7 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (April 28)

3. The Influx Of Women

WWE Draft 2023 Shawn Michaels Road Dogg Alba Fyre Isla Dawn
WWE.com

SmackDown's female ranks have been so-so for far too long, and the division sorely needed some depth if it was going to survive 2023. The good news? This first batch of Draft goodness brought Bianca Belair, Michin, Damage CTRL (yes, all three of them), Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn to Friday nights.

That's quite the boost for a flimsy division.

Belair will be Rhea Ripley's long-term rival, Bayley is there too, and NXT incomers like Fyre and Dawn represent interesting curiosities to those who don't watch a lot of the third brand. They're legitimately fresh faces to casuals who only take in Raw and SmackDown, basically.

Then, Michin can work with pretty much anybody she's asked too, and the Dakota Kai/IYO SKY double pack rounds things out. They'll probs stick to tag-team action in the short-term, but can become standalone challengers for the top prize eventually.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.