The 2023 WWE Draft has officially gone down in history. SmackDown’s obvious first pick was Roman Reigns. Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman, nonetheless, were likewise remembered for that determination. Imperium’s move to RAW with Gunther, the Intercontinental Champion, was one of several significant events. That indicated Austin Theory’s participation in SmackDown.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owen, the undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, were officially chosen by RAW. Will the titles be divided among the many great tag teams on the roster so that each brand can compete for them? During the WWE Draft, a number of moves made sense, but there appeared to be some missed opportunities over the two nights. The five mistakes that WWE could have avoided in the 2023 WWE Draft are listed below.
5) SmackDown now has a number of familiar rivals from RAW.
As champions, Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair switched brands, but several RAW fights continued into the 2023 WWE Draft. Since August, the latter has fought on Damage CTRL, but all four stars have switched to SmackDown. Had WWE separated Harm CTRL, this could not have possibly been a major issue.
Asuka and Charlotte Style likewise joined SmackDown. Bayley and Flair have had numerous arguments in the past. Similar holds for The Sovereign and Asuka.
The majority of Flair’s actions have less impact due to the number of titles won. If she didn’t appear in the opening scene, everyone would benefit. Additionally, it would enhance her character.
The moves were plainly made with Pizazz versus Belair as a final stage. The only thing that most likely will happen is that the other women in the blue brand will continue to lag behind Flair and The EST of WWE.
4) There were some questionable NXT selections.
Night 2 picks included Cameron Grimes, Grayson Waller, and Pretty Deadly. The main roster is ready for all three of those acts. Waller is among the best talkers yet would have been more qualified for Crude with LA Knight on the blue brand. The entertaining presentation of Pretty Deadly puts it in competition with New Day.
Since his NXT debut, Grimes has been a ready-made potential. Odyssey Jones was selected as a supplemental player, but he only recently recovered from an injury. He still needs to figure out how to use his size against opponents who are smaller and cut promos. Axiom, Tyler Bate, or Ilja Dragunov could have been chosen instead.
3) The WWE Draft did not see any tag team splits.
The possibility of a tag team splitting up is a big part of any draft’s story. It was teased for Alpha Academy, Damage CTRL, and Street Profits.
Over the past five months, singles star Montez Ford has emerged. If he and Angelo Dawkins had parted ways, it wouldn’t have been out of the ordinary. Otis, Alpha Academy, and Maxxine Dupri share the same circumstance.
With Dupri as a model, Otis could have stayed on RAW, and Gable could have been drafted to SmackDown. IYO SKY could have made it to SmackDown if Damage CTRL had drafted Bayley and Dakota Kai together. All three performers would have been more alert as a result.
2) Both of the champions in the NXT Women’s Division were chosen.
Two of the most problematic picks of the WWE Draft occurred toward the finish of Night 1. Indi Hartwell, the NXT Women’s Champion, and Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn, the Women’s Tag Champions, were drafted.
Only the one who won the titles at Stand & Deliver in the beginning of April is ready for the main roster. They might not have won the gold if they had been mentioned as draft picks. It puts the NXT roster in a strange position and reduces their title reign.
After Fyre and Dawn were selected, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter made a title challenge to the champions. Chance and Carter were then drafted into RAW by accident. A simple arrangement would have been to either not draft Fyre and Day break or draft Carter and Possibility.
1) There was little show among the bosses
The greatest title news coming around the 2023 WWE Draft was the renewed introduction of the World Heavyweight Title. RAW stars will be able to purchase the new belt. The Intercontinental and US Champions traded brands, as did the Crude and SmackDown Ladies’ Bosses.
Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley could have faced off in the end, but they didn’t. Both had the potential to be selected for SmackDown, where the latter ultimately defeated the EST of WWE. Changing the belts would undoubtedly have been more entertaining.
After holding the RAW Women’s Title for more than a year, Belair may then step aside to give opportunities to other women for titles. It would have also added intrigue to the Queen of the Ring Tournament, if it were still in the works, or another title tournament of a similar nature that could have chosen a new RAW Women’s Champion.