Grading the divisions of RAW and SmackDown following the 2020 WWE Draft
The 2020 WWE Draft is in the books. Big stars like The Fiend and Seth Rollins switched brands, altering each show's main-event scene. Several other men and women of WWE also changed sides to help freshen things up. But even though a lot of stars moved addresses, the divisions are not left in equal shape.
Both tag team divisions are thin due to the breakup/separation of several teams like Heavy Machinery, Angel Garza and Andrade, and Rollins and Murphy. Some female WWE Superstars changed brands, but the ceilings aren't as high for those that joined RAW. The likes of Asuka, Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, and Shayna Baszler will make it hard for any other women to advance higher up the ladder.
The main goal of any Draft is to replenish the cupboard. That certainly happened in some regards in this year's WWE Draft. Which show won out and which brand has the edge in certain divisions? Here are the grades for each show and its divisions following the 2020 WWE Draft. The grades will obviously change one way or another after a week or two of shows with the new rosters.
#8 WWE SmackDown Tag Team Division Grade: C+
Teams: Street Profits (Champions), Dolph Ziggler/Bobby Roode, Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura
The three main teams drafted by SmackDown are all great duos. The problem is that the new Champs, The Street Profits, will have already faced the other two teams after the season premiere of SmackDown on FOX.
There could be some other teams formed with new draft picks, but with the likes of Heavy Machinery broken up, there is a slight void of teams. Perhaps Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake return sometime soon to help add depth. Depending on the direction for the Mysterios on SmackDown, they could also challenge for the titles once Rey is 100% healthy.
The main reason why so many teams broke up prior to the WWE Draft was so that certain stars could be moved. Otis is on SmackDown while Tucker is now on RAW. Angel Garza and Andrade are done as a team but still may both end up back on RAW.
For SmackDown, perhaps teams will be formed from the likes of Shorty G, Kalisto, Apollo Crews, and others. But on paper, the tag team divisions in WWE - and especially on SmackDown - are extremely thin.