10 Problems WWE MUST Solve In The 2019 Draft
More than a mere refresh, the upcoming draft can cure many of WWE's ailments.
As confirmed hours before last week's Clash of Champions pay-per-view went on the air, WWE's 2019 Draft begins on the 11 October episode of SmackDown and concludes on Raw three nights later, as the promotion look to shake-up and re-establish their talent rosters following Team Blue's move to Fox one week prior.
WWE.com's writeup states that a host of Fox/NBCUniversal personalities will be on hand to assist with Raw and SmackDown's picks. The main roster's complexion could look radically different coming out of it. As for the company's other brands, Triple H has claimed that while the Draft will be "more focused on Raw and SmackDown" than NXT, he said everyone would have to "wait and see" what will happen in October. This makes it impossible to rule out the developmental show's participation.
With any luck, WWE will use the 2019 Draft for more than a simple refresh as while programming has improved greatly over the past couple of months, Raw and SmackDown are still far from perfect. Let's take a look at how they can use this opportunity to cure some of the problems plaguing their modern product...
10. Free The UK Three
Balancing the WWE NXT UK roster is a tricky proposition. A handful of big names are required to lend the show prestige because with all due respect to the Ashton Smiths, Wild Boars, and Joseph Conners of the world, a show built around them is a lot less enticing than one built around Pete Dunne and WALTER. At the same time, keeping big-name wrestlers stuck on the promotion's least important brand risks hindering their progress as they outgrow a show incapable of generating a level of buzz comparable with their own.
It's a tricky situation, but promoting three of NXT UK's biggest names must be considered in the upcoming draft. With Dunne seemingly gone, Toni Storm, Trent Seven, and Tyler Bate should follow soon. They're too big for this show and while NXT UK has benefitted greatly from having them around, developing Bate and Storm, in particular, should be considered a priority over anything going on across the Atlantic.
Moustache Mountain would be an immediate benefit to any show's tag division, main roster or otherwise. Storm, meanwhile, needs to brush up on her promos (majorly), so following Dunne to Orlando might be her best option. Either way, their talents can't be realised in Coventry and Plymouth.