The first night of this year's WWE Draft played out on SmackDown yesterday evening, though the changes were few and far between.
Arguably the biggest news was that NXT Superstars Carmelo Hayes and Kiana James are heading to the main roster on SmackDown and RAW, respectively. After a lengthy stint in the developmental brand, Baron Corbin will also return to the blue brand.
While the majority of picks will remain on their current shows, Bron Breakker, Nia Jax, Ricochet stand out as the main switches.
Interestingly, Paul Heyman confirmed at the top of SmackDown that Reigns had withdrawn from the Draft, leaving him on Friday nights...when he eventually returns. That was bad news for The Bloodline because the faction, minus the Tribal Chief, wasn't chosen until the third round!
Champions were also ineligible to be drafted this year, meaning they'll remain on their brands (which means that, after being a fixture on RAW since his WWE return in 2022, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is now on SmackDown).
You can check out all the WWE Draft picks in the X posts below. The second round of choices - and possibly even some trades - will take place during Monday night's RAW, so check back here then for updates.
In other news, the following matches have all been added to the Backlash card:
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