The Liberty Conservative: WWE Draft Sees Limited Brand Switches in First Round
The first portion of the highly anticipated 2024 WWE Draft took place on April 26, and fans were surprised by the lack of brand switches among the talent. Out of the 16 draft picks made on TV, only six resulted in wrestlers or teams changing brands. The supplemental draft on social media saw even fewer switches, with only two out of six picks involving a brand switch.
According to reports, the limited brand switches were by design, with the focus on retaining familiar talent for the first night of drafting. However, fans can expect to see more switches between brands and a greater integration of WWE NXT talent in the second part of the draft on April 29, which will air on “Raw.”
Only three of the 22 picks made on April 26 involved NXT talent, with Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin moving to “SmackDown” and Kiana James to “Raw.” The upcoming “Raw” on April 29 will feature more picks for both brands, drawing from a fresh pool of performers that includes stars from “Raw,” “SmackDown,” and the entire NXT roster.
The final rosters will be locked in after the Backlash Premium Live Event on May 4, with the first night of finalized rosters set for the May 6 “Raw” in Hartford, Connecticut. Fans can expect more excitement and surprises as the WWE Draft continues to unfold. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on The Liberty Conservative.
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