2024 WWE Draft: Difference between revisions
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==Draft pools== |
==Draft pools== |
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The draft pools were announced on April 24, 2024. It was also announced that the reigning champions of Raw and SmackDown – [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Champion]] [[Damian Priest]], [[Women's World Championship (WWE)|Women's World Champion]] [[Becky Lynch]], [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|Intercontinental Champion]] [[Sami Zayn]], and [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE)|World Tag Team Champions]] [[Awesome Truth]] ([[The Miz]] and [[R-Truth]]) for Raw and [[Undisputed WWE Champion]] [[Cody Rhodes]], [[WWE Women's Champion]] [[Bayley (wrestler)|Bayley]], [[WWE United States Championship|United States Champion]] Logan Paul, and [[WWE Tag Team Champions]] [[A-Town Down Under]] ([[Austin Theory]] and [[Grayson Waller]]) for SmackDown – were ineligible to be drafted and would remain on their respective brands. While the [[WWE Women's Tag Team Championship]] would remain eligible to challengers from all three brands, the reigning champions [[The Kabuki Warriors]] ([[Asuka (wrestler)|Asuka]] and [[Kairi Sane]]) would still be eligible to be drafted as the brand that picks them is where they would be assigned upon their loss of the title.<ref name="DraftPools"/> |
The draft pools were announced on April 24, 2024. It was also announced that the reigning champions of Raw and SmackDown – [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Champion]] [[Damian Priest]], [[Women's World Championship (WWE)|Women's World Champion]] [[Becky Lynch]], [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|Intercontinental Champion]] [[Sami Zayn]], and [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE)|World Tag Team Champions]] [[Awesome Truth]] ([[The Miz]] and [[R-Truth]]) for Raw and [[Undisputed WWE Universal Champion]] [[Cody Rhodes]], [[WWE Women's Champion]] [[Bayley (wrestler)|Bayley]], [[WWE United States Championship|United States Champion]] Logan Paul, and [[WWE Tag Team Champions]] [[A-Town Down Under]] ([[Austin Theory]] and [[Grayson Waller]]) for SmackDown – were ineligible to be drafted and would remain on their respective brands. While the [[WWE Women's Tag Team Championship]] would remain eligible to challengers from all three brands, the reigning champions [[The Kabuki Warriors]] ([[Asuka (wrestler)|Asuka]] and [[Kairi Sane]]) would still be eligible to be drafted as the brand that picks them is where they would be assigned upon their loss of the title.<ref name="DraftPools"/> |
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===Night One – ''SmackDown'' (April 26) === |
===Night One – ''SmackDown'' (April 26) === |
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Revision as of 03:43, 26 April 2024
| 2024 WWE Draft | |
|---|---|
 2024 WWE Draft logo | |
| General information | |
| Sport | Professional wrestling |
| Date(s) | April 26–29, 2024 |
| Location | Heritage Bank Center (April 26, 2024) T-Mobile Center (April 29, 2024) |
| Overview | |
| League | WWE |
| Teams | Raw SmackDown NXT (outgoing only) |
The 2024 WWE Draft is the upcoming 18th WWE Draft produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE between their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The two-night event will begin with the April 26 episode of Friday Night SmackDown (in Cincinnati, Ohio) and will conclude with the April 29 episode of Monday Night Raw (in Kansas City, Missouri), with SmackDown airing on Fox and Raw on the USA Network. This will also be the first draft with WWE under TKO Group Holdings. Draft results will go into effect on May 6, 2024.
Production
Background
The WWE Draft is a process used by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE while a brand extension, or brand split, is in effect. The original brand extension occurred from 2002 to 2011, while the second and current brand split began in 2016. During a brand extension, the company divides its roster into what they call brands and wrestlers exclusively perform for each brand's respective television show, albeit with some exceptions. The draft is used to refresh the rosters of the brand divisions, typically between the Raw and SmackDown brands, which are regarded as the main roster. Since 2016, wrestlers from WWE's developmental brand, NXT, have been eligible to be drafted to either Raw or SmackDown.[1]
During an appearance on WWE wrestler Logan Paul's podcast Impaulsive on April 5, 2024, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H revealed that the 2024 draft was imminent.[2] Just three days later on April 8, the draft was confirmed for the April 26 and April 29 episodes of Friday Night SmackDown on Fox and Monday Night Raw on the USA Network, respectively.[3][4] Draft results will go into effect on May 6, two days after the Backlash France pay-per-view and livestreaming event.[5]
Draft pools
The draft pools were announced on April 24, 2024. It was also announced that the reigning champions of Raw and SmackDown – World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest, Women's World Champion Becky Lynch, Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn, and World Tag Team Champions Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) for Raw and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes, WWE Women's Champion Bayley, United States Champion Logan Paul, and WWE Tag Team Champions A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) for SmackDown – were ineligible to be drafted and would remain on their respective brands. While the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship would remain eligible to challengers from all three brands, the reigning champions The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) would still be eligible to be drafted as the brand that picks them is where they would be assigned upon their loss of the title.[5]
Night One – SmackDown (April 26)
The first night will feature four rounds of drafting with 16 total picks, and SmackDown receiving the first pick. In addition to the listed names, select NXT wrestlers will also be eligible to be drafted.
