If Royal Rumble is the hardcore fan favorite for WWE events on the calendar, and if WrestleMania is the ‘show of shows,’ then the WWE Draft is perhaps the most indifferent time of year for fans. Some drafts have delivered memorable moments, but others have been as insignificant as they are nonsensical.
When WWE fumbles the draft, it is usually because they break one of the rules they set. However, today’s draft has grounded itself to a more NFL-style draft, but the fans’ detachment stems from the fact that they know, eventually, superstars will crossover with no explanation or consequences. This year’s draft comes to us live from the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and some of the rule changes made for this year are great (yours truly attended last year’s Draft, and it was a blast live).
WHAT! FIRST ROUND #WWEDRAFT PICK @Carmelo_WWE just challenged @CodyRhodes to a match… TONIGHT!
Don't miss it later tonight! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/GjuPpqJF2O
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
The live feed of both brands’, ‘War Room,’ is always a nice touch and adds to the drama of the situation. RAW’s ‘War Room’ had familiar faces like JBL and Devon Dudley alongside GM Adam Pearce, while Smackdown made use of Bully Ray and Teddy Long to assist GM Nick Aldis.
Paul Heyman announced early in the show that Roman Reigns withdrew himself from tonight’s draft due to him being out for the foreseeable future. If you’re a boxing or MMA fan, this is known as the Canelo/McGregor treatment, and Roman Reigns has earned it. Other than that, here are the updated rules.
SmackDown
World Champion: Cody Rhodes
United States Champ: Logan Paul
Tag Team Champs: A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller)
Raw
Heavyweight Champion: Damian Priest
Intercontinental Champion: Sami Zayn
Tag Team Champs: Awesome Truth (Miz & R-Truth)
The #WWEDraft continues…@CedricAlexander & @tehutimiles to #SmackDown@wwe_alba & @IslaDawn to #WWERaw@BaronCorbinWWE to #SmackDown@Ivar_WWE to #WWERaw
Call the shots and create your own draft in #WWE2K24 MyGM @WWEgames pic.twitter.com/xOPPDnZd1Z
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
SmackDown Picks by Round
Round 1 (Announced by Triple H & Cody Rhodes)
2. Carmelo Hayes, former NXT Champ, 2x NXT North American Champion (WHAT?! I mean, Hayes is great and a possible generational talent, but over Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and like 15 other guys?)
Round 2 (Announced by Michelle McCool & Tori Wilson)
Round 3 (Announced by Dudley Boyz)
Round 4 (Announced by JBL & Teddy Long)
RAW Picks By Round
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
RHODES STYLES
Can @CodyRhodes leave #WWEBacklash: France STILL Undisputed WWE Champion or will @AJStylesOrg put an end to Rhodes' reign before it even gets started? #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/6MhYCUsTDq
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
Even though draft night takes center stage on these episodes, you will never outdo a Cody Rhodes segment. He opened SmackDown with his BACKLASH challenger, AJ Styles, who won the right to face Cody by defeating LA Knight last week on SmackDown. The two had an unusual contract signing because it did NOT end in a brawl, but the promos were first class.
Of course, there were Dusty references, and Cody reminded everyone that he was in the indie locker rooms with the same people AJ made his bones with across North America and Japan. This match has so many layers to it, but the match itself should be great, even if Cody enters as the wide favorite.
THIS MATCH IS INCREDIBLE!
BACK and FORTH the whole time. @Carmelo_WWE has been keeping up with the Undisputed WWE Champion @CodyRhodes without issue! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/G5rncQo1lv
— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2024
After one of the biggest shocks of the draft, a first-round draft pick used on NXT stud Carmelo Hayes, he came out to challenge Cody in a non-title match. Cody, being the ‘won’t back down’ champ he is, accepted almost immediately. With Cody embroiled in a feud with AJ Styles, this was a great opportunity to give the new guy a ‘rub’ by sharing the ring. If you remember, John Cena’s US title run was used to give new guys, and the roster’s overlooked a chance, and this is a similar strategy.
Hayes was able to show off just some of the incredible moves in his repertoire, but he also showed his ability to take a bump when he took a springboard dropkick from Cody that caused Hayes to backflip from contact. Perhaps the biggest highlight for Hayes in the match was not even an offensive move after he kicked out of the ‘Cody cutter,’ but Cody was able to oversell a shoulder injury and played possum to land the ‘Cross Rhodes’ for the win.
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