Miss Golden
07-01-2005, 03:44 AM
As of Midnight June 30 2005, the Draft Lottery is now complete and several of the mid-card talent has been shifted:
This is the official press release from www.wwe.com:
RAW and SmackDown! agree to 11-person deal
June 30, 2005
WWE.com has learned that RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff and SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long have agreed on a blockbuster 11-person deal that will likely have a big impact on both rosters.
RAW brand gets:
* Mark Jindrak: Former WCW Tag Team Champion
* Rene Dupree: Former WWE Tag Team Champion; former World Tag Team Champion
* Danny Basham: Two-time former WWE Tag Team Champion
* Kenzo Suzuki (with Hiroko): Former WWE Tag Team Champion
* Chavo Guerrero: Five-time former Cruiserweight Champion; two-time former WWE Tag Team Champion
SmackDown! brand gets:
* William Regal: Four-time former WCW Television Champion; three-time former Hardcore Champion; four-time former European Champion; former Intercontinental Champion; four-time former World Tag Team Champion
* Candice: 2004 RAW Diva Search contestant
* Sylvain Grenier: Four-time former World Tag Team Champion
* Simon Dean: Former RAW sponsor
* Steven Richards: Former two-time ECW Tag Team Champion; former 21-time Hardcore Champion
Watch RAW on Monday (9/8CT; Spike TV) for more on this trade.
http://www.wwe.com/content/media/images/344364/trade1aks.jpg
My opinion:
Smackdown Stars to Raw:
Mark Jindrak - this trade will not help him, he will be a heat jobber and will get released before the end of this year. He has been mis-used terribly in the WWE, his only real serious push was being with Kurt Angle's stable during late 2004-early 2005 and his brief tag team with Luther Reigns. Plus he was just drafted last year to Smackdown in hopes of a big push, I can't see him adding to Raw.
Rene Dupree - this trade makes no sense to me, I was thinking Dupree would stay on Smackdown due to him being traded just last year, and Grenier would join him on Smackdown to help there stale tag division, instead its Grenier who does get traded and Dupree whom also gets traded. I highly doubt we will see another combination of La Resistance formed with Dupree and Conway. They did team for a brief time in early 2004 on Raw when Grenier was out for a few months with an injury. I say its time to abandon La Resistance and repackage all 3 into singles stars. However I do not see Dupree getting a serious push on Raw considering his mini-push in his feud with John Cena last spring 2004 failed miserably and that was the point of trading Dupree to Smackdown was for a serious push.
Danny Basham - again, this is another weird trade, I was hoping both Basham Brothers would be traded to Raw, because they have been on Smackdown for awhile and they could really add to the stale Raw tag division. Then perhaps if the WWE broke the Basham's up, they could still be packaged into singles stars. But obviously the WWE does plan on repackaging them because there is no way either Basham will do well with there current gimmick being singles stars. I do see Doug Basham coming out the winner, he is a little better in the ring, he has better mic skills and a better look. I think Danny Basham is just going to Raw to be a jobber, while Doug may get a push on Smackdown.
Kenzo Suzuki and Hiroko - Suzuki has been on the injured list since February 2005 and has been cleared for a few weeks to return now. I have to say I like this trade, Kenzo was being buried on Smackdown each week. He has only been on Smackdown since his debut last June 2004, but he really never received a consistant push. Towards the end of his run before he got injured it looked like he was turning face with all the comedy. Now since Tajiri is staying on Raw, am I the only one who see's a new japanese comedy tag team???
Chavo Gurrerro Jr. - Well, Chavo is a cruiserweight, but I think with the addition of Juventud, Psychosis, and Super Crazy, Chavo would be washed away in the cruiserweight division. Plus Chavo is bigger than most cruiserweights and could move outside of the division. I like the move, but I do see him staying on the jobber side. I really can't see Chavo being IC material. Anyway's its probably a 50/50 viewpoint on this trade.
