2023 WWE Draft
Promotional poster featuring wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands
General information
SportProfessional wrestling
Date(s)April 28 – May 1, 2023
LocationAmerican Bank Center (April 28, 2023)
Dickies Arena (May 1, 2023)
Overview
LeagueWWE
TeamsRaw
SmackDown
NXT (outgoing only)
← 2021
2024 →

The 2023 WWE Draft was the 17th WWE Draft produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE between their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The two-night event began with the April 28 episode of Friday Night SmackDown (in Corpus Christi, Texas) and concluded with the May 1 episode of Monday Night Raw (in Fort Worth, Texas), with SmackDown airing on Fox and Raw on the USA Network. This was the first draft held since 2021 and the first under the creative direction of Triple H. In addition, this was the last draft before the TKO Group Holdings acquisition. Draft results went into effect beginning with the May 8 episode of Raw.

Production

Background

The WWE Draft is a process used by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE while a brand extension, or brand split, is in effect. The original brand extension occurred from 2002 to 2011, while the second and current brand split began in 2016. During a brand extension, the company divides its roster into what they call brands and wrestlers exclusively perform for each brand's respective television show, albeit with some exceptions. The draft is used to refresh the rosters of the brand divisions, typically between the Raw and SmackDown brands, which are regarded as the main roster. Since 2016, wrestlers from WWE's developmental brand, NXT, have been eligible to be drafted to either Raw or SmackDown.[1]

A draft was not held in 2022 and brand division enforcement became increasingly laxed, but on the April 7, 2023, episode of SmackDown, WWE executive Triple H announced the 2023 draft and stated that every WWE wrestler from Raw and SmackDown would be eligible for the draft, as well as select wrestlers from NXT.[2] The following week, the dates for WWE's 17th draft were confirmed, with it beginning with the April 28 episode of Friday Night SmackDown and concluding with the May 1 episode of Monday Night Raw, with SmackDown airing on Fox and Raw on the USA Network. This subsequently repositioned the draft back in its traditional post-WrestleMania slot, after the last three drafts were held in October.[3][4] The drafting pools for which wrestlers were eligible to be drafted each night were revealed on April 27.[5] On Night 1 of the draft, Triple H announced that draft results would go into effect beginning with the May 8 episode of Raw, two days after the Backlash pay-per-view and livestreaming event.[6]

Selections

Night 1: SmackDown (April 28)

There were four rounds of draft picks on Night 1 with each brand receiving two picks each round; SmackDown went first due to Night 1 taking place as that night's episode of SmackDown. Draft selections were announced by various WWE Hall of Famers, including Triple H, who announced the first-round picks. The second round picks were announced by Rob Van Dam and Michael Hayes, the third round by John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Teddy Long, and the fourth by D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels and "Road Dogg" Jesse James).[6][7]

Round Brand pick # Overall pick # Wrestler(s) Pre-draft brand Post-draft brand Role
1 1 1 The Bloodline
(Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa with Paul Heyman) 		SmackDown SmackDown Male tag team and male manager
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion (Reigns)
1 1 2 Cody Rhodes Raw Raw Male wrestler
1 2 3 Bianca Belair Raw SmackDown Female wrestler
Raw Women's Champion
1 2 4 Becky Lynch Raw Raw Female wrestler
2 3 5 Street Profits
(Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) 		Raw SmackDown Male tag team
2 3 6 Imperium
(Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, and Giovanni Vinci) 		SmackDown Raw Male stable
Intercontinental Champion (Gunther)
2 4 7 Edge Raw SmackDown Male wrestler
WWE Hall of Famer
2 4 8 Matt Riddle Raw Raw Male wrestler
3 5 9 Bobby Lashley Raw SmackDown Male wrestler
3 5 10 Drew McIntyre SmackDown Raw Male wrestler
3 6 11 The O.C.
(AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and "Michin" Mia Yim) 		Raw SmackDown Mixed stable
3 6 12 The Miz Raw Raw Male wrestler
4 7 13 Damage CTRL
(Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky) 		Raw SmackDown Female stable
4 7 14 Shinsuke Nakamura SmackDown Raw Male wrestler
4 8 15 Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn NXT SmackDown Female tag team
NXT Women's Tag Team Champions
4 8 16 Indi Hartwell NXT Raw Female wrestler
NXT Women's Champion

