WWE Draft - Impact On Championships

Impact On Championships

Whether a champion keeps their championship after being drafted is unpredictable:

• During the 2002 Draft, the Undisputed WWE Champion and the Women's Champion were ineligible to be drafted as, at the time, their respective services were deemed available to both brands. The rest of the champions, however, were eligible to be drafted to either brand's roster. Initially, the Intercontinental Championship and WWE European Championship became exclusive to Raw, while the Tag Team Championship, WWE Hardcore Championship, and Cruiserweight Championship became exclusive to SmackDown. However, as time went on, some of these championships would eventually switch brand designation.
• During the 2005 Draft, the WWE Champion John Cena was drafted from SmackDown! to Raw and kept his championship. General Manager Theodore Long announced that a new SmackDown! Championship was to be created but the idea was abandoned when the World Heavyweight Champion Dave Batista was drafted to SmackDown! from Raw, bringing the title with him.
• During the 2007 Draft, the ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley was stripped of the title after being drafted to Raw.
• During the 2008 Draft, Matt Hardy was drafted to ECW with his WWE United States Championship, Triple H was drafted to SmackDown with his WWE Championship, and Kane was drafted to Raw with his ECW Championship.
• During the 2009 Draft, WWE Unified Tag Team Champions The Colóns (Carlito and Primo), WWE Divas Champion Maryse, WWE United States Champion MVP and WWE Champion Triple H were drafted to Raw, while WWE Women's Champion Melina and WWE Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio were drafted to SmackDown.
• During the 2011 Draft, WWE United States Champion Sheamus was drafted to SmackDown.
• Also during the 2011 Draft, one half of the WWE Tag Team champions Big Show was drafted to Raw from Smackdown, leaving his partner Kane with the other half on Smackdown.