A Modest Response: The Fantasy Draft

Columns

With the WWE Draft looming, its time again for a fun fantasy draft exercise wherein three major organizations, along with the three WWE brands can all take one wrestler from each of their competitors. That is to say that WWE Raw would take one wrestler from each of the following: Smackdown, ECW, TNA, ROH and the indies. The indies won’t be picking anyone, since they aren’t one cohesive organization in the same manner as the others, but they will be drafted from.

Before we get started, this one’s mostly for my regular (re: interested in more than televised wrestling) readers, if you’re interested, a PWG retail DVD is coming out and here’s a killer advanced DVD review of it by Brad Garoon.

WWE Raw’s Picks

From Smackdown, Raw selects Dave Batista.

Raw, the star brand, would get another major star here. This star might as well be on Raw anyway since he’s recently feuding with Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels, both Raw superstars. Furthermore, he’s a legit top carder, heel or face, who is being recruited by Randy Orton for Evolution 2.0. This occurring would make him a major, fresh heel challenger for Triple H at a time where there is a shortage of those.

From ECW, Raw selects Kane.

ECW had a good thing going as the cruiser-laden brand until Kane showed up and ruined that. No one is watching a show for Kane and a spot on Raw as a heel would be something different for him to do. Either as an evil badass against Kennedy or, better, revisiting his brother’s Ministry roots for a new feud with Triple H, Kane, with a push, could do wonders on raw.

From TNA, Raw selects Robert Roode.

It’s no secret to those of you who read my TNA 10 Thoughts column that I’m not Roode’s biggest fan, but Raw has been recycling the same stale mid-card heel acts for so long, Roode’s classic heelishness would be a breathe of fresh air. He’s also pair magnificently with JBL, who was never any good in the ring.

From ROH, Raw selects Rocky Romero.

Rocky would likely end up in developmental for a bit first, but if you’ve seen his Black Tiger work, you know how good of an Eddie Guerrero impression he can do in the ring. With some work with the WWE’s great trainers, he’s definitely worth a shot as one of the few latin pieces that can stick on Raw and would bring in a key demographic, particularly since Rey Jr. can’t stay healthy.

From the indies, Raw selects The Human Tornado.

He’s both hurt and tiny, but with the WWE mandate to get more black wrestlers, he’d fit right in on the undercard, especially because he’s a pimp stereotype. WWE apparently loves that kind of character and Tornado can pull it off in either a fun or smarmy way that would, along with his good in ring skills, make him a fan pleaser.

WWE Smackdown’s Picks

From Raw, Smackdown selects John Cena.

Smackdown has all but ceased to matter lately and this would fix that in one swoop. Suddenly Smackdown might get some more top spots on PPV and a lot of the desired demographics would move with Cena. What’s more is he could help elevate MVP, while resuming his long rivalry with Edge.

From ECW, Smackdown selects Shelton Benjamin.

I often don’t get the WWE. They want an athletic black man to be a top guy since they have so few… meanwhile, Shelton is still in want of a push. Put him on Smackdown as a face, give him a bit of time in ring and maybe a manager, and at the least, try and see what occurs.

From TNA, Smackdown selects Travis Tomko.

This could just as easily be Matt Morgan. Both are good to very good wrestlers for their size, with legitimate star presence, and good mic skills. Tomko takes it here because his dry humor would be fantastic in a contrast to Edge, MVP and Smackdown’s other main heels.

From ROH, Smackdown selects Larry Sweeney.

Sweeney is one of the best talkers in the business. If WWE ever decides to capitalize on that, his mouth, if paired with the right wrestlers, can make them a lot of money. Only reason he’s here and not Raw is because Santino fills basically the same role on that program, though you can never have too many annoying pricks that need to be shut up.

From the indies, Smackdown selects Lince Dorado.

If Rey can’t stay healthy, at the least he can begin training his eventual replacement. Lince is as flashy as they come and displays a good understanding of what it takes to make it as a tiny babyface in wrestling, especially since he’s been wrestling for under two years. Given time in developmental, he’d make the perfect successor to Rey.

WWE ECW’s Picks

From Raw, ECW selects Brian Kendrick.

Kendrick is a top flight cocky heel waiting to happen. A move to ECW, without London, and a feud with Dreamer would allow him to show WWE officials what he’s capable of as more than a tag wrestler.