Night 1 supplemental picks: SmackDown LowDown (April 29)

These wrestlers were included in the Night 1 draft pool, but were not drafted on SmackDown. Their draft selections were revealed on SmackDown's post-show, SmackDown LowDown, the next day on WWE's social media and streaming platforms.[7][8]

Wrestler(s) Pre-draft brand Post-draft brand Role
Apollo Crews NXT Raw Male wrestler
Candice LeRae Raw Raw Female wrestler
Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville Raw (Green)
SmackDown (Deville) 		Raw Female tag team
Dexter Lumis Raw Raw Male wrestler
Hit Row
(Ashante "Thee" Adonis, B-Fab, and Top Dolla) 		SmackDown SmackDown Mixed stable
JD McDonagh NXT Raw Male wrestler
Lacey Evans SmackDown SmackDown Female wrestler
Maximum Male Models
(ma.çé and mån.sôör with Maxxine Dupri) 		Raw Raw Male tag team and female manager
Natalya SmackDown Raw Female wrestler
The Viking Raiders
(Erik and Ivar with Valhalla) 		SmackDown Raw Male tag team and female manager
Zoey Stark NXT Raw Female wrestler

Night 2: Raw (May 1)

There were six rounds of draft picks on Night 2 with each brand receiving two picks each round; Raw went first due to Night 2 taking place as that night's episode of Raw. Draft selections were again announced by various WWE Hall of Famers, including Triple H, who again announced the first round picks; several others from Night 1 returned to announce Night 2's selections. Booker T and his wife Queen Sharmell announced the round two picks, Shawn Michaels returned to announce the round three picks, round four were by Eric Bischoff and the returning Rob Van Dam, round five by Molly Holly and the returning "Road Dogg" Jesse James, and the sixth and final round were announced by the returning John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Teddy Long. WWE official Adam Pearce was supposed to announce the round three picks with Michaels but instead had to help break up a fight between Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes.[7][9]

Round Brand pick # Overall pick # Wrestler(s) Pre-draft brand Post-draft brand Role
1 1 1 Rhea Ripley[a] Raw Raw Female wrestler
SmackDown Women's Champion
1 1 2 Austin Theory Raw SmackDown Male wrestler
United States Champion
1 2 3 Seth "Freakin" Rollins Raw Raw Male wrestler
1 2 4 Charlotte Flair SmackDown SmackDown Female wrestler
2 3 5 Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn Raw (Owens)
SmackDown (Zayn) 		Raw Male tag team
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions[b]
2 3 6 The Usos[c]
(Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) 		SmackDown SmackDown Male tag team
2 4 7 The Judgment Day
(Finn Bálor, Damian Priest, and Dominik Mysterio) 		Raw Raw Male stable
2 4 8 Latino World Order
(Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, and Zelina Vega) 		SmackDown SmackDown Mixed stable
3 5 9 Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodríguez SmackDown Raw Female tag team
WWE Women's Tag Team Champions[d]
3 5 10 Asuka Raw SmackDown Female wrestler
3 6 11 The New Day
(Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) 		SmackDown Raw Male tag team
3 6 12 The Brawling Brutes
(Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and Butch) 		SmackDown SmackDown Male stable
4 7 13 Trish Stratus Raw Raw Female wrestler
WWE Hall of Famer
4 7 14 Karrion Kross with Scarlett SmackDown SmackDown Male wrestler and female manager
4 8 15 Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler SmackDown Raw Female tag team
4 8 16 LA Knight SmackDown SmackDown Male wrestler
5 9 17 Braun Strowman and Ricochet SmackDown Raw Male tag team
5 9 18 Shotzi SmackDown SmackDown Female wrestler
5 10 19 Bronson Reed Raw Raw Male wrestler
5 10 20 Pretty Deadly
(Elton Prince and Kit Wilson) 		NXT SmackDown Male tag team
6 11 21 Alpha Academy
(Chad Gable and Otis) 		Raw Raw Male tag team
6 11 22 Rick Boogs Raw SmackDown Male wrestler
6 12 23 Katana Chance and Kayden Carter NXT Raw Female tag team
6 12 24 Cameron Grimes NXT SmackDown Male wrestler

