For hardcore World Wrestling Entertainment fans, this past week's biggest draft news didn't come from the NFL.
Two weeks after announcing roster changes, WWE officially unveiled new talent lineups on all three of its television brands ("Raw," "Smackdown" and "Extreme Championship Wrestling"). A whopping 36 performers were swapped, the highest total since the WWE began conducting its annual draft in 2002.
Enough WWE stars float between "Raw," "Smackdown" and "ECW" that the draft doesn't have the same impact it once did when the promotion was trying to promote brand-specific pay-per-view shows. In theory, the draft's main purpose is to create new headline matches and give up-and-coming wrestlers the chance to climb WWE's talent ladder. "ECW" (10 p.m. EDT Tuesdays, Sci-Fi Network) serves largely as a training ground for less experienced grapplers, which is why Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekial Jackson are headed there to learn from savvy veterans like David "Fit" Finlay and Jay "Christian" Reso.
There is a business component to the draft as well.
WWE has planted most of its marquee names, like Paul "Triple H" Levesque, John Cena, Dave Batista and Randy Orton, on "Raw" (9 p.m. Mondays, USA Network) because "Smackdown's" long-term future on the struggling MyNetwork is in doubt. Rey Mysterio also is returning to "Smackdown" (8 p.m. Fridays) in hopes of recapturing the sizable Hispanic audience that tuned out when he was drafted to "Raw" last year.
Unlike with NFL draft picks, it doesn't take several years to judge whether grapplers will flourish in their new WWE surroundings. After the first week of programming, here's a look at this draft's potential booms and busts:
BOOMS
-- The Miz (real name Mike Mizanin): WWE is seemingly building toward a May 17 match between Cena and Paul "Big Show" Wight (CQ) for its "Judgment Day" pay-per-view show. But after watching this week's "Raw," I have a lot more interest in seeing Cena feud with Mizanin. The Miz was a wiz in belittling Cena with the latter unable to fight because of "injuries" suffered at the hands of Big Show on last Sunday's "Backlash" pay-per-view show.
As a former reality television star, Mizanin has prime-time interview skills and charisma. Mizanin's weakness is his wrestling ability, which was covered up in his former tag team with John Morrison (John Hennigan). If his in-ring expertise improves, Mizanin can become a major WWE player.
-- MVP (Alvin Burke Jr.): Burke will get to prove how valuable he really is after being shifted from "Smackdown" to "Raw." Having worked his way out of the WWE doghouse after running afoul of management in 2008, MVP was given a strong opening push on "Raw" this week when matched against Orton and not losing (the bout ended in a no-contest when Shane McMahon interfered to attack Orton).
-- Carlito and Primo Colon: WWE doesn't place a strong emphasis on tag-team wrestling, but the Colons are a fun duo to watch. The two seem primed for a feud with Ted DiBiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes, both of whom could benefit from feuding with two charismatic performers like these.
BUSTS
-- The Brian Kendrick (CQ): After forming a successful undercard tag team on "Smackdown" in 2006 and 2007 with the departed Paul London, Kendrick is struggling to find his niche as a singles performer. He had better find one quick. Kendrick already was booked to lose his "Raw" debut match against Kofi Kingston, which isn't a good sign about his long-term WWE prospects.
-- Mr. Kennedy (Ken Anderson): Seemingly destined for WWE stardom in early 2007, Kennedy's career was derailed by injury and a drug suspension for violating WWE's wellness policy. Kennedy's chronic shoulder problems still have him sidelined and cast his long-term future in doubt. If/when he returns, Kennedy may not have much room for advancement on a star-heavy "Raw" roster.
-- Zack Ryder (Matthew Cardona), Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers), Jesse (Ray Gordy) and Festus (Drew Hankinson): The Ryder-Hawkins and Jesse-Festus tag teams on "Smackdown" were dissolved through the draft. Ryder is heading to "ECW," while Festus has landed in "Smackdown." All four may struggle to find new identities in a singles setting.
"PLAYBOY" PASSES AWAY: Paul Perschmann -- a/k/a "Playboy" Buddy Rose -- was found dead Tuesday in his Vancouver, Wash., home. He was 56.
Perschmann is a permanent part of WWE trivia, having worked as The Masked Executioner in the opening bout of the first "Wrestlemania" show in 1985. Perschmann lost that match to Tito Santana.
Blessed with outstanding agility for someone of his girth, Perschmann also wrestled under the "Playboy" moniker in WWE during the 1980s. He enjoyed additional success in now-defunct organizations like the Portland, Ore.-based Pacific Northwest Wrestling and the American Wrestling Association.
(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps-Howard News Service. Contact him at alex1marv(at)aol.com.)
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