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Friday Night SmackDown kicked off the 2023 WWE Draft! The show featured several huge picks for both RAW and SmackDown, including Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, and Becky Lynch.
The draft then continued on The SmackDown LowDown, where select stars were chosen for RAW & SmackDown. Interestingly, though, a handful of stars from the Friday Night SmackDown draft pool weren't selected and are now free agents.
Stars not drafted include NXT's Von Wagner, RAW's Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, and Omos. MVP was also not drafted alongside The Nigerian Giant. A Tweet from the promotion noted that due to not being officially drafted, they're free to compete on either show for the time being.
This article will attempt to predict where the undrafted stars will go and what their immediate futures will look like. This includes what brand each wrestler will likely end up on.
Below are five predictions for free agents following Night One of the WWE Draft.
#5. Omos and MVP may move to SmackDown alongside Bobby Lashley
Omos is the biggest wrestler in WWE. The powerful superstar has been part of the main roster for a few years now and once held the RAW Tag Team Championship alongside AJ Styles. He battled Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania earlier this year.
The Nigerian Giant has been part of the RAW brand since first joining World Wrestling Entertainment. He's currently associated with MVP, who apparently lobbied for him not to be drafted to either brand quite yet.
The big man will likely end up moving to Friday Night SmackDown. The reason for this is simple: The Hurt Business has to reunite. MVP will go wherever Omos goes, as he is needed for the stable to reunite. Lashley is now on SmackDown, so MVP, Omos, Cedric Alexander, and Shelton Benjamin must all find themselves on the blue brand. This will lead to a new and improved faction.
#4. Von Wagner may join WWE RAW
Von Wagner is a powerful superstar. The tall and strong athlete is the son of one-half of the Beverly Brothers, Wayne Bloom. The big man has wrestling in his blood.
Wagner's debut on NXT came during the reset to 2.0. While he's often been in close contention for championship gold, he never actually won a title, even with Robert Stone by his side.
The big man being included in the latest draft pool was surprising, as was him seemingly not choosing a brand to land on. Due to having three hours as opposed to two, Wagner will likely end up on Monday Night RAW. Can the big man gain momentum? Only time will tell.
#3. Mustafa Ali may move to NXT
Mustafa Ali is one of the most talented superstars in WWE. He's been wrestling for quite a long time, but first joined World Wrestling Entertainment as an alternate in the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic.
The Disruptor has been a member of the red brand for quite some time now. He previously had a run on SmackDown and came up in WWE through the now-defunct 205 Live brand. Interestingly, he's never been a regular on NXT.
The optimistic superstar's potential move to NXT may be best for his career. While he's been used a bit more frequently in the Triple H-led regime, his career still hasn't gained the momentum many had hoped for. A run on NXT, possibly with the NXT Championship, could get his career on track.
#2. Dolph Ziggler will likely remain on Monday Night RAW
Dolph Ziggler is is a tenured member of the WWE roster. He first signed a developmental deal almost 20 years ago. He tried out a few gimmicks early on before becoming The Showoff and even winning the World Heavyweight Championship.
Prior to Friday, Ziggler had been a member of the Monday Night RAW roster. Despite his tenure on the brand, Dolph has spent time with both brands during his long WWE career. He even had a run on NXT last year.
The Showoff is likely winding down his wrestling career. While he may be around for a while yet, he certainly has more years in the ring behind him than he does in front of him. This means he likely won't be pushed heavily, so a role on the longer show gives him the best chance at still getting television time even if a push isn't part of the deal.
#1. Each star will likely end up on a brand soon
The decision to have multiple free agents was certainly a unique one, and many believe WWE is already hurting the legitimacy of the brand split by noting that these stars can appear on both brands.
While that criticism is certainly fair if this is done haphazardly, the reality is that each star will likely end up assigned to a brand sooner rather than later. In fact, each wrestler will probably be on RAW, SmackDown, or NXT within a month or so.
The idea of a wrestler having to earn a contract is intriguing. A superstar being fought over by multiple brands is also intriguing. Regardless of the storytelling option WWE chooses, none of it will likely be long-term.