Night 2 supplemental picks: Raw Talk (May 1)

These wrestlers were included in the Night 2 draft pool, but were not drafted on Raw. Their draft selections were revealed on Raw's post-show, Raw Talk, which aired immediately after Raw on WWE's social media and streaming platforms.[7][10]

Wrestler(s) Pre-draft brand Post-draft brand Role
Akira Tozawa Raw Raw Male wrestler
Dana Brooke Raw Raw Female wrestler
Emma SmackDown Raw Female wrestler
Grayson Waller NXT SmackDown Male wrestler
Indus Sher
(Jinder Mahal, Sanga, and Veer Mahaan) 		NXT Raw Male stable
Johnny Gargano Raw Raw Male wrestler
Los Lotharios
(Angel and Humberto) 		SmackDown Raw Male tag team
Nikki Cross Raw Raw Female wrestler
Odyssey Jones NXT Raw Male wrestler
Piper Niven Raw Raw Female wrestler
Riddick Moss SmackDown Raw Male wrestler
Tamina Raw SmackDown Female wrestler
Tegan Nox SmackDown Raw Female wrestler
Xia Li SmackDown Raw Female wrestler

Free agents

Within WWE's storylines, a "free agent" refers to a contracted wrestler who has not been assigned to one of the company's three brands—Raw, SmackDown, or NXT—and can in turn appear on any brand. The following wrestlers were included in the draft pools but ultimately became free agents, either through contractual negotiations or going undrafted. Their status as free agents were announced via the post-shows, SmackDown LowDown and Raw Talk.[7]

Wrestler(s) Pre-draft brand Date Role Notes
Baron Corbin Raw May 1, 2023 Male wrestler Went undrafted during Night 2. Declared as a free agent during Night 2's supplemental draft, but would later be assigned to NXT in August.
Brock Lesnar Free agent[e] May 1, 2023 Male wrestler During Night 2 of the draft, Triple H announced that Lesnar, who was initially included in the Night 2 draft pool, renegotiated his free agent status so that he could continue to appear for both brands.
Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin Raw May 1, 2023 Male tag team Went undrafted during Night 2. Declared as free agents during Night 2's supplemental draft.
Benjamin, however, was released from his WWE contract on September 21, 2023.
After several months as a free agent, Alexander was assigned to SmackDown in November 2023.[11]
Dolph Ziggler Raw April 29, 2023 Male wrestler Went undrafted during Night 1. Declared as a free agent during Night 1's supplemental draft; however, he was released from his WWE contract on September 21, 2023. Now wrestles in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) as Nic Nemeth.
Elias Raw May 1, 2023 Male wrestler Went undrafted during Night 2. Declared as a free agent during Night 2's supplemental draft; however, he was released from his WWE contract on September 21, 2023.
Mustafa Ali Raw April 29, 2023 Male wrestler Went undrafted during Night 1. Declared as a free agent during Night 1's supplemental draft. He was later assigned to NXT in August, but was released from his WWE contract on September 21, 2023. Now wrestles in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW).
Omos with MVP Raw April 29, 2023 Male wrestler and male manager During Night 1's supplemental draft, it was revealed that MVP negotiated their free agent status to maximize Omos' visibility on both brands.
Von Wagner NXT April 29, 2023 Male wrestler Though not initially included in the Night 1 draft pool, Wagner was revealed as one of the select NXT wrestlers available to be drafted on SmackDown LowDown. He was declared as a free agent during Night 1's supplemental draft. However Wagner still remains in NXT.
Xyon Quinn NXT May 1, 2023 Male wrestler Though not initially included in the Night 2 draft pool, Quinn was revealed as one of the select NXT wrestlers available to be drafted on Raw Talk. He was declared as a free agent during Night 2's supplemental draft.

Wrestlers not included in either draft pool

The following are wrestlers who were not included in either draft pool, as they had been inactive for extended periods leading up to the draft (largely due to injury).

