Details On Which NXT Stars Were Backstage At SmackDown

With this year's WWE draft now underway, the expectation is that several NXT names will be making their way to Raw or SmackDown. And now, there's an update on which NXT names were backstage at Friday's episode of SmackDown.

In addition to Hit Row being drafted to SmackDown, Talking Smack saw Aliyah formally added to the blue brand and Austin Theory moved to Raw. Those talents weren't the only NXT faces in attendance for the first night of the 2021 WWE Draft, though.

As per PWInsider, Ridge Holland was backstage at SmackDown. There's no word right now on whether Holland is expected to be called up from NXT, although WWE is clearly extremely high on the powerhouse.

In recent weeks and months, WWE has had a handful of NXT stars at Raw or SmackDown to take a further look at for a potential call up, with the aforementioned Theory and Aliyah two such names who WWE officials have cast an eye over.

Prior to SmackDown, WWE also put on a dark match that had Xia Li beat Dakota Kai. Both Li and Kai have been heavily rumoured to be move to the main roster in the last few months, with both competitors wrestling several dark matches or, in Kai's case, Main Event bouts during that time.