The WWE Draft presents a time for WWE to shake things up. No one was for sure that it’d be a draft rather than a Superstar Shake-Up like we have seen in the past. But on Friday, WWE will completely shift the rosters of Raw and SmackDown as each brand gets a completely new roster to work with for one many should expect to be the next year. That means there’s an opportunity for WWE to make Raw watchable again by allowing some new opportunities to others while keeping SmackDown on its hot streak as such a key show on FOX. Fans are not as hopeful as they once were with the draft, but it presents a chance to fix somethings and make the product better.
Here’s a look by yours truly at things that we need to see happen in the WWE Draft, with a hope that it completely changes the landscape and brings us some new hope for the year ahead with two new shows.
Roman Reigns Remains On SmackDown
The problem with this year being the draft and not the Superstar Shake-Up is that there is a greater chance of people switching brands as all performers are available for the draft. That can lead to good things being affected, resulting in a worse show than we had before. This leads us to the first thing we need to see, which is the Universal Champion, your “Tribal Chief,” Roman Reigns remaining on SmackDown moving forward. SmackDown has become the A Show of WWE and a lot of that success has to do with Reigns, who has been the best thing going on WWE television since his return.
His rivalry with his cousin, Jey Uso, has been some of the best storytelling the company has seen in some time. SmackDown’s placement on FOX makes it the most important show on the WWE schedule, and you cannot bet on the show being good without the company’s most important performer being there. If we were to be making the picks in the draft, our most important would be to keep “The Tribal Chief” on Friday nights.
Recreate The Women’s Divisions On Both Shows
The women of WWE dominated 2020 to this point, making much of the product watchable while other angles and feuds in the men’s division struggled to grab the attention of fans. A lot of that credit goes to Asuka, Bayley, and Sasha Banks, who became the best parts on a weekly basis and dominated WWE television. But the reason that they were the cores of both Raw and SmackDown is due to the struggle WWE had writing in the other talented women of their roster. For Raw, it was a lot of women who just were not used, while SmackDown’s number seemed to dwindle and they did not have enough names to make it worth watching outside of Bayley and Banks.
With a draft comes an opportunity to give some women a new shot to show what they got and that’s what they must do. The likes of Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, and Ruby Riott could benefit from a change of scenery, allowing them to be trusted moving forward. And while moving some women is ideal (especially for SmackDown), another move that should be considered is using NXT to bolster both rosters. Rhea Ripley, Candice LeRae, and Chelsea Green should be names to watch as the draft approaches coming from NXT to help both rosters and make them as strong as ever.
Break Up The Miz & John Morrison
It was fun for like a month or two. But the time has come for The Miz and John Morrison to be separated. Both men provide far more to the company as singles rather than a team moving forward. More specifically Morrison, who most have wanted to see get a true singles run in WWE for years. His honeymoon time with The Miz brought a small, yet fun tag team title run, incredible music videos, and some vintage Dirt Sheet segments, but the time has come. There current storyline with Otis has left Morrison looking bad more than once and it’s time to let it go and break them up. I would move The Miz to Raw and allow Morrison to thrive on the blue brand.
Send Seth Rollins To SmackDown
The WWE Draft returned in 2016. Since then, the first pick overall of that very WWE Draft has remained on the brand that picked him, Monday Night Raw. Yes, that man is Seth Rollins, who has experienced a storied career already during his time with WWE. But one thing that he has never really done is be apart of the blue brand, SmackDown. That should change on Friday, as Rollins should be expected to be a top draft pick and one that SmackDown should make. Given the reality that Rollins will be taking time off sooner rather than later for the birth of his child, “The Messiah” can go through a character change in doing so. You know there’s money to be made in a feud with him vs. Roman Reigns.
“The Messiah” gimmick served as a saving grace to Rollins, who has been one of the company’s best heels over the past year. And his feud with Rey Mysterio was one of the better told in a long time, but a move to SmackDown would allow that to end and for him to start anew. It almost makes too much sense to give him a new home to shine. Rollins to SmackDown is a true must of the WWE Draft.