Wrestler(s) Pre-draft brand Reason for omission
(if any) 		Subsequent status Date Role Notes
Logan Paul Free agent Part-time contract Free agent April 29, 2023 Male wrestler Paul makes limited appearances per year. His last appearance before the draft was at WrestleMania 39 Night 1 on April 1, 2023. On April 29, Fightful confirmed that Paul would continue as a free agent.[12]
Tommaso Ciampa Raw Inactive due to a hip injury Raw June 19, 2023 Male wrestler Last appeared on the September 19, 2022, episode of Raw. Returned on the June 19, 2023, episode in a match against The Miz.
Gable Steveson Raw Inactive due to training for the 2024 Olympics NXT July 25, 2023 Male wrestler Steveson was drafted to Raw in the 2021 draft, but was still training at the WWE Performance Center. In addition to training, he had made a couple of appearances on WWE TV programs, with his last appearance before the draft occurring on the December 9, 2022, episode of SmackDown for Kurt Angle's birthday celebration. He then returned on the June 20, 2023, episode of NXT and began making occasional appearances before deciding he would join NXT on the July 25 episode.
Robert Roode Raw Inactive due to neck surgery Producer August 5, 2023 Male wrestler Last appeared on the June 6, 2022, episode of Raw.
In August 2023, he began working behind the scenes as a producer with his first official show being that year's SummerSlam.[13]
Bray Wyatt SmackDown Was inactive due to contracting COVID-19, which exacerbated an existing heart issue Deceased August 24, 2023 Male wrestler Last appeared on the February 24, 2023, episode of SmackDown.
On August 24, 2023, Wyatt unexpectedly died from a heart attack.[14]
Aliyah SmackDown Inactive due to unknown reasons Released September 21, 2023 Female wrestler Last appeared on the September 12, 2022, episode of Raw.
Released from her WWE contract on September 21, 2023.
Shanky SmackDown Inactive due to unknown reasons Released September 21, 2023 Male wrestler Last appeared on the July 22, 2022, episode of SmackDown.
Returned at the Superstar Spectacle event in India on September 8, 2023, but no brand designation was assigned; however, he was released from his WWE contract on September 21, 2023.
Randy Orton Raw Inactive due to a back injury SmackDown November 25, 2023 Male wrestler Last appeared on the May 20, 2022, episode of SmackDown.
Returned at Survivor Series: WarGames on November 25, 2023, as part of Cody Rhodes' team in the men's WarGames match, but no brand designation was assigned.[15]
On the December 1 episode of SmackDown, he was revealed as a free agent prior to a contract signing that happened that night, where he signed with SmackDown.[16]
R-Truth Raw Inactive due to a torn quadricep Raw November 27, 2023 Male wrestler Last appeared on the November 1, 2022, episode of NXT.
Returned at Survivor Series: WarGames on November 25, 2023, during a cross-branded backstage segment but no brand designation was assigned.[17]
Alexa Bliss Raw Inactive due to skin cancer treatment and maternity leave[18] Female wrestler Last appeared at the Royal Rumble on January 28, 2023.
Big E SmackDown Inactive due to a neck injury Male wrestler Last appeared on the March 11, 2022, episode of SmackDown.
Carmella Raw Inactive due to maternity leave[19] Female wrestler Last appeared on March 31, 2023, for the WrestleMania 39 set reveal.
Uncle Howdy SmackDown Was originally inactive due to Bray Wyatt's absence, but following Wyatt's death, Howdy's status is unknown. Male wrestler Last appeared on the March 3, 2023, episode of SmackDown.

Aftermath

Post-draft moves

The day after the draft on May 2, it was revealed that ring announcers Mike Rome and Samantha Irvin, who announced for Raw and SmackDown, respectively, would switch brands beginning May 8.[20] This switch was made because Irvin is engaged to Ricochet, who was drafted to Raw, as WWE tries to keep real-life couples on the same brand.[21]

