Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.

This week, Dallas Allsopp, Bodeen Green and Ben Williams will be discussing the impact of a potential WWE Draft.

There have been recent rumours about WWE implementing another Draft to shake up the rosters, however the grim reaper that is COVID-19 has prevented this taking place. However, with the wrestling industry stabilising, is now the right time for a Draft? Would anyone from NXT make a splash on the main roster? And should WWE continue with the concept of a brand extension?


ALLSOPP: This week's Raw was an example of how the company wants to address their stagnant product, however throwing things at a wall and expecting them to stick is not the answer. A Draft would help freshen up some matches, but all WWE would be doing is rearranging the furniture. A deep clean is required to sort out the ranks, and this is because WWE haven't addressed their ailing ratings in the correct manner.

GREEN: A Draft would help some issues but wouldn't solve everything. You can't just snap your finger and fix everything, as you've got to work each and every day to fix things. Whilst a Draft would help mix things up initially, more long term planning and processes need to start happening. I do believe that some parts of the roster are suffering, in particular with the SmackDown women's division. This is because the women that are talented in that division have been poorly booked or overlooked. If the Draft has any chance to be truly successful and not burn out, it needs to be well thought out. Yes, injuries and other things can cancel plans, but it's about adapting and overcoming these challenges.

WILLIAMS: I’m a big fan of the Draft. I think it’s a fun concept that can definitely shake up the rosters in a positive or negative way (see SmackDown's women’s division last November). I don’t think a Draft will lead to a long term ratings boost as WWE has alienated a lot of fans this year, although I do think it could create some more buzz around the product, which outside of Bayley and Sasha Banks has been largely missing in 2020.


GREEN: Honestly, there's way too many names to choose from. Whilst I want to say The Undisputed Era straight off the bat, WWE's experience with botching factions makes me think they could easily be mistreated. Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano also come to mind, however their dedication towards NXT makes me think they'd rather not move up to a bigger stage. To me, the biggest name that can jump ship is the Limitless One, Keith Lee. Whilst he may be NXT Champion at the moment, there is a good chance he will lose to Karrion Kross at NXT TakeOver: XXX. After that, he could easily jump to Raw or SmackDown and dominate with the Intercontinental or United States Championship before eventually winning the WWE Universal or WWE Championship. Lee is a complete package and handles the role of a big man babyface well, working on the same level as Drew McIntyre.

WILLIAMS: I imagine Rhea Ripley would get pushed pretty hard. I’d like to think she’d end up on the SmackDown roster because Raw certainly doesn’t need her. Ultimately though, The Undisputed Era should be the guys to come and make a big statement on the main roster, as they’ve held every title in NXT and they need fresh faces to go up against. The Undisputed Era competing as faces against MVP’s faction could be absolutely dynamite!

ALLSOPP: I want to say Keith Lee, but that seems too obvious. If Adam Cole is brought up to the main roster with his Undisputed Era brethren, he could dominate all year. He is uber talented, but he can play a slimy heel as well as the best of them. Given enough time and attention, Cole could become the next big thing.


WILLIAMS: The issue with the brand extension being dropped is that so many lower midcard wrestlers would be completely absent from television for long periods of time. If there was only one men’s title, people like Andrade, Kevin Owens, Aleister Black etc would never get to hold it, despite being on the cusp of a main event level opportunity. I do think the brand split started off pretty well in 2016, with very different feeling shows. But at this point, we’ve seen so much crossover and the shows are so similar that it doesn’t really feel like much of a brand split at all.

ALLSOPP: Unless WWE believe there is more to gain by having two supposedly distinct rosters, I feel the brand extension needs to end. It is nowhere near as impactful as it was previously, with the wildcard rules and random trades making a mockery of what is meant to be a strong vehicle to diversify each show. Everything feels homogenised in WWE, which is not positive at all.

GREEN: The brand extension or Draft ends up being completely pointless the majority of the time. WWE change their minds on a drafted superstar all the time and revert to their original show. Even during the brand extension, it seems WWE don't know their left foot from their right foot. So many times we have seen rivals get ignored on Raw or SmackDown because WWE have overbooked themselves, or they simply don't have any new ideas for a feud.