Mix Up The Midcard
The midcard on WWE programming can at times be forgotten, dreadful, and simply bad. Now, that isn’t what it is right at this moment. It’s actually really good. Bobby Lashley has served as a fantastic United States Champion and the Intercontinental Championship triangle going on has helped make SmackDown a superior show. But that doesn’t last for a year. WWE should mix up the midcard during this draft to bolster both sides, but leave some fresh opponents for the champions and legitimate challengers for down the line. We can only see Apollo Crews tap out to Lashley so many more times. A move of someone like Ricochet to SmackDown would be great for a number of reasons. He fits that hopeful sports feel with his incredible ability and he just needs a new start.
AJ Styles taking a move back to Raw could serve well for all involved, as his relationship with Paul Heyman mixed with the schedule of Friday nights seems to not be his ideal situation. Adding him to Raw would be better for them as well. A program between him and Lashley could be something of great interest for all. Angel Garza and Andrade being on different brands would also be ideal for both of them. There are moves to be had an it can help in the long run. Mix it up and see what happens. But also, keep Sami Zayn and Lashley on their respective shows.
Separate Bayley & Sasha Banks
Oh, what a year it has been for Bayley and Sasha Banks. They have, for a long time, been the reason WWE was a watchable product week in and out during the COVID-19 era of television. Their chemistry was unmatched as a team and they continuously remained the best of the best on any show they appeared on. And while that was all good, the turn of Bayley on her best friend Banks proved to be even better television for all. That said, it’s time to split them up. You may be thinking that’s crazy, but it could be the precursor to a fantastic match at WrestleMania. If Bayley is able to successfully defend her championship on the SmackDown draft episode, it would be ideal to have Banks move to Raw.
Let her focus on rebuilding herself without the distraction, then when the Royal Rumble comes, crown her as the winner. That’s when you can come back together on this WrestleMania worthy feud and truly pay the year-plus long build off. I love them together more than anyone, but as opponents, this is the way. Raw and SmackDown will have their top ladies if so. Their two of the biggest stars in the company, keep them apart for the greatest payoff.
Create New Main Event Stars
I always believed that in the end, the WWE Draft was a chance to give stars a new opportunity to shine that may have been stuck in a rut before. Thus, making new real stars in the process. Well, here we are. WWE has some true superstars, but not enough. When you are trying to build a brand, you want three main event heels and three main event babyfaces to oppose each other. That way, you can have fresh feuds. But, with the draft only being once a year, you need more than that. This is the chance for WWE to raise stars up the card into the main event. It’s their biggest move to make. And I have two men and two women worthy of that main event spot to rise up.
Bianca Belair was called up to the main roster following WrestleMania but has not been given a real chance to show what she is made of on Raw. This is the time. They have been playing vignettes for her, hyping her ability but the only way to get over is to let her show that ability. She should be a major star and should be in the title hunt within the next year.
Big E has been the guy I believed to make that step to superstardom for some time now. And it seems WWE is finally running with that idea. It is time to let the big man of The New Day become the main event player with a true run to the top. A world championship match at WrestleMania would be the star-making performance that he deserves. He has it all.
Liv Morgan has had an interesting two years since the break up of the original Riott Squad. It seemed she was destined to have a singles run, but that continuously sputtered out of the gate and never got going. A shame really, considering how much she has vastly improved over the past two years to be a real treat. This is the time to finally let her fly and be a force on either roster.
Mustafa Ali is on the rise. Monday night, he was revealed as the man behind RETRIBUTION. Well, it’s time for WWE to follow that light and have Mustafa Ali rise to the top. People may seem him as a heel, but he’s a man sick of being disrespected. A perfect story to rise him to the top.
The WWE Draft begins this Friday on SmackDown and will finish up on Monday Night Raw. This is WWE’s one chance to right the wrongs of their brands and truly make some good television once again on both shows.
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