Despite being drafted to Raw, Dana Brooke appeared on the June 6 episode of NXT to compete in a battle royal to determine the next challenger for the NXT Women's Championship. During her entrance, she was referred to as a Raw roster member, but during the battle royal itself, the commentators referred to her as a free agent. An official change to her status was not announced and her WWE.com profile still listed her as a member of Raw.[22] Furthermore, although Los Lotharios (Angel and Humberto) were drafted to Raw, they would also appear in NXT on the June 13 episode, stating they would be going after the NXT Tag Team Championship (their individual ring names would also revert to Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo, respectively, in July), they later returned to the main roster on the December 22 episode of SmackDown.[23] Other main roster wrestlers would appear in NXT, and hold championships, with WWE president Nick Khan stating this cross-over of talent from Raw and SmackDown to NXT was intentional, as he said there was potential for NXT to become WWE's third brand again while still developing younger wrestlers.[24]

On August 5, WWE announced a change to the on-air commentary teams that would begin with the August 7 episode of Raw. Raw's team of Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick moved to SmackDown while SmackDown commentator Wade Barrett moved to Raw, with Michael Cole, who was on SmackDown with Barrett, doing commentary for both shows.[25]

At Payback on September 2, 2023, Jey Uso, who had "quit" WWE a month prior after a fallout with his brother Jimmy Uso and The Bloodline as a whole, was reinstated but as a member of Raw.[26] On the following episode of Raw, WWE official Adam Pearce revealed that a member of the Raw roster was traded to SmackDown so that Jey could join Raw.[27] The following month on the October 13 episode of SmackDown, after Triple H announced that Pearce—who had officiated for both Raw and SmackDown since January 2020—would now just be the general manager of Raw with former National Wrestling Alliance wrestler Nick Aldis introduced as SmackDown's general manager,[28] Aldis revealed that Kevin Owens had been traded to SmackDown for Jey,[29] in turn splitting the team of Owens and Sami Zayn.[30]

Shortly after the draft, NXT's Dragon Lee began making appearances on the main roster and had his main roster debut match on SmackDown in October. He was subsequently promoted to the main roster on the SmackDown brand.[31] After a successful in-ring debut on Raw the week prior, NXT's Diamond Mine (Brutus Creed, Julius Creed, and Ivy Nile) were promoted to the main roster on the Raw brand on November 6, 2023.[32]

On SmackDown: New Year's Revolution, NXT's Tyler Bate made his main roster debut. Afterwards, Bate confirmed via WWE's Instagram page that he was now an official member of the SmackDown roster. NXT's Elektra Lopez were promoted to the main roster on the SmackDown brand on January 26, 2024. Following Royal Rumble appearances, NXT's Tiffany Stratton and NXT's Bron Breakker were subsequently promoted to the main roster on the SmackDown brand.

Championships

Prior to the draft on the April 24 episode of Raw, Triple H unveiled a new World Heavyweight Championship for the brand that did not select Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, as he and his titles would become exclusive to the brand that drafted him. As a result of SmackDown drafting Reigns, the World Heavyweight Championship became exclusive to Raw.[6] Despite the title becoming exclusive to Raw, SmackDown wrestlers competed in the tournament to crown the inaugural champion (which was reportedly due to WWE's attempt to retain viewership for the May 12 episode of SmackDown, which went head-to-head with the 2023 NBA playoffs). At Night of Champions, Raw's Seth "Freakin" Rollins defeated SmackDown's AJ Styles to become the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion.[33]

On Night 1 of the draft, reigning NXT Women's Tag Team Champions Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre were drafted to SmackDown. That same night, they were scheduled to defend the championship against Kayden Carter and Katana Chance on the May 2 episode of NXT, but during Night 2 of the draft, Carter and Chance were drafted to Raw. On NXT, Dawn and Fyre retained the title and they claimed they would defend the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship across all three brands. On that same episode, reigning NXT Women's Champion Indi Hartwell relinquished her title due to being drafted to Raw and also due to a leg injury.[34] On the June 9 episode of SmackDown, the issue of the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship being on SmackDown would be addressed as reigning WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler challenged Dawn and Fyre to a championship unification match, which was accepted and scheduled for the June 23 episode.[35] Rousey and Baszler won to become the unified WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, thus making the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship available to NXT again. The NXT Women's Tag Team Championship was subsequently retired in the process, with Dawn and Fyre recognized as the final champions.[36]

