2021 WWE Draft

Last updated
2021 WWE Draft
2021WWEDraftPoster.jpg
General information
Sport Professional wrestling
Date(s)October 1–4, 2021
Location
Overview
League WWE
Teams Raw
SmackDown
NXT (outgoing only)
  2020
2023  

The 2021 WWE Draft was the 16th WWE Draft produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE between their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The two-night event began with the October 1 episode of Friday Night SmackDown (in Baltimore, Maryland). It concluded with the October 4 episode of Monday Night Raw (in Nashville, Tennessee), with SmackDown airing on Fox and Raw on the USA Network. Unlike previous drafts, in which results took effect immediately, the results of the 2021 draft went into effect in the October 22 episode of SmackDown. This was also the last draft with Vince McMahon as head of WWE creative.

Contents

Production

Background

The WWE Draft is an annual process used by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE while a brand extension, or brand split, is in effect. The original brand extension occurred from 2002 to 2011, while the second and current brand split began in 2016. During a brand extension, the company divides its roster into brands where the wrestlers exclusively perform for each brand's respective television show, and the draft is used to refresh the rosters of the brand divisions, typically between the Raw and SmackDown brands. The 2021 draft was WWE's 16th draft and was officially announced during the September 13 episode of Raw . It was scheduled to occur during the October 1 and October 4 episodes of SmackDown and Raw, respectively, with SmackDown airing on Fox and Raw on the USA Network. [1]

2021 draft rules

The rules of the 2021 draft were revealed by WWE correspondent Megan Morant on Twitter during the day before the first night of the draft on October 1. Over 60 wrestlers (including tag teams) were eligible to be drafted across the two nights, with half being eligible the first night and the other half eligible the second night; however, no draft pools were revealed for which wrestlers were eligible for each night. Tag teams were counted as one pick unless Fox or USA Network officials (who were promoted as draft decision makers) [lower-alpha 1] specifically only wanted one member of the team. Wrestlers from NXT were also eligible to be drafted to either Raw or SmackDown, while any non-NXT wrestlers who were not drafted became (kayfabe) free agents and could sign with the brand of their choice. Unlike previous drafts, in which results took effect immediately, results of the 2021 draft did not become effective until the October 22 episode of SmackDown, the night after the Crown Jewel pay-per-view and livestreaming event. [2] [3] [4]

Selections

Night 1: SmackDown (October 1)

There were four rounds of draft picks during night 1 of the 2021 draft. Unlike previous drafts in which Raw received three picks and SmackDown only received two, both brands had two picks each round. WWE officials Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville announced the draft picks. [5]

Rnd.Pick #Wrestler(s)
(Real name)
Pre-draft brandPost-draft brandRoleBrand pick #
11 Roman Reigns
(Joe Anoa'i)
with Paul Heyman
SmackDown SmackDown Male wrestler and manager
Universal Champion (Reigns)
1
12 Big E
(Ettore Ewen)
Raw Raw Male wrestler
WWE Champion
1
13 Charlotte Flair Raw SmackDown Female wrestler
Raw Women's Champion
2
14 Bianca Belair SmackDown Raw Female wrestler2
25 Drew McIntyre Raw SmackDown Male wrestler3
26 RK-Bro
(Randy Orton and Riddle)
Raw Raw Male tag team
Raw Tag Team Champions
3
27 The New Day
(Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods)
Raw SmackDown Male tag team4
28 Edge
(Adam Copeland)
SmackDown [lower-alpha 2] Raw Male wrestler
Hall of Famer
4
39 Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss SmackDown [lower-alpha 3] SmackDown Male tag team5
310 Nikki A. S. H. and Rhea Ripley Raw Raw Female tag team
Women's Tag Team Champions
5
311 Hit Row
(Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Ashante "Thee" Adonis, Top Dolla, and B-Fab)
NXT SmackDown Intergender stable6
312 Keith "Bearcat" Lee Raw Raw Male wrestler6
413 Naomi Raw SmackDown Female wrestler7
414 Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio SmackDown Raw Male tag team7
415 Jeff Hardy Raw SmackDown Male wrestler8
416 Austin Theory NXT Raw Male wrestler8
Notes
  1. One stable was split up as a result of the first night: Austin Theory was drafted to Raw while his Way stablemates, Johnny Gargano, Dexter Lumis, Candice LeRae, and Indi Hartwell, remained on NXT.

