10 Biggest Missed Opportunities From WWE Draft 2016

6. Not Sending Kalisto To Raw

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WWE.com

Stephanie McMahon’s announcement that the much-missed Cruiserweight division is to return to Monday Night Raw felt like a breath of fresh air. WWE has struggled to make its midcard title divisions feel important over recent years, but the Cruiserweight Classic has been very well-received from critics and fans alike, and reintroducing one of the WCW’s most exciting title divisions should do wonders to refresh Monday nights.

While WWE got off to a great start by drafting Finn Balor and Nevile (two elite athletes who can absolutely anchor the Cruiserweight division going forward), they made a huge blunder not throwing Kalisto into the mix.

WWE’s roster isn’t exactly flush with sub-205lb talent at the moment, and while they’ll almost certainly bolster the ranks with a few post-CWC signings, Kalisto is a glaring omission. He’s tailor-made for the resurgent division, and while he’ll likely never surpass Balor in terms of popularity, he’s a far more exciting proposition than Sin Cara, his fellow former Lucha Dragon.

Who knows what the future holds for Kalisto now. WWE looked to be onto something when they put the US Title around his waist, but his reign, like most things in WWE’s midcard, quickly fell towards afterthought status. Maybe they’ll realise the error and send him to Raw in a post-Draft trade, but it seems unlikely.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.