Before I get started, just giving you a heads up...this will be a LONG one so if you don't want to spend all your time reading, just find the round the Superstar you're looking for was drafted and read, OR skip to the end of the post where the overall reactions of the final rosters are.
So on Tuesday night, the WWE Roster has now been officially split into Raw and Smackdown!
So just a quick recap of what the rules were going into the draft.
Raw gets the first overall pick
For every 2 Smackdown Picks, there will be 3 Raw Picks
Tag Teams are considered 1 pick unless a GM/Commissioner only wanted a specific member of the unit.
6 overall picks were going to be chosen from NxT
Now here's a round by round snapshot of the Draft.
A+=98, A=95, A-=92, B+=88, B=85, B-=82, C+=78, C=75, C-=72, D+=68, D=65, D-=62, F=59.
ROUND 1
1)Seth Rollins (Raw 1) (A+)
2)Dean Ambrose (Smackdown 1) (A+)
3)Charlotte (Raw 2) (A)
4)AJ Styles (Smackdown 2) (A+)
5)Finn Balor (Raw 3)(A+)
Raw:A+, Smackdown (A+)
The first two picks were shoo-ins, with Raw taking one of the top 3 overall performers no. 1 overall in Rollins, while Smackdown took the top Babyface that actually gets a generally positive reaction from the the die hards and the casuals in Ambrose. Splitting them up is great so if they meet up again it will feel even more special. The added intrigue that not only was Smackdown's Main Event, but Sunday's Battleground PPV has WWE Championship location implications only enhances the title's prestige. Charlotte going as the 3rd overall pick is bold and shocking, but quite logical. Raw instantly takes the top heel in the Women's Division and also keeps the Women's Championship to go along with the Cruiserweight Championship specifically to Raw. AJ Styles as Smackdown's 2nd pick isn't a huge shock, but considering everyone else on the board, it was slightly surprising. Since turning on John Cena last month, he has been part of the top heel stable and one of the most entertaining acts in the company. Plus in his twilight years, he's been churning out great matches with everyone from Jericho to Reigns to Cena. Great Pickup there. The biggest shocker in Round 1 (and it's definitely due to incidents) is Finn Balor as the 5th overall pick. Balor was expected to be picked high, but not Round 1. Raw's picks represent where the future needs to be, whereas Smackdown gets instant credibility with their initial picks.
ROUND 2
6. Roman Reigns (Raw 4) (A-)
7. John Cena (Smackdown 3)(A+)
8. Brock Lesnar (Raw 5)(A)
9. Randy Orton (Smackdown 4)(A)
10. The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods) (Raw 6)(A)
Raw:A(A+), Smackdown:A+(A+)
Good Lord, if the draft was after WrestleMania 32,(with the exception of Orton and replaced with AJ most likely), these would have been the top 5 picks without a doubt. Reigns and Lesnar, while technically steals since they were considered Top 5 picks, drop down a round due to drug related red flags. Reigns is set to return Sunday at Battleground, but the reception could be even worse than when he was last seen at Money in the Bank. Lesnar's pick could be a bust waiting to happen due to potentially not being able to compete at SummerSlam due to his UFC drug tests. Cena and Orton further solidify the Main Event scene on Smackdown, but definitely do not point towards "a new era."
Personally I was disappointed with the New Day staying together, but the pick keeps the Tag Team Championships on Raw as well, to join the Women's and Cruiserweight Championships. Plus, inside the New Day are a potential main eventer in Big E, and two guys that can strengthen the mid card or lead the tag team scene in Woods and Kingston.