Night 1 supplemental picks (October 1–2)

These picks were announced on October 1 via WWE's social media accounts and on the October 2 episode of Talking Smack. [6]

Wrestler(s)
(Real name)
Pre-draft brandPost-draft brandRole
Akira Tozawa Raw Raw Male wrestler
Aliyah NXT SmackDown Female wrestler
Alpha Academy
(Chad Gable and Otis)
SmackDown Raw Male tag team
Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez SmackDown Raw Male tag team
Doudrop Raw Raw Female wrestler
Drake Maverick [lower-alpha 4] NXT Raw Male wrestler
Drew Gulak Raw SmackDown Male wrestler
John Morrison Raw Raw Male wrestler
Mace Raw SmackDown Male wrestler
Mansoor Raw SmackDown Male wrestler
Mustafa Ali Raw SmackDown Male wrestler
Nia Jax Raw Raw Female wrestler
R-Truth Raw Raw Male wrestler
Reggie Raw Raw Male wrestler
24/7 Champion
T-Bar Raw Raw Male wrestler
Toni Storm SmackDown SmackDown Female wrestler
Zelina Vega SmackDown Raw Female wrestler
Notes
  1. One tag team was split up as a result of the supplemental draft: Mace was drafted to SmackDown while his tag team partner T-Bar remained on Raw.

Night 2: Raw (October 4)

There were six rounds of draft picks during night 2 of the 2021 draft. Like the first night, both brands had two picks each round. WWE officials Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville again announced the draft picks. [7]

Rnd.Pick #Wrestler(s)
(Real name)
Pre-draft brandPost-draft brandRoleBrand pick #
11 Becky Lynch SmackDown Raw Female wrestler
SmackDown Women's Champion
1
12 The Usos
(Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso)
SmackDown SmackDown Male tag team
SmackDown Tag Team Champions
1
13 The Hurt Business
(Bobby Lashley with MVP) [lower-alpha 5]
Raw Raw Male wrestler and manager2
14 Sasha Banks SmackDown SmackDown Female wrestler2
25 Seth Rollins SmackDown Raw Male wrestler3
26 King Nakamura and Rick Boogs SmackDown [lower-alpha 6] SmackDown Male tag team
Intercontinental Champion (Nakamura)
3
27 Damian Priest Raw Raw Male wrestler
United States Champion
4
28 Sheamus Raw SmackDown Male wrestler4
39 AJ Styles and Omos Raw Raw Male tag team5
310 Shayna Baszler Raw SmackDown Female Wrestler
311 Kevin Owens SmackDown Raw Male wrestler6
312 Xia Li NXT SmackDown Female wrestler6
413 The Street Profits
(Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford)
SmackDown Raw Male tag team7
414 The Viking Raiders
(Erik and Ivar)
Raw SmackDown Male tag team7
415 Finn Bálor SmackDown Raw Male wrestler8
416 Ricochet Raw SmackDown Male wrestler8
517 Karrion Kross Raw Raw Male wrestler9
518 Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo Raw SmackDown Male tag team9
519 Alexa Bliss Raw Raw Female wrestler10
520 Cesaro SmackDown SmackDown Male wrestler10
621 Carmella SmackDown Raw Female wrestler11
622 Ridge Holland NXT SmackDown Male wrestler11
623 Gable Steveson Free agent Raw Male wrestler12
624 Sami Zayn SmackDown SmackDown Male wrestler12
Notes
  1. One stable was split up as a result of the second night: Xia Li was drafted to SmackDown while her Tian Sha stablemates, Boa and Mei Ying, remained on NXT.
  2. One tag team was split up as a result of the second night: Ridge Holland was drafted to SmackDown while his tag team partner Pete Dunne remained on NXT.

Night 2 supplemental picks (October 4)

These picks were announced on the October 4 episode of Raw Talk.

Wrestler(s)
(Real name)
Pre-draft brandPost-draft brandRole
Dana Brooke Raw Raw Female wrestler
The Dirty Dawgs
(Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode)
SmackDown Raw Male tag team
The Hurt Business
(Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin)
Raw Raw Male tag team
Jaxson Ryker Raw Raw Male wrestler
Jinder Mahal and Shanky Raw SmackDown Male tag team
Liv Morgan SmackDown Raw Female wrestler
Mia Yim Raw Raw Female wrestler
The Miz Raw Raw Male wrestler
Natalya SmackDown SmackDown Female wrestler
Shotzi SmackDown SmackDown Female wrestler
Tamina SmackDown Raw Female wrestler
Tegan Nox SmackDown Raw Female wrestler
Veer Raw Raw Male wrestler
Notes
  1. One stable was split up as a result of the supplemental draft: Veer stayed on Raw while his stablemates, Jinder Mahal and Shanky, were drafted to SmackDown.
  2. Two tag teams were split up as a result of the supplemental draft: Tegan Nox was drafted to Raw while her tag team partner Shotzi stayed on SmackDown, and Tamina was drafted to Raw while her tag team partner Natalya stayed on SmackDown.