Raw Stars to Smackdown:
William Regal - I think in the long run this is a good trade, ever since Regal returned last spring 2004 after being out with a blood clot for over a year, it seemed as he was just used for comic relief. First he was used as Eugene's manager and played a heel role until the fans adapted to Eugene, so Regal started getting cheered which caused a Face turn. Eventually Eugene and William Regal turned into a full-time tag team with Regal's purpose being to look after the handicapped Eugene. They were together until Eugene's untimely injury in January 2005 which forced Regal and Eugene to vacate the tag titles. Well obviously the WWE had no plans for Regal, so they threw Tajiri with Regal, both whom shared a history when Regal brought Tajiri to the WWE in 2001, anyways Regal and Tajiri won the Raw Tag Titles there first night back together in February 2005, and held them until April 2005. Now Regal obviously in the past year fell down to the low card status/tag division and was not taken seriously like he was during his initial WWE run. My advice , turn Regal Heel and make him obnioxious again and put him in the U.S. Division and give him a run with the title and make him legit again by getting him away from Eugene and Tajiri. Plus Regal is one of the few stars whom has not jumped shows, he debuted on Raw during the initial roster split.
Candice Michelle - this is a perfect trade, getting her off Raw makes one less non-wrestling female on Raw, plus Smackdown has all the eye-candy Diva's and Candice should have been there to begin with. All the other Raw diva's serve a purpose; Lita, Trish, and Victoria = wrestling talent, Stacy Kiebler - limited wrestling skills and manager to Hurricane and Rosey, Maria - interviewer, and Christy Hemme - limited wrestling skills, plus she won a "Raw Contract" during last year's Diva Search.
Sylvain Grenier - Kind of a 50/50 trade for me on this one, Since Dupree got traded back to Raw, it seems only fitting that Grenier remain and Conway go to Smackdown to reform the original La Resistance. But Grenier has been wrestling in the singles division lately, and it would be interesting to see him with his first singles push and getting him off Raw would help him get a fresh start.
Simon Dean - I like this trade, even though he had only been on Raw since November 2004, he was being buried as of late. His tag team with Maven is over, but they really never went places anyway and were really just a makeshift tag team. With Smackdown, his weight limit would fit the cruiserweight division, plus he could start some fresh feuds because it seems like he had programs with all the Raw faces at one time or another.
Steven Richards - well Stevie has been on Raw since the initial 2002 roster split and its hard to believe Sunday Night Heat without Steven Richards. I really can't see Steven Richards doing anything except becoming the General Manager of Velocity. Richards will be lucky to still be employed by year's end. Obviously Richards trade was just to spice up Velocity which unfortunately may be what was the purpose of all these 10 trades to spice up the jobber talent.
This is the official press release from www.wwe.com:
RAW and SmackDown! agree to 11-person deal
June 30, 2005
WWE.com has learned that RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff and SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long have agreed on a blockbuster 11-person deal that will likely have a big impact on both rosters.
RAW brand gets:
* Mark Jindrak: Former WCW Tag Team Champion
* Rene Dupree: Former WWE Tag Team Champion; former World Tag Team Champion
* Danny Basham: Two-time former WWE Tag Team Champion
* Kenzo Suzuki (with Hiroko): Former WWE Tag Team Champion
* Chavo Guerrero: Five-time former Cruiserweight Champion; two-time former WWE Tag Team Champion
SmackDown! brand gets:
* William Regal: Four-time former WCW Television Champion; three-time former Hardcore Champion; four-time former European Champion; former Intercontinental Champion; four-time former World Tag Team Champion
* Candice: 2004 RAW Diva Search contestant
* Sylvain Grenier: Four-time former World Tag Team Champion
* Simon Dean: Former RAW sponsor
* Steven Richards: Former two-time ECW Tag Team Champion; former 21-time Hardcore Champion
Watch RAW on Monday (9/8CT; Spike TV) for more on this trade.
http://www.wwe.com/content/media/images/344364/trade1aks.jpg
My opinion:
Smackdown Stars to Raw:
Mark Jindrak - this trade will not help him, he will be a heat jobber and will get released before the end of this year. He has been mis-used terribly in the WWE, his only real serious push was being with Kurt Angle's stable during late 2004-early 2005 and his brief tag team with Luther Reigns. Plus he was just drafted last year to Smackdown in hopes of a big push, I can't see him adding to Raw.
Rene Dupree - this trade makes no sense to me, I was thinking Dupree would stay on Smackdown due to him being traded just last year, and Grenier would join him on Smackdown to help there stale tag division, instead its Grenier who does get traded and Dupree whom also gets traded. I highly doubt we will see another combination of La Resistance formed with Dupree and Conway. They did team for a brief time in early 2004 on Raw when Grenier was out for a few months with an injury. I say its time to abandon La Resistance and repackage all 3 into singles stars. However I do not see Dupree getting a serious push on Raw considering his mini-push in his feud with John Cena last spring 2004 failed miserably and that was the point of trading Dupree to Smackdown was for a serious push.
