Film & TV Raw Taps John Cena With First Pick

[2pacnbiggie]

Raw taps Cena with first pick

June 12, 2005

BY BLACKJACK BROWN




If WWE truly was looking to shake things up, as Vince McMahon said, it is off to a good start after the first round of the draft lottery.



It started Monday, when Eric Bischoff told fans the Raw brand's first pick was the biggest in lottery history. A few minutes later, during the Highlight Reel segment, SmackDown champion John Cena came through the curtain and informed the fans he is on the Raw roster.

The first question raised is how Cena and Batista will coexist, since both hold titles. According to Bischoff, that situation will be decided after the draft, considering the Raw title-holder could be drafted in the coming weeks.

The pressure was on GM Teddy Long to add star power to SmackDown after Cena's loss. Long's first choice was Chris Benoit, who could have interesting programs against Eddie Guerrero, Kurt Angle or Rey Mysterio Jr.

HEARD AROUND THE RING: Sounds as if TNA's deal with WGN is not as close as the company once thought, but it still is negotiating with a number of networks about a prime-time slot. If TNA lands a national TV deal, look for WWE to raid some of its top young talent. ... WWE suits are keeping the draft picks a secret until the last moment. Word is Cena and Benoit did not find out until last Sunday. ... Joey Styles will be an announcer for the ECW pay-per-view tonight.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Batista will join SmackDown, i dunno how many more times they could put him up against HHH.

 

[Hennessy]

is this draft thing tomorrow?

or how does it work?

 

[Stone_Cold]

^^ Each show has 1 pick a week so the thing lasts for just over a month with 5 picks.

Hope Cena is still on the Summerbash tour!

 

[gerrycurl21]

more like wwe doesnt give a fuck about smackdown. heyman,rvd and styles told it how it is tonite

 

[Quasimodo]

WWE is doing ANOTHER draft?

this is one of the reasons i quit watching wrestling.

 

[Get In The Van I Have Candy]

WWE is doing ANOTHER draft?

this is one of the reasons i quit watching wrestling.

It's actually pretty entertaining so far. Made me say "Oh Shit" when Cena can out on RAW. I mean you would never evvvvvvvvvvvver expect the main guy from Smackdown! going to RAW. It gives me a reason to anticipate anything in RAW and Smackdown!

 

[Snowman]

Predictions For The Lottery

RAW Will Get
1. Kurt Angle, (Bring Him In To Work With Triple HHH)"RAW"S CHOICE 6/13/2005.

2. Charlie Haas ( Him An Benjamin In A Intercontinental Feud)
3. Torrie Wilson (Think About It " More Lingerie Matches With Christie an Candace,An A Reunion With Stacy")
4. I'll Go On A Limb An Say "Carlito Caribbean Cool" (Put Him In The Mix For The IC Belt.

Smackdown Will Get

1. Snitzsky (You Know This Will Happen, Him an Heindenrich as A Tag Team, Then These 2 Have A Feud Later On Down The Road).

2. Batista (Will Happen Probably Announce This After The PPV)

3. Either Rob Conway Or Slyvan Greiner (I Smell A New La Resistance Reunion On SD Together With Rene Dupree)

4. Kane Or Shawn Micheals ( Either One Deserves A Title Shot, Both Definitely Need A Title Run, Especially Kane 1 Time Champ "A 24 Hr Champ At That"

 

[bigmack]

Batista will join SmackDown, i dunno how many more times they could put him up against HHH.

wont happen. batista will not go to smackdown. wwe is smarter than that,they're making everyone think the obvious. cmon man. its some kind of twist,or maybe they will do something and bring cena back to smackdown,or maybe have a new title on smackdown, or maybe having no title on smackdown. i dunno,but batista is staying put on raw.

 

[Illuminattile]

WWE has a problem.

1: Batista cannot win the HIAC match, because that would be three straight PPV wins over HHH.
2: There's no way HHH is going to Smackdown.
3: Trading Cena back to Smackdown would make the whole exercise pointless.

The only thing I can see happening is EITHER Christian winning/stealing Cena's title and jumping to Smackdown OR Edge cashing in his Money in the Bank, winning the title from CENA and jumping to Smackdown. Problem there is, Cena would want to get his belt back and that would involve him moving back to SD!

