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No links to the spoiler report, because WWE is doing this from Worchester, Massachucetts without a net!
The Headliner
It’s draft day, bay-bee!
Whatever that means.
Despite WWE titling their story from the weekend “Everything you need to know about the WWE Draft”, there are actually plenty of things we don’t know about what will go down tonight... and in the weeks to follow.
Are the newly revealed braintrusts of Stephanie McMahon & Mick Foley for Raw and Shane McMahon & Daniel Bryan for SmackDown drafting for a set number of rounds or until they reach a certain number of performers? Will there be supplemental rounds on WWE Network or social media after 10PM Eastern tonight?
Will each brand get their own titles, or is that up to the Commissioners and General Managers to decide? Steph announced a new Cruiserweight division last night - could Shane announce a new Women’s or World title if he doesn’t select Charlotte or Dean Ambrose*?
Are the six NXT picks evenly distributed between the brands, or are they first come - first served?
Then we get into the usual questions... who will be selected first? Who ends up on which show? What does that mean for current feuds, angles and characters?
Keep up with who goes where here, and everything else here (as well as all around the site with cSs coverage of the start of WWE’s “new era”)!
The Title Scene
* You wouldn’t know it if you were someone who only watches Raw on USA Network but doesn’t subscribe to WWE Network or follow the company online, but Dean Ambrose is still WWE champ. The company’s official preview for tonight raises two possibilities: 1) Dean heads to Battleground for a planned Shield Triple Threat with the belt or 2) He gives Seth an immediate rematch tonight. Either option comes with a lot of arguing. [Editor’s note: and we now know it will be option 2]
The Women’s championship isn’t technically on the line in Charlotte & Dana Brooke’s feud with Sasha Banks, but it is about positioning the Nature Girl and The Boss for a one-on-one battle. Right now, we’re all focused on who, if anyone, Banks can get to partner with her for this Sunday’s pay-per-view (PPV). Maybe the draft will provide new options...
They’re about to set a record for longest modern tag title reign, but The New Day are more focused on their war with the Wyatts - and catching them all - right now.
A poorly devised plan kept Intercontinental champ The Miz from getting the upperhand on his next challenger last night, and Darren Young’s victory sure made his life coach Bob Backlund more excited than it did Alberto Del Rio.
Despite he and his pal Dolph Ziggler catching a lot of beatings in the still young United States title program, WWE is trying to sell it as a strategy whereby the perennial underdog is using Rusev’s rage against him.
Other stuff to keep an eye on:
- The new wrinkle to the John Cena/AJ Styles feud on its detour into six-man tag action at Battleground is how Johnny C can’t relate to and isn’t as familiar with his partners Enzo & Cass as Styles is to his boy in The Club, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows.
- There’s other stuff, like Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens continuing war and the company’s decision to ignore Brock Lesnar all of a sudden... but it’s the draft!
See you tonight for SmackDown!