Free agents

Within WWE storyline, a "free agent" referred to a contracted wrestler who had not been assigned to one of the company's five brands at the time—Raw, SmackDown, NXT, NXT UK, or 205 Live (the latter two were subdivisions of NXT). Several wrestlers were made free agents due to injury, inactivity, or simply not being drafted despite being an active member of the rosters. Wrestlers who became free agents could (kayfabe) sign with the brand of their choosing. The chart is organized by date.

Wrestler(s)
(Real name)
Pre-draft brandReason for not being drafted
(if any)
Subsequent statusDateNotes
Brock Lesnar Raw [lower-alpha 7] Contractual provision Free agent October 1, 2021During night 1 of the draft, Lesnar announced that he was a free agent (implying it was due to a deal arranged by Paul Heyman), thus is eligible to appear on any brand. [8]
Lucha House Party
(Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado)
Raw Were not drafted on either nightReleasedNovember 4, 2021Last appeared on the September 13, 2021, episode of Main Event . On November 4, both Dorado and Metalik were released from their WWE contracts.
Eva Marie Raw Was not drafted on either nightReleasedNovember 4, 2021Last appeared on the September 27, 2021, episode of Raw . On November 4, Marie was released from her WWE contract.
Shane Thorne SmackDown Was not drafted on either nightReleasedNovember 18, 2021Last wrestled a dark match on the September 24, 2021, episode of SmackDown . On November 18, Thorne was released from his WWE contract.
Maryse Raw Was not drafted on either night Raw November 29, 2021Last appeared on the April 12, 2021, episode of Raw . Returned alongside her husband, The Miz, who was also returning after participating in Dancing with the Stars .
Ronda Rousey Free agent Inactive due to maternity leave SmackDown January 29, 2022Last appeared at WrestleMania 35 in April 2019. Rousey made a surprise return at the Royal Rumble in the women's Royal Rumble match, winning it from the number 28 entry.
Elias Raw Was not drafted on either night Raw April 4, 2022Last appeared in a pre-taped vignette on the August 23, 2021 episode of Raw . Returned with a new gimmick, that of Elias' younger brother, Ezekiel , but returned as Elias in October 2022.
Lacey Evans Raw Inactive due to maternity leave SmackDown April 8, 2022Last appeared on the February 15, 2021, episode of Raw . Returned in a pre-taped vignette on SmackDown .
Asuka Raw Inactive due to a hand injury Raw April 25, 2022Last appeared at Money in the Bank. Returned and interrupted Becky Lynch, who was also making her return.
Titus O'Neil Raw Was not drafted on either nightWWE Global AmbassadorJuly 18, 2022Last appeared at WrestleMania 37 on April 10, 2021. Returned on the July 18, 2022, episode of Raw and announced he was a WWE Global Ambassador.
Bayley SmackDown Inactive due to torn ACL Raw July 30, 2022Last appeared on the June 25, 2021, episode of SmackDown . Returned at the 2022 SummerSlam and aligned with Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky (making their main roster debuts) to from a stable called Damage Control. They confronted Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair after she had successfully retained her title against Becky Lynch.

Aftermath

During the draft, Raw drafted SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch while SmackDown drafted Raw Women's Champion Charlotte Flair. Neither lost their respective championship before the October 22 episode of SmackDown, the night that the draft results went into effect. The day of the show, WWE announced that Flair and Lynch would exchange titles to keep the championships on their respective brands while going off script. [9] In turn, Lynch became the Raw Women's Champion while Flair became the SmackDown Women's Champion. [10]

Also during the draft, SmackDown drafted NXT North American Champion Isaiah "Swerve" Scott as part of his stable, Hit Row. Swerve claimed he would be taking the title to SmackDown, however, on the October 12 episode of NXT 2.0 , Swerve lost the championship to Carmelo Hayes, thus keeping the North American Championship on NXT before the draft results went into effect on October 22. [11]

