The First Ever WWF Draft

[@trentwalker7297]

The original brand spit would still be going STRONG today if they just kept SMACKDOWN an equal to Raw

[@trentwalker7297]

Kid From 21 Jump Street I brand split stop being good in 2007 haha

[@bsculls]

Just like our political party’s

[@horrorfan4-life689]

I hated the brand split

[@horrorfan4-life689]

@Kid From 21 Jump Street how so?

[@dwlc4288]

Yep

[@criminalmindsgirl2936]

It's a damn shame how WWE isn't as good as it used to be.

[@horrorfan4-life689]

They dont feel they have competition so no reason to try.

[@christophertanner7394]

God 80s wrestling was so good

[@chrishandsome4267]

It’s not even a quarter as good as it used to be

[@brandnewday2750]

Too watered down now

[@kingrama27]

Was it ever really good though?

[@NobesBLO13]

It’s amazing there was a time when wrestling could beat Monday Night Football in the states.

[@dildonius]

Even back then, it would be INCREDIBLY rare for WWF/WWE Monday Night Raw or WCW Monday Nitro to EVER beat NFL Monday Night Football in the ratings. At least in the USA, or at least in MOST PARTS of the USA.

[@bugsyproductions3140]

When did that happen

[@imtotallynotbigbossinhidin2289]

....they never came close.

[@nlee4566]

@@imtotallynotbigbossinhidin2289 Yes they did. I believe in 98/99 MNF was in trouble with Raw.

[@imtotallynotbigbossinhidin2289]

@@nlee4566 source?

[@WarhawkBeyond2040]

When they announced that there was going to be a draft where Raw and Smackdown would be separate brands where wrestlers would compete on one show exclusively, I was very curious as to how it would work and concerned that it could hurt them in the long run but looking back now, I was blown away at how much star power the company had at the time. This is still to this day my favourite draft and it was the most special. Initially when it started with Ric Flair running Raw and Vince Mcmahon running Smackdown, it didn't feel any different at first but I felt when Eric Bischoff and Stephanie Mcmahon took over as GM's of the respective shows, things got much better and more exciting. It was like a modern day Monday Night Wars where both GM's were in a game of one upsmanship to prove that they were the superior show while trying to sign the big names to their brand. Ric Flair had the best picks but for me in the long run, Smackdown later on benefited the most out of the draft as they would go on to have their best run from July 2002 - March 2004 where they would put out some of the best ppv quality matches ever on TV and its still to this day my favourite period of the ruthless aggression era as a wrestling fan. I absolutely loved it.

[@SethColby69]

honestly thought the best moment about that draft was undertaker getting angry in the lockeroom when he found out he was getting drafted to raw , getting so mad that he kicked a door open to leave

[@JayTeeAyy]

These videos are pretty much carrying the Summer for me at this point

[@theSuperviLLain_est]

You should check out wrestlingpremier and wrestling with wregret

[@lewispowell794]

100%

[@herbromero1073]

Been on wrestlingpremier. Gonna check out wrestling with regret thanks

[@Sickness2310]

Kurtis Mills I think that Brian Zane’s Classic PPV reviews are right up there with Wrestling Bios videos for my favorites.

[@YoitsDeMo]

Same here

[@rockajabroni5975]

Ive always said this; 2002 was WWE's ALLSTAR roster. They finally had WCW top guys wrestling, including Hogan and Flair. Rock and Austin had their final run as active top guys, Smackdown still had the best wrestlers in their prime like Eddie, Benoit, Jericho, Edge, Angle and Rey. Lesnar started his amazing rookie year. You were finally seeing the true potential of Jeff Hardy, RVD, Booker T, Kane and Christian, and got a returning Shawn Michaels...2002 was actually a pretty damn great year.

[@raphaelmorrata8905]

It was to me the last good WWF year. After that, slowly WWF began to suck

[@CLM1987]

1st and still best Draft WWE did. I still use those rosters to this day as close as I can in the WWE games

[@kevinpayton2664]

I never liked the drafts but the original one is the best.

[@nicolevarnam2290]

Absolutely agree with U and WB FAM. Nothing lives up the THIS ONE😉🖤🤘

[@TG5455]

I always love using the draft in story mode in Shut Your Mouth. Fun times. 😁

[@jamesbounds]

I remember they made a action figure draft series after this. It was a pretty big line of figures. Good times.

[@timbartschwolfman]

2002 Draft was the beginning of the Ruthless Aggression Era

[@kevinpayton2664]

Also it was the era of the Supershow. I went to one in 2006 in Memphis, TN where both Raw and SmackDown were in the same arena. Raw was live that night and SmackDown was taped and shown on TV later in the week.

[@zacharythomason7359]

@@kevinpayton2664 I wonder WWE still do those supershows?

