This is ww Superstar Drew McIntire and you're listening to the WWE podcast show, the one that everybody wants met three sixteen and says, I just rust your ass is my You're gonna acknowledge me? Hey, what's going on? Guys? And welcome back to WWE Retcho on the WWE Podcast on this Friday, May nineteenth, one week away, eight days to be exact. From the Crown Jeweler, I always say Crown jew when they're Saudi Arabia. The Night of Champions main event is it is going to prove to be a very very
good one. I am excited to see what they have in store for us as we're gonna get into World Heavyweight Champion, the first World heavyweight champion since
two thirteen, almost ten years since we've had a World heavyweight champion. And you know, last week I came on here, I talked about the importance and the lineage of that World Heavyweight Championship, and I think that tonight were today, depending when you're listening to this, where you go back and listen or not listen, but yeah, I guess listen and review the time when
the World Heavyweight Championship was at its peak. And it also is relevant because the draft just took place, and that's why we are going to be reviewing the two thousand and four WWE draft that took place on March twenty second, two thousand and four. Now, at this point, you were two years
into the brand split. They had introduced the brand extension in March of two thousand and two, two thousand and four, just post Strestlemania twenty and there were a lot of dominoes to fall to kind of set the landscape for you. On the raw side, it was highlighted by Triple H along with Evolution, Sean Michaels, and a newly crowned World Heavyweight Champion in Chris Benwa. You also had the likes of RVUD, Chris Jericho, Christian booker T Kane,
and a pretty good crop of talent. Over there. On the SmackDown side, you had the WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero, you had the Apa curd Angle, the Big Show, the Undertaker, and so on and so forth. So this was very significant because this was the first time that they were going to be shifting the rosters around since they brought in the brand extension. They had not once done a trade like this, and the two years leading up to this night, so that's two years that you had stars. You
had given stars the chance to establish themselves on their respective brands. So for Raw GM Eric Bischoff, SmackDown GM, Paul Hayman, it was really going to be a night that really shook the foundation of both of their brands, respectively, and it really kind of drove home the identity that both brands had because they had the exact same superstars for pretty much twenty four months. So it was a very very interesting night in this regard what would happen, what
was going to go on. We had never seen anything like this in WWE, and that's why when it was time for SmackDown to make their first selection, it felt all that more significant. Down, I'm just play back down PAULA had show thinking of the Timstone found right, he said, gentlemen,
my name is Paul Hayman. Don't your irratheran opinion? And all right, I'm a general manager of the premium brand in World Wrestling at the payment Paul Haymens SmackDown that before I could give decision a personal note that you don't mind opinion Paula, you really attract the classy audience. Terry, what is it?
Tell me? I had Sundays SmackDown. I was physically assaulting. Sorry, before we get a further how awesome is Paul Hayman Like, this is nineteen years ago and he just has not missed a beat on the mic and him a SmackDown General Manager. He comes out at a deck brace to the whole shebang. He really played this role well, you know, he's awesome as the special counsel to Roman Reigns, but he really did a good job as the SmackDown GM during this era. But let's get through it. As
we get to SmackDown's first selection. I won't deal with the undertaker in my own personal word. Now, why is it tis? It is time for Paul Haymon SmackDown to procure It's very superstar ah way from Monday Night wrong the joy of the face of Ham and he's loving this one. Mister Bishoff. I'm so terribly sorry, but Paul haman Snackdown has to make the announcement that
one of the three mere groups on raw has been broken off. You don't think us who knows lady said gentlemen, Paul Halet snacked down here by welcomes Renee to so Renee dupri of La Resistance. I don't know if you guys
remembered them. They were a faction group of three with Sylvan Groannier and Robert Conway aka Robert Conway that were originally from France and then they got rebranded from Quebec, which was especially funny to me as someone who has been born and raised in continued to live in Quebec and he goes to SmackDown, and at this time, Renee Duprix really was oh sorry about that, but he really
was viewed as one of the future big pieces here in WWE. He had a great physique, he had a great look, and La Resistance would continue on with Conway and Grannier and Dupree would get a run on SmackDown, somewhat of a forgettable run. He one the tag team titles with I believe his name was Kenzo Suzuki, if you guys can remember that name. But I
believe Renee dupre even has a podcast now. So a guy who was forgettable a lot, but am at this point in time he really was a big piece going forward, or at least they thought so, So they break up a member of Row's tag team, and now it's time for Eric Bischoff to do the same for SmackDown. This very well happened they couldn't happen here tonight, and now here's a gentlemen here to make the first PI is general manager Eric Quia. I was just curious, you know, if you're so convinced
the SmackDown is a superior bring, have you asked yourself lately? Mister McMahon, chose Raw here tonight to hold this lottery gonna be Anthony's they are look of the Drowking. That's what it is. Lottery was a style. Well, Paul, I've got great news for you. You're no longer going to have to deal with the issues and whether or not to call him the world's greatest tag team or the self proclean greatest tag team because Eric Bishop and Raw
have the only definition for them now that is ancient history. Raw, if please should us the acquisition. I'm a fine young Charis Maniapley, who happens to be at all American the same Minnesota woke up. I've ever seen my thre years in this day. So again, think about how long ago. We are now Shelton Benjamin viewed as a real up and comer here, and to be honest, he really had a good run on Raw. You know, he wins Theater Connell Championship. He was one of the shining stars in
the first ever Money in the Bank Ladder match. It really was a big selection. So you have a young up incomer going to SmackDown and Reneado pre a young up incomer coming to Raw and Shelton Benjam and ways that you should really utilize the draft to really try and find those breakout stars and kind of break up tag teams. Maybe one of the criticisms of this draft being that they didn't utilize that enough. They didn't break up enough tag teams. A
lot of groups were drafted together. So the next pick for SmackDown it's Mark Jindrak. The following pick for Raw is Nidia. Very inconsequential selections to say the least. So now you get to round three, and round three is when things really really get shaken up, especially for Eric Bischoff and Monday Night Raw. Where is it once again? Time three? H wow? Yo
yo yo yo yo. Before we go any further, so weird to see johncy to come out cheered beyond belief doctor thuganomics first time as a US champion he had just wanted at WrestleMania twenty Absolutely so cool to see CNN. I know, like I've never been the biggest fan of Johncy and I know a lot of you probably haven't warned as well, But you really get to appreciate what he meant for this business when you look up, look back on it
and see what he did for everyone. And having him interrupt Paul Haymen before Paul Hayman makes a massive selection is a really cool throwback to say the least. Oh and if you drap me, save your T shirts, I ain't kissing your butts when the d baby, so you can choke on these nuts. You general manage, but I'm making this next thick. I'm giving you
one ball, but you still got no You're serious, hopefully seas. Think about how squeaky clean John Cita is now and has been for the last ten years, and think about that probo he just got as he makes this election for Paul Hayman. Just so crazy to see the difference in characters. But let's get to Hayman's selection finally, yes, just legal one. No, it's a real pit. That's your pit. Stick with it. You got no choice right now. That's George, you owe it, take it.
I'll look you. I'm an injured man because I love at an injured man. Well, I would do to yours something that you ain't you? Who is you sure you want me to read this out out? Yes? I want you to read it out love? Would you leave? Well, mister Vinshaff, since you insisted that I picked this pay ladies and gentlemen paul him and smacked down its direc gleas to welcome. True he sho so a huge,
huge selection. Triple H going to SmackDown. Now. I don't know if this was like, if this was intentionally done to swerve everyone, or what exactly happened, But Triple H never even made it to SmackDown. In the end, he was traded back to Raw after the draft, so I don't know if they just regretted the decision and went back, or if it was always meant to just kind of shock everyone. But in the moment,
people were absolutely floored because he had been a staple Monday night. Raw had just lost the world Heavyweight Championship, the leader of the most dominant faction in evolution was just really really shocking at that time. But like I said, he was eventually traded back to Monday Night Raw, and I guess I really don't know what their plan was here, I have to be honest, but Triple H would actually main event this Monday Night Raw in a WWE Championship match
against Eddie Guerrero that we get to a bit later on. So Raw's next pick is Rhino got that god sequential. SmackDown gets Rob Van Dam who was then the World Tag Team Champions with Booker T. Tijeri goes to Monday Night Raw. Teddy Long goes to SmackDown, and he's important too because he would
become a long time GM of SmackDown. And then Raw gets Edge Edge, who had not been seen in in ring competition for about fourteen months at this point, so that was a massive, massive get for Monday Night Raw, and then SmackDown gets Spiked Dudley rather inconsequential, and then there were some backroom
deals before you get to the final selection of Monday Night raws. SmackDown would get the Dudley Boys, Booker T. Rico and Miss Jackie and Raw would get a train chuck Palumbo and get back triple age, like I had mentioned earlier. So we get to Monday night, Raw's last pick, and this will was not only a shocking draft pick, but what happens two sequences right after following this election made it arguably even more crazy of a segment. I
can't believe this what I disremire everyone. That means everyone intelligible for the girl say it all right, get another way. Oh my god, wait in the row locker room. Now, it's just so hampless ball. I mean, this is gonna work out great, because, as it turns out, I could really use the alp. In fact, I've got some Look, I've got some udry that I need to get taking care of. I got a cards they wash. I mean, I know a lot of things that I need to take care of. The pot. I can't think of anybody
better than you. You know I I built dc W and both you would vince something like that, and they stepped out with this today. Paul halet snooped down and and I could do the same for wrong mister Bishop, except I'm willing to appear before these animals. That you call a Monday Night raw audience, and most of all are I would never sell my soul to a piece of slime like you. So let me spell this out for you. So they're even every bishaw can understand this very bitchaf strow you stray well,
then goodbye, goodbye. I want to make one thing very clear, then you be honestly each and every one of you people. I've been able to withstand too general managers. I've even stood up to so cold Sea watch, and I want to make it clear to every one of the parents. I'm both watching anybody that I might acquire in the train ery. Bishop, this is bad then, a damn big way. Why why because I've been a turdain wine y'all? Why that? So a returning Edge is she comes to
the ring and spears Eric Bischoff after Paul Hayman quits. So Paul Hayman's no longer the GM of smacked Out, he quits his WWE job, Kabe Edge comes back, spears Eric Bijoff. And one thing is that the WWE network often changes Pete Guys theme songs, like at this point, Edge was using the Rob Zombie never Gonna Stop Me theme, and when he actually came out, the pop was massive, but I guess they don't have the rights to use it on the network, so they dubbed it over with his original theme
from Erica Eric edging Christian and therefore the return and the pop really doesn't seem loud, but if you go get the actual footage, it was deafening.
So Paul Hayman no longer the GM on SmackDown Edge, returning to Raw or debuting on Raw in a massive, massive way, and then all of the sudden, you have a huge main event that nobody would have ever thought in Eddie Guerrero versus Triple H for the WWE Championship, as Triple H for this for a moment was part of the SmackDown roster, and just as in classic
Triple H fashion, at this time Evolution really tried to get involved. But when they tried to get involved, they were now dealing with a brand new crop of superstars they never dealt before in the SmackDown roster. His hat trick take a round to the three legals here, this is sorry down here, still up the teams, turn it up to lakes, steal the w W
Championship. Yes, they ain't set up, set up the stem to stand the dog turning away, blake to the like what see like you say the time you turn goes, play ten music, play ten music goes and the recreating see likes, but the ses not it's not that triple age. I can't lay that. And they ground on the top the Timmaker play and asked, that's pret ship write down. Then we're just gonna slip down the line day sitting right it already by get bucking ass, look the hen it's wrong
about the bold stock down. We got the grooms, bro walks, slip down long rooms or supper poreality, tend them on everybody. Everybody back down.
That's greadyy that comes to lit a step down, calling out in the locker room, tell us fucking little to the tenness bodies in the when the rals working on a tim of the middle already and he gonna make somebody makes the sitings on the right, please men us get the rules here o wrong slip down they call rock damn then hit back then down round here comes came and look at the bit shows me I can't bitch show was the show.
Simon took over the topic shop because when I'm here in the sub bit roll I the company, when I spent to the trine, but that he was blazing round after as lot that comes more my sound come and the camera the share and it rained it down out of mind at the character and when I'm down and it was there in the try. My god, I can't give my life, but the bar mine a right line spake down. Can I
get home? Now? So Raw goes off the air with a massive SmackDown versus Raw brawl led by Steve Austin at the end, who was the then sheriff of Monday Night Raw. And you know, we always talk about how like the Raw versus SmackDown stuff is overblown current day in WWE, but this was a moment in time where it really felt special because you never saw them cross pass. Ever, this was the first draft in two years, the first draft in the existence of the brand split, so this really felt important.
Now, there wasn't any monumental shifts. Obviously, Triple H goes to SmackDown for a brief second but then gets traded back to Raw. You have the Dudley Boys changing brands, Booker T and RVD Shelton, Benjamin were needed pre nothing major, right, like no monumental trades, but still making some trades did feel important. You got a breakout start in some Copti and Shelton Benjamin, you got a breakout start in some capacity in Renee Duprie. You
know, you still gain a lot from separating the brands. And I really hope WWE is going to stick to their own rules here moving forward. And this was a looking back. It just shows that when you really do it here to your own rules, it could mean a ton in the grand scheme of things. And I hope that they really do this here. And you know what, you don't have to do it every year. You could do
it every two years. I think three would maybe be a bit long, but like you know, they just did it this year a year and a half. That's not too bad now. Albeit they were breaking their own rules a lot of the time, so maybe that's why they were able to wait so long. But I really do think there's a major benefit to this adhering to your own rules, and this is a case in point of it.
Away, guys, that's all I got for you today. I hope you enjoyed the two thousand and four WWE Draft as always, you can get me on Twitter at a to mark of twenty five. You could get Matt on Twitter Wrestling Underscore Audio, where you can email him each and every week for the WWE podcast mail Bag. Anyway, guys, I hope you have a great weekend. I'll be back on Monday with Matt and I'll talk to you
next week. Thanks for listening to the WWE Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a show, or head to WWE podcast dot com and for all of these shows ad free, head over to Patreon dot com slash WWE podcast. Until then, we'll see you next time.