” show, and by watching smackdown you’re watching a repeat of a raw main event and also watching a raw replay, well it doesn’t have to be, by bringing back the draft Smackdown could exclusively have the likes of Rollins, Ambrose, Bryan and Dolph as the main headliners week after week. Whereas raw have Cena, Reigns, Orton and Sheamus.by bringing back the draft smackdown won’t be the “B” show anymore, because there will be new, fresh, different superstars who are headlining the shows and maybe ppvs, compared to those who are headlining raw.
In conclusion the draft should return and one day it probably will, with several reports of smackdown becoming a live show and the rise of NXT. WWE is currently overloaded with misused talent, the likes of Cesaro, Dolph, Barrett and Neville deserve a push, with smackdown and raw being equal and both watchable, the draft will see these superstars, and many under utilised talent through the draft can receive a push.
There are plenty superstars that belong to WWE but only 15 + are featured on raw and the same on smackdown, with the draft there will 20 superstars who appear regularly on raw and 20 on smackdown, a draft then will switch around superstars from raw to smackdown and smackdown to raw, it will provide new opportunities for new and fresh feuds and ultimately the WWE draft is what’s best for business
Thanks for the read, post comments below, to give your opinions on this article, follow me on Twitter at @callumowen98 and follow @SLTDwrestling for many more articles and a predictions league which you will be able to join for battleground.
Join me next Monday as I discuss Summerslam 2015 and what I think the card will be and what I make of it.
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