In November, vignettes began airing to hype Veer's post-draft appearance on Raw. His ring name was changed to Veer Mahaan. [12] He finally debuted in April 2022, but in October, he was moved to NXT. [13]

On November 4, 2021, WWE released several wrestlers due to budget cuts. Mia Yim, Hit Row's B-Fab, Nia Jax, Karrion Kross, and Keith Lee were among those who were released, without a single appearance post-draft. Among those not drafted who were released included Eva Marie and Lucha House Party (Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado). Several NXT wrestlers were also released, including Franky Monet, Oney Lorcan, Ember Moon, Jeet Rama, Katrina Cortez, Trey Baxter, Zayda Ramier, Jessi Kamea, Harry Smith, and Kross' real-life fiancé, Scarlett, who served as Kross' on-screen manager when Kross was still in NXT and she was expected to eventually join Kross on Raw. [14] On November 18, the remainder of Hit Row, John Morrison, Tegan Nox, Shane Thorne, Drake Maverick, and Jaxson Ryker were also released. [15] Not long after, Jeff Hardy would be released on December 9 after being sent home from a live event tour and refusing rehab. [16] On December 29, Toni Storm requested and was immediately granted a release from her contract. [17] On February 24, 2022, it was reported that Cesaro and WWE had failed to agree on new contract terms and that he had quietly left WWE when his contract expired, ending his 11-year tenure in the company. [18]

At WrestleMania 38 in April 2022, SmackDown's Universal Champion Roman Reigns defeated Raw's WWE Champion Brock Lesnar to win both championships, thus allowing Reigns to appear on both brands as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, [19] then in May 2022, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) defeated Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) to win both championships, thus allowing The Usos to appear on both brands as the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions. [20] By proxy, this allowed other members of The Bloodline stable (Sami Zayn, Solo Sikoa, who was promoted from NXT to SmackDown in September, and the group's manager Paul Heyman) to appear on both brands. This subsequently increased cross-brand rivalries, with other wrestlers, like Kevin Owens, appearing on both shows, making brand division increasingly unclear.

Also in April 2022, Mustafa Ali was moved back to Raw, [21] then in June, Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez were moved to NXT. [22] Azeez returned to his previous ring name of Dabba-Kato after he turned on Crews at NXT Vengeance Day in February 2023. [23] In March 2022, Pete Dunne was promoted to SmackDown from NXT and repackaged under the nickname Butch. At Money in the Bank in July, Liv Morgan won the women's Money in the Bank ladder match, and later that same night, she cashed in the contract and won the SmackDown Women's Championship, subsequently transferring her to SmackDown. [24] Later in October, Rey Mysterio was transferred to the SmackDown brand, and in turn, Happy Corbin, who returned to his Baron Corbin name, was moved to Raw. [25] Also in October, Zelina Vega was moved back to SmackDown to be the manager of Legado Del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, and Cruz Del Toro), who were promoted to SmackDown from NXT. [26] After taking time off in mid-2022, Reggie returned on NXT under a new gimmick and ring name of Scrypts. Shortly after, T-Bar returned to NXT as Dijak. Upon his return from an injury in January 2023, Rick Boogs was transferred to the Raw brand. Doudrop also returned to her previous name Piper Niven, which she used in NXT UK. [27] The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio, and Rhea Ripley), a stable formed on Raw after WrestleMania 38, began appearing on SmackDown after Ripley won the 2023 women's Royal Rumble match and chose to challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship, which she subsequently won at WrestleMania 39. [28]

After Triple H took over creative control of WWE in July 2022, several released wrestlers who were part of the 2021 draft were rehired. These included Mia Yim returning on Raw (aligning with the recently-reunited O.C. stable in their feud with The Judgment Day), and Hit Row (Ashante Adonis, Top Dolla, and B-Fab), Tegan Nox, and Karrion Kross and his real-life fiancé, Scarlett, returning on SmackDown. [29] Nia Jax made a one-night return at the 2023 Royal Rumble, where she was the #30 entrant in the women's Royal Rumble match, being eliminated by all other women in the ring. [30]

A draft was not held in 2022, and with multiple wrestlers appearing on both shows almost weekly, some sources believed that the brand split was coming to an end. [31] Additionally, both of NXT's sub-brands, 205 Live and NXT UK, ceased operations in February and September, respectively, with most of those wrestlers moving over to NXT. However, in April 2023, Triple H announced the 2023 draft to bring back a definitive roster division between Raw and SmackDown. [32]

