With the WWE Draft a few weeks ago, we’ve now had some time to digest things. As usual, I like to do a winners/losers column with my own personal thoughts. Some of my predictions have been good (Punk going to Raw as a win) and some of been dead wrong (The Miz as a loss last year). I guess a host of things can change between now and the next year, but I think that the winners, losers and in-betweeners were as followed…
WINNERS
Kofi Kingston – I don’t think that anyone needed the move more than this guy! He was super hot back in the fall, and some people even had him pegged as a Rumble winner, but things didn’t really work out that way for the West-African-Sensation. After a sub-par performance in the Rumble, a good showing in the Elimination Chamber, he had no program heading into Wrestlemania and was the 10th man to the Money in the Bank Match, which his contribution involved him walking on stilts and not much else. But now a move to the Blue Brand gives him a great chance to start over and start to move up the card a bit, especially now that he doesn’t need to compete with Cena, Triple H and Orton for top face on the brand. He would make a great opponent for Jack Swagger or CM Punk in the future.
Christian – Pretty much the same reason as above. I’m not 100% certain why he was moved to RAW back in February to begin with. He just fits on Smackdown, and will do wonders there. He and Swagger showed great chemistry a year ago in ECW, and I think it’s only a matter of time before they lock up again. Also, a feud between Christian and CM Punk would be all kinds of awesome.
Ezekial Jackson – He came in with a lot of momentum after the end of ECW, but an ill-timed injury seemed to derail it all. Now he gets a good chance to “debut” on Raw in a few months once he is all healed and start anew. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a brief feud with some uppercard wrestlers in the very near future.
MVP – The past year has not been a good one for Montel. He showed up hot on RAW a year ago but ended up going nowhere. It’s a shame that his feud with Orton never really happened. This really is his last chance to make much of himself I think, and if he can’t move up the card in the next year he’s in danger of becoming irrelevant faster than you can say Shelton Benjamin.
Cody Rhodes – This is a great move for him, he has huge upward potential now on Friday nights. Also, he’s away from his former Legacy mates, which gives him a chance to make a name for himself now. He had a great showing on his first episode of Smackdown against Christian; I expect much more for the Seed of a Dream.
Edge – I was really getting tired of his face character and I think a lot of other people were as well. Here now he has a good chance to start fresh. No matter which brands he is on, he’ll do well. This will give him some great new fresh opponents, the obvious first one is Orton, but a feud with Cena in the fall would be great given their history.
CM Punk – Sometimes it’s the moves that you don’t make that work out the best. With a lot of the big talent (Edge, Jericho) having moved brands, it seems like our Straight Edge Saviour is going to get even more screen time, which is good for all of us.
The Big Show – The move that has seen the most immediate impact. Show turned face and entered a program with the champion. I really hope that this feud lasts a few months as it can go a long way towards reestablishing the big guy and getting Swagger over in the process.
LOSERS
The Hart Dynasty - I really don’t see much point in this one. Sure they want DH and Tyson to get screen time with Bret, but given that they just won the Unified Tag Team Titles, that is able to be established anyway. I really don’t see them having much long term growth after Bret leaves again, which is scheduled to be soon.
R-Truth – I can’t say that I get this one at all. His pairing with Morrison seems to have run its course, and there isn’t a lot of upward mobility for him on the “A Show”. He could have settled in nicely in the upper-midcard on Smackdown, but I think that he’ll get lost on Raw.
Natalya – I am counting her separate from the rest of the Harts because I think it’s even worse for her. She would be great as a Women’s Champion, and could have some great matches with Michelle McCool and Beth Phoenix, but that doesn’t seem to be happening soon. Instead she’ll have to try to get good matches out of Maryse and Eve.
Zach Ryder - He could have really benefited from a move, but instead he’s stuck on Raw. Add in the fact that he lost Rosa, and things aren’t looking good for him.
IN-BETWEENERS
Chris Jericho - I know that Jericho is so good that he’ll do well on whichever brand he happens to find himself, but this one seems a little strange to me. He is one of the few talents that can job to midcard talent or NXT rookies and then find himself in the World Title picture in a short amount of time. For that reason, it seems like he just makes sense to stay on the brand full of young talent. He could go a long way to establishing MVP or Kofi Kingston. That being said, he should go a long way to getting the Harts over, and can easily move into a feud with Triple H or John Cena anytime.
Randy Orton – It seemed like he was destined for a move to Smackdown and a feud with Swagger. However, the WWE pulled a shock and him not get drafted. I think that his feud with Edge is going to be money, but I think that it really stops him from being in the title picture, especially with Cena as the champ.
John Morrison – I guess they want to use Raw as a way to get the Monday Night Delight over, but I am not sold on it. As a face he is limited by other big names like Cena, H and Orton, and at best can only be fourth from the top, but that will take some work. He would have been a great summer feud for Swagger that could have easily seen him wear some gold for a short run.
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Well that just about does it, I guess we’ll have to see how things shake up.
Until next time,
G