Round 3
11. Sami Zayn (Raw 7)(A-)
12. Bray Wyatt (Smackdown 5)(A+)
13. Sasha Banks (Raw 8)(A)
14. Becky Lynch (Smackdown 6)(A)
15. Chris Jericho (Raw 9)(B-)
Raw:A-(A), Smackdown: A+(A+)
To further my suspicion from Round 2, Raw taking Zayn and Banks indicates the "New Era" may actually be on Raw. Taking Zayn here is a talking point: if you're a diehard, this is either exactly where he should be picked or even a steal, but a casual fan probably would say this is too high of a draft pick considering who else is around and his Wins versus Losses. When Zayn has been put in a high pressure situation, he has been part of the Best Match of the card on multiple occasions. Hell, you could say he was the MVP of Wrestlemania weekend with his performances in the Ladder Match and against Shinsuke Nakamura. Wyatt going to Smackdown gives him an opportunity to thrive against familiar foes, and finally get his run going. Banks on Raw gives her a direct shot at the WWE Women's Championship. She could be the face of Raw's Womens division in the upcoming months. Having Becky Lynch on Smackdown finally gives her a true chance to prove her mettle without the other Four Horsewomen around. If there is a separate championship, expect her to finally get her first title in WWE very soon. My only gripe is that you could have snagged her at least in round 5 or 6 and not lost talent. Jericho being taken by Raw in round 3 was, in my opinion, the first real mistake of the night. You don't know how long Jericho (or hell, even Lesnar in Round 2) is going to stay around and with other talent like Kevin Owens, Cesaro, or even Alberto Del Rio still on the board, this was not an ideal pick.
Round 4
16. Rusev(w/Lana) (Raw 10)(A)
17. The Miz (w/Maryse) (Smackdown 7)(A-)
18. Kevin Owens (Raw 11)(A+)
19. Baron Corbin (Smackdown 8)(B)
20. Enzo Amore and Big Cass(Raw 12)(A+)
Raw:A+(A), Smackdown: B+ (A)
Raw was able to make Smackdown sacrifice some better possible picks by selecting Rusev and thus bringing a third championship to the brand right away. Rusev has been great lately so him going in the fourth round was good in most cases. The Miz being picked here is actually kind of low to begin with. Being the Intercontinental Champion would have had a greater resounding amount of prestige....if he hadn't taken the month off to shoot another stupid Marine Movie. So in reality, moving Miz to Smackdown puts the IC title there and gives the Blue Brand at least 2 belts going into Sunday. Owens dipping below Round 2 was a surprise to being with. Michael Cole had said he would have had Owens at No.1 overall, so this is a definite steal. (Note, extra motivation with his match on Sunday vs. Sami Zayn since Zayn can gloat that he was picked 1 round and seven wrestlers ahead). Corbin going to Smackdown basically ended my suspicions and confirmed that Smackdown was going for the casual audience. It's not a bad thing, but Corbin was a reach considering who was still on the board. Enzo and Cass staying together is a three pronged success. Cass can still be built as a Main Eventer, Enzo can go for the Cruiserweight Championship when Cass is on a singles run, and the two of them together are still 1 of the major contenders for the Tag Team Championships. A great pick from Raw here.
Round 5
21. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (Raw 13)(A-)
22. American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) (Smackdown 9)(A+)
23. Big Show (Raw 14)(F)
24. Dolph Ziggler (Smackdown 10)(C-)
25. Nia Jax(Raw 15)(B+)
Raw:B-(A-), Smackdown:B (A-)
Raw Splitting the Club at first instinct was semi-infuriating at first, until you realized that The Club was on the same brand as Finn Balor. The original Bullet Club dudes' potential for a reunion makes this pick sweeter and even more of a steal. Smackdown had a brilliant counter pick with American Alpha. Gable and Jordan have stolen shows lately on NxT (regardless of the results) and can really make an impact whether they have a separate tag team championship or are able to obtain the ones held by New Day. Big Show being chosen ahead of Cesaro, Apollo Crews, even Sheamus.....BIG Mistake by Raw. You could have gotten him later in the supplemental draft. Dolph Ziggler at 24 would be a steal in past years, but honestly that was a BAD mistake by Smackdown. The way Shane led the description, you would have banked on Cesaro. Horrible choice at this juncture. I understand that people wanted Bayley drafted, but she still has 1 more Asuka program to develop in NxT, similar to Nakamura and Joe both having a program to work as well. Nia Jax is main roster ready due to the change in physique from the normal women's wrestler. Having a monster heel/potential backup bodyguard female is a great pick for Raw.