Notes

  1. Although WWE claims the draft picks are conducted by officials of the Fox and USA networks, the results are predetermined by WWE as the draft is a storyline.
  2. Despite being listed as a free agent on WWE.com, Edge was referred to as a SmackDown wrestler during the Draft broadcast.
  3. Despite being listed as a member of the Raw roster on WWE.com, Madcap Moss was referred to as a SmackDown wrestler during the Draft broadcast.
  4. While listed as a member of the NXT roster on WWE.com at the time of the draft, Drake Maverick had been appearing on the Raw program since September 6, 2021.
  5. MVP was not announced to have been drafted along with Bobby Lashley on the broadcast, but was officially confirmed on WWE's social media platforms to have been drafted with Lashley.
  6. Despite being listed as a free agent on WWE.com, Rick Boogs was referred to as a SmackDown wrestler during the Draft broadcast.
  7. While listed as a member of the Raw roster on WWE.com at the time of the Draft, Brock Lesnar had been appearing exclusively on the SmackDown program without having officially joined that brand after returning at SummerSlam in August 2021.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ridge Holland</span> English rugby league player and wrestler (born 1988)

Luke Menzies is an English professional wrestler and former professional rugby league player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Ridge Holland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Usos</span> Professional wrestling tag team

The Usos were an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of twin brothers Joshua and Jonathan Fatu, better known as Jey and Jimmy Uso, signed with the WWE. The team disbanded after Jimmy turned on Jey, who was later traded to the Raw brand whereas Jimmy remained on the SmackDown brand as a former member of villainous stable The Bloodline. They are the three-time Raw Tag Team Champions and five-time SmackDown Tag Team Champions, making their team overall eight-time champions and holding the record for the longest male tag team championship reign in WWE history at 622 days. The Usos are members of the renowned Anoaʻi family of Samoan wrestlers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Tag Team Championship (WWE)</span> Mens professional wrestling championship

The World Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, defended on the Raw brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE's main roster, along with the WWE Tag Team Championship on SmackDown. The current champions are Awesome Truth, who are in their first reign as a team; individually, it is the second for Truth and fifth for Miz. They won the title from previous champions The Judgment Day in a Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match on Night 1 of WrestleMania XL on April 6, 2024; they won the title as the Raw Tag Team Championship and it was renamed as World Tag Team Championship on April 15, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big E (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

Ettore Ewen is an American professional wrestler and former powerlifter. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs under the ring name Big E; he appears only in non-wrestling capacities due to a broken neck he suffered in March 2022. In addition to his singles career, he is a decorated tag team wrestler as part of The New Day with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad Gable</span> American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler

Charles Edward Betts is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Chad Gable and is the leader of Alpha Academy. He is a four-time tag team champion in WWE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bayley (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler (born 1989)

Pamela Rose Martinez is an American professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Bayley, and is the current WWE Women's Champion in her second reign. Bayley's 380-day reign as WWE SmackDown Women's Champion, tied with Rhea Ripley, stands as the longest in the championship's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Tag Team Championship</span> Mens professional wrestling championship

The WWE Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, defended on the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE's main roster, along with the World Tag Team Championship on Raw. The current champions are A-Town Down Under, who are in their first reign, both as a team and individually. They won the title from previous champions The Judgment Day in a Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match on Night 1 of WrestleMania XL on April 6, 2024; they won the title as the SmackDown Tag Team Championship and it was renamed as WWE Tag Team Championship on April 19, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karrion Kross</span> American professional wrestler (born 1985)

Kevin Kesar is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under his ring name Karrion Kross, alongside his real life wife Scarlett and is the leader of The Final Testament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin Theory</span> American professional wrestler (born 1997)

Austin Tyler White is an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Austin Theory. He is in a tag team with Grayson Waller as A-Town Down Under where he is one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions in his first reign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Women's Tag Team Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The WWE Women's Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling women's tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It is the only women's tag team championship in WWE, thus is defended across both main roster brand divisions, Raw and SmackDown, and the developmental brand, NXT. The current champions are Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill from SmackDown, who are in their first reign, both as a team and individually. They defeated The Kabuki Warriors at Backlash France on May 4, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xia Li</span> Chinese-American professional wrestler

Zhao Xia is a Chinese professional wrestler. She is best known for her tenure in WWE, where she performed under the ring name Xia Li.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Street Profits</span> Professional wrestling tag team

The Street Profits are an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford. The team is currently performing in WWE on the SmackDown brand as a part of The Pride stable, which also includes Bobby Lashley and B-Fab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The O.C. (professional wrestling)</span> Professional wrestling stable

The O.C. also known as The Club, is an American professional wrestling stable currently signed to WWE. The group performs on both the SmackDown and NXT brands. The group is composed of leader AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Michin. Their team name is derived from a previous catchphrase: "the official, the original, the only club that matters" due to the three original members being from the Bullet Club.