I really don't know how they're gonna fix it, they might surprise us.

WWE is doing ANOTHER draft?

this is one of the reasons i quit watching wrestling.

They do a draft lottery each year, to shake things up. It's not a whole new re-draft.

 

[hizzle?]

there's drafts in the WWE?

 

[2PacThug4Life]

RAW has gotten-John Cena, Kurt Angle

Smackdown has gotten-Chris Benoit

i think batista might go to smackdown.

 

[absolut_dreII]

And this is why wrestling is now gay.

 

[Illuminattile]

RAW has gotten-John Cena, Kurt Angle

Smackdown has gotten-Chris Benoit

i think batista might go to smackdown.

Well this is the current theory:

Smackdown is getting dropped at the end of its contract, at which point WWE were (I'm assuming) going to find it a new home on another station. HOWEVER, with the success of ECW One Night Stand, the rabid crowd and what could be HUGE buyrates, there's a chance WWE will set ECW up as its own brand or even as a separate entity (i.e., no cross promotion, no trades) with all the ex-ECW wrestlers going to that brand. This would explain why RAW is basically raping Smackdown in the draft, taking it's biggest stars.

I'm skeptical, though. Yes, One Night Stand did well but the most I can see happening is another stand-alone PPV, maybe a tour. I'd also be skeptical as to whether the likes of Guerrero, Benoit and Jericho would want to jump from WWE to ECW full time.

 

[CalcuoCuchicheo]

Well this is the current theory:

Smackdown is getting dropped at the end of its contract, at which point WWE were (I'm assuming) going to find it a new home on another station. HOWEVER, with the success of ECW One Night Stand, the rabid crowd and what could be HUGE buyrates, there's a chance WWE will set ECW up as its own brand or even as a separate entity (i.e., no cross promotion, no trades) with all the ex-ECW wrestlers going to that brand. This would explain why RAW is basically raping Smackdown in the draft, taking it's biggest stars.

I'm skeptical, though. Yes, One Night Stand did well but the most I can see happening is another stand-alone PPV, maybe a tour. I'd also be skeptical as to whether the likes of Guerrero, Benoit and Jericho would want to jump from WWE to ECW full time.

Yeah, I'd thought they might revive ECW as it's own franchise but, like you, I also have doubts as to how successful it would be & which wrestlers would be willing to go back. And at the end of the day, it would still belong to Vince meaning it could never be as "hardcore" as it once was

 

[bigmack]

Well this is the current theory:

Smackdown is getting dropped at the end of its contract, at which point WWE were (I'm assuming) going to find it a new home on another station. HOWEVER, with the success of ECW One Night Stand, the rabid crowd and what could be HUGE buyrates, there's a chance WWE will set ECW up as its own brand or even as a separate entity (i.e., no cross promotion, no trades) with all the ex-ECW wrestlers going to that brand. This would explain why RAW is basically raping Smackdown in the draft, taking it's biggest stars.

I'm skeptical, though. Yes, One Night Stand did well but the most I can see happening is another stand-alone PPV, maybe a tour. I'd also be skeptical as to whether the likes of Guerrero, Benoit and Jericho would want to jump from WWE to ECW full time.

they are going to involve ecw with smackdown. on smackdown this thursday(today) JBL is going to start talking about ECW,so it looks like something will be going on to boost smackdowns ratings.

 

[jaimie.uk fan]

I couldnt believe it when Angle came out to the ring as the next pick ! Im baffled with what the fuck is going on - Smackdown imo has been lacking for a while , its common knowledge Raw is WWE'S baby but i cant see how Smackdown can now profit in anyway from this . I havent been interseted in Smackdown since the Team Lesner Survivour Series storyline a couple of years back and feel it has been very weak without all this happening , but to be fair things have needed a shake up for a while and maybe Mcmahons plan is to worry us then suprise us !!

 

[Illuminattile]

*SPOILERS*


They got/get Orton on Smackdown, which is hardly a fair swap for Angle. I really don't see where this is going.

 

[jaimie.uk fan]

*SPOILERS*


They got/get Orton on Smackdown, which is hardly a fair swap for Angle. I really don't see where this is going.

I like Orton but your right its not a fair swap , but they had to shake things up a bit though so we shall have to see , they were running out of new fueds so im up for the change .