Round 6 (FINAL Televised Round)
26. Neville (Raw 16)(A+)
27. Natalya (Smackdown 11)(B+)
28. Cesaro (Raw 17)(A+)
29. Alberto Del Rio (Smackdown 12)(A)
30. Sheamus(Raw 18)(B+)
Raw:A (A-), Smackdown: A- (A-)
Raw stole this round definetely. At least on TV, even though Smackdown had the better picks in their situations, Raw really came around on this one. Neville going to Raw with the Cruiserweight Division being there is a Fantastic pick. Natalya being a female cornerstone for Smackdown was a good choice, but there was still value from other places leftover. Cesaro FINALLY being drafted is both great and a slight. To get him in Round 6 is thievery at its finest. Also, it definitely showed that Daniel Bryan didn't have any say in the picks. His closest friends are all competed against him. (Cesaro, Sheamus, Zayn, and Rollins probably would have gone to Smackdown if it was truly DB's choice.) That being said, picking up Del Rio here is a great pick. Del Rio's best runs were on Smackdown, so if the trend continues, expect a WWE renaissance from Del Rio. Sheamus being the final pick is disappointing kayfabe, but a smart pick in storyline. Plus, he fits Raw well as a heel.
Here are the Supplemental Draft Results. There will be grades separate from the TV grades.
A+=98, A=95, A-=92, B+=88, B=85, B-=82, C+=78, C=75, C-=72, D+=68, D=65, D-=62, F=59.
Round 7
31. Golden Truth (R-Truth and Goldust)(C) (Raw 19)
32. The Usos(Jimmy and Jey)(C) (Smackdown 13)
33. Titus O'Neil(B+) (Raw 20)
34. Kane(C+) (Smackdown 14)
35. Paige(A) (Raw 21)
Raw: B (A-), Smackdown: C (A-)
The Supplemental Draft starts with Raw taking the better portion of these picks. Biggest Steal is getting Paige so late. Golden Truth ahead of some of the talent still on the board is a bit surprising, but there is still potential there. Plus, the Tag titles are there, so there's at least some logic. The Usos on Smackdown is a smart move. Keeping them away from Roman Reigns can give them a chance to regain some of their lost momentum and popularity. (Still picked higher than expected). Titus O'Neil was good in storyline. Kane being picked here isn't as bad as Big Show being picked on TV. Plus, Kane still can go a lot better than Show and is a more versatile performer.
Round 8
36. Darren Young w/Bob Backlund (A) (Raw 22)
37. Kalisto(C)(Smackdown 15)
38. Sin Cara(C) (Raw 23)
39. Naomi(A+)(Smackdown 16)
40. Jack Swagger(B) (Raw 24)
41. The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor)(B)(Smackdown 17)
Raw: B (A-), Smackdown: B (A-)
Good Comeback from Smackdown in this round, taking a steal very late in Naomi. There's more opportunity for her with a less crowded place. Kalisto not being drafted to Raw is a huge mistake. Sin Cara was the right brand...but too early. Darren Young is in a great spot and can be a GREAT steal if he can win against the Miz on Sunday. Swagger and the Ascension have a good chance to make/remake a proper impact and can do some damage. Also...MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! The constant tendency to relapse into barbarianism.
Round 9
42. Dudley Boyz (A)(Raw 25)
43. Zack Ryder (B+)(Smackdown 18)
44. Summer Rae (B+)(Raw 26)
45. Apollo Crews (A+) (Smackdown 19)
46. Mark Henry (B) (Raw 27)
47. Alexa Bliss (A+) (Smackdown 20)
Raw: B+ (A-), Smackdown A (A-)
My goodness (considering the talent leftover of course) these picks were fantastic. Smackdown especially took a great round here. Ryder has a US title shot going in, plus he can shine on the smaller roster. Crews is the biggest steal in this round, considering he could have been taken on TV. Bliss is a great pick, with her character finally rounded out and moveset refined. Raw gets the most experienced team in the draft in the Dudleyz, a women who can reignite her singles career in Summer Rae, and a veteran in Mark Henry. Henry is in the same class as Kane and Big Show, but he was picked with the correct area. Not too soon, but not a last round pick.
