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The 2020 WWE Draft began on Friday's episode of SmackDown. The cards got reshuffled, even though most of the champions unsurprisingly stayed on their own brands. This was a chance to put an end to some stale stories on the road to WrestleMania. Who got the most and least out of SmackDown and the first night of the draft?
SmackDown Winner: Big E
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In a shocking development, The New Day broke up during draft of Friday night on SmackDown, at least partially. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods went to RAW but Big E stayed on the blue brand.
For years, fans have wanted to see Big E get a singles to push. Now the opportunity has finally come and he sealed it of Friday night when he defeated Sheamus in a brutal falls count anywhere match.
We'll just have to see how the rest of the draft shakes out to discern the field, the possibilities in front of Big E, and whether this is good or bad for him in the long term. For now, he's finally set on the journey as a singles competior that fans have dreamed of for a long time.
SmackDown Losers: Matt Riddle and Jeff Hardy
It's unclear what the second night of the 2020 NBA Draft will bring. However, Lars Sullivan returned to SmackDown land took out both Matt Riddle and Jeff Hardy, and then The Miz and John Morrison. The former SmackDown Tag Team Champions escaped to RAW, but Hardy and Riddle will remain on the blue brand where this potential feud could continue.
Having Sullivan go over the two of them, Riddle in particular, is questionable, to say the least. He was never popular before and after all the other controversy around him, so he is likely a lost cause. Pushing him at anyone's expense damages the other person.
Winner: AJ Styles
We didn't see much of AJ Styles on Friday Night SmackDown, but fans learned that he is moving to RAW. The red brand is a good destination for him. With Roman Reigns atop of the mountain on the blue brand in his current heel persona, Styles has little room to grow. However, on RAW, he can feud with the likes of Drew McIntyre and Keith Lee. Everyone will be interested in those kinds of matches.
SmackDown Winners: Dominik and Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio moved back to the brand where he had the most success with WWE, along with Dominik. Seth Rollins moved to SmackDown too, but hopefully, that the feud between them won't continue, or at least it will end at Hell in a Cell.
Dominik and Rey Mysterio could potentially have some upside together in the SmackDown tag team division. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura had a surprisingly good reign as the champions, so there's a good feud in the making.
Let's just hope they get past their feud with Rollins, which has gone on too long already.
SmackDown Winner: Seth Rollins
Speaking of Seth Rollins, the move to SmackDown could be beneficial for him, as well. If he can get past his feud with Rey and Dominik Mysterio quickly, his old Shield stablemate, Roman Reigns, is at the top of the blue brand. This presents an interesting possibility heading into the big pay-per-view event at the start of the year.
WWE isn't usually good at producing feuds without clear heels and babyfaces. Still, Seth Rollins' new SmackDown Savior persona could create a big-time clash with the "Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns.
It has been a long time since these two have been involved in a program together. At the time, Seth Rollins was still working a chicken heel persona that wasn't that popular and Reigns was struggling as a bland babyface.
These two characters are completely different now. With some creative effort, they could have a complex rivalry on SmackDown in the months to come. Who will fans get behind in the end? We'll just have to see if it happens, but the possibility alone makes Rollins a winner in the 2020 WWE Draft.
