WWE Draft: 5 Reasons To Be Cheerful

The WWE Draft, you guys. After weeks of build up, and a general feeling amongst many fans that this might be the turning point for WWE programming, the whole thing ended up about as gripping as watching two hours of C-Span.

No big surprises, no obvious thematic difference between the two shows, a clear glut of star power on Raw and not Smackdown!. The list could fill an entire article (and has, across the internet). At Cultured Vultures though, we want to stay positive. It wasn’t all bad, was it? Some good will come of this, surely? Am I just fooling myself?

Stay positive, everyone. Here’s five reasons to be cheerful about the WWE Draft.

1. Becky Lynch and the Smackdown! Women’s Division

Who’d have thought that splitting up the blossoming women’s division might actually work? Stranger still, who’d have thought the Smackdown! division would actually look more exciting.

Sure, Raw has Sasha Banks and Charlotte (and Bayley, in a few months when creative realises how little other starpower Raw has in this department). But Becky Lynch is the most underrated of the four horsewomen, and will only become more popular on the blue brand. She can cut a promo, she’s got a distinct style in the ring, and the fans love her like crazy. No Longer overshadowed by the other horsewomen she is free to be the hero of her division.

Lucky, then, that she now has a ready made antagonist, just called up from NXT. Alexa Bliss might not be a big deal right now (she was picked near the end of the draft), but within weeks fans will learn to remember her name. She will become the best female bad guy in the company. Along with Carmella, Bliss is in a perfect position to learn from Lynch and Natalya. Add in the oft-overlooked Naomi and Smackdown! has a deeper women’s roster than you might think.

 

2. Both Rosters have serviceable Tag Divisions

As with the women’s divisions, the big headline acts go to Raw. The New Day, Enzo and Cas and The Club have proven they can draw eyes to the product. They are established and know what their crowd appeal is. So what’s left for Smackdown!?

A surprising amount, actually. NXT call ups American Alpha will join the Usos, the Vaudivillains and Breezango in what looks to be a division all about the in ring action. The Ascension are also knocking about too, as the job squad of the division. Oh, and with the arrival of Mojo Rawley I guess the Hype Bros are happening on main now. It’s a nice mix of comedy acts and serious performers – the perfect place for people to slowly develop and get themselves over.

 

3. WWE must now deal with the Cesaro Question

Cesaro got shafted in the draft. There’s no other way to put it. Thrown to Raw as barely a mid card after thought, the company quite clearly had no plan for the Swiss Superman going forward.

Like every other draft pick on the Draft edition of Smackdown!, Cesaro got a couple of minutes to speak about his selection. What he said caught us by surprise. In what the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer has confirmed as an actual shoot, Cesaro was pretty clearly unhappy about his being on Raw. He said some things.

This kind of insubordination can often get talent into trouble in WWE, especially when a McMahon is singled out in a potentially embarrassing way. On the other hand, Vince has in the past had great respect for guys who force their way to the top of the card. Steve Austin and CM Punk spring to mind. Either way, WWE will now be forced to do something about what Cesaro has said. The guy will either get a mini push or an embarrassing punishment. Whatever happens though, he’ll have a rallied up Cesaro Section behind him.

 

4. The New Generation might be getting a shot on Raw

With veteran juggernauts John Cena and Randy Orton landing on Smackdown!, it looks a lot like the ‘younger’ generation are getting a legitimate run as the draws of the flagship Raw. Rollins, Reigns, Owens and Zayn now have the weight of the company on their backs. In a way it’s a turn of events that internet wrestling fans have been yearning for since the darkest days of Super Cena, before CM Punk’s pipebomb promo.

The upper midcard has pushed through, and going forward will likely fill the final hour of Raw with their feuds. We know that Rollins is one of the best wrestlers in the world. We know that Zayn and Owens can step up and be plugged into world title feuds as and when needed. We know Finn Balor, if deployed right, can be as big as any of them.

This is what we wanted, right? Time to see if it can work.

 

5. Smackdown! might actually be that wrestle-first show we’ve been wanting

Since the draft many fans have been lamenting the degree to which Smackdown! got screwed over in terms of talent and star power, with good reason. Most of the headlining acts have ended up on Raw. Let us play devil’s advocate for a moment though; Smackdown! has all the tools it needs to be the wrestling show we want it to be.

Its women’s division has a ready made story waiting for it, its tag division is deeper than it looks, and the top of the card is staffed by veterans ready to offer major rubs to its midcard. Cena, Orton and Styles still have plenty of great matches in them, and are now in the perfect position to make those matches about Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews. Not all these up and comers will succeed, but those that do will have the experience and exposure of having worked with some of the biggest names in the industry.

Smackdown! will be the show you migrate to when you’re tired of all the talking on Raw. This show should be about wrestling, and it’s got a lean roster that’s perfectly up to the challenge.