[@strickyboiwonder]

@@kevinpayton2664 I remember the supershows.... thats when smackdown would not use the fist but the raw titantron with the smackdown shattered glass at the bottom. I have a question though, was smackdown taped before raw went live or after?

[@bruceleroythethird]

Actually the ruthless agression started when John cena said those exact words

[@bruceleroythethird]

@Misguided Angel there is something called Google you idiot. Vince McMahon said himself that Ruthless Agression Era officially started with John Cena

[@VERDICTInsanity]

During this time in wrestling I was homeless and couldn’t watch, but I played a lot Smackdown vs Raw at a friends house and I remember the cut scene where Vince spins around on his nwo chair

[@JustinStinoStamosZamora42]

16:37 Hulk Still Rules T-Shirt spotted in the crowd. They were definitely putting Hogan back in the red and yellow. When he first came out with his new red and yellow attire, I was ecstatic.

[@mattelwood980]

Invasion parts 1 + 2 and the aftermath in a span of 3 days. Damn man such good work.

[@brandonleague3641]

Hulk attaching himself to The Rock to stay at the top of the card and in the limelight...the same way he did with Randy Savage in 1988...

[@TheRealRollerCodster]

Splitting the tag teams was the one thing i didn't like the most about the draft.

[@kevinpayton2664]

I remember when the Dudley Boyz were broken up. They eventually got back together, but I was really shocked when Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin(The World's Greatest Tag Team)was split.

[@UFCWWE69]

I guess it was just an easy way for wwf to break up teams without having to write storylines to explain breakups

[@TimmayZ24]

I was actually there in person for this. Good times

[@marcespinoza6068]

0:57 I wanna know about this supposed shoot fight between Stone Cold and Dawn Marie.

[@ignatiusjackson235]

That's a funny way to spell "Debra."

[@toddrichardson8595]

WELL DONE AS ALWAYS! My FAVORITE SERIES in a Long time! Each Episode brings back more and more Memories.. INCREDIBLY WELL DONE AND RESEARCHED!

[@daviddarrh1610]

Love the early 2000s where how's the years gone by

[@nickneurohr5422]

Do you do everything for your channel. With the content, music, editing etc? Because if so you should be doing this on a bigger platform. I know KZbin is huge and can pay well but I mean people need your talents. Like ummm WWE..lol.. But seriously in my opinion your KZbin channel is the best wrestling channel. Just different and more in depth then the others. Keep it coming because we love the content

[@nlee4566]

Great Idea! WWE would control his content tho. They would not let him give his personal opinion.

[@nickneurohr5422]

@@nlee4566 yeah definitely true

[@zemox2534]

No thanks. Wrestling Bios does not need WWE to be a star. He us already a star.

[@Wolfgangster182]

I've been watching the videos in order since the Invasion, I never realized how much I actually miss the storylines from back then, how they blended so well and how some stories ended up having more than just 2 people or a certain group of people. 😳🤷🏽‍♂️🤘🏽😎👍🏽

[@crisdmt5479]

I watched the WCW since 1992 until they closed....2020 and still missing 🖤

[@TredLand]

I love history and someone who says 99.9% of it ...this channel is really good i hope more people catch on and subscribe

[@richardlopez4318]

So glad you explained this. I hadn't watched wrestling in years and had no idea what had happened. I was so confused until now. Thanks!

[@fizzyfuzz5878]

One of your best videos. I don't see the first draft covered a lot on KZbin

[@jasonkc7836]

God bless you and your videos.. during quarantine.. I got my old school wwf memories .. really love the channel from Canada

[@hammibaillie4515]

Haven't watched wrestling since 03ish but addicted to this . Gold

[@JohnW8223]

Another excellent video. I dont watch any wrestling anymore but i was an every weeker between 98-03. This has really taken me back. Thanks for your hard work.

[@leviamper9649]

On This Day: 20 Years Ago the first ever WWE Draft in 2002 with 2 Brand Extension Raw & SmackDown!

[@imogenaris1697]

RVD vs Kurt Angle were some of the best matches from this period. Kurt would always get a busted mouth against Rob. The Draft is when I stopped watching, but at least they were trying to do something different.

[@pottsie_era]

in an alternative universe WCW became it's own separate entity within in the WWE.

[@Mitch-wi3ec]

Great job again love the channel!!

[@peteryoung08]

Wrestling bios will always get a preemptive like cause I know it will be a great, informative and always entertaining.

[@mritty115]

I'd love another video in this series, detailing how/when the "Undisputed" Championship became exclusive to one of the brands, leading to the creation of a new World Championship, and the new "general managers" of the two brands. Down the line, hopefully more videos about the end of the original brand extension and the future re-splits (by which time, I'd stopped being an active WWE fan, so I know very little about it - I'd love your rundown of the splits' histories)

[@smthompson89]

I live in the UK. I could only watch Smackdown, as it was shown at 12 on a Saturday morning on Sky One. We didn’t have cable TV so couldn’t watch Raw, which was shown on Friday nights. Still bitter about not getting to see the likes of Undertaker, Kane, RVD, etc.

