Backstage Draft News: The Sandman & William Regal Trades

Partial Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Many have wondered why WWE decided to send ECW Original Sandman to RAW. The reason is because he will become more of a Jim Duggan or Eugene character where he puts people over and will thrive off of the nostalgic feel about him because of his entrance. More than likely he will end up on Heat always losing to the up and coming superstars of the company.

As we have been reporting for months, William Regal requested his move from SmackDown to RAW to receive a singles push. While it is not for sure, Triple H probably had something to do with the request being granted seeing as Regal and Triple H are friends (they tagged together in Triple H's early days in WCW). Regal's partner David Taylor may end up as a casualty of this deal because there's really no place for him on the SmackDown roster as a singles superstar.

The Miz was not ready to be a real star on one of the main brands, but with less competition for top stops and being young, ECW was a good place for him, hence the move. Management thinks he's passable in the ring, but that he has great appeal to a younger audience. They are going to market him as the guy all the girls want, thinking that will make him cool to the audience. Furthermore, head writer Michael Hayes was never hot on The Miz, which might explain why he hadn't done much of note the past few months.