By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE listed the following rules for the WWE Draft on social media.
🚨BREAKING NEWS 🚨
The official #WWEDraft rules are here!
NIGHT 1 THIS FRIDAY on #SmackDown!
NIGHT 2 MONDAY, APRIL 29 on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/ROLIad5XGF— WWE (@WWE) April 24, 2024
Powell’s POV: I like the idea of both brands keeping their respective champions as opposed to doing the ridiculous belt swaps. The line about the rosters locking on Monday, May 6 is fine, but it still begs the question of whether they will actually enforce the rules of the brand split more than they have in the past.
No mention of NXT
The draft is weird. Not a fan of “collectives” being drafted together. Also I feel badly when some mid level performer is announced and gets a luke warm response. Then as you mentioned after a few months they forget about a lot of it anyway. It’s just a gimmick
Basically, the NXT wrestlers are eligible to be drafted on both nights, but NXT isn’t drafting wrestlers. They’ll probably end up with some “free agents” after the draft. I think this approach makes the most sense because NXT is the developmental brand. I’m sure it would change if they ever decide to make NXT a legitimate third brand, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.