Round 10
48. Braun Strowman(B+)(Raw 28)
49. Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango)(A+)(Smackdown 21)
50. Bo Dallas(C)(Raw 29)
51. Eva Marie (C)(Smackdown 22)
52. The Shining Stars (B+)(Raw 30)
53. The Vaudevillians (A)(Smackdown 23)
Raw:B (A-), Smackdown: B+ (A-)
Final Round (Round 11)
54.Alicia Fox (A)(Raw 31)
55.Erick Rowan (B)(Smackdown 24)
56. Dana Brooke (B+) (Raw 32)
57.Mojo Rawley (Smackdown 25) (B-)
58.Curtis Axel (Raw 33) (B+)
59.Carmella (Smackdown 26) (A)
Raw:A-(A-), Smackdown:B+ (A-)
Final Round has Raw winning. Foxy and Dana Brooke being drafted late is great depth for the Women's Division, and getting Curtis Axel is due for a renaissance. Smackdown got Rowan, which leads to interactions for Wyatt, Rawley gets a higher grade due to the fact that his tag team partner Zack Ryder is up there, so he has a storyline. Drafting Carmella is a great pick! However, both brands missed out on someone who just tends to be overlooked....and it's......
60.Heath Slater (Free Agent Not Drafted and forgotten....GO UNDERDOG STORY!)
Who's left over besides Heath Slater?
Tyson Kidd(Neck Injury), The Undertaker(Part Time), Triple H(Part Time), Ryback(Contract Disputes and Sabbatical), The Rock(Selfish Part Timer), Luke Harper(Torn Ligaments), Emma(Back), Nikki Bella(Neck), Rosa Mendes(Pregnant), Tamina(Surgery)
Final Grades will be show as such. Grade 1 is the ending average after Round 11. Grade 2 is the average of all superstars drafted. Finally, Grade 3 is the average of each Round, without the previous averages.
Raw:Grade 1=A-, Grade 2=89.67 (B+), Grade 3=90.73 or A-, Four Rounds Won, 3 Tied
Smackdown: Grade 1=A-, Grade 2=89.88 (B+) Grade 3=90 or A-, Four Rounds Won, 3 Tied
Well, at the end of the draft, if you go by the Rounds, Raw wins, but in terms of the talent drafted and the worth when they were drafted, there is a slight advantage towards Smackdown. The rosters are more even then people realize. I see the Raw roster being the better one in the initial months, but time will tell if the Smackdown Roster will rise higher, or if the Raw talents can keep that advantage.
Therefore, now the Rosters look like this. (Also, I will list the expected PPV Schedule from Now until the end of the Calendar year.)
Battleground, Summerslam, and Survivor Series will be Joint PPVs, meaning that representatives from both Raw and Smackdown will be on the same show.
Raw
July: Battleground (Joint)
August: Summerslam (Joint)
September: Clash of the Champions
October: Hell in a Cell
November: Survivor Series (Joint)
December: Roadblock
Smackdown:
July: Battleground (Joint)
August: Summerslam (Joint)
September: Backlash
October: No Mercy
November: Survivor Series (Joint)
December :Tables Ladders and Chairs
So final Rosters look like this:
Remaining Free Agents
Tyson Kidd, The Undertaker, Triple H, Ryback, The Rock, Luke Harper, Heath Slater.
Half of the remaining free agents are part timers, the others are injured or in unfortunate circumstances. Tyson Kidd is not expected to return. The fact he was able to withstand his injury without paralysis is a miracle. Best wishes to him. Undertaker only comes when truly necessary, so if there's a time to see him, it will be WrestleMania. Triple H was the original consensus pick to be the General Manager of Raw, but that didn't happen. He'll be coming in to special circumstances as well (and well deserved). Ryback has not wrestled since the Payback Pre-Show and has had contract disputes as well as publicized grievances, so by the time his contract expires between August and October, expect the Big Guy to be gone.
(For attitude era fans, don't take this one personally) Screw the Rock. He can stay in movies and go run for President. Unless he comes back and actually helps an upcoming talent by losing to them, it's not worth seeing any more talent be shown up by that glory hog. It's been difficult to convince people to watch the current product without a talent from a previous era constantly returning to make the current roster look like crap.