As a result of the draft, Raw and SmackDown's secondary championships switched brands, as Intercontinental Champion Gunther was drafted to Raw while United States Champion Austin Theory was drafted to SmackDown, and there were no title changes by the time draft results went into effect on May 8. Despite their namesakes, the women's championships would also switch brands, with Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair drafted to SmackDown and SmackDown Women's Champion Rhea Ripley drafted to Raw.[7] This same incident occurred during the 2021 draft, but the night that draft's results went into effect, the women's champions swapped titles to keep the branded championships on their respective brands.[37] This did not happen between Belair and Ripley when the 2023 draft results went into effect on May 8.[38] The issue of the Raw and SmackDown women's championships being on the opposite brands would be resolved a month after the draft following the Night of Champions event. On the June 9 episode of SmackDown, reigning Raw Women's Champion Asuka was presented with a new championship belt and the title reverted to its original name of WWE Women's Championship,[35] while on the June 12 episode of Raw, reigning SmackDown Women's Champion Rhea Ripley was also presented with a new championship belt and the title was renamed as the Women's World Championship.[39]

Other post-draft changes

Although Maxxine Dupri was drafted to Raw as the manager of Maximum Male Models (ma.çé and mån.sôör), she would leave the team and join with Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis), who were also drafted to Raw. The two teams had been at odds before the draft where Dupri tried to get Otis to join Maximum Male Models.[40]

In August 2023, Lacey Evans left WWE due to the expiration of her contract.[41] Edge would also leave WWE upon the expiration of his contract at the end of September and subsequently joined rival promotion All Elite Wrestling under his real name of Adam Copeland.[42] During the summer, Shayna Baszler turned on Ronda Rousey, splitting their team, and after Rousey lost a match to Baszler at SummerSlam in August, it was reported that Rousey had left WWE, which was later confirmed in late October when her WWE.com profile was moved to the alumni section.[43] She subsequently had a few matches on the indies, including a match in Ring of Honor.[44]

Bray Wyatt was not included in either draft pool and had been off WWE programming since February 2023 due to an undisclosed illness. On August 24, 2023, Wyatt unexpectedly died of a heart attack, with the illness revealed as COVID-19 which exacerbated an existing heart issue. Just prior to his passing, it was reported that he was making positive progress towards a return.[14] His accomplice Uncle Howdy had been inactive due to Wyatt's medical hiatus, but following Wyatt's death, Howdy's status is unknown.[45]

Following WWE's acquisition by Endeavor, which was finalized on September 12 and saw WWE merge with Ultimate Fighting Championship to become divisions of a new company called TKO Group Holdings, WWE announced a new broadcasting deal that would move SmackDown back to the USA Network in October 2024. As a result of the merger and broadcasting deal, WWE released a number of wrestlers from all three brands, including some WWE Performance Center recruits, in late September.[46] These included Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, Elias, Mustafa Ali, Emma, Riddick Moss, Aliyah, Top Dolla, Rick Boogs, Dabba-Kato, Shanky, Maximum Male Models (ma.çé and mån.sôör), Quincy Elliot, Dana Brooke, Yulisa León, Ikemen Jiro, Matt Riddle, Bryson Montana, Daniel McArthur, Kevin Ventura-Cortez, Alexis Gray, Brooklyn Barlow, Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald, and Melanie Brzezinski.[47]

Notes

  1. ^ Although a member of The Judgment Day stable, Ripley was listed separately in the drafting pool, but The Judgment Day would stay together as they were all drafted to Raw.
  2. ^ The holders of the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship are allowed to appear on both brands for as long as they are champions.
  3. ^ Although members of The Bloodline stable, The Usos were listed separately in the drafting pool, but The Bloodline would stay together as they were all drafted to SmackDown.
  4. ^ The holders of the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship are allowed to appear on both brands for as long as they are champions.
  5. ^ During the 2021 draft, Lesnar was made a free agent, allowing him to appear on either brand, although he had primarily appeared on Raw since October 2022.