[@jjbjjb273]

Me two but you could watch highlights on wwf bottom line on sky one to see raw

[@no_handle_found]

Before this draft, me and my friends used to argue if the wrestling was real but after this draft, it was quiet apparent even to 8 year old that this was just a show 😂

[@SticcyStaton]

I think that sense of competition between the Writers is missing in today's WWE brand split

[@DeAngeloStevens]

That set the Stage for Smackdown Shut Your Mouth on the PS2 in the FALL of November '02.

[@aidanduffy3407]

Wasnt sure on the theme at first now I feckin loves it. Makes me.smile

[@lmaoitsmee1812]

Damn, Kurt never got his flowers for essentially shaping Smackdown for the next few years.

[@jmalb42]

I feel like the brand split was way better than the invasion

[@camcamz2128]

Having a horrible day ur videos make me better

[@jaymays8800]

Dude you are the man! I never miss a single video and never will. ... J

[@CallumDickson666]

I know they're probably 3 separate things, but I read that magazine as "Steve Austin Shoot Wrestling Dawn Marie" and I have to say, I'm intrigued.

[@AFCManUk]

When that 'Wrestlemania' Theme kicks in, all I hear is Jim Ross screaming, "Oh My Gawd, It's Linda McMahon!!"

[@comfortablynumblbg]

It is a sad world when Mr Perfect vs Tazz lasts 2 minutes in duration and it barely gets a mention nearly 20 years later. These two men are legends in their own right.

[@acewillingham]

The original brand extension is so much better than the modern one and it's mainly because you have stars on the respective shows during the ruthless aggression era

[@Melonlord_0099]

This wasn't the ruthless aggression era, it started in June

[@MsfPW89]

Billy and Chuck was honestly a pretty good and underrated team

[@danbarnes3752]

Your the best brother thanks again for the great content!

[@cathode6252]

I totally thought you streamed it live for some reason. I need more sleep.

[@nisargkasturiwale3877]

The draft eventually started the transition period from Attitude Era to Ruthless Aggression Era.. With Vince McMahon's Ruthless Aggression promo being the final nail in the coffin for Attitude Era..

[@maxmeza4859]

No. That transition was after the Invasion to the draft week. The first episode of the brand splits started the Ruthless Aggression era

[@1987Liono]

I gave up wrestling exactly at this point. Watching it now to get what I missed. Better late than never.

[@poorchristopher15]

It would have been cool if WCW was kept alive. Imagine wrestlers like the Undertaker making a Monday night nitro appearance against Hogan and the NWO. So many creative ideas could have been implemented.

[@weasal97]

Great channel dude I really look forward to your videos keep it up !

[@jggonzalez6299]

I have the network and these are great to go back and watch

[@evolvedcopper2205]

Growing up WWE used to only be shown in my country 2 or 3 weeks later than it happened. A free channel had both the shows and it used to show Raw at 5PM on a sunday and Smackdown at 8 or 8:30 PM on a wednesday. The PPV's were on a premium tv service only but we got em all. I remember this feeling of having to watch a specific show to see a specific group of wrestlers. Each show offered people i wanted to watch. I obviously being a child always preferred Smackdown cause majority of the talent were my favourites. Raw just didn't hit the same for me but it had specific people i liked a lot. At school we used to discuss wrestling non stop when we didn't talk about cartoons. Around the time that talents stopped being brand exclusive was when watching wrestling started to feel exhausting like we watched out of routine instead of recreation. Also the PPVs being brand specific was always refreshing. Things just got no good when every show and PPV had the same people, and yet now there's too many people as well

[@jamescannon4925]

"Flair lost to the Undertaker by the way" This got me good

[@taylormademyself89]

Also if ya want to do vid no one's done yet ( I know cuz I looked everywhere) since they are back teaming ya could do vid on miz and Morrison like ya did with hbk and hhh how they teamed then became opponent, also vid on all who held the unified tag titles 😎🤘🙏

[@WCWThunderRosa]

Billy & Chuck were drafted as a team because they were the champions. The nWo were drafter as a team because Vince manipulated their contracts during the period where Vince was the sole owner before Wrestlemania.

[@rocamontana]

When I was a fanatic, I was like "booh invaders". Now that I see things a little more clearly, I only can imagine how many jobs were lost in the merging process.

[@DepressedHyena]

You must have to do so much research that it makes me want to help you 😂 love the videos!

[@mehulrathod7739]

9:33 when someone tells me Aew has more viewership than smackdown or RAW!

[@duncanmorrison7603]

People talking about bret refusing to loose in canda but I think hogan had more power in wcw

[@Jimmy_Hopkins15]

This video shows how much WWE has fallen the rosters was stacked back then.