The announced draft pool is as follows:[5]
| Wrestler(s) | Pre-draft brand | Role |
|---|---|---|
| AJ Styles | SmackDown | Male wrestler |
| Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn | SmackDown | Female tag team |
| Alpha Academy (Chad Gable, Otis, Akira Tozawa, and Maxxine Dupri) |
Raw | Mixed stable |
| Andrade | Raw | Male wrestler |
| Bianca Belair | SmackDown | Female wrestler |
| The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Paul Heyman) |
SmackDown | Male stable and manager |
| Bron Breakker | SmackDown | Male wrestler |
| Cedric Alexander and Ashante "Thee" Adonis | SmackDown | Male tag team |
| Ivar | Raw | Male wrestler |
| Jey Uso | Raw | Male wrestler |
| LA Knight | SmackDown | Male wrestler |
| Liv Morgan | Raw | Female wrestler |
| Nia Jax | Raw | Female wrestler |
| The O.C. (Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and Michin) |
SmackDown | Mixed stable |
| Randy Orton | SmackDown | Male wrestler |
| Ricochet | Raw | Male wrestler |
| Seth "Freakin" Rollins | Raw | Male wrestler |
| Shayna Baszler | Raw | Female wrestler |
| Sheamus | Raw | Male wrestler |
| Zoey Stark | Raw | Female wrestler |
Night Two – Raw (April 29)
The second night will feature six rounds of drafting with 24 total picks, and Raw receiving the first pick. In addition to the listed names, select NXT wrestlers will also be eligible to be drafted.
The announced draft pool is as follows:[5]
Wrestlers not included
The following wrestlers were not listed in either draft pool (mostly due to medical reasons):
| Wrestler(s) | Pre-draft brand | Reason for omission (if any) |
Subsequent status | Date | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexa Bliss | — | Inactive due to maternity leave[6] | Female wrestler | Last appeared on January 28, 2023, at the Royal Rumble. | ||
| Big E | — | Inactive due to neck injury | Male wrestler | Last appeared on the March 11, 2022, episode of SmackDown. | ||
| Brock Lesnar | Free agent | Inactive due to allegations in the Vince McMahon scandal.[7] | Male wrestler | Last appeared on August 5, 2023, at SummerSlam. | ||
| Carmella | — | Inactive due to maternity leave[8] | Female wrestler | Last appeared on March 31, 2023, for the WrestleMania 39 set reveal. | ||
| Charlotte Flair | SmackDown | Inactive due to knee injury | Female wrestler | Last appeared on the December 8, 2023, episode of SmackDown. | ||
| Dexter Lumis | Raw | Unknown | Male wrestler | Last appeared on the June 1, 2023, episode of Main Event. | ||
| Erik | Raw | Inactive due to neck injury[9] | Male wrestler | Last appeared on the September 14, 2023, episode of Main Event. | ||
| Jimmy Uso | SmackDown | Inactive due to undisclosed injury[10] | Male wrestler | Last appeared on the April 12, 2024, episode of SmackDown. | ||
| Nikki Cross | Raw | Unknown | Female wrestler | Last appeared on the February 12, 2024, episode of Raw. | ||
| Omos and MVP | Free agent | Unknown | Male wrestler and manager | Last appeared on the April 5, 2024, episode of SmackDown. | ||
| Raquel Rodriguez | Raw | Inactive due to Mast cell activation syndrome | Female wrestler | Last appeared on the February 26, 2024, episode of Raw. | ||
| Rhea Ripley | Raw | Inactive due to shoulder injury | Female wrestler | Last appeared on the April 15, 2024, episode of Raw. | ||
| Shotzi | SmackDown | Inactive due to knee injury | Female wrestler | Last appeared on the February 20, 2024, episode of NXT. | ||
| Sonya Deville | Raw | Inactive due to ACL injury | Female wrestler | Last appeared on the July 28, 2023, episode of SmackDown. | ||
| Tamina | SmackDown | Unknown | Female wrestler | Last appeared on the March 2, 2023, episode of Main Event. | ||
| Trish Stratus | Raw | Unknown | Female wrestler | Last appeared on September 2, 2023, at Payback. | ||
| Uncle Howdy | — | Was originally inactive due to Bray Wyatt's absence, but following Wyatt's death, Howdy's status is unknown. | Male wrestler | Last appeared on the March 3, 2023, episode of SmackDown. | ||
| Valhalla | Raw | Inactive due to maternity leave[11] | Female wrestler | Last appeared on the March 3, 2024, episode of Raw. |
References
- ^ Simon, Nick (September 27, 2021). "WWE Draft, explained: Rules, date, Superstars likely to change brands, and more". DraftKings. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
- ^ Lambert, Jeremy (April 5, 2024). "Triple H Says There Will Be A WWE Draft 'In A Month Or So'". Fightful. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ Valdez, Nick (April 8, 2024). "WWE Draft 2024 Dates Announced". ComicBook.com. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ Lambert, Jeremy (April 8, 2024). "WWE Draft To Take Place On 4/26 WWE SmackDown And 4/29 WWE Raw". Fightful. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Lambert, Jeremy (April 24, 2024). "WWE Announces Draft Pools And Rules For 2024 WWE Draft". Fightful. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Mendoza, Jordan (May 30, 2023). "WWE star Alexa Bliss, husband Ryan Cabrera reveal they are expecting 1st child in December". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- ^ Safdar, Khadeeja (January 25, 2024). "Vince McMahon Accused of Sex Trafficking by WWE Staffer He Paid to Keep Quiet". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ Najib, Shafiq (May 1, 2023). "WWE star Leah Van Dale announces pregnancy following miscarriages: 'I'm very happy'". ABC News. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Lambert, Jeremy. "Erik Of The Viking Raiders Sidelined 'For The Foreseeable Future' | Fightful News". www.fightful.com. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ Thomas, Jeremy (April 24, 2024). "Jimmy Uso Reportedly Sidelined With Injury". 411Mania. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Defelice, Robert (April 25, 2024). "Raymond Rowe (Erik) And Sarah Rowe (Valhalla) Announce They're Expecting Their Second Son". Fightful. Retrieved April 25, 2024.