Luke Harper is currently nursing an ACL injury, but hopefully he returns to Smackdown either as a solo superstar, or to refurbish the original Wyatt Family.
Finally, the most intriguing situation is Heath Slater. I'm going to speculate that it's either A)For us fans to just assume he's on Raw because based off of the rules, Raw gets the final pick and he was the only one left or B)He was left out on purpose in order to create a storyline where Heath actually has to earn his way onto one of the rosters and possibly create an underdog story that (while has been done countless amount of times) will make fans believe he can be more than just the various punchlines of jokes and storylines.
Now as for the Women who weren't drafted:
Emma, Nikki Bella, Rosa Mendes, Tamina
The four women listed are considered rostered talents, but were not drafted due to medical reasons. Tamina is currently out with torn ligaments, but expect her to rejoin cousins and family members Naomi and Nia Jax for a revamped version of team Beautiful And Dangerous (BAD). Rosa Mendes is currently on maternity leave, but (as cruel as this sounds) don't be surprised if A)She's released, B)She's relegated to a non-wrestling role, or C) She becomes a valet again for the Shining Stars (Primo and Epico) on Raw. Because for option C, that was the last time she was both relevant and useful on tv. Nikki Bella has been nursing spinal and neck injuries suffered due to her former finisher, the Rack attack (kneeling Argentine Backbreaker Drop). When she returns, expect her back on Raw to attempt to contend for the WWE Women's Championship. Emma is out with a bad back injury and her return is questionable period. If she were to come back, I'd actually expect her more on Smackdown. She has more history with the majority of the heels there and in a crowded lineup on Raw, she'd be lost in the shuffle.
Raw:
Commissioner:Stephanie McMahon
General Manager:Mick Foley
Play by Play: Michael Cole
Color Commentators:Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
Pre-Show:Scott Stanford
Superstars Commentators:Tom Philips, Corey Graves
Interviewers: Renee Young
Champions: US Champ)Rusev(H), Women's Champ)Charlotte(H), Tag Team Champs)The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods)(F)
Male Roster:
(F)Big Cass and Enzo Amore, Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Titus O'Neill, Darren Young, Neville, Big Show, Goldust and R-Truth, Jack Swagger, Mark Henry, Sin Cara
(H)Seth Rollins, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, Sheamus, Braun Strowman, The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von), The Shining Stars (Primo and Epico) Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel
(AT)Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns
Female Roster:
(F)Sasha Banks, Paige, Alicia Fox
(H)Nia Jax, Dana Brooke, Summer Rae
On Air Talent:Paul Heyman (AT, Brock Lesnar), Lana(H, Rusev), Bob Backlund(F, Darren Young)
Final Analysis of Raw:With 3 hours to work with and the 3:2 rule in effect, it was bound to happen that Raw would get a good amount of the talent. Rusev is a strong US champion and has plenty of chasers (Zayn, Cesaro, O'Neil, Young, Neville, even Kevin Owens). Rollins and Reigns are the backbone of the roster when Lesnar isn't around, and the New Day have plenty of competition, in Enzo/Cass and Anderson/Gallows amongst the teams. Along with this roster, the Cruiserweight Division is supposed to come to this brand, so there could be NxT guys like Johnny Gargano and Rich Swann, as well as Cruiserweight Classic Competitors Kota Ibushi, Gran Metalik, and Cedric Alexander who could potentially come to Raw as well. Since Reigns could potentially still be in hot water, expect Owens, Zayn, Rusev, Jericho, Cesaro, and O'Neil to step up and potentially have title reign opportunities, whether it's the WWE Championship or a new World Championship created for the brand. Or, if they're really smart, they'll elevate the US Championship like it's the golden prize. Charlotte has two very strong adversaries in Sasha Banks and Paige, along with a possible second ally in Nia Jax. I have a feeling thought that due to the smaller rosters of the Women's division, we could see the champion travel to both brands, because I'm not entirely sure if you can have a carousel of face and heel turns with less than 10 on both rosters. Otherwise, there are many good possibilities and a good balance of credibility and enhancement.
