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Depending on who's asked, WWE's either fine the way it is or needs changes. 2021 was a huge year for WWE as it returned to running live events with the fans. WWE also released over 80 superstars while rebooting NXT.
The promotion reported record profits in 2021, but the on-screen product is received differently from WWE's income. Last year saw the continuation of the dominance of The Tribal Chief Roman Reigns over SmackDown.
Brock Lesnar returned to be a consistent presence in the main event scene. Ronda Rousey is back for more action. The RAW and SmackDown Women's Champions are two of the usual suspects in Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.
The Draft last October set up both brands for the next few months. Since then, there have been several releases and departures. Those roster moves mainly decimated the mid-cards of both brands.
Things need a bit of reshuffling in WWE. Here are five reasons why a mid-year draft in 2022 would be helpful.
#5. It will allow NXT stars to move up and provide for returns
One thing that has been a part of recent WWE Drafts is picks from NXT. Austin Theory, Hit Row, Ridge Holland, Xia Li, and others moved up to RAW or SmackDown last fall.
Another draft will allow some NXT stars to advance. Stars like LA Knight, Tommaso Ciampa, Io Shirai, and Raquel Gonzalez are more than ready to join one of the main-roster brands. Both shows could also use their varying talents.
Having a second Draft within the last half-year will allow popular stars to return. Performers like Asuka, Bayley, Elias, and others are either recovering from injuries or out of creative plans. Another Draft would make returns meaningful rather than just having them show up.
Post-WrestleMania returns used to be a big deal, but last year came and went without a huge bang. That could be a way for the likes of Bayley and Asuka to return.
Being selected in a second Draft will be a way to spotlight their returns. WWE needs moments to hype certain shows, and another Draft will be something worthy of the hype.
#4. WWE will need to find believable challengers for SmackDown's Champions after 'Mania
Once the dust clears after WrestleMania 38, WWE will have two big stars atop SmackDown. The match to unify the Universal and WWE Championships will go to the biggest star in the promotion.
Since Roman Reigns has been pushed into the stratosphere over the last two years, he'll likely win at The Show of Shows. He's beaten everyone but will need viable challengers if he walks out as the champion. The same goes for Lesnar.
The problem is less dire in the SmackDown Women's division but is still an issue. After 'Mania, either Charlotte Flair or Ronda Rousey will need believable challengers. Few people have been built on the blue brand, and Sasha Banks can only challenge them so many times. Another Draft would remedy that problem.
#3. Smackdown is the WWE brand that has little depth
As mentioned above, challengers for both the Universal and SmackDown Women's titles are few and far between. Roman has defeated everyone outside of Drew McIntyre. If he or Lesnar does face and defeats McIntyre, who else could feasibly dethrone them?
SmackDown needs more depth in the women's division and mid-card. A second Draft could see stars like Riddle, Rhea Ripley, and Seth Rollins move to the blue brand.
The blue brand doesn't have the services of either Cesaro (departed) or Mustafa Ali (not used). SmackDown currently has New Day, Drew McIntyre, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rick Boogs, Ricochet, and Mansoor as faces.
Mansoor hasn't been used in a while. Adding Riddle would give the mid-card another face with main-event potential. Rollins is a made man wherever he goes and would add much-needed depth. Ripley will toil away behind Lynch and Bianca Belair on RAW. Why not have her join SmackDown?
#2. Some of WWE's current storylines are stale
WWE has had Drew McIntyre and Happy Corbin feud since the first day of 2022. McIntyre had a match with Madcap Moss and was "injured" by the duo later in the night.
The angle has continued and might lead to a WrestleMania match between Corbin and McIntyre. It's been going on for too long. While the angle between Reigns and Lesnar has had several twists and turns, it's been going on since last summer.
Having another draft will end these ongoing angles. It'll also provide fresh matchups for the months after The Show of Shows.
#1. Another WWE draft could help ease the taste of the mass releases of 2021
The sting of over 80 releases in 2021 will never leave the minds of fans and analysts. Many talented stars were let go for what was described as budgetary reasons. Whatever the reason, fans never got to see the true potential of Aleister Black, Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, and many others.
While they weren't released, stars like Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Daniel Bryan, and Cesaro, all opted to walk away. If WWE wants to freshen things up while highlighting new talent rather than the same five or six people, having another Draft could help ease some tensions.
It wouldn't outright make up for all of the releases, but seeing some deserving stars get a chance will at least be refreshing. There are plenty of talented stars throughout WWE. They just need to let the stars be themselves.