References

  1. ^ Simon, Nick (September 27, 2021). "WWE Draft, explained: Rules, date, Superstars likely to change brands, and more". DraftKings. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  2. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (April 7, 2023). "Triple H Announces On Smackdown That WWE Draft Is Coming Soon". 411Mania. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  3. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (April 14, 2023). "2023 WWE Draft Starts In Two Weeks On Smackdown". 411Mania. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  4. ^ Miller, Gregory (April 17, 2023). "The WWE Draft returns!". WWE. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  5. ^ Defelice, Robert (April 27, 2023). "WWE Releases Superstar Eligibility List For Both Nights Of 2023 WWE Draft". Fightful. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Bath, Dave (April 28, 2023). "WWE SmackDown live results: The WWE Draft begins". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Aguilar, Matthew (May 2, 2023). "Every Pick of the 2023 WWE Draft". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  8. ^ Harris, Jeffrey (April 29, 2023). "WWE Supplemental Draft Draft Pick Results From SmackDown LowDown, Free Agents Revealed". 411Mania. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  9. ^ Canton, John (May 1, 2023). "WWE 2023 Draft Results Night 2 (Raw)". TJR Wrestling. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  10. ^ Lowson, Thomas (May 2, 2023). "NXT Call-Ups and More Picks Made in WWE Raw Talk's Supplemental Draft". SEScoops. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  11. ^ "'Free agent' WWE star officially joins brand". WrestleTalk. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  12. ^ Lee, Joseph (April 29, 2023). "Note On Why Bray Wyatt Wasn't Included In WWE Draft and Other Notable Omissions". 411Mania. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  13. ^ Carey, Ian (August 4, 2023). "Report: Robert Roode to work as producer at WWE SummerSlam". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Lambert, Jeremy (August 24, 2023). "Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) Cause Of Death Given". Fightful. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  15. ^ Russell, Skylar; Tessier, Colin (November 20, 2023). "Randy Orton Announced As Final Member Of Team Rhodes In Men's WarGames Match At WWE Survivor Series". Fightful. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  16. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (December 1, 2023). "Randy Orton Signs With WWE SmackDown On 12/1 SmackDown". Fightful. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  17. ^ Lee, Joseph (November 25, 2023). "R-Truth Makes WWE Return at Survivor Series". 411Mania. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  18. ^ Mendoza, Jordan (May 30, 2023). "WWE star Alexa Bliss, husband Ryan Cabrera reveal they are expecting 1st child in December". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  19. ^ Najib, Shafiq (May 1, 2023). "WWE star Leah Van Dale announces pregnancy following miscarriages: 'I'm very happy'". ABC News. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  20. ^ Currier, Joseph (May 2, 2023). "Ring announcers change brands in WWE Draft". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  21. ^ Harris, Jeffrey (May 2, 2023). "WWE Announces Brand Switch for Announcers During Draft". 411Mania. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  22. ^ Rose, Bryan (June 6, 2023). "Dana Brooke competes in women's battle royal on WWE NXT". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  23. ^ David, JP (July 13, 2023). "WWE confirms name change for two top stars". Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  24. ^ Aguilar, Matthew (June 13, 2023). "WWE Raw Tag Team Makes Shocking Appearance in NXT, Going for Tag Titles". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  25. ^ Otterson, Joe (5 August 2023). "WWE Commentary Shakeup: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett Move to 'Raw,' Cole to Also Remain on 'SmackDown' (Exclusive)". Varietydate=August 5, 2023. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  26. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (September 2, 2023). "Jey Uso Returns At WWE Payback, Joins WWE Raw Roster". Fightful. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  27. ^ Tessier, Colin (September 4, 2023). "Adam Pearce Announces SmackDown Will Get Trade Compensation For Jey Uso On 9/4 WWE Raw". Fightful. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  28. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (October 13, 2023). "Nick Aldis Named General Manager Of WWE SmackDown". Fightful. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  29. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (October 13, 2023). "Kevin Owens Joins WWE SmackDown, Jey Uso Trade Now Complete". Fightful. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  30. ^ Tessier, Colin (October 13, 2023). "Kevin Owens: My 'Bittersweet' Move To WWE SmackDown Effectively Ends My Partnership With Sami Zayn". Fightful. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  31. ^ Thompson, Andrew (October 9, 2023). "Dragon Lee listed as member of WWE SmackDown roster". POST Wrestling. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  32. ^ Renner, Ethan (November 6, 2023). "Creed Brothers & Ivy Nile called up to WWE