WWE Draft 2021 Night One: Ranking every brand switch on SmackDown
This week's episode of SmackDown saw the start of the WWE Draft 2021, with a lot of notable moves taking place. Sonya Deville and Adam Pearce announced all 16 draft picks, with both shows getting alternate turns.
SmackDown got the first pick and retained Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. Similarly, RAW drafted in Big E. However, most of the selections saw superstars move to a different brand.
🔵 #WWEDraft Night 1 Thread 🔴
🌟 Round 1 🌟
Acknowledge him. The Head of the Table is staying on #SmackDown! @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle https://t.co/zW35m7nei8
A few NXT stars were also called up to the main roster during the WWE Draft. Nine of them in total made the move, with some of them much-needed for a while and a couple of them head-scratching moves.
Let's take a look at every star who moved from RAW to SmackDown, and vice-versa, as well as from NXT. This list will focus on their prospects for their new brand. Here is every brand switch that happened during Night One of the WWE Draft 2021, ranked from worst to best.
#9 The New Day to SmackDown (No.7 in the WWE Draft 2021)
Kofi and Woods to Smackdown and Big E to RAW.
New Day just got back together man, damn.
#SmackDown https://t.co/z4iln71JPp
When WWE separated Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston from Big E last year, it made sense. It led to the latter finally doing things on his own and becoming a key singles player on the Blue brand. In that time, Big E won the Intercontinental Championship and the Money in the Bank contract.
He moved over to RAW to cash it in and win the WWE Championship, reuniting with his New Day brothers in the process. Only this time, he has established a separate identity of his own in addition to the trio. However, they have once again been set apart via the WWE Draft.
Big E was the Red brand's first pick, while the rest of The New Day would be selected by SmackDown in Round Two. Separating them for the second year in a row seems unnecessary. They should have just remained together and let friendship prevail.