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The 2023 WWE Draft kicked off with an eventful first night on last week's SmackDown, and the creative had a lot in store for fans. Champions switched brands, call-ups were made, legends returned, and shocks were executed. The company's landscape was dramatically altered, leaving viewers wondering what Night Two would have to offer.
Monday's leg of the Draft must answer the questions raised by Night One, tie up loose ends and complete the placement of the rest of the roster. Given that it's also the go-home episode for Backlash 2023, it promises to be an action-packed show. What will the Draft have in store? Which NXT stars will follow Indi Hartwell, Alba Fyre, and Isla Dawn out of the Performance Center?
Here are four predictions for Night Two of the 2023 WWE Draft:
#4 The Safe prediction: Top male stars from NXT get called up
Night One of the 2023 Draft saw NXT Women's Champion Indi Hartwell and the team of Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn get called up to RAW and SmackDown, respectively. The latter are also champions of the third brand, having recently won the women's tag team title.
While Apollo Crews and JD McDonagh were drafted alongside Zoey Stark on The SmackDown Lowdown, none of the male main eventers received the call-up. Stars like Bron Breakker, Grayson Waller, and NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes are all main roster-ready, and it's doubtful they will all stay on the third brand. We predict that at least two of these stars will likely be drafted come Monday, including Breakker and Waller.
From the tag division, Pretty Deadly and the Creed Brothers are our picks to get the coveted call-up.
#3 The Bold prediction: The Usos get drafted to WWE RAW
The Usos failed to recapture the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship from Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens on SmackDown. Earlier that same night, Roman Reigns, to whom they had dedicated their "upcoming win," was interestingly drafted along with just Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa. Heyman also reminded Jimmy and Jey all night that failure would have dire consequences.
With The Usos being drafted on Night Two and having "failed" The Tribal Chief last Friday, we could see them shockingly get traded to the red brand. This would officially separate The Bloodline and significantly advance the story of Roman Reigns' eventual downfall. It will be interesting to see how the company keeps their respective storylines linked if this prediction comes to pass.
#2 The No-Brainer prediction: Austin Theory takes the United States Championship to SmackDown, and Rhea Ripley goes to WWE RAW
The easiest prediction on this list, this entry needs little explanation. Friday night saw WWE RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair get drafted to SmackDown as the third overall pick. Minutes later, the red brand picked Intercontinental Champion Gunther with his Imperium stable after a year of dominating Friday nights.
Given that the company has always maintained one women's champion and one men's mid-card titleholder per brand, it seems obvious what's in store for Night Two. Unless the company decides to do a "2011 John Cena" swerve and draft Belair and Gunther back to their respective brands, Austin Theory and Rhea Ripley will go the opposite way as their counterparts.
It will be interesting to see Friday nights go "A-Town Down" while "Mami" is set to extend her rule over the red brand.
#1 The Smart prediction: Seth Rollins is the #1 pick for WWE RAW
Seth Rollins is the overwhelming favorite to win the new WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions 2023. The Visionary has consistently been "over" among fans and performing at the highest level despite not holding a world title in nearly four years. He is arguably the best in-ring performer in the business and the only man to defeat Roman Reigns in his current legendary title run.
If Rollins is, indeed, set to become the World Heavyweight Champion come May 27, the company must do everything in its power to present him at a similar level to Reigns. SmackDown secured The Tribal Chief as the #1 pick on Night One, and RAW should do the same with Rollins on Night Two. It would show how much the company values the multi-time world champion and elevate his potential reign before it starts.
BONUS PREDICTION: Rumored favorite to win the 2023 Men's Money in the Bank, LA Knight, could make his way to Monday Night RAW. Why? The Tribal Chief is unlikely to lose his title to a cash-in. YEAH!
