The WWE Draft have changed the landscape of Monday Night Raw, WWE SmackDown and WWE NXT. Titleholders like Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther have switched brands. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has become exclusive to the blue brand. Multiple NXT stars, including developmental champions, have been called up to the main roster. The most noteworthy draft picks came in the women’s division, as NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn were selected by WWE SmackDown while NXT Women’s Champion Indi Hartwell is heading to Monday Night Raw.
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Hartwell’s call up is bittersweet, as the Aussie wrestler suffered an ankle injury in her most recent title defense that has left her in a walking boot since. There was no word on whether the injury was going to force her to vacate the NXT Women’s Title, but her draft status forced that to happen regardless. Fortunately for Hartwell, there appears to be a built-in storyline for her on the main roster whenever she is ready to compete once again.
As reported by insider account @WRKDWrestling, there are “preliminary plans” to pair Hartwell with Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae and Dexter Lumis on Monday nights. Fans of NXT will recognize this collective as The Way, a comedic stable that was formed in 2020 and operated as a cohesive unit throughout the pandemic era of the black and gold brand.
“I think things turned out the way they were supposed to,” Gargano said in 2022. “[Going comedic] was never going to be the way that character was supposed to be. It was going to be a lot more serious, but I just kind of felt like with everything going on with the pandemic and with COVID and things like that, I felt like NXT just needed a little bit of levity, a little bit of funniness, silliness, goofiness, and I was happy that I was able to provide that.”
The Way also included Austin Theory, who currently reigns as WWE United States Champion on SmackDown. Theory’s history with the group was utilized in a short TV feud with Gargano upon Johnny Wrestling’s WWE return, but the two have since gone their separate ways. Considering Theory is being positioned as a singles heel star on the opposite brand, it is unlikely that he will be part of this babyface faction reunion.
Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on WWE’s plans for The Way.
