What's the story?
According to a report from IWNerd.com, the recent teases of Superstar trades on WWE.com are not frivolous as a 2017 draft might be on cards. Vince McMahon seems to be very high on this idea and also discussed a Roman Reigns move to Smackdown Live, during the fourth quarter earnings call.
Some older reports had also mentioned that officials at WWE want to move AJ Styles to Raw.
In case you didn't know...
WWE draft is an event which used to be held regularly between 2003 to 2011 to shuffle the roster between Raw and Smackdown brands. The draft made a return last year to once again separate the roster amongst two brands.
Since then, SmackDown Live has regained credibility and shown a significant improvement in viewership. Raw, however, has struggled to gain more viewers but a draft this year might just be what it needs.
The heart of the matter
With limited Superstars in each brand, it's a tough job to maintain freshness in content. The feuds get exhausted faster and the creative teams run out of combinations. Vince McMahon believes that holding a draft is just the solution to this problem.
The speculated date to carry out the draft is June. It seems to be the best time, as it falls in between Wrestlemania and Summerslam. It allows pending Wrestlemania feuds to conclude and also sows seeds for new rivalries for Summerslam.
What's next?
The draft seems to be imminent and also a must as Smackdown Live is already running out of feuds. Meanwhile, at Raw, talented Superstars like Cesaro and Sami Zayn are struggling to find their way to the main event scene of the flagship show of WWE.
In the previous draft, six picks were made from NXT. Expect 2017 Draft to also call NXT Superstars as many of them look ready to make their main roster debut. The Revival, Nakamura, Asuka, Johnny Gargano, Tomasso Ciampa and Tye Dillinger are some of the names who will fit right away on the main roster.
Sportskeeda’s take
WWE Draft is one of the most exciting events that WWE revived in 2016. 2016’s Draft was one of the most anticipated events in recent memory and the thought of another Draft this year is definitely stirring.
From this report, it is clear that McMahon is convinced to hold the event this year and some reports also state that the idea of making the WWE draft an annual event has also been pitched in the past. We are impatient to witness the Draft this year as it delivers thrills like no other event in WWE.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
