So it was announced last night on RAW that Vince McMahon will be making an announcement this Sunday at Payback on who will be running Monday Night RAW going forward. The segment last night made it sound that the decision would be black and white; either Shane McMahon or Stephanie McMahon would be taking full control of the show. However, I’m betting that as we’re used to with the McMahons, nothing will be that simple. I’m expecting that Vince decides to cave to all of the social pressure they keep insisting is taking place, and he leaves Shane in charge of RAW moving forward. However, the billion dollar princess won’t be left with nothing, as I’m expecting Vince will announce a brand new brand split, with Stephanie taking over SmackDown. So, as we move towards the (assumed) 2016 brand extension, I’ve decided to look at the current roster and do a bit of a WWE mock draft. Here are the guidelines I went with:
- The WWE World Heavyweight Champion will be on both shows. I can’t see them bringing in another world title after combining them recently. So current champion Roman Reigns will not be involved in the draft.
- I’m imagining they will have Tag champions on both shows, so The New Day is available to be drafted.
- Superstars with major injuries whose return is uncertain were not included. So no Tyson Kidd, no Nikki Bella, but someone like Seth Rollins, whose certain to return, is still included.
- No explicit part timers. So The Rock, Brock Lesnar, and The Undertaker are all excluded.
- Tag teams can be drafted as a unit, but not stables. New Day can be a unit, but the Wyatts and the Social Outcasts are separate.
- No NXT stars are included.
- No Announcers/backstage personalities. Since it’s up to me, Renee Young is allowed to be on every show I watch.
We look at the first twenty picks with analysis, and then I give you a full roster for each show. So, without further ado, let’s see who gets the #1 pick:
Pick #1: John Cena
Let’s face it: whether you like it or not, John Cena is the #1 pick, no matter which show makes the pick. With Cena announcing his return on Memorial Day, we know he’ll be returning soon, and therefore will be a staple of whichever show he’s involved in. I’d expect RAW to end up with the first pick in the draft, as we all know that’s always been the favorite child of WWE programming, and despite Shane’s determination to move towards a new era, even he can’t deny that without being able to draft the Champion, Cena is the only name to call here. Hell, even if Reigns was available, there’d still be an argument for going with Cena at #1.
Pick #2: AJ Styles
Shane would hate to see this guy slip away, but AJ Styles would help to make SmackDown a must-see show on a weekly basis, and while she may continue her heelish ways, Stephanie would still be unable to overlook the phenomenal one. AJ Styles gives SmackDown a franchise player to move forward with, and allows SmackDown to be truly versatile with their picks, as Styles can match up with almost anyone.
Pick #3: Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose has been on the verge of becoming a superstar for months now, and it’s only a matter of time until he breaks through. It’s not inconceivable that Ambrose could be the man to overtake the #1 fan favorite spot from Cena at some point down the line, and in the meantime, be the workhorse of the RAW brand on a weekly basis.
Pick #4: Seth Rollins
Stephanie has a gift fall into her lap, and nabs her former Authority cohort Seth Rollins for the new SmackDown brand. Rollins slips from the top two picks simply due to his current injury, but fans immediately begin to salivate over the idea of Styles/Rollins at some point down the line.
Pick #5: Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens will be the villain RAW needs for years to come, while also being able to continue his issues with both Ambrose and Cena. Owens may not be Shane McMahon’s biggest fan, but he’ll certainly be fine with continuing his “KO show” every Monday night. And while Shane might not love the headache that comes along with him, there’s no denying that Owens is one of the hottest commodities in WWE right now, and a big time player.
Pick #6: Randy Orton
After picking two in-ring workhorses, SmackDown not only gets a third competitor who can square off with anyone inside the ring, but also adds some mainstream name value that they will need in rebuilding the brand by bringing in Randy Orton. The only concern here becomes after drafting two superstars who are currently injured, they’re desperately in need of some talent who can make an immediate impact.
Pick #7: Bray Wyatt
Shane’s working to catch up on in-ring talent, and his new era should provide Bray Wyatt with the opportunity he’s deserved for months now. While the damage to Wyatt’s reputation has been considerable, however the brand split should provide the chance for Bray to reestablish himself as a main event player in WWE, and fulfill some of the immense promise he’s had since debuting.
Pick #8: Sami Zayn
SmackDown continues its focus on in-ring product and brings in Sami Zayn. Zayn hasn’t had a chance to show off his best efforts on WWE programming quite yet (expect that to change this Sunday at Payback), but he’s a cornerstone player, and SmackDown continues to cement itself as a dominant show with the addition of Zayn.