[@arkansasstorm]

Basically what eric bischoff wanted to do in wcw. Biggest difference, the stars wanted to put on the best shows vs wcw just sitting around and not changing

[@derekchapman2192]

That Draft us vince sign priceless. 💎 the Rock and. Chris Benoit and Eddie Gurraro Nwo Kurt Angle Kane Edge made Smackdown a lil hotter than Raw im still a Raw fan but they made Smackdown 🔥 🔥 🔥

[@joshwigmore5224]

Smackdown was the winner good times always remmber this and smackdown 4 on ps2 played draft all the time good video brother xx

[@rogermoore-gd9do]

What i dont like about having two brands is up to then all WWF wrestlers could fight each other.

[@smcauley600]

ruthless aggression post draft smackdown was great. the smackdown six the fact paul heyman wrote it, torrie willson stacy keblier what more can a 12 year old ask for

[@KiLLeRisMe100]

Vince McMahon said it best (when talking about the drop in business/creativity after the acquisition of WCW and ECW respectively) when he said "You find yourself running twice as hard when someone is chasing you, once no one is left chasing you its just harder to push yourself to go faster" paraphrasing a bit there but that totally sums it up.

[@user-md7uu9rk4l]

Your videos are always awesome 👏

[@bsculls]

Your videos have great timing

[@PV24]

Do u have download links to some of the music featured in your videos?

[@richardhalligan7900]

I always thought when it came to titles Raw should have had the WWF titles and Smackdown with the WCW titles

[@denzelmccausland4644]

The intro for this one brought too much nostalgia 🔥🔥🔥

[@outlawrip-offartist4161]

The brand split is where I became a fan. So I always have a soft spot for the brand split.

[@OreoBrewer]

Are you gonna follow up by comparing this with the last draft & do an introspective/retrospective analysis on the top picks who were most successful?

[@zellyzell1993]

Hell of an intro 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿

[@deandreushayes6110]

Can you do more Draft episodes?

[@laquintinbelser8342]

Another great video

[@Venemofthe888]

i dont know if you would do it but id like to see you do the rest of the drafts

[@zekeroscoe5886]

I remember each brand was allowed one team pick each, that is why nWo and Billy & Chuck were able to get drafted together.

[@vampwolf2009]

Where do you get your opening themes?

[@hhtptai]

My favorite part about the first draft was the completely over the top reactions of the wrestlers when they switched shows.

[@jonnytran2800]

Chris Jericho who was the former and first ever undisputed champion got picked with the rest of the jobbers... what in the Fk Vince

[@raphaelmorrata8905]

Clearly he was losing his status and sent to the midcard

[@ljaproductions07]

Yeah, Vince didn't give a f*ck about the tag straps, he was breaking up tag teams and relationships at this point, APA & Dudley Boyz, matt hardy and lita, but the hardcore title ended up back on raw anyway and disappearing on raw lol

[@rejeanbonin7476]

That was way better than the invasion angle

[@stephsman51]

WTF! Peacock doesn't have this episode in their library!

[@crashharty]

Crash Holly: gets drafted Me: YEAAAAAAAAH!!!!

[@pauly2956]

Historic entertaining and monumental

[@ukwolfman6938]

Vincent drafted Billy and Chuck because they looked so good to him.

[@_Bruzzi]

Draft time woot

[@BoboMcBooboy]

This was a FANTASTIC idea… the ONLY problem was not flushing out the rules more… like it’s clear they didn’t want to break up the nwo… and they didn’t know how to do it realistically without making them I guess into one giant morphed individual… like who wouldn’t draft 3 stars for the price of one?! Also like you pointed out. The tag team champs could go together, but they clearly wanted to break up the duds for some weird ass reason… just needed to tighten up on some of these goofy rule breaks and this would have been in the running for one of the best ideas they had around this time period IMHO

[@BoboMcBooboy]

That is of course… if you’re going to do it this way, and basically dissolve WCW into the WWE instead of trying to run both separate but together

[@DeAngeloStevens]

Spring Break 2002 during mid-season Sixth Grade Year Huffman Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama.

[@ThePat-yu6st]

Had no idea wcw was still pulling fans. Crazy coincidence everything fell flat at the opportune moment for Vince to buy it dirt cheap.

[@zemox2534]

Ironically, Kurt would become SD GM years later.

[@jordonhanlan]

I think 2001-2004 was the best era of WWE. I love the old brand splits at this time and the general manager feuds

[@wrestlingfan1295]

I remember how much fun this was to create on the games.

[@joelma1109]

I was shocked to see that Chris Jericho wasn’t a top ten pick for either raw or smackdown.

[@rooneye]

I HATED this brand split idea as soon as I saw it. Still do. I just hate the division.