The first portion of the 2024 WWE Draft has officially concluded, and it seems that there are some people who were left disappointed.
The April 26 “WWE SmackDown” featured both brands picking stars for their respective rosters, and despite the anticipation of a lot of chopping and changing between “WWE Raw” and “SmackDown,” out of the 16 draft picks that were made on TV, only six actually saw a wrestler or team switch brands.
Not only that, but during the supplemental draft that took place on social media, only two of the six picks that were made saw a brand switch.
Advertisement This was reportedly all by design, as Fightful Select has reported that the notion of retaining familiar talent was important for the first night of drafting.
However, when it comes to the April 29 “Raw” (the second part of the draft), there will be a lot more switches between brands, with a lot more “WWE NXT” talent expected to be integrated into the program.
Of the 22 picks made on April 26, both on TV and on social media, only three picks involved “NXT.”
Those were Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin moving to “SmackDown,” while Kiana James moved to “Raw.”
The final rosters will be locked in after the Backlash Premium Live Event in Lyon, France on May 4, meaning the first night of finalized rosters will be the May 6 “Raw” in Hartford, Connecticut.
Now that the first round of the 2024 WWE Draft is officially over, it appears that some people were let down. While it was expected that there would be a lot of switching back and forth between “WWE Raw” and “SmackDown,” only six of the 16 draft selections that were made on TV saw a wrestler or team switch brands. This was the case for both brands on April 26’s “WWE SmackDown.”. Additionally, only two of the six picks made during the social media-led supplemental draft saw a brand switch.
Fightful Select has reported that keeping familiar talent was a priority for the first night of drafting, so apparently this was all planned out. On the other hand, there will be a lot more brand switches in the second draft round, on April 29, known as “Raw,” with a lot more “WWE NXT” talent anticipated to be added to the lineup. Only three of the 22 selections made on April 26—on TV and on social media—involved “NXT.”. Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin went to “SmackDown,” and Kiana James went to “Raw.”. “.
Due to the fact that “Raw” lasts three hours whereas “SmackDown” only lasts two, there will be more options for both brands on April 29. Additionally, there will be a brand-new pool of performers to select from. The entire “NXT” cast, as well as Kevin Owens, Jade Cargill, Damage CTRL, and CM Punk from “Raw,” The Judgment Day, and Drew McIntyre from “SmackDown,” are all included in the pool. The Backlash Premium Live Event in Lyon, France on May 4 will guarantee the final rosters, so the May 6 “Raw” in Hartford, Connecticut will mark the first night of the finalized rosters.
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