Did Raw or SmackDown Win Night 1 of the WWE Draft?
WWE held night 1 of the latest Draft to shake up the rosters for Raw and SmackDown, and that also included a few NXT call-ups. Between the first four rounds on SmackDown and the remaining picks during the supplemental draft, we have an idea of what these rosters will be built around. The picture is obviously not complete, so the final judgment will be reserved until night 2 of the draft is in the books, but there is enough from night 1 to form an early opinion. With that in mind, the question is who won night 1 of the WWE Draft, and while both Raw and SmackDown had compelling picks, SmackDown comes away with the early win.
Raw and SmackDown's first four rounds of picks did most of the heavy lifting in this matchup, though Raw did make up some significant ground with the supplemental draft, simply from the volume of additional picks and two additional NXT call-ups. Despite that comeback, SmackDown's overall roster feels fresher from a match-ups standpoint. We also ran a poll after night 1's first four rounds, and you can find that below.
This is partly due to Raw using more of its picks to bring back current rosters Raw superstars, as out of its 17 total picks, 8 were to bring back people already on the brand. By contrast, of SmackDown's 10 picks only 3 were returning. Now, we're going by the picks themselves, so The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Paul Heyman) count as 1 since that's how they were drafted, and likewise, Imperium is the same way on Raw.
Will be putting together my own take on tonight's #WWEDraft soon, but let's see what everyone else thought first. Who had the better draft on Night 1? #SmackDown #WWERaw
— KnightofOA (@MattAguilarCB) April 29, 2023
Looking at the SmackDown roster, while it contains The Bloodline and Hit Row, everything else is from Raw or NXT. Plus, factions like The O.C. and Damage CTRL can bolster both singles and Tag Team competition, pairing well with the Street Profits, Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn, and of course, The Bloodline. Raw has the edge in NXT talent, as they picked 3 singles stars compared to SmackDown's one Tag Team, and it's easy to see Zoey Stark and JD McDonagh soaring in their divisions.
Where Raw does win big is with drafting Imperium, which is a game changer for the red brand. Not only does it give them another powerful faction, but Gunther instantly gives you some marquee match-ups that will all feel fresh. That includes the classic in the making between Gunther and Cody Rhodes, and a feud with The Mix would easily yield some comedy gold. Plus, if Seth Rollins or Brock Lesnar move to Raw, those could be classics too.
While Raw did bring in big names from SmackDown, the current lineup is still missing some vital pieces to complete the puzzle. SmackDown is obviously in need of roster additions as well, but even as it stands, this group of superstars feels like a cohesive unit that will provide fresh energy to the blue brand, and more picks should only bolster that foundation.
So, what did you think of the draft and who won the first night? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!