Simple explanation for this RAW In A Nutshell-the 2023 WWE Draft concludes on Monday, and there’s still plenty of talent left to find new homes.
Night 1 came at us fast and furious on Friday, with the big picks being names like Roman Reigns (SmackDown) and Cody Rhodes (RAW).
We saw a few more names find new homes on Saturday, as well as some being granted “free agent” status.
Which brings us to night 2, where the 2023 WWE Draft concludes.
Who’s left? Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, Austin Theory and The Usos, to name but a few.
RAW is currently without a women’s champion, so you have to assume that gets rectified tonight too.
And, as if the WWE Draft wasn’t big enough, this is also the go-home show for RAW, as Saturday gives us Backlash in Puerto Rico.
So, enough idle chit chat, it’s time to see how the….
2023 WWE Draft Concludes : RAW In A Nutshell
Let’s sit back, relax and see what happens!
Best Match of the night:
Not just by default because it’s the main event…but Rollins and Sikoa brought the action.
Among others. But it was a fun segment, even if the show ended really abruptly.
Worst match of the night:
Omos versus Alanis.
Kind of surprised they had him work against a jobber, but here we are.
That main event abrupt ending wasn’t good.
Crowd Chants of the Night:
No chants, but man oh man were they all over Dom.
Dude has crazy amounts of heat that other heels just would kill for.
I have a feeling that, years down the road, we will get some A&E documentary about how Rey helped Dom become a mega-heel, so that he could eventually become a huge babyface.
Star of the Night
Lots to like, I think.
Seth Rollins was big, as was Heyman and Solo.
Like, Heyman teasing we could get Roman three belts? Heel stuff, and it was not long to get there.
Rollins has been talked up as a probable option to win the new belt, and he’s done nothing but stoke those flames.
Spot of the Night:
I have to like the near brawl between Rhodes and Lesnar. Rhodes got in what seemed like a glancing blow, but otherwise WWE kept them apart ahead of their clash Saturday.
Jobber of the Night:
Miz got jobbed out, on his own segement, to Nakamura.
Or, Anthony Alanis…fed to Omos.
Upset of the Night:
HBK? I mean…losing more talent like Pretty Deadly might sting.
Though, of all the ones called up, that duo was probably among the most-expected.
Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:
Well, we mentioned that Brock Lesnar was draft eligible, right? And that leading into RAW, he had not been selected.
Triple H kicked off the show by revealing that Lesnar had, just this afternoon, renegotiated the terms of his deal and was a free agent.
Wait…the 2023 WWE draft concludes and Bron Breakker was NOT drafted? I did not see that coming.
OK, just the televised-on-RAW portion of the 2023 WWE draft concludes. More 2023 WWE draft after RAW…
Botch of the night:
Nothing beyond how WWE “handled” the free agent thing.
Like, Lesnar? Sure.
Omos even makes sense, given MVP in his corner.
But…Von Wagner?!
Commentary of the night:
Not commentary per se, but where else was I putting this? It did not take Heyman long to want that belt for Roman, and fans were not happy.
LOL Moment of the night:
RVD’s reaction to running into Elias and Boogs, who were waiting outside his dressing room.
I mean, it made me laugh.
And we learned how to tell Miz his manhood is small…in Japanese.
Noteworthy Moment:
Doing even better (I think) than Friday, we had more nostalgia acts announcing picks during the 2023 WWE Draft.
Yes, RVD was back, as was HBK, but we also saw Eric Bischoff, Booker T and Queen Sharmell.
It was a nice touch.
Before the draft concludes, we got a nice hook from Cody-his story has not ended, just because he and Roman are on different brands.
Stuff like that is not done by accident.
An unexpected curveball, RAW picks Kayden Carter and Katana Chance, the same two challenging Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn for the NXT titles tomorrow.
Since Fyre and Dawn got picked on Friday.
So, I am going to bet…we get a 3rd team involved tomorrow, and that team wins the gold.
Overall lowlights:
I am going to say it…but Trish Stratus being in the draft at all is a head scratcher.
Like, is she back for a full time run for the better part of the next year? I could argue the same about Edge, to be fair.
Considering he had intimated his retirement match might happen in Canada this summer…
The free agent thing isn’t a horrible idea, except for its implementation. Meaning, we had some random ones over the weekend.
We then saw Lesnar get that treatment too. His made more sense.
But, perhaps if WWE did some “random” draw for a set number of men’s and women’s Superstars to float between shows. Then it wouldn’t be bad.
Also, I know NXT is developmental, but it would be somewhat interesting if they had like, two picks per show in the final round, after losing some of their talent.
Overall highlights:
The highlights for me, and this covers all of the 2023 WWE Draft selections, is the movement of the NXT talents.
Since we seem to no longer get the post-WrestleMania graduations, this is it.
And, we saw quite a few moving. Some were expected-like Cameron Grimes and Pretty Deadly.
Others maybe not, like Carter and Chance or a few other women…but now there is even more depth. Perhaps we see more of a women’s tag division?
After the final bell:
And just like that, the 2023 WWE Draft concludes, and we wait one more week to see the new rosters as drafted.
Some interesting choices, but I think for the most part, much was to be expected.
Meaning, WWE has kept certain talents together for obvious family reasons-like Bianca and Montez on SmackDown, or Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins on RAW.
Nothing wrong with it, just a bit predictable.
I would almost have WWE change things up a bit for 2024, and take a page out of pro sports expansion drafts.
That is, let each brand protect a set number of Superstars at the onset. And perhaps let NXT have some picks too, instead of just randomly demoting talent.
All in all, as the 2023 WWE draft concludes, I have to be optimistic about things.
Backlash hits us on Saturday, and from there, we’ve got fresh rosters to enjoy.
