...and just like that, Triple H is a member of the SmackDown roster.  That is, of course, barring any shenanigans like in 2004 when The Game was traded back to Raw for the Dudleyz and Booker T.

This year's draft might have been the most paradigm shifting one since the brand extension began.  Raw received a number of performers whose personas had become synonymous with SmackDown over the years.  The blue show got a few guys who will have a second chance at main event glory after their careers got a little stuck on Monday nights.

And you can't discount the star power Jim Ross brings to Fridays along with the guy who is probably WWE's top go-to performer since "Stone Cold" Steve Austin or the Rock.  Some swerves, huh?  Conventional wisdom told us John Cena would be the guy heading to SmackDown.  It's no secret his core demographic is one of the target groups for the blue show.  As for Ross, those same little voices told us the natural change would be to switch Mick Foley and Tazz.

Not so this time.  I always say pro wrestling is at its most effective when it surprises, and Monday's Raw was an example of WWE at its most effective.  Kudos for that, and kudos for reassembling a roster that will avoid the rehash syndrome that's been dogging the company at least since this year's Judgment Day.

Let's look at each draft pick:

Rey Mysterio goes from SmackDown to Raw

I anticipated this.  Mysterio has never been a major player on the Raw brand and will definitely shake up the main event picture on Monday nights.  It's a way to get a new marquee name on the flagship brand and will likely generate at the very least a faster-paced style on the show.  Raw has never really highlighted the lucha-libra part of pro wrestling.  That's sure to change soon.

Jeff Hardy goes from Raw to SmackDown

In a way, Hardy fills the hole the left in the SmackDown roster with Rey's departure, and vice-versa.  More importantly, the move reinvigorates Jeff.  I mean, what a difference half a year makes.  Last fall, Jeff was in the middle of the biggest push of his career.  Rumor has it; he was booked to win Money in the Bank at WrestleMania XXIV, and would have cashed it in that night to win the WWE Championship.

A 60-day suspension for substance abuse later, and Jeff is back to square one, in a deja vu program with Umaga.  On Raw, him getting the strap suddenly seemed an iffy prospect.  Would WWE want to risk having their top performer be fired if he were to fall off the wagon again?

On Friday nights, a title run carries less risk, and perhaps, with Jeff's incredible popularity among younger fans, more reward.

Of course Umaga went over to SmackDown with him...

CM Punk goes from ECW to Raw

It looks like a natural move.  Punk is the MITB winner after all and needs to get into a main event program sooner or later.  He's one of the three performers who are the future of the company, but I still think he needs some more time at the mid-card before making the jump to the big show.  It has nothing to do with his talent.  He had the chops to play with guys like Triple H or even Shawn Michaels a year ago.  It has everything with getting the audience to accept him.

Punk currently appeals to only a small section of the audience.  While that will change as he's used more and more wisely, his career would be better served on SmackDown shooting for that title for a while.  On Raw, there's just too much potential for the Straight Edge Superstar's star to burn out.

The move also leaves a huge hole in the ECW roster.

Matt Hardy goes from SmackDown to ECW

I thought a big name like Edge or Chris Jericho would be the big guy going to Tuesday nights.  No, it was Matt Hardy who, no offense to Matt, is hardly a main eventer.  He probably sits right about where Punk does in the pecking order, but still doesn't fill the void.  Matt's been around for a decade and has never crossed he mid-card threshold.

I'm not sure what he brings to the table, except the United States Championship.  And that raises another question.  Will ECW, the show that's one hour long, have two championships?  It doesn't seem to fit with contemporary WWE.

Of course, the ECW Championship is now on Raw, so maybe ECW's belt will be the U.S. strap.  Who knows?  The fact is, while the other two brands were helped by Monday's program, ECW was not helped at all.

Michael Cole and Jim Ross switch places from SmackDown to Raw

Wow, this is huge!  Ross has been the voice of wrestling for years, filling the shoes of such giants as Gorilla Monsoon and Gordon Sollie.  Chances, your favorite WWE moment over the past decade and a half has good old JR on the soundtrack.  Monday night is not going to be the same without him.

It gives instant credibility to SmackDown.  However, I do question the wisdom of breaking up the announce team that has had the best chemistry in pro wrestling history.  Still, sometimes change is good, and I'm willing to give this one the old college try.

I guarantee you, if the move doesn't work out, JR will be back in the Raw announce chair.

I also wonder if his reaction was legitimate.  I've heard that talent doesn't know the results of the draft until we do.  Jim Ross looked visibly upset by the news.  Speculate as you will what was going through the Oklahoma Sooner's head.

Dave Batista goes from SmackDown to Raw

If you've read this blog, you know how I feel about Batista.  Are we now setting up for a Batista v. John Cena main event at WrestleMania XXV?  Oh what a plodding mess that would be.  Sure, it does rattle the Raw main event picture a little.  Maybe he'll turn heel and become a mean vicious animal.  That would be neat.

More likely, he'll just continue to whine for the rest of the year about how Shawn Michaels hurt his feelings.  Awwww

Umaga goes from Raw to SmackDown

This will freshen up Umaga a bit.  He's stalled some from his incredible debut.   I've heard that Vince McMahon hinted that the Samoan Bulldozer will go as far as possible on Friday nights.  Does that mean a World Heavyweight Championship reign is in the cards?  I'd pay to see that.
Kane goes from ECW to Raw

Ok, so Kane's on Raw.  What else can you say?  I like the guy, but he goes stale about as quickly as homemade bread.  The most interesting thing is wondering what happens to the ECW Championship.  Does this mean Big Show will certainly go over at Night of Champions?  Or, will Kane still make a championship appearance or two on Tuesday nights since ECW is rumored to be moving from the SmackDown shooting schedule to the Raw one in August.

We'll see.

Ken Kennedy goes from Raw to SmackDown

It seems every time Mr. Kennedy gets some momentum going, something bursts the bubble.  One injury stopped his WHC program.  Another robbed him of MITB.  Then it looked like he was going to get some main event moxy with William Regal, and Regal is suspended leaving Kennedy in a nowhere mid-card program.

A SmackDown run will be the best thing for him.  Look at how he eyed Edge as the announcement was made.  Will there be some revenge in order for Edge taking away his title shot?  Will a stop in MVP's VIP lounge be in order?

Kennedy’s is going to have the opportunity to cook some more before he jumps to the main event, and that may work to his advantage in the long run.  After all, Shawn Michaels and the Rock spent a looooong at the mid-card and look how huge they both became.

Triple H goes from Raw to SmackDown

It's the crown jewel of the draft.  Who would have thought that a guy with immense power backstage AND the company's workhorse main event performer, would head to Friday nights.  It will certainly make SmackDown more interesting and drive many fans to watch the show who don't tune in regularly.  I am curious to see how this pans out.

However, Raw was hard to watch when the Game tore his quad last year.  I hope history doesn't repeat itself.

Other thoughs:

No divas were drafted at all...It seems Raw is lacking in heels now, will Chris Jericho finally become the top heel and give Cena some trouble...you'd think Jeff is the Hardy who'd fit in better on ECW...a great show was ruined by a ridiculous ending, why is Vince McMahon so dead set on storyline where he is killed or maimed...nice battle royal, usually the scrubs participate in these matches but we got top guys...and ouch talk about bonking heads...and Melina's ankle, just as her face turn was gaining traction...it would have been neat to see Edge moved to ECW...