The other nice thing about Raw so far is that Michael Cole's inconsistency with moves names can potentially be cancelled out by Corey Graves. Byron needs to step up since he's had some time on the Raw commentary table. The key for the announce team is simple:If you're going to run down someone, have some logic behind it. That goes for both heel and face.
Commissioner:Shane McMahon
General Manager: Daniel Bryan
Play By Play: Mauro Ranallo
Color Commentators: John Bradshaw Layfield, David Otunga
Main Event Commentators:Tom Phillips, David Otunga
Interviewers: Greg Hamilton
Champions: WWE Champ)Dean Ambrose, Intercontinental)The Miz
Male Talent
(F)Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Apollo Crews, Chad Gable and Jason Jordan, Zack Ryder, The Usos (Jimmy and Jey), Kalisto, Mojo Rawley
(H)AJ Styles, Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Alberto Del Rio, Baron Corbin, Erick Rowan, Breezango(Tyler Breeze and Fandango), The Vaudevillians (Aiden English and Simon Gotch), The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor)
(AT) John Cena
Female Talent
(F)Becky Lynch, Carmella
(H)Natalya, Naomi, Alexa Bliss, Eva Marie
On Air Talent: Maryse (H, The Miz)
Final Analysis: For a brand that claims the new era is here, there's a lot of familiarity. I think Smackdown was drafted the way it was to get more casual eyes on the product. Many of the guys drafted are either names (Cena, Orton), visuals (Crews, Kalisto, Corbin), or fodder. For every Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles you have, there's a Del Rio and Ziggler there. It's going to be interesting how they book the male roster. There are good tag team matchups for development and honestly, if they added a tag team championship on this brand, it would be well contested. Having Apollo Crews or Baron Corbin go after The Miz or Zack Ryder (if they can keep their titles for Smackdown) would be definitely entertaining to watch.
The main event scene is at least well stocked. Dean, AJ, Cena, Randy, and Bray is a great building base if they were to introduce a second world championship or if Dean can retain the championship on Sunday.
The best part of this roster is the Women's division. You have great talent in Becky Lynch and Naomi, fantastic experience with Natalya, and an influx of good talent with a built in rivalry with Alexa and Carmella. The only gripe I have is Eva Marie, but I understand the reasoning behind it. WWE has invested a crapload in the Total Divas-made Eva Marie, so putting her in a Women's division where she can truly develop into a solid worker. As much as I hate to admit this, Eva elicits the biggest reaction (entirely negative but as long as she stays heel and confident then this is a good thing), so if she can become half the worker Nattie or Becky currently is, then this women's division will be the more balanced of the two and probably the more exciting of the two.
As for the commentary, Mauro Ranallo is the BEST commentator in WWE. He's able to keep storylines relevant and actually call the damn match. When motivated and not being too ignorant (for a heel), JBL can make magic on commentary. Best example was his call on Alberto Del Rio's World Championship victory against Big Show in Last Man Standing. If that JBL shows up, it will be the perfect compliment for Mauro. Otunga now receives a legitimate opportunity to not only show up Jerry Lawler, but Byron Saxton as well. He's a smooth talker that just needs to find his commentary voice and the announce team for Smackdown should be fantastic.
NxT:
General Manager:William Regal
Play-By-Play:Tom Phillips
Color Commentator: Corey Graves
NxT Champion: Samoa Joe
NxT Tag Team Champions: The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder)
NxT Women's Champion: Asuka
Male:Bobby Roode, Tye Dillinger, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano, The Authors of Pain (Sunny Dhinsa and Gzim Selmani) w/Paul Alluring, Shinsuke Nakamura, TM-61 (Shayne Thorn and Nick Miller), Sawyer Fulton, Rhyno, Oney Lorcan, No Way Jose, Hideo Itami, Elias Sampson, Buddy Murphy, Wesley Blake, Austin Aries, Angelo Dawkins, Andrade Almas
Female:(F)Bayley
(H)Aliyah, Billie Kay, Mandy Rose, Peyton Royce
First thing that stands out is the Women's division. With Asuka and Bayley as the only major players, the division is in need of an influx of talent and stat. Luckily with Mandy Rose, Aliyah, Nikki Glencross, and Athena all waiting in the wings (not to mention WWE's relationship with Evolve leading to access of its sister company Shine), the division should be ready for it's next phase with Bayley guiding them in the process until it's time for her rightful call up. Asuka might stay back for a little while as well in order to develop the new girls as well as improve the non-wrestling aspect (promos).
