WWE Draft 2023: 5 Things That Will Happen (And 5 That WON'T!)
Triple H vs. Vince McMahon might be a hidden battle during WWE's latest Draft.
Triple H tried his able best to get people excited for the upcoming 2023 WWE Draft when he announced it on last week's post-WrestleMania 39 episode of SmackDown, but the live crowd wasn't biting. Why would they? WWE has repeatedly shown long-term disinterest in the thing after hyping up "locked in" rosters and promising "brand exclusivity" for major stars.
Will this year's version be different?
'The Game' could have his work cut out for him behind the scenes, being honest. Any bold ideas he had in mind for the Draft could be threatened by Vince McMahon's return to work - Trips' father-in-law will want to stamp his own mark on WWE's product again and please new owners Endeavor. He'll also want to appease FOX and USA Network execs in the process.
There's a lot to think about, but some things are dead certs. Put it this way: WWE will revert to type with the Draft's "exclusivity" claim, and they won't furnish developmental wing NXT with the same bombshell moves fans witnessed several years ago.
Here's what else is all-but-guaranteed to go down when Raw and SmackDown's rosters receive a shake up.
10. WILL: It’ll Dominate Raw & SmackDown
This is a given.
WWE's 2023 Draft will hog airtime over a full week of main roster TV. In other words, expect a full three-hour episode of Raw and a two-hour SmackDown to be Draft, Draft, Draft. The company will beat you over the head with that word (and the familiar "shake up" line) time and time again.
Of course, creative will still only be able to present a finite number of picks on programming. Many of them will be "supplemental" choices doled out via Twitter and WWE.com. That's... kinda how some workers know where they are on the promotional food chain, and what to expect for the rest of the year.
Matches will become secondary, and probably only exist so each show can earn a pick for their roster. This is commonplace in WWE when it comes to the Draft, but it's definitely expected whenever the next one airs. Skip those episodes if you're bored of the format.