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**TKoW** · 06-07-2007, 06:47 AM

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2002 – The Brand Extension
The first WWE Draft occurred in 2002 during the WWE Brand Extension. With WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon manning SmackDown and Ric Flair drafting for Raw, WWE was split into two entities for the first time. The entire roster was divided that night at Penn State University, and The Rock and Undertaker made history by becoming the first-ever draft selections of McMahon and Flair, respectively. In that draft, however, a few people were exempt. WWE Champion Triple H and Women’s Champion Jazz were ineligible, as they would be able to defend their titles on both brands, and WWE Title challenger Chris Jericho and a contractually-invalid Stone Cold were also off the board.

2004 – Shaking things up
Nearly two years later, with Mr. McMahon back in full control of WWE, he decided to shake things up by holding the first-ever Draft Lottery. So, on March 22 in Detroit, the WWE locker room gathered in anticipation as Raw GM Bischoff and SmackDown GM Heyman prepared to make six selections each throughout the night.
Among those selections were the aforementioned choices of Triple H and Heyman. Raw also got Edge and Shelton Benjamin, while SmackDown selected Rob Van Dam and current GM Theodore Long. The biggest fireworks happened with Triple H and Heyman, however. The Game was immediately traded back to Raw for The Dudley Boys and King Booker that night, while Heyman quit on the spot instead of heading to Raw to work for sworn enemy Bischoff.
Raw’s first selection was also one that tugged at the heartstrings, as the World’s Greatest Tag Team was split up when Benjamin was plucked from SmackDown. The image of Benjamin and Haas shaking hands in disbelief as Shelton joined his new brand is another “draft moment” many will never forget. Of course, three Intercontinental Title reigns later, it seems things worked out for Shelton, but the future is always uncertain.

2005 – Stretching it out
In 2005, the Draft Lottery was done a little differently. Each brand received five selections, but instead of being made all in one night, Bischoff and now-GM Long’s choices were made over a four-week period.
Unfortunately, Raw had the first selection, and struck a major blow to SmackDown by striking gold: WWE Champion John Cena. The roof was nearly blown off the arena in St. Louis when The Champ made his Raw arrival, and for the first time ever, both the WWE and World Heavyweight Champions were on the same brand. SmackDown countered, stealing former World Heavyweight Champions Chris Benoit and Randy Orton, but Raw got another surprise when Carlito was selected and claimed the Intercontinental gold in his first Raw match. Finally, after four weeks and nine selections, SmackDown paid back the flagship by plucking World Heavyweight Champion Batista away from Raw.

2006 – Let’s get extreme
In 2006, the Draft Lottery was not held; instead, Paul Heyman got to select one Superstar from both Raw and SmackDown to fill out the roster of the revived ECW brand. Heyman used his brilliant tactical mind and chose ECW Original Rob Van Dam (one of the backbones of ECW in the 1990s), who just weeks later went on to become the first man to simultaneously hold both the WWE and ECW Championships.

I found the 2006 one interesting because we all know RVD wasn't the only pick for ECW...

**Kdrag** · 06-07-2007, 06:49 AM

Why is that interesting? Sorry it's not coming to me.

**TKoW** · 06-07-2007, 06:50 AM

Because there was another pick...Kurt Angle.

**Kdrag** · 06-07-2007, 06:56 AM

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2006 – Let’s get extreme
In 2006, the Draft Lottery was not held; instead, Paul Heyman got to select one Superstar from both Raw and SmackDown to fill out the roster of the revived ECW brand. Heyman used his brilliant tactical mind and chose ECW Original Rob Van Dam (one of the backbones of ECW in the 1990s), who just weeks later went on to become the first man to simultaneously hold both the WWE and ECW Championships.

They didn't include Angle, big deal, he's in another company at the moment, but they didn't say RVD was the only one.

ECW17 · 06-07-2007, 06:57 AM

I only just noticed that when i checked yesterday , just business anyway i wish Kurt Angle was till on ECW sometimes.

**TKoW** · 06-07-2007, 08:51 AM

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Originally Posted by Kdrag

They didn't include Angle, big deal, he's in another company at the moment, but they didn't say RVD was the only one.

I know that they didn't say RVD was the only one, but just because Angle works in another company doesn't mean they can erase him from history does it?

**Kdrag** · 06-07-2007, 08:54 AM

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Originally Posted by TKoW

I know that they didn't say RVD was the only one, but just because Angle works in another company doesn't mean they can erase him from history does it?

No it doesn't, but that doesn't mean they should trigger interest toward the smaller company, why help TNA, the rival company, grow?

T-O · 06-07-2007, 09:16 AM

Yea they don't wanna promote the TNA Champion on their website, that's why he was left off.

I remember Heyman choosing Angle being a real suprise moment back then, it was awesome, maybe it's cus I wasn't on the forums much back then but I remember having no clue it would be Angle.

arjun14626rko · 06-07-2007, 09:24 AM

The second pick that year by the beloved ECW General Manager, Paul Heyman that year was Kurt Angle, the former Olympic gold medallist, and current TNA champion.

Yeah, there is a reason that some people are left out of WWE articles.