Pick #9: Chris Jericho
No matter how new-age RAW attempts to get, there will always be a need for star power, and Chris Jericho adds some needed name recognition to the show. However, let’s not overlook how amazing Jericho has been during this recent run with WWE, as his promos and matches have been some of his best work in years. Not a pick for the future, but a high-quality pick nonetheless.
Pick #10: The New Day
SmackDown nabs the WWE Tag Team Championships with this pick, as well as adds some major entertainment to the show with The New Day. These guys are a great blend of charisma and in-ring talent, and commits SmackDown to a major tag team division.
Pick #11: Cesaro
I like to think when Shane began talking about a new era and new opportunities, he had Cesaro in mind. Cesaro has all of the potential in the world, and he’ll have the chance to fulfill it live every Monday night. The brand extension will be the perfect situation for Cesaro to get the focus and opportunity to become the superstar we all believe he can be.
Pick #12: Kalisto
SmackDown continues it’s run on Championships by grabbing Kalisto and the United States Championship. Kalisto hasn’t been able to truly focus on his singles career recently, and his U.S.Title reign has suffered because of that fact, but his move to SmackDown will ensure that he gets a chance to showcase his skills, and fulfill his potential as champion.
Pick #13: Charlotte
Shane McMahon’s been preaching about new opportunities for weeks now, and there’s no division which screams new-age more than the Women’s division in WWE. RAW will showcase the Women’s Revolution by drafting its champion, Charlotte, and ensuring that the Women’s Championship will be decided on Monday nights.
Pick #14: Dolph Ziggler
SmackDown grabs Dolph Ziggler, who has all of the talent in the world but seems a bit stale, in hopes that the brand extension will help inject a bit of freshness into Ziggler’s character. At the very least, Ziggler will be able to put on clinics with the likes of Styles and Zayn, all the while hopefully finding a way to freshen up his persona.
Pick #15: Sasha Banks
Shane ensures that his Women’s Division will have a major feud from day one, picking up the most popular member of the women’s revolution, Sasha Banks. Sasha vs. Charlotte will be the cornerstone of RAW’s women’s division, and be a major addition to the show on Monday nights.
Pick #16: Alberto Del Rio
Here’s hoping that Stephanie drafting Alberto Del Rio to SmackDown allows Del Rio to press the reset button on his entire recent WWE run. Del Rio has been extremely mishandled during his second WWE stint, but the talent that Mexico’s greatest import possesses is undeniable, and he’d be a great addition to the roster already assembled.
Pick #17: The Miz
RAW needs to make sure that they have a singles title, and they accomplish that goal by picking up The Miz. That being said, The Miz has recently been on a great run himself, and always seems to shine a bit brighter when the show is live, so RAW will be the best place for him.
Pick #18: Sheamus
SmackDown picks up another League of Nations member with Sheamus, whose hard-hitting style always seems to be under appreciated just a bit. Sheamus may not be a top-flight villain, but he’s certainly a menacing opponent who will thrive against some of the names already procured by Stephanie McMahon.
Pick #19: Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
Sorry Bullet Club fans, Shane McMahon is snatching up WWE’s newest tag team, picking Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. While The New Day will be on SmackDown, I’d expect RAW to instill their own tag titles as well, and these guys are threats to run away with those titles from day one. These two will be a force that many WWE fans haven’t seen in quite some time.
Pick #20: Neville
Another name which dropped quite a bit due to injury, Neville finds himself on the SmackDown roster. Stephanie McMahon gets a steal with this one, as Neville is one of the brightest stars we’ve seen come through WWE in quite some time, and the brand extension should allow Neville to truly flourish.
Full Rosters:
John Cena
Dean Ambrose
Kevin Owens
Bray Wyatt
Chris Jericho
Cesaro
Charlotte
Sasha Banks
The Miz
Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
Becky Lynch
Baron Corbin
Luke Harper
Rusev
Paige
The Dudley Boyz
The Big Show
Kane
Stardust
Damien Sandow
Curtis Axel
Braun Strowman
Erick Rowan
Lana
Jack Swagger
Tamina Snuka
R-Truth
Heath Slater
Fandango
Darren Young
See next page for full SmackDown roster:
Full Rosters:
AJ Styles
Seth Rollins
Randy Orton
Sami Zayn
The New Day
Kalisto
Dolph Ziggler
Alberto Del Rio
Sheamus
Neville
Ryback
Enzo & Cass
Apollo Crews
The Usos
Tyler Breeze
Natalya
Emma
The Vaudevillains
Naomi
The Ascension
Diego & Fernando (The Colons)
Alicia Fox
Sin Cara
Bo Dallas
Titus O’Neil
Zack Ryder
Summer Rae
Goldust
Adam Rose
Mark Henry
Which roster is superior? Disagree with any picks? Let me hear in the comments section!