{"id":124318,"date":"2024-05-07T08:00:21","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T12:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=124318"},"modified":"2024-05-07T04:51:28","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T08:51:28","slug":"drafted-to-wwe-smackdown-what-to-expect-from-new-blue-brand-talent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/05\/07\/drafted-to-wwe-smackdown-what-to-expect-from-new-blue-brand-talent\/","title":{"rendered":"Drafted to WWE SmackDown: What to Expect from New Blue Brand Talent"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fresh off an eventful week featuring the second half of the <em><strong>WWE Draft<\/strong> <\/em>alongside <em><strong>SmackDown<\/strong><\/em> and <em><strong>Backlash<\/strong><\/em> in France, <strong>WWE&#8217;<\/strong>s blue brand is witnessing a significant influx of talent. Notable signings from <em><strong>NXT<\/strong> <\/em>and strategic transfers from <em><strong>WWE Raw<\/strong><\/em> have reshaped the roster, promising new storylines and matchups for fans to anticipate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&#8217;s a comprehensive look at the latest additions to <em>WWE SmackDown<\/em> in the draft and the potential impact they could bring to the table.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ubVboDCFNqQ?si=-ApgGAn0y-6GM-jZ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>Nia Jax<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Nia Jax&#8217;s<\/strong> return to WWE in 2023 may have initially raised eyebrows, but her recent performances have silenced doubters. Her fresh villainous persona has garnered praise, leading to memorable matches on <em>WWE Raw<\/em> with <strong>Becky Lynch<\/strong> and <strong>Rhea Ripley<\/strong>. She and Ripley even competed in the first women\u2019s match to main event a PLE since 2021. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But now, with a brewing feud against <strong>Bayley<\/strong> after she attacked her on SmackDown two weeks ago, Jax promises to add depth to the SmackDown women&#8217;s title scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Carmelo Hayes<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U8dRoLySzUE?si=gLD6WZAplAumMjOK\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Carmelo Hayes<\/strong> arrives on <em>SmackDown<\/em> off the back of a heated rivalry with <strong>Trick Williams<\/strong> in <em>NXT<\/em>. His official debut as a full-time main roster star came against none other than <strong>Cody Rhodes<\/strong>, which no doubt hints at a promising future, though his trajectory on <em>SmackDown<\/em> remains to be seen. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speculation suggests a potential showdown with United States Champion <strong>Logan Paul<\/strong> could be on the cards in the immediate future, amongst a variety of other names. Many have also touted him for high-profile matches against the likes of <strong>LA Knight<\/strong> or <strong>Bobby Lashley<\/strong>, the latter teased on last week&#8217;s edition of <em>SmackDown<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Andrade<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Andrade&#8217;s<\/strong> comeback at the <em><strong>Royal Rumble<\/strong><\/em> in January marked a significant return. Since then, he found himself in a variety of matchups eventually embroiling himself in the <strong>LWO<\/strong> rivalry with <strong>Legado del Fantasma<\/strong> concluding in a <em><strong>WrestleMania<\/strong><\/em> matchup where he would team with <strong>Rey Mysterio<\/strong> to take down <strong>Santos Escobar<\/strong> and <strong>Dominik Mysterio<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the future unfolds on <em>SmackDown<\/em> away from Legado del Fantasma, it\u2019s unclear whether he will continue linking himself to Rey\u2019s LWO. Many have pitched the idea he continues on as a singles star instead and there is ca strong argument for this with the potential for dream matches against the likes of <strong>Shinsuke Nakamura<\/strong> or Logan Paul that could be in store.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>DIY (Johnny Gargano &amp; Tommaso Ciampa)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>DIY&#8217;s<\/strong> reunion on <em>SmackDown<\/em> sparked <em>NXT<\/em> &#8220;Black &amp; Gold&#8221; nostalgia for many fans, but their recent presentation on <em>Raw<\/em> has been mixed. While they narrowly missed out on capturing the World Tag Team Titles just last week, their positioning on <em>SmackDown<\/em> remains uncertain. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But there is plenty of potential for them to steal the show on the blue brand with matchups against Legado del Fantasma or current champions <strong>A-Town Down Under<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Shinsuke Nakamura<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shinsuke Nakamura&#8217;s tenure on <em>SmackDown<\/em>, likely similar to his role on <em>Raw<\/em>, looks set to be defined by his status as a seasoned veteran. While he may not be in the title picture consistently, Nakamura&#8217;s ability to deliver top-notch matches remains unparalleled. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether he faces off against Cody Rhodes again or finds himself in a program against LA Knight, Nakamura&#8217;s presence no doubt elevates the prestige of <em>SmackDown&#8217;s<\/em> mid-card scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Chelsea Green &amp; Piper Niven<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Chelsea Green<\/strong> and <strong>Piper Niven<\/strong> bring tag team prowess to <em>SmackDown&#8217;s<\/em> women&#8217;s division. With past successes on <em>WWE Raw<\/em>, including a brief tag team title reign, they could pose a formidable challenge to champions<strong> Jade Cargill<\/strong> and <strong>Bianca Belair<\/strong>. Their addition injects fresh energy into the tag team scene, promising thrilling matchups in the near future.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Baron Corbin<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Baron Corbin&#8217;s<\/strong> return to <em>NXT<\/em> breathed new life into his career, culminating in a tag team title reign with <strong>Bron Breakker<\/strong> last month. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now on <em>SmackDown<\/em>, Corbin&#8217;s role may be more subdued, but his track record of solid matches and committed character work makes him a valuable addition to the roster.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Candice LeRae &amp; Indi Hartwell<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Candice LeRae<\/strong> and <strong>Indi Hartwell&#8217;s<\/strong> recent heel turn over on <em>Raw<\/em> adds an intriguing dynamic to their arrival in <em>SmackDown&#8217;s<\/em> women&#8217;s tag division. Their newfound aggression could make them formidable opponents for Cargill and Belair as well as potential matchups against Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. LeRae and Hartwell bring a new edge to this tag team scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Giovanni Vinci<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vinci makes for another interesting addition to the Smackdown roster, he has been drafted away from his former <strong>Imperium<\/strong> stablemates in <strong>Gunther<\/strong> and <strong>Ludwig Kaiser<\/strong> who remain on <em>Raw<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was kicked out of the group after a loss last week, Kaiser taking him out in a brutal beatdown. However, we saw him briefly as a singles star in <em>NXT<\/em> being presented as a wealthy Italian snob back in 2022 so there\u2019s a chance we could see that character return now on <em>SmackDown<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either way, it is likely he will need time to establish himself and matches with anyone from Andrade to Carmelo Hayes could work to rebuild his character.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Blair Davenport<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Blair Davenport&#8217;s<\/strong> transition to the main roster presents an opportunity for her to shine. With her charisma and in-ring ability, Davenport has the potential to make a splash on <em>SmackDown<\/em> and leaves the door open for potential matchups against <strong>Tiffany Stratton<\/strong>, <strong>Naomi<\/strong>, or even Bayley down the line, Davenport&#8217;s presence adds a deep level of depth to the women&#8217;s division.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Apollo Crews &amp; Tegan Nox: Resuming Their WWE Journey<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although not appearing on TV as of yet, <strong>Apollo Crews<\/strong> and <strong>Tegan Nox&#8217;s<\/strong> have reportedly recovered from injury and may appear once again. Returns from injury offer them another chance to resume their WWE careers, now on SmackDown, when they come back. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While their immediate roles on the roster are uncertain, their presence adds depth, even if that\u2019s purely as enhancement talent. Nox may even have the opportunity to reunite with tag partner <strong>Natalya<\/strong> on her return and take a key role in the tag division but it remains unclear if that&#8217;s the direction they have planned.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n<p><em>Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013\u00a0<span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/watch.wwe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE Network<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Peacock<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fresh off an eventful week featuring the second half of the WWE Draft alongside SmackDown and Backlash in France, WWE&#8217;s blue brand is witnessing a significant influx of talent. Notable signings from NXT and strategic transfers from WWE Raw have reshaped the roster, promising new storylines and matchups for fans to anticipate.\u00a0 Here&#8217;s a comprehensive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5123,"featured_media":124327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2192,26,4,3],"tags":[4658,7822,7740,531,602,118,4994,8857],"class_list":["post-124318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wrestling","category-smackdown","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-andrade","tag-blair-davenport","tag-carmelo-hayes","tag-diy","tag-nia-jax","tag-shinsuke-nakamura","tag-wwe-draft","tag-wwe-draft-2024"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5123"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124318\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}