The Bloodline is a villainous professional wrestling stable that performs in WWE on the SmackDown brand. The team is led by Roman Reigns, and features Solo Sikoa, The Rock and the The Tongans. The majority are members of the Anoaʻi family. They are managed by Paul Heyman. Jey Uso was also a member until June 2023 when he turned on Reigns and was then traded to the Raw brand in September. Jimmy Uso had also briefly left the group right before his brother did but reinserted himself into the group in September, but was kicked out in April 2024. Sami Zayn, who is not a member of the Anoaʻi family, was also an honorary member of the stable from May 2022 to January 2023.

Imperium is a European villainous professional wrestling tag team consisting of leader Gunther of Austria and Ludwig Kaiser of Germany. They are currently signed to WWE, where they perform on the Raw brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raquel Rodriguez (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

Victoria González is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where she performs under the ring name Raquel Rodriguez. She is currently inactive due to suffering from MCAS. She is a former 3-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion, 1-time NXT Women's Champion and a record-tying 2-time and inaugural NXT Women's Tag Team Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominik Mysterio</span> American professional wrestler (born 1997)

Dominik Óscar Gutiérrez is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, where he is a member of The Judgment Day stable. He is a former two-time NXT North American Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 WWE Draft</span> WWEs intra-brand draft

The 2020 WWE Draft was the 15th WWE Draft produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE between their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The two-night event began on the October 9 episode of Friday Night SmackDown and concluded on the October 12 episode of Monday Night Raw. Both shows were broadcast from the WWE ThunderDome, hosted at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, with SmackDown airing on FOX and Raw on USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode</span> Professional wrestling tag team

Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode, sometimes referred to as The Dirty Dawgs or The Dirty Dogs, were a professional wrestling tag team performed in WWE, where they are former one-time WWE Raw Tag Team Champions and one-time WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mysterios</span> Professional wrestling tag team

The Mysterios were an American professional wrestling tag team composed of Rey Mysterio and his son Dominik Mysterio. Individually, both Rey and Dominik currently perform on the Raw brand. They are former one-time SmackDown Tag Team Champions, making them the first father and son team to have won a tag team championship in WWE.

