After a month of back and forth Draft picks, it is over. The second WWE Draft Lottery is done, and huge changes have been made to both rosters. In my opinion, the changes are too huge. I find it a little odd that in a draft where wrestlers, Divas, announcers, and referees were all eligible to switch shows, no one but main event stars and top level mid-carders were drafted. But, I'm not going to complain. As many of you know, I wrote a previous column here at OWW on my draft predictions, and I didn't do too badly. Four out of my picks were actually drafted; five if you count the people I thought should be traded. Now, I will follow up that column with my predicted effects of the draft, both on the Superstars who were traded as well as WWE as a whole.

Draft Pick #1: RAW picks WWE Champion, John Cena. I will admit that I did not expect Cena's music to hit on June 6th, 2005 (my birthday, by the way, my 19th). I was expecting to hear the music of Kurt Angle, but I was floored to hear Cena's instead. After seeing Cena wearing the belt, I was confused. In the 2004 Draft, it had clearly been stated that if a champion switched shows, he would lose the belt, and I was more than a little angry, as a SmackDown! fan, to learn that SmackDown! had just lost the WWE Championship. Cena could be replaced, but the belt could not. As for Cena himself, I was amazed to see just how quickly he adjusted to being on RAW. He carried himself a little differently, almost as if he was challenging anyone nearby. I think this move, however, will hurt his career in the long run. It has been well documented that Triple H does not like John Cena, and we have all seen what happens when you are on the Triple H show and he doesn't like you (i.e., Chris Jericho). I predict that Cena will lose the WWE Championship at SummerSlam, possibly to Edge.

Draft Pick #2: SmackDown! picks Chris Benoit. This was another shocker for me, to see Benoit switch brands yet again, but I was still pleased to hear his music play. To me, Benoit never seemed like a RAW Superstar, even when he was their champion. To me, he was a SmackDown! Superstar competing on RAW, and I was glad to see him come home. This can mean nothing but good things for Benoit, as he can get back to doing what he does best, winning. Unlike RAW, SmackDown! knows how to properly use Benoit, and I see great things in his future. I predict that Benoit will soon be feuding with Eddie Guerrero, possibly at SummerSlam, but more likely at No Mercy.

Draft Pick #3: RAW picks Kurt Angle. I was not surprised to see Kurt Angle move to RAW, but I was very surprised to see how quickly he was placed on the Vengeance card. I personally think it was a little to early for an HBK/Angle rematch, because the build-up to it should have been huge. After watching Vengeance, I was seriously disappointed in their match. I felt like it wasn't even HBK that Angle was wrestling. I never found myself really getting into the match, like I did with their first one...I just kept looking at my watch, checking to see if it was going to be over soon. Once his feud with HBK is over, I see a very bright future ahead of Angle on RAW. However, I do not see him becoming the champion for quite some time.

Draft Pick #4: SmackDown! picks Randy Orton. Here is a guy who has the potential to be one of the greatest stars of all time. I was so happy to see him make the move to SmackDown!, I don't even think I can describe it here. As far as I am concerned, this kid was not only the biggest pick in the entire draft, he is probably the future of the entire wrestling business. I just can't wait for his shoulder to heal so we can see him in action on a regular basis again. As long as they keep Orton heel, SmackDown! isn't going to miss John Cena at all. I predict Orton feuding with the Undertaker until Survivor Series, then gunning for the title.

Draft Pick #5: RAW picks Carlito. Seeing Carlito come out on RAW was a big shock to me, but seeing him defeat Shelton Benjamin for the Intercontinental Championship...now that was COOL. I think RAW is a perfect fit for Carlito, and I see a bright future ahead of him. I predict he will get a big push over the next few months, culminating in a face turn at Survivor Series.