If there's a place where NxT is actually in good hands, it's definitely the tag scene. Having three diverse teams in Gargano and Ciampa, the Authors of Pain, and TM-61 currently chasing the Revival is going to result in some fun matches coming up. Plus, as much as NxT wants to experiment with these two as singles competitors, Blake and Murphy need to return as a team and start gaining wins. They have more upside together, especially since they don't have Alexa overshadowing them now.
Finally, you have a fantastic singles division. Top tier guys like Shinsuke Nakamura and Samoa Joe that can be called up already have players waiting in the wings, like Bobby Roode, Eric Young, Hideo Itami, and Austin Aries. Along with the top tier guys, you also have workhorses like Tye Dillinger and the aforementioned Blake and Murphy, projects like Oney Lorcan, No Way Jose, and Andrade Almas, and a potential influx of talent from the Cruiserweight Classic that might not be ready for the main roster just yet, like Da Mack, Ho Ho Lun, Kenneth Johnson, Ariya Daivari. Plus, recently signed Tommy End from the Netherlands is going to be ready and waiting once his indy dates are finished.
So even with Balor and American Alpha leaving the ranks, along with Nia Jax, Alexa Bliss, and Carmella, (And I guess Mojo too), NxT is going to be fruitful with talent. It's just a matter of them connecting with the crowd and the writing to remain spot on like it has been the last 2-3 years.
Cruiserweight Classic Ring Announcer:Mike Rome
CWC Play By Play: Mauro Ranallo
CWC Color Commentary: Daniel Bryan
Eliminated/Alternates Competitors (as of July 20th's episode of the CWC) that could sign: Sean Maluta (American Samoa), Clement Petiot(France), Ariya Daivari(Iran), Alejandro Saez (Chile), Jesus Yernet (Puerto Rico), Vandal Octagon (Turkey), Aaron Solow-Jessy Sorensen-Kai Katana-Kenneth Johnson-(USA), Mustafa Ali (Pakistan), Damien Slater (Australia),Da Mack (Germany).
Competitors still alive (as of CWC 7/20): Zack Sabre Jr- Jack Gallagher (England), Noam Dar (Scotland), Tyson Dux (Canada), Tajiri-Akira Tozawa-Kota Ibushi (Japan), Raul Mendoza-Gran Metalik (Mexico), TJ Perkins (Philippines), Lince Dorado(Puerto Rico), Jason Lee-Ho Ho Lun (Hong Kong, China), Harv and Gurv Sihra (India), Fabian Aichner (Italy), Anthony Bennett-Brian Kendrick-Cedric Alexander-Drew Gulak-Johnny Gargano-Rich Swann-Tomasso Ciampa-Tony Nese (USA)
Anyone who ends up signing to WWE after the Cruiserweight Classic (Like Kota Ibushi, Gran Metalik, and Sean Maluta) will probably be headed to Raw as a part of the Cruiserweight Division. Other than the NxT guys (Ciampa, Gargano, Swann), and the previously aforementioned trio in parenthesis, the other names I expect to see include Daivari, Petiot, Tajiri, and Kendrick if I had to make conservative realistic guesses. Since a few of the members of the tournament have dates already booked for other tournaments (Gallagher, Sabre, and Gulak are part of the Battle of Los Angeles for PWG, and the team of Gulak/Gargano/Alexander are representing the CWC at CHIKARA's King of Trios Tournament), I'm not holding my breath just yet for any other spectacular signings.
Note: For the Wrestlers Only, (F)=Babyface as of the draft, (H)=Heel as of the Draft, (AT)Ambiguous or Tweener(meaning they are either neither or both).
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