References

  1. Powell, Jason (September 13, 2021). "WWE Draft set for October". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  2. WWE [@WWE] (October 1, 2021). ".@MeganMorantWWE breaks down the rules for the #WWEDraft which begins TONIGHT on #SmackDown! 8/7c @FOXTV" (Tweet). Retrieved October 1, 2021 via Twitter.
  3. Lambert, Jeremy (October 1, 2021). "WWE Releases Rules For 2021 WWE Draft". Fightful. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  4. WWE.com Staff (October 1, 2021). "See all the results from the 2021 Draft". WWE . Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  5. Powell, Jason (October 1, 2021). "10/1 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell's review of the first night of the WWE Draft, Belair vs. Sasha Banks, Edge returns, fallout from Extreme Rules". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  6. Guzzo, Gisberto (October 2, 2021). "Toni Storm, Apollo Crews, Zelina Vega, And More Selected In 2021 WWE Draft". Fightful. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  7. Powell, Jason (October 4, 2021). "10/4 WWE Raw Results: Powell's live review of the WWE Draft night two, Goldberg returns, the build to WWE Crown Jewel continues". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  8. Lambert, Jeremy (October 1, 2021). "Brock Lesnar Will Not Be Drafted, Announces He Is A 'Free Agent'". Fightful. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  9. WWE [@WWE] (October 22, 2021). "As @MsCharlotteWWE and @BeckyLynchWWE prepare to swap rosters, it appears a WWE Women's Championship Title Exchange will take place TONIGHT on #SmackDown!" (Tweet). Retrieved October 22, 2021 via Twitter.
  10. Powell, Jason (October 22, 2021). "10/22 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell's review of Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair swapping title belts, the coronation of Xavier Woods as King of the Ring". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  11. Moore, John (October 12, 2021). "10/12 NXT 2.0 results: Moore's review of Isaiah Scott vs. Santos Escobar for the North American Championship, Tommaso Ciampa vs. Joe Gacy, Kyle O'Reilly and Von Wagner vs. Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland, Ivy Nile's in-ring debut". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  12. WWE [@WWE] (November 2, 2021). "VEER MAHAAN COMING TO #WWERaw" (Tweet). Retrieved November 9, 2021 via Twitter.
  13. "Sanga reunites with his old friend Veer: WWE NXT, Oct. 4, 2022". WWE. October 4, 2022.
  14. Aguilar, Matthew (November 4, 2021). "WWE Just Released Several Superstars". ComicBook.com . Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  15. "Eight more WWE stars released, including John Morrison and all three members of Hit Row". Wrestlingnews.co. November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  16. "Report: Jeff Hardy Released by WWE After Being Sent Home | Sports Illustrated". 9 December 2021.
  17. "WWE releases Toni Storm days after 'SmackDown' title match". 29 December 2021.
  18. "SURPRISING WWE DEPARTURE AFTER FAILURE TO COME TO TERMS ON NEW DEAL". PW Insider. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  19. Powell, Jason (April 3, 2022). "WrestleMania 38 results: Powell's live review of night two with Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar for the Unified WWE Championship, RK-Bro vs. The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy for the Raw Tag Titles, Edge vs. AJ Styles, Johnny Knoxville vs. Sami Zayn in an Anything Goes match, Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory, Bobby Lashley vs. Omos". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  20. Barnett, Jake (May 20, 2022). "5/20 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Barnett's review of Smackdown Tag Team Champions Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso vs. Raw Tag Team Champions "RK-Bro" Randy Orton and Riddle in a unification match, Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn, Xavier Woods vs. Butch". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  21. Jenkins, M (April 26, 2022). "Mustafa Ali Returns During WWE RAW This Week". Ringside News. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  22. Johnson, Mike (June 8, 2022). "APOLLO CREWS' WWE STATUS GOING FORWARD, FUTURE FOR ANOTHER RAW STAR REVEALED". PWInsider.com. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  23. Bajpai, Anutosh (February 4, 2023). "Watch: Raw Underground Star Makes Surprise Return At NXT Vengeance Day". SEScoops. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  24. Powell, Jason (July 2, 2022). "WWE Money in the Bank results: Powell's review of the MITB ladder matches, The Usos vs. The Street Profits for the Undisputed WWE Tag Titles, Ronda Rousey vs. Natalya for the Smackdown Women's Title, Bianca Belair vs. Natalya for the Raw Women's Title, Theory vs. Bobby Lashley for the U.S. Title". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  25. Powell, Jason (October 17, 2022). "10/17 WWE Raw results: Powell's live review of Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley, Seth Rollins vs. Matt Riddle for the U.S. Championship, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson vs. "Alpha Academy" Chad Gable and Otis, Dexter Lumis vs. The Miz, Elias returns". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  26. Powell, Jason (October 7, 2022). "10/07 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell's review of the season premiere, Gunther vs. Sheamus for the Intercontinental Championship, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Logan Paul meet face to face, Solo Sikoa vs. Ricochet". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  27. Keller, Wade (January 30, 2023). "1/30 WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW RESULTS: Keller's report on Cody celebrating Rumble win, Ripley declares WM choice, Gargano vs. Corbin and Seth vs. Gable". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  28. Powell, Jason (April 1, 2023). "WrestleMania 39 results: Powell's live review of night one with Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles, Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley for the Smackdown Women's Title, Austin Theory vs. John Cena for the U.S. Title, Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio, Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  29. Elfring, Mat (November 7, 2022). "14 Wrestlers WWE Rehired After Vince McMahon Left". GameSpot . Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  30. Powell, Jason (January 28, 2023). "WWE Royal Rumble results: Powell's live review of the Royal Rumble matches, Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, Bianca Belair vs. Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women's Championship, Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight in a Pitch Black match". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  31. Lowson, Thomas (May 25, 2022). "WWE Brand Split is "Essentially Done"". SEScoops. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  32. Lambert, Jeremy (April 7, 2023). "Triple H Announces WWE Draft Will Happen 'In A Few Weeks,' Every Superstar Eligible To Be Drafted". Fightful. Retrieved April 7, 2023.