Grading the divisions of RAW following 2021 WWE draft

The 2021 WWE Draft switched things up for both WWE RAW and SmackDown. RAW was in desperate need of change as it utilized similar matches over the last few months.

Sheamus, Jeff Hardy, and Damian Priest fought each other numerous times. Rhea Ripley, Nikki A.S.H., and Charlotte Flair also faced off on several occasions.

Lashley had dispatched most of his challengers, leaving the WWE title scene in need of fresh blood. The first step towards this occurred when Big E successfully cashed in on The All-Mighty. Because of his title win, Big E moved from SmackDown to RAW. It gave Monday nights a new face and a new champ.

SmackDown has arguably been the easier show to watch due to better storylines. RAW, on the other hand, was the brand most in need of change.

Now that the WWE Draft 2021 is in the books, how did RAW and SmackDown fair? Many stars switched brands, leaving some divisions in better shape than others. Here are the grades for the divisions of RAW following the 2021 WWE Draft.

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#4. The new RAW Tag Team division is diverse and rejuvenated.

Tag teams now on RAW: RK-Bro (Champs), AJ Styles/Omos, Cedric Alexander/Shelton Benjamin, The Mysterios, Street Profits, Alpha Academy, Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode.

RAW featured RK-Bro, AJ Styles and Omos, and the New Day as its last three Champions. Of those three teams, only the New Day moved over to SmackDown. The Hurt Business has seemingly reformed, adding that duo back into the division.

As draft picks, RAW added almost all of the former SmackDown Tag Team division. The Mysterios, Alpha Academy, Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode, and the Street Profits all moved over to RAW in the Draft giving RAW seven tag teams.

The teams from SmackDown have faced each other but, with three other teams, they shouldn't need to square off for a few months. RK-Bro will have to get past Styles and Omos at Crown Jewel. After that, however, they could face Alpha Academy, the Mysterios, or Roode and Ziggler.

Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez can also join the division from time to time. Before the Draft, the tag team division was in good shape. After the 2021 WWE Draft, the RAW tag team division is in great shape.

GRADE: A-

#3. RAW's Women's Division is stacked after the WWE Draft.

RAW's Women's Roster: Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley/Nikki A.S.H., Nia Jax, Zelina Vega, Doudrop, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Alexa Bliss, Tegan Nox, Liv Morgan, Dana Brooke, Mia Yim, Tamina.

The women's division on RAW was in good shape before the Draft. It had Flair, Asuka, Nia Jax, and Shayna Baszler as the top four. Following the Royal Rumble, Rhea Ripley joined the upper echelon. She already won and lost the top title this year and is a current WWE Women's Tag Team champ.

Following the 2021 WWE Draft, it's still in great shape but with many new names. The top names will again be Jax and Ripley, but they are joined by Lynch, Alexa Bliss, and Bianca Belair. Those will be some new feuds for Lynch as she returns to full-time status.

There's also some potential with Morgan, Tegan Nox, Mia Yim, and Doudrop. All but Morgan will be relatively new to the division. Dana Brooke, Tamina, Zelina Vega, and Carmella add good depth, but aren't likely to win the title.

Assuming Becky Lynch retains her title at Crown Jewel, look for the Man and the Queen to have a trade-off of titles. The same happened between the New Day and Street Profits after last year's Draft.

Both women won their belts at SummerSlam so neither should be losing them any time soon. There's also no scenario to have another a quick title swap to add another number to Flair's title reigns.

Overall, the division has great depth from top to bottom. Flair has battled a lot of the current stars on RAW already, so moving her was a good decision. Once Bliss returns, she might finally get a chance at another title run.

Bliss is one of the few women in WWE trying out different characters. Her latest character might have elicited mixed feelings, but she's great at character work. Bliss should be a title challenger or potential champ on either show.

GRADE: A

#2. What's in store for the men's division on RAW?

RAW's men's roster: Big E, Seth Rollins, Edge, Lashley, Keith Lee, The Miz, Austin Theory, Kevin Owens, Damian Priest, T-Bar, Veer, Karrion Kross, Jaxson Ryker, Gable Steveson, Finn Balor, Apollo Crews, Commander Azeez, John Morrison, Drake Maverick, Reggie, R-Truth, Akira Tozawa.

The men's division on both RAW and SmackDown is the biggest due to the number of Superstars. It's so big that each brand has two singles titles for men. The secondary title on RAW is still the United States Championship currently held by Damian Priest.

Priest represents RAW's middle tier. He's joined by Karrion Kross, Keith Lee, the Miz, Kevin Owens, and Finn Balor.

Those six men are either former major titleholders or names that will be pushed. Others will also be pushed, but Balor, Miz, and Owens are former champions that can be trusted anywhere on the card. The same can be said for John Morrison.

Apollo Crews is a potential challenger for Priest. A lot of performers from the middle tier form additional tag teams when needed. Newer names like Austin Theory, Gable Steveson, Veer, and T-Bar have potential.

If Veer wasn't impressing officials, he wouldn't have been separated from Jinder Mahal and Shanky. The main focus in the US title chase following the draft should be on Kross, Lee, Priest, and Crews.

RAW lost smaller, quicker stars like Ricochet, Ali, Mansoor, and Humberto Carrillo. The brand kept future WWE Champions like Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, and Priest. Kross and Lee will eventually challenge Priest for the United States Championship.

The likes of Balor, Miz, Owens, and Morrison could be called upon to challenge the WWE Champion when needed. When challengers fail to dethrone a given titleholder, they'll drift back into the mid-card.

The strangest move in the entire draft was the selection of Gable Steveson. He'll be pushed whenever he debuts but hasn't even stepped foot in a WWE ring yet.

He'll probably be a quick learner due to his pedigree in amateur wrestling. Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle, however, had to tune up before their careers started.

#1. What's in store for the men's division on RAW (continued).

RAW's main event picture will likely feature WWE Champion Big E, Lashley, Edge, and Rollins. Lashley will face Goldberg at Crown Jewel. Even though it isn't for the title, it's still a money feud for WWE.

Luckily for RAW, two big things severely improved in what was becoming a lackluster main-event scene. The first was having Big E cash in on Bobby Lashley. Lashley had essentially dominated RAW since WrestleMania 37.

There wasn't much left for him to do. He already dispatched former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre and needed new opponents. Big E should have already been a main-event player in WWE. Having him switch from SmackDown to RAW invigorated the brand.

He's likable, physical, deserving, and perfect to carry RAW for at least the rest of 2021. Big E's presence also opens it up for heels to chase a new face on the brand.

Lashley also remained on RAW following the Draft. He's now joined by Edge and Seth Rollins. After the 2020 WWE Draft, it seemed like a perfect time for Rollins and Big E to tangle. It didn't happen.

Fast forward a year and they are both on the same brand again. Rollins has been clamoring for another major title shot. However, he needs to end his ongoing feud with Edge first.

Both Rollins and Edge are main eventers but, since Roman Reigns has been busy on SmackDown, they have fought each other on and off in 2021. If they're not challenging for the WWE Championship, each man will feud on the RAW mid-card.

With a face atop the red brand, it opens up for potential mid-card heels to challenge Big E. Both Karrion Kross and Keith Lee are still relatively new to the WWE main roster.

Kross is being primed for big things, and Lee might be turning heel if recent reports are to be believed. Finn Balor is always a match away from challenging for the WWE title.

Damian Priest has done well in the spotlight since being called up after the 2021 Royal Rumble. There are many viable challengers for both the WWE and US titles. RAW happens to have more believable challengers for the WWE Championship in Rollins, Edge, Miz, Owens, and Balor.

Overall grade for RAW's men's division: B+