2002 WWF Draft Lottery

WWF's intra-brand draft 2002 WWF draft lottery Professional wrestling March 25, 2002 State College, Pennsylvania World Wrestling Federation RawSmackDown! 2004 The 2002 World Wrestling Federation (WWF) draft lottery, the initial WWF draft, took place at Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania, on March 25.http://www.oowrestling.com/recaps/raw/20020325.shtml February 23, 2008 WWE Draft 2002 Recap Zimmerman Christopher Robin March 26, 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20120303064835/http://www.oowrestling.com/recaps/raw/20020325.shtml March 3, 2012 usurpedhttp://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/020325.html February 23, 2008 WWE Raw (March 25, 2002) Results Online World of Wrestling The first half of the draft was televised live on TNN for two hours, as part of the WWF's program, Raw. The second half was conducted over the Internet on WWF's official website, WWF.com.http://www.wrestleview.com/results/raw/66.shtml February 23, 2008 WWE Raw (March 25, 2002) Recap WrestleView There were thirty draft picks, with sixty wrestlers drafted overall by co-owners of the WWF, onto their respective brands, Raw and SmackDown!.http://www.pwwew.net/wwedraft.htm February 23, 2008 WWE 2002 Draft Results PWWEW.net The remaining wrestlers were divided randomly in a draft lottery, with each brand receiving a grand total of thirty wrestlers.http://www.pwwew.net/tv/raw/020325.htm February 23, 2008 WWE Raw (March 25, 2002) Results PWWEW.net March 15, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080315172116/http://www.pwwew.net/tv/raw/020325.htm dead Background On March 17, 2002, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Chairman Vince McMahon announced that the company would represent its business of professional wrestling through two distinct brands named after the WWF's weekly television programs, Raw and SmackDown!. This was a direct result of the acquisition of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the WWF's primary rival corporations throughout the 1990s, that resulted in the addition of numerous talent to the extensive WWF roster.http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp WWE Entertainment To Make RAW and SMACKDOWN Distinct Television Brands WWE March 27, 2002 April 5, 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100417115226/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp April 17, 2010 mdy In terms of storyline, Ric Flair had become fifty percent owner of the WWF following Survivor Series 2001 after Shane and Stephanie had sold their stocks to him in order to purchase WCW and ECW, respectively, a campaign to launch The Invasion.http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?2001/raw111901 February 22, 2008 WWF Raw (November 19, 2002) Results Zimmerman Christopher The Other Arena https://web.archive.org/web/20080315121629/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?2001%2Fraw111901 March 15, 2008 dead mdy-all Original full WWF owner Vince McMahon detested having to share his creation with Flair and sought to dissolve their partnership.http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?2002/raw031102 February 22, 2008 WWE Raw Results (March 11, 2002) Zimmerman Christopher Robin The Other Arena https://web.archive.org/web/20080315121645/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?2002%2Fraw031102 March 15, 2008 dead mdy-all Simultaneously, Flair was engaged in a feud with The Undertaker and wanted to conclude it with a bout at WrestleMania X8. However, the WWF Board of Directors would only allow the match if Flair returned full ownership back to McMahon.http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/020311.html February 23, 2008 WWE Raw (March 11, 2002) Results Online World of Wrestling Flair agreed, but the Board stated that it would review the WWF's status and ownership following WrestleMania. In continuation with storyline, the Board's ultimate decision was to split the entire WWF roster into two separate entities, with McMahon in control of the SmackDown! brand and Flair in control of the Raw brand.Michael McAvennie WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition Pocket Books 2003 99 & 100http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?2002/raw031802 February 22, 2008 WWE Raw (March 18, 2002) Results The Other Arena https://web.archive.org/web/20080315121657/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?2002%2Fraw031802 March 15, 2008 dead mdy-all All WWF wrestlers were to be assigned to a brand based on random selections conducted through a mock-draft lottery. On the March 25, 2002 episode of Raw, the WWF Draft was held, in which each owner received a total of thirty picks.Michael McAvennie WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition Pocket Books 2003 102 Selections On the March 25, 2002, episode of Raw, Vince McMahon won a coin toss to determine who would receive the first draft selection. Pick No. Brand (to) Round No. Employee Notes01 1SmackDown!01 1The Rock02 2Raw01 1The Undertaker03 3SmackDown!02 2Kurt Angle04 4Raw02 2nWo (Kevin Nash, X-Pac and Scott Hall)05 5SmackDown!03 3Chris BenoitDrafted while recovering from neck surgery. Benoit returned on the Raw brand instead.06 6Raw03 3Kane07 7SmackDown!04 4Hollywood Hulk Hogan08 8Raw04 4Rob Van DamVan Dam was the WWF Intercontinental Champion, making the title exclusive to Raw.09 9SmackDown!05 5Billy Gunn and Chuck PalumboBilly and Chuck were the WWF Tag Team Champions, making the titles exclusive to SmackDown!. In addition, Billy and Chuck's manager, Rico, went