2006 WWE brand extension draft
{{short description|WWE's intra-brand draft}}
{{Infobox sports draft
| name = 2006 WWE draft
| image = Paul Heyman WrestleMania 32 Axxess.jpg
| caption = Paul Heyman represented ECW during the 2006 WWE draft.
| sport = Professional wrestling
| date = May 29, 2006
| location = Tacoma, Washington
| league = World Wrestling Entertainment
| teams = ECW
Raw (outgoing only)
SmackDown! (outgoing only)
| prev =2005
| next =2007
}}
The 2006 World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) brand extension draft, also known as the 2006 ECW draft,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riq7e9m_Pzg|title=2006 ECW Draft|work=YouTube|date= May 29, 2006|access-date=January 22, 2017}} was the fourth WWE draft that took place at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, on May 29. The draft aired on WWE's flagship program Raw. The draft featured former Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) owner Paul Heyman receiving two total draft picks from the existing SmackDown! and Raw rosters for the newly created ECW brand.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/05292006/articles/heymangetspicks|access-date= February 23, 2008|title=Heyman gets Draft picks|last=Williams III|first=Ed|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|date=May 29, 2006}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/05292006/|access-date=February 23, 2008|title=Will Triple H join the Mr.McMahon Kiss my Ass club|last=Williams III|first=Ed|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|date=May 29, 2006}}
Background
After World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. bought all the assets of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from its parent HHG Corporation in 2003, the company began releasing DVDs promoting the original ECW.{{cite web|url=http://prowrestling.about.com/od/2005/tp/2005topstories.htm|access-date=February 23, 2008|title=Top Ten Moments of WWE in 2005|last=Cohen|first=Eric|publisher=About: Pro Wrestling|archive-date=March 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316024313/http://prowrestling.about.com/od/2005/tp/2005topstories.htm|url-status=dead}} Soon afterwards, the company promoted shows for ECW alumni entitled, One Night Stand in 2005 and in 2006. On May 25, 2006, WWE announced the launch of a new brand, ECW, a revival of original promotion.{{cite web
|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2006/2006_05_25_02.jsp
|title=WWE Launches ECW As Third Brand
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223101434/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2006/2006_05_25_02.jsp
|archive-date=December 23, 2008
|df=mdy
}} The new brand would later debut its television show on the Sci Fi Channel on June 13, 2006.{{cite web|title=WWE brings ECW to Sci Fi Channel| publisher=WWE|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/scifi|access-date=2006-06-02}} In preparation for the launch of the new ECW television show, ECW representative Paul Heyman would receive two draft picks from the existing Raw and SmackDown! rosters.
Selections
| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 50%" |
| width=0% | Pick No.
!width=15% | Brand (to) !width=45% | Employee !width=25% | Role !width=15% | Brand (from) |
|---|
| 1
|style="background:#ddd;"|ECW |Male wrestler |style="background:#ffd0bd"|Raw |
| 2
|style="background:#ddd;"|ECW |Male wrestler |style="background:#ccf;"|SmackDown! |
Aftermath
Fifteen days after the draft ECW would hold its premiere episode on June 13, 2006. Although not drafted, Tazz later defected from SmackDown! to ECW, Big Show from Raw to ECW, and Randy Orton from SmackDown! to Raw. In August 2006, after a few appearances, Kurt Angle requested and was granted his release from his WWE contract.{{Cite news|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/archive/chairmanonangle|title=The Chairman speaks on Kurt Angle|work=WWE|access-date=2018-04-22|language=en}}
On February 2, 2010, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon announced that ECW would air its final episode on February 16, 2010.{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_38772.shtml| title=WWE Officially Announces NXT's Debut Date Replacing ECW, Only Two Episodes Remaining|last=Caldwell|first=James|date=February 5, 2010|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date= February 9, 2010}} The ECW brand was disbanded after the final show, with every ECW wrestler becoming a free agent, eligible to join either the Raw or SmackDown brands.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/results/ |first=Greg |last=Adkins |title=Raw's pit stomp |date=February 8, 2010 |access-date=February 9, 2010 |publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514184356/http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/results/ |archive-date=May 14, 2008 |df=mdy }} The original brand extension would end in August 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011/08/29|title=Raw: August 29, 2011 - WWE.com|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 30, 2016}}