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Following two nights of insane shuffling, the WWE Draft is over for yet another year. RAW and SmackDown look wildly different, but there are still a few Superstars who did not move to either brand.
WWE drafted stars throughout the past few days, beginning on SmackDown and ending after RAW. However, some current stars remain free agents. Whether it was through injury or storyline purposes, they were not a part of the WWE Draft 2021.
This does open the door for surprise appearances for most of these names once they return, as WWE will want to maximize on their comebacks.
While there are a few more, here are five Superstars who are free agents now that the WWE Draft 2021 has concluded. This list will mainly focus on full-time stars, with one key exception and an NXT name who declared themselves one.
#5 Brock Lesnar declared himself as a free agent on Night One of the WWE Draft
While he is not a full-time star, Brock Lesnar was eligible for the WWE Draft. This is unlike other part-timers like Goldberg and John Cena, who are around for much lesser anyway.
Paul Heyman vigorously attempted to figure out where he was going and supposedly played a role in making him a free agent. Well, at least according to The Beast Incarnate. Lesnar thanked Heyman for making him a free agent, which caused some tension between him and The Bloodline.
It remains to be seen what Roman Reigns will do with his special counsel, should he be proven guilty of secretly working with Brock Lesnar. Following their Universal Championship match at Crown Jewel, the former UFC fighter has free reign to go wherever he wants.
He has several exciting opponents on either brand, especially on RAW. Lesnar might even win the WWE Championship before WrestleMania 38 if he fails to defeat Reigns. But for now, the eight-time WWE world champion will be on SmackDown until Crown Jewel.
#4 Bayley was not drafted because of her injury
The first Superstar on this list not to be a part of this year's WWE Draft due to injury, Bayley may still be a while away before she returns. The Role Model tore her ACL a week before crowds came back.
Keeping her out of the pool is a smart choice, as it leaves her return with some mystery. Where will Bayley show up next? It's anyone's guess. If she can get cleared by then, the former SmackDown Women's Champion would be the perfect winner of the 2022 Women's Royal Rumble Match.
#3 Dakota Kai was expected to be a part of the WWE Draft
Bayley had tweeted how she remains a free agent following the WWE Draft, to which Dakota Kai counted herself in the same bracket..
The (former?) NXT Superstar was widely expected to be picked in the WWE Draft, but her name was not called out. She had been wrestling dark matches before SmackDown, much like other draft picks, Aliyah and Xia Li. Kai should have been in the mix too, owing to her solid in-ring skills and general likability.
#2 Elias has not been around for months
While he returned from injury at last year's WWE Draft, Elias is nowhere to be seen this time. He last wrestled on the first RAW in front of fans, losing to Jaxson Ryker in a Symphony of Destruction Match. Since then, Elias has teased an entirely new character.
We began to see vignettes about how the old Elias is dead, and he isn't a guitarist anymore. However, they have disappeared recently without any sign of his return. Hopefully, he is healthy and comes back to RAW or SmackDown soon.
#1 Asuka missed the WWE Draft through injury
Another Superstar with a mystery surrounding her disappearance from television, Asuka, was not part of the WWE Draft. She is out with a hand injury, while also undergoing dental surgery. There is no update on when The Empress of Tomorrow will return.
However, like Bayley and Elias, this lends to the intrigue surrounding her eventual comeback. Asuka is not tied down to a single brand following the WWE Draft, with her options remaining open when she is ready to return.