Danny Basham - again, this is another weird trade, I was hoping both Basham Brothers would be traded to Raw, because they have been on Smackdown for awhile and they could really add to the stale Raw tag division. Then perhaps if the WWE broke the Basham's up, they could still be packaged into singles stars. But obviously the WWE does plan on repackaging them because there is no way either Basham will do well with there current gimmick being singles stars. I do see Doug Basham coming out the winner, he is a little better in the ring, he has better mic skills and a better look. I think Danny Basham is just going to Raw to be a jobber, while Doug may get a push on Smackdown.
Kenzo Suzuki and Hiroko - Suzuki has been on the injured list since February 2005 and has been cleared for a few weeks to return now. I have to say I like this trade, Kenzo was being buried on Smackdown each week. He has only been on Smackdown since his debut last June 2004, but he really never received a consistant push. Towards the end of his run before he got injured it looked like he was turning face with all the comedy. Now since Tajiri is staying on Raw, am I the only one who see's a new japanese comedy tag team???
Chavo Gurrerro Jr. - Well, Chavo is a cruiserweight, but I think with the addition of Juventud, Psychosis, and Super Crazy, Chavo would be washed away in the cruiserweight division. Plus Chavo is bigger than most cruiserweights and could move outside of the division. I like the move, but I do see him staying on the jobber side. I really can't see Chavo being IC material. Anyway's its probably a 50/50 viewpoint on this trade.
Raw Stars to Smackdown:
William Regal - I think in the long run this is a good trade, ever since Regal returned last spring 2004 after being out with a blood clot for over a year, it seemed as he was just used for comic relief. First he was used as Eugene's manager and played a heel role until the fans adapted to Eugene, so Regal started getting cheered which caused a Face turn. Eventually Eugene and William Regal turned into a full-time tag team with Regal's purpose being to look after the handicapped Eugene. They were together until Eugene's untimely injury in January 2005 which forced Regal and Eugene to vacate the tag titles. Well obviously the WWE had no plans for Regal, so they threw Tajiri with Regal, both whom shared a history when Regal brought Tajiri to the WWE in 2001, anyways Regal and Tajiri won the Raw Tag Titles there first night back together in February 2005, and held them until April 2005. Now Regal obviously in the past year fell down to the low card status/tag division and was not taken seriously like he was during his initial WWE run. My advice , turn Regal Heel and make him obnioxious again and put him in the U.S. Division and give him a run with the title and make him legit again by getting him away from Eugene and Tajiri. Plus Regal is one of the few stars whom has not jumped shows, he debuted on Raw during the initial roster split.
Candice Michelle - this is a perfect trade, getting her off Raw makes one less non-wrestling female on Raw, plus Smackdown has all the eye-candy Diva's and Candice should have been there to begin with. All the other Raw diva's serve a purpose; Lita, Trish, and Victoria = wrestling talent, Stacy Kiebler - limited wrestling skills and manager to Hurricane and Rosey, Maria - interviewer, and Christy Hemme - limited wrestling skills, plus she won a "Raw Contract" during last year's Diva Search.
Sylvain Grenier - Kind of a 50/50 trade for me on this one, Since Dupree got traded back to Raw, it seems only fitting that Grenier remain and Conway go to Smackdown to reform the original La Resistance. But Grenier has been wrestling in the singles division lately, and it would be interesting to see him with his first singles push and getting him off Raw would help him get a fresh start.
Simon Dean - I like this trade, even though he had only been on Raw since November 2004, he was being buried as of late. His tag team with Maven is over, but they really never went places anyway and were really just a makeshift tag team. With Smackdown, his weight limit would fit the cruiserweight division, plus he could start some fresh feuds because it seems like he had programs with all the Raw faces at one time or another.
Steven Richards - well Stevie has been on Raw since the initial 2002 roster split and its hard to believe Sunday Night Heat without Steven Richards. I really can't see Steven Richards doing anything except becoming the General Manager of Velocity. Richards will be lucky to still be employed by year's end. Obviously Richards trade was just to spice up Velocity which unfortunately may be what was the purpose of all these 10 trades to spice up the jobber talent.