Home ▸ RAW ▸ BWF Predicts: 2008 WWE Draft

Well, I figure, what kind of a sports-entertainment blog would this be without a prediction article for tonight’s WWE Draft?  Since we don’t know the format of the draft at this time, I’m going to give you five picks for each brand and a reason behind my pick.  However, first, we’re going to talk about a rumor going around…

Rumor has it that John Cena might end up back on SmackDown after the draft.  I will tell you that I think it’s a good idea, if it’s true.  I know I mentioned in my audio the other day that Cena feuding with Edge will still not be the feud the brand needs at the top of it’s card, but I also think that RAW’s title picture needs a change of scenery.  Obviously we have HHH taking on Cena at Night of Champions for the WWE Championship, which is a rivalry that’s become pretty stale.  The match could benefit from a major twist – that being that Cena gets drafted away from RAW to SmackDown tonight, and then the match at Night of Champions becomes about more than Triple H and John Cena.  It becomes about RAW fighting to keep the WWE Championship and prevent it from going to SmackDown with Cena.  It would put some life back into the Cena-Hunter storyline, and would also mark the end of it.

My picks for each brand, after the jump!

RAW

1) Rey Mysterio from SmackDown.

If anybody is in desparate need of a change of scenery in the WWE, it’s Rey Mysterio.  Since debuting in the promotion nearly six years ago, Rey has been a fixture on the blue show.  His first match was with Chavo Guerrero, and his feud with Chavo was still going strong at the time of his injury.  If Mysterio is going to continue to be a major player in the company upon his return from his biceps surgery, he needs to get away from Chavito, and on to the flagship show.

2) Deuce from SmackDown.

Deuce dropped Domino this past Friday on SmackDown after a second straight loss to Jesse and Festus.  A talented performer in his own right, Deuce is the adopted son of Superfly Jimmy Snuka, which should give him some credibility and allow him to hold his own on the A show.  A Deuce-free SmackDown could see Domino reconcile with his sister, Cherry.

3) Kelly Kelly from ECW.

Word is, Kelly is Vinny Mac’s favorite WWE Diva, which means that no matter what happens, she’s likely getting moved off of the ECW brand and into a more prominent wrestling role on a brand with a women’s title.  RAW has one, SmackDown is supposedly getting one come Night of Champions, and Kelly Kelly will likely have one of them in her possession sooner rather than later.

4) Finlay from SmackDown

Around WrestleMania this year, Finlay was spending an awful lot of time on the red show with his son Hornswoggle.  I’m doubting that the pair are going to get a win at Night of Champions over The Miz and John Morrison, so I think Finlay might be a good call here.  Hornswoggle may tag along as well.

5) Batista from SmackDown

Batista is another guy who just shows up on RAW pretty much any time he feels like it.  I also feel a heel turn coming, and with rejoining Orton as suggested at One Night Stand pretty much out of the question, I think we’ll be seeing him join up with Jericho and Cade once he gets back to the flagship.

SmackDown

1) Umaga from RAW

Another blogger whose musings I like to read called this “ The worst-kept secret in wrestling next to it being fixed.” This really seems to be happening, so we’ll just go with the flow and accept it.

2) CM Punk from ECW

Drafting from ECW to SmackDown really seems pointless.  It’s like living with somebody, sharing everything you both own, and one person asking “can I have this?  You can borrow it whenever.”  I really wanted to put Punk up in the RAW section, but putting him on RAW would be pointless while he has Money in the Bank – especially since it was SmackDown’s World Heavyweight Champion, Edge, who cost Punk the ECW Championship a while back.  If Punk were moved to RAW, he’d likely come back to SmackDown anyway with a contract loophole, so SmackDown it is!

3) Trevor Murdoch from RAW

Murdoch is going to be buried on RAW if they don’t move him.  I thoroghly enjoy his country music gimmick and think that he has a chance to really get over on SmackDown.

4) Kofi Kingston from ECW

Kofi is another guy I would’ve picked for RAW, but his program with Shelton Benjamin on ECW is just going too well right now for him to move too far away.  If the talent exchange stays in place, Kofi can be seen by more viewers while continuing to finish up his feud with Shelton Benjamin.

5) John Cena from RAW

Yes kids, I’m going with the rumors on this one.  Cena gets booed regularly on RAW, whereas SmackDown may tend to have an audience that connects with him better.  If they want to keep him a face – and the merch sales tell me they do – he’d better go to SmackDown.

ECW

1) Chuck Palumbo from SmackDown

Chuck is a big guy who is no stranger to major WWE storylines.  He needs a little more work on his mic skills, and ECW is the place for him to do it.  I’m not his biggest fan, but since ECW is a breeding ground for new stars, Chuck could benefit from a stay on SciFi.

2) Brian Kendrick from RAW

Note to WWE:  We love Brian Kendrick and Paul London as a team, but if you’re going to split them up, stop teasing it and just do it and get it over with.  Kendrick is a hell of a talent and even feuded with a rising star by the name of John Cena a few years back.  In fact, here’s a video:

Anyways, as I said about Palumbo, ECW is a breeding ground for new stars, and Spanky could be a big one if he gets a push.

3) Santino Marella from RAW

As much as I hate to say it, Santino needs some work in the ring.  He’s overly talented on the mic, but that can only take you so far on RAW – I see Santino getting sent down to ECW to get him up to a level that could take him to the top on either of the big brands.

4) Shannon Moore from SmackDown

Shannon is no stranger to ECW – he re-debuted there when he came back from his TNA run, and he’s been spotted on the show on a regular basis with partner Jimmy Wang Yang.  With Yang getting a months vacation thanks to the wellness policy, Moore needs something to do – so, back to ECW where there are a handful of guys his size who are utilized well.

5) MVP from SmackDown

My theory here – MVP wants his contract negotiated, and says he’d be glad to go to any show that would take him.  Unlike the other four picks, this has nothing to do with MVP’s talent at all, this move is strictly for storyline purposes.  Porter will be hopeful to go to RAW, the big money show, but instead will wind up on ECW, and will spend his time there complaining about it.  Don’t worry though, he’ll find some way to get to RAW before the next draft.

Some of these picks I’ve got a good feeling about.  Another theory I have would directly effect my logic for Kelly Kelly going to RAW, and that theory is that Mickie James might wind up on SmackDown with the WWE Women’s Championship, making the hard fought victories of Michelle McCool and Natalya moot – much like when JBL won the new SmackDown Championship a few years back only to be told that Batista brought the World Heavyweight Championship to the brand.  I’m really doubting that one though, I think it would be good to have a Women’s title on both brands, since there are a number of decent female wrestlers on both.

Am I right?  Tune in to RAW at 8PM Eastern Time tonight to find out!

Like this post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed today and never miss another!