along with them in the draft.10 10Raw05 5Booker T11 11SmackDown!06 6Edge12 12Raw06 6Big Show13 13SmackDown!07 7Rikishi14 14Raw07 7Bubba Ray Dudley15 15SmackDown!08 8D-Von Dudley16 16Raw08 8Brock LesnarMcMahon attempted to use his 9th draft pick for Lesnar but, as it was not his pick, Flair immediately picked Lesnar as his 8th pick. Lesnar's manager, Paul Heyman, went along with him in the draft.17 17SmackDown!09 9Mark Henry18 18Raw09 9William RegalRegal was the WWF European Champion, making the title exclusive to Raw.19 19SmackDown!10 10MavenMaven was the WWF Hardcore Champion, making the title exclusive to SmackDown!. However, Raven defeated Maven for the championship prior to the brand separation, bringing the title to Raw with him.20 20Raw10 10Lita21 21SmackDown!11 11Billy Kidman22 22Raw11 11Bradshaw23 23SmackDown!12 12TajiriTajiri was the WWF Cruiserweight Champion, making the title exclusive to SmackDown!.24 24Raw12 12Steven Richards25 25SmackDown!13 13Chris Jericho26 26Raw13 13Matt Hardy27 27SmackDown!14 14Ivory28 28Raw14 14Raven29 29SmackDown!15 15Albert30 30Raw15 15Jeff Hardy31 31SmackDown!16 16The Hurricane32 32Raw16 16Mr. Perfect33 33SmackDown!17 17Al Snow34 34Raw17 17Spike Dudley35 35SmackDown!18 18Lance Storm36 36Raw18 18D'Lo Brown37 37SmackDown!19 19Diamond Dallas Page38 38Raw19 19Shawn Stasiak39 39SmackDown!20 20Torrie Wilson 40 40Raw20 20Terri41 41SmackDown!21 21Scotty 2 Hotty42 42Raw21 21Jacqueline43 43SmackDown!22 22Stacy Keibler 44 44Raw22 22Goldust45 45SmackDown!23 23Christian46 46Raw23 23Trish Stratus47 47SmackDown!24 24Test48 48Raw24 24Justin Credible49 49SmackDown!25 25Faarooq50 50Raw25 25Big Boss Man51 51SmackDown!26 26Tazz52 52Raw26 26Tommy Dreamer53 53SmackDown!27 27Hardcore Holly54 54Raw27 27Crash Holly55 55SmackDown!28 28Val Venis56 56Raw28 28Mighty Molly57 57SmackDown!29 29Perry Saturn Notes: Picks No. 1–20 were made live on Raw Picks No. 21–57 were conducted via lottery on the WWF's website Undrafted Several wrestlers remained undrafted for various reasons. Employee Reason for not being drafted Status after being draftedTriple HTriple H was the Undisputed WWF Champion, and could appear on either show as the title represented both brands. It was stipulated that whoever was to defeat him for the title, he would join that challenger’s home brand. Hollywood Hulk Hogan, a member of the SmackDown! Brand, won the title from Triple H, thus Triple H was assigned to SmackDown!SmackDown!JazzJazz was the WWF Women's Champion, and could appear on either show as the title represented both brands. After losing the title, she joined the Raw brand.RawChris JerichoHad a match for the Undisputed WWF Championship the night of the draft. After losing, Jericho joined SmackDown!.SmackDown!Stephanie McMahonHad a match for the Undisputed WWF Championship the night of the draft. After losing, McMahon was forced to leave the company. She later returned as the SmackDown! General Manager.SmackDown!Stone Cold Steve AustinAustin was considered a free agent in the draft by Linda McMahon, and chose to sign to Raw.Raw Aftermath The brand extension was officially enforced on April 1, 2002. Stone Cold Steve Austin was made exempt from the draft by Linda McMahon, but later opted to sign with Raw.WWE Raw (April 1, 2002) April 1, 2002 World Wrestling Entertainment WWE Superstars A month later, the WWF was sued by the World Wildlife Fund over the WWF initialism. This resulted in the company being renamed from "World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc." to simply "World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.", which caused all of the WWF's assets to be properly renamed and branded.John K. Carlisle 2003 World Wide Fund For Nature vs. World Wrestling Entertainment Foundation Watch Capital Research Center http://www.capitalresearch.org/pubs/pdf/x3773144899.pdf December 15, 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110429134400/http://www.capitalresearch.org/pubs/pdf/x3773144899.pdf April 29, 2011 mdy-all The Flair and McMahon feud came to an end on the June 10, 2002 edition of Raw, when McMahon became the sole owner of WWE by defeating Flair in a No Holds Barred match.http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?2002/raw061002 February 22, 2008 WWE Raw (June 10, 2002) Results https://web.archive.org/web/20080315121702/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?2002%2Fraw061002 March 15, 2008 dead mdy-all Following the situations with the brand extension and name change, by having two brands in place, the WWE was able to increase the number of live events held each year from 200 to 350, including tours in several new international markets. Even after the end of the first brand extension in 2011, WWE continued to have two touring live event shows. The brand extension returned in 2016. After McMahon became the sole owner, the owner role was replaced by "general managers". For Raw, he announced the new general manager for Raw would be Eric Bischoff, and for SmackDown!, Stephanie McMahon. On the same night when he announced Stephanie as new general manager, he also stated that a free agent period has started and any Superstar could sign with the other brand. This continued until the fall of 2002. On the September 23 edition of Raw, Bischoff announced that the roster was frozen and the only way for a wrestler to move was to ask for a trade. References Category:History of WWE Category:WWE Draft Category:2002 in professional wrestling Category:Professional wrestling shows in Pennsylvania Category:State College, Pennsylvania Category:March 2002 in the United States