From Smackdown, ECW selects Jaime Noble.

With a lot of young cruisers on the roster, Noble, one of the best ring-men around, would be perfect for helping them learn what to and not to do in the ring. That he’s versatile enough to play numerous characters only helps broaden his appeal.

From TNA, ECW selects Rhino.

Rhino has gone to waste in WWE before, but as the bruiser of the smaller ECW roster, and an original ECW wrestler, he’d fit in perfectly, adding a bit of star power and ensuring that match types didn’t get repetitive.

From ROH, ECW selects Claudio Castagnoli.

Claudio is among the best in the world at being a base for fliers, and with cruiser wrestling more regular on ECW, he’d be an athletic breath of fresh air for the show. His size and highlight reel athleticism make him ideal for WWE, where he’d most certainly stand out.

From the indies, ECW selects BJ Whitmer.

The former WWE developmental talent knows how to work their style and with his intensity could be an instant plug in to any number of feuds, whether hardcore or with smaller wrestlers. He’d have to learn to sell better, but would make an excellent protégé to Tommy Dreamer.

TNA’s Draft Picks

From Raw, TNA selects Umaga.

With Samoa Joe as their top guy, this is a major feud waiting to happen. Joe could against a stereotype of his heritage would certainly draw attention and fans could rally around the righteous champion. That the matches would be awesome brawls certainly helps.

From Smackdown, TNA selects Finlay.

Let the best bruiser around knock some learning into TNA’s kids. He’d be money in feuds with half of TNA’s roster from Cage, Joe and Rhino to AJ, Kaz, and Roode. Even the vets would learn from him.

From ECW, TNA selects CM Punk.

Joe vs. Punk in TNA would cause the internet to freak the eff out. Even the TNA haters would check out. It always surprises me how little of the IWC watches TNA. This would fix that immediately.

From ROH, TNA selects Chris Hero.

Imagine if you will for a moment: Chris Hero doing his full heel superhero routine as X-Division champion. It might be the most amusing thing to ever happen on Impact. If they want comedy, they need this as pure comic gold. The feud with Kaz and eventually Daniels would draw as well.

From the indies, TNA selects Eddie Kingston.

Kingston is one of the best brawlers and most passionate men in the entire wrestling industry. In TNA, he’d bring instant credibility to the nearly defunct Grievous Bodily Harm Division. More importantly though, he’d absolutely force people to care about that division through his passion and intensity.

ROH’s Draft Picks

From Raw, ROH selects Paul London.

London is one of the very best wrestlers in the world and it’s a damn sin that we don’t get to see him ply his trade at a higher level. I want him back in ROH almost entirely so he can just flat out go again. The dream matches would be awesome and every time WWE cuts people, I selfishly hope London is one.

From Smackdown, ROH selects Jesse.

Jesse is, for those who don’t know, Terry Gordy’s son. A legitimately good wrestler, this legacy man will likely never be let go from WWE, but would, if given the chance, likely shine and develop as his father did. That and it’d be great to hear Freebird as an entrance theme and have it be appropriate again.

From ECW, ROH selects Chavo Guerrero.

Eddie was in ROH for the first few shows and it’d be great to see Chavo try it out as well. I’ve always felt Chavo was a bit overrated and this would be one great way to find out. Either way, he’s a master at getting heel heat and seeing him interact with a ROH crowd would be absolutely entertaining.

From TNA, ROH selects The Murder City Machine Guns.

Shelley is an ROH alum and he and Sabin seem to be doing semi-regular ROH shots. This should be permanent as TNA is loathe to use them as more than enhancement talent. With the Guns, ROH would certainly book them properly, using their awesome talents to draw fans and pushing one of the best teams in the world as they deserve.

From the indies, ROH selects Mike Quackenbush.

If you’re a fan of the indies, this needs no explanation. If you don’t know indy wrestling, then Mike Quackenbush is likely the best wrestler you’ve never heard of. He owns and runs Chikara and with his immense technical skill is absolutely perfect for ROH, from whom I’m hoping more bookings come immediately pending Quack’s health, of course.

That’s it for this week, hope you enjoyed this utterly random look at a fantasy draft and tune in to Pulse for all your wrestling coverage needs.

Glazer is a former senior editor at Pulse Wrestling and editor and reviewer at The Comics Nexus.