7 months ago
45 ARTICLE AD
Wwe/Getty Images
The WWE Draft is back, and like all prior years, the event serves to shake the roster up between "WWE Raw" and "WWE SmackDown," potentially changing the horizon of the promotion for the year. Now, WWE has revealed a set of rules the draft will follow this year.
Advertisement
Based on the social media post shared by WWE on X (formerly known as Twitter), the rules are as follows:
On the April 26 "SmackDown", there will be four rounds, with 16 total picks. On the April 19 "Raw," there will be six rounds with 24 total picks. Apart from the Women's Tag Team Champions, champions on each brand are protected — they cannot be drafted. "SmackDown" will have the first pick on April 26; "Raw" will have the first pick on April 29. Rosters lock on Monday, May 6 — two days after WWE Backlash.🚨BREAKING NEWS 🚨
The official #WWEDraft rules are here!
NIGHT 1 THIS FRIDAY on #SmackDown!
NIGHT 2 MONDAY, APRIL 29 on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/ROLIad5XGF
— WWE (@WWE) April 24, 2024
The rules presented mean that singles champions — Cody Rhodes, Damian Priest, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Sami Zayn, and Logan Paul — as well as the men's tag team champions — Awesome Truth and A-Town Down Under — will all remain on their respective brands. Damage CTRL could be split up, however, since women's tag champs Asuka and Kairi Sane are eligible to be drafted.
Interestingly, the official rules don't mention "WWE NXT," which WWE was reportedly eying as a viable third option for stars from the main roster to be drafted to, and vice versa. However, this could still be implemented as a surprise during the actual drafts on both "SmackDown" and "Raw."
Advertisement