Draft Pick #6: SmackDown! picks Muhammad Hassan. Out of all the draft picks, this one surprised me the most. After seeing the ridiculous way RAW ended his undefeated streak, however, this may be the best thing possible for Hassan. In my opinion, Hassan has all the makings of a great heel: irritating entrance music, a great gimmick, a fantastic finisher, and amazing mic skills. I can't wait to see SmackDown! Superstars left and right being taken out by Hassan's brutal variation of the STO (By the way, could someone please tell me what the official name for that move is" When Scott Steiner used it, it was called the Complete Shot; but when I saw Undertaker use it in an old match, Tazz called it the Flatliner). I think Hassan will do quite well on his new home. I predict that Orlando Jordan will turn face, which will allow Hassan to beat him for the United States Championship at the Great American Bash.

Draft Pick #7: RAW picks the Big Show. Out of everyone that was drafted this year, I believe Big Show will suffer the most. Although he wasn't being properly utilized on SmackDown!, I see nothing better in store for him on RAW. Last time he was on RAW, he faded into obscurity and was left off of three consecutive Pay-Per-Views. I can only hope he has better luck this time.

Draft Pick #8: RAW picks Rob Van Dam. After ECW One Night Stand, I had a feeling RVD would be put back on RAW, but personally, I really don't care. RVD is one of the few wrestlers who works well on either show, but is probably never going to main event status. I have nothing personal against Van Dam, but I don't see any Pay-Per-View main events in his future. I think this move to RAW was a great one, since it gets the loudest voice of ECW off of the show I watch.

Draft Pick #9: SmackDown! picks Christian. After watching Vengeance, I really didn't think he would actually go to SmackDown!; I had predicted that Jericho would win the title and then get drafted, but as we all know, that didn't happen. After the horrible finish of that match, which accomplished nothing but make Jericho look pathetically weak, Christian is obviously not on the roll he was on before Vengeance, and therefore isn't going to be as big of a draw as he would have been had he been drafted before Vengeance. I predict a feud with Benoit in the coming months, followed by a feud with Muhammad Hassan over the US title.

Draft Pick #10: SmackDown! picks World Heavyweight Champion, Batista. To the casual fan, this is probably SmackDown!'s biggest pick of the draft. After all, Batista equals Cena, one belt equals another, right" To me, nothing could be further from the truth. In no way does Batista's star power match John Cena's, not in my eyes. The only thing Batista has going for him is his Hell in a Cell victory, which was horrible in my opinion. Never mind the fact that Triple H, HIAC veteran, lost to Batista, HIAC virgin. Never mind the fact that last year, Triple H was able to go forty-five minutes in HIAC with Shawn Michaels and kick out of a Sweet Chin Music, while this year he went twenty minutes with Batista and couldn't kick out of a powerbomb. The fact is that Triple H botched the finish, holding the sledgehammer in his hand for 5 full seconds, just kind of looking at it, calmly waiting to be powerbombed, instead of hitting Batista with it. That finish did nothing but look poorly planned. Also, the World Heavyweight Championship is in no way, shape, or form the equal of the WWE Championship. I've heard people say that the World title has the lineage of the NWA and WCW titles, but the fact is it does not. It is a replica of the WCW belt.

The full lineage of the WWE and WCW titles, good and bad, is in the belt that Cena is wearing (Not that specific version, the bling-bling, pimped-out ghetto championship belt he made, but it is still the title he represents). Now SmackDown! has a "B" championship to go along with JR's claims that it is the "B" show. I predict Batista dropping the title to JBL at the Great American Bash, so at least the belt is on someone who deserves it.

All in all, since this year's draft seemed like nothing more than an excuse to put bigger stars on RAW, I feel that SmackDown! got the short end of the stick, but they have the chance to make ends meet by taking the belt off Batista as quickly as possible, and putting some dignity in that title by putting it on someone more deserving, like Undertaker, Benoit, JBL, Booker T, Eddie Guerrero, Muhammad Hassan, or...any other SmackDown! Superstar whose name is not Dave Batista, or Rey Mysterio, the one Superstar even less deserving of his push than Batista. Vince, for once in your life, do the right thing. Take the belt off Batista. NOW.

by Antonio Figueroa ..