| 2006 WWE draft | |
|---|---|
 Paul Heyman represented ECW during the 2006 WWE draft. | |
| General information | |
| Sport | Professional wrestling |
| Date | May 29, 2006 |
| Location | Tacoma, Washington |
| Overview | |
| League | World Wrestling Entertainment |
| Teams | ECW Raw (outgoing only) SmackDown! (outgoing only) |
The2006World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) brand extension draft, also known as the2006 ECW draft,[1] was the fourthWWE draft that took place at theTacoma Dome inTacoma, Washington, on May 29. The draft aired on WWE's flagship programRaw. The draft featured formerExtreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) ownerPaul Heyman receiving two total draft picks from the existingSmackDown! andRaw rosters for the newly createdECW brand.[2][3]
AfterWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. bought all the assets ofExtreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from its parent HHG Corporation in 2003, the company began releasingDVDs promoting the original ECW.[4] Soon afterwards, the company promoted shows forECW alumni entitled,One Night Stand in2005 and in2006.[4] On May 25, 2006, WWE announced the launch of a new brand,ECW, a revival of original promotion.[5] The new brand would later debut itstelevision show on theSci Fi Channel on June 13, 2006.[6] In preparation for the launch of the newECW television show, ECW representativePaul Heyman would receive two draft picks from the existingRaw andSmackDown! rosters.
| Pick No. | Brand (to) | Employee | Role | Brand (from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ECW | Rob Van Dam | Male wrestler | Raw |
| 2 | ECW | Kurt Angle | Male wrestler | SmackDown! |
Fifteen days after the draftECW would hold its premiere episode on June 13, 2006.[6] Although not drafted,Tazz later defected from SmackDown! to ECW,Big Show from Raw to ECW, andRandy Orton from SmackDown! to Raw. In August 2006, after a few appearances, Kurt Angle requested and was granted his release from his WWE contract.[7]
On February 2, 2010, WWE ChairmanVince McMahon announced thatECW would air its final episode on February 16, 2010.[8] 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.[9] The originalbrand extension would end in August 2011.[10]