The WWE's revamped brand extension is in full force as the WWE Draft occurred Tuesday night on "SmackDown Live."
"Monday Night RAW" commissioner Stephanie McMahon and her general manager Mick Foley had some good early picks, as did "SmackDown Live" showrunner Shane McMahon and his GM Daniel Bryan.
We'll go round-by-round through the first five picks to see which brand had the early edge and then ultimately decide which entity had the better draft overall. To view this article in slideshow form, CLICK START at the top right of this page.
First Picks: Seth Rollins (RAW, No. 1 overall) vs. Dean Ambrose (SmackDown, No. 2)
This is a tough one as both of these guys were tremendous picks. The "Lunatic Fringe" went on to topple "The Architect" on "SmackDown" to retain the WWE Championship and remain on top of the mountain ahead of their Triple Threat Match with Roman Reigns at Sunday's Battleground.. While Ambrose is solid in the ring and having a great run as of late, Rollins is a little more proven when it comes to carrying a company long-term, as evidenced by his lengthy run as champion last year.
Edge: RAW.
Second Picks: Charlotte (RAW, No. 3) vs. AJ Styles (SmackDown, No.4)
Charlotte has been on top of the WWE women's division mountain for several months and it was a nice job by the WWE to put the emphasis on the women's revolution early. The daughter of Ric Flair is easily one of the most athletic ladies on the roster. Still, "The Phenomenal One" is a proven veteran who made waves in TNA and has put on some great matches in the WWE so far -- even though his mic skills as a heel haven't really worked that well. Despite some hiccups with the questionable heel turn, Styles showed how much of a veteran he is when he pulled two awesome matches out of Reigns.
Edge: SmackDown.
Third Picks: Finn Balor (RAW, No. 5) vs. John Cena (SmackDown, No. 7)
"The Demon" has put on an amazing show in NXT, but it will be interesting to see how he transitions into the main roster in the WWE. Balor will hopefully avoid the hole that most former NXT stars fall into where they get lost in the shuffle and luckily the brand extension is supposed to help avoid that sort of thing. Going up against the face of the franchise, it's hard to pick Balor despite his early success. Cena is a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion, has been a huge draw for the WWE and can put on a great match with just about anyone.
Edge: SmackDown.
Fourth Picks: Roman Reigns (RAW, No. 6) vs. Randy Orton (SmackDown, No. 9)
The WWE has done its best to shove the Leader of the Roman Empire down the fan's throats and while he's improved in many facets of the industry, he still appears to have a long way to go. The 30-day ban for violating the company's wellness policy will hopefully lead to them cooling down his mega push until he organically gets over -- if that ever happens. "The Viper's" character is very stale, but his injury could be a blessing as it gives the WWE Universe a breather from the same old story. Orton is a veteran and is a great in-ring performer, so "SmackDown" gets the edge here.
Edge: SmackDown.
Fifth Picks: Brock Lesnar (RAW, No. 8) vs. Bray Wyatt (SmackDown, No. 12)
"The Beast" is easily one of the biggest draws in WWE history, so that was a huge get for the flagship show. Despite the fact that he's a part-time performer and is coming off some controversy from the USDA over a potential violation of an anti-doping test, Lesnar is one of the biggest names in the WWE right now. The "Eater of Worlds" is a very good talent and will hopefully get more of a chance to shine with thinner rosters. Wyatt is a fantastic pick, but no one can beat Lesnar.
Edge: RAW.
RAW vs. SmackDown
The full draft results can be viewed here. While "SmackDown" had a slight early edge in the Draft, things certainly changed as the night went on. Top midcard stars such as Kevin Owens, Cesaro, Enzo, Big Cass, Rusev, Sasha Banks and Sheamus all ended up on the Red Brand, giving "RAW" the overall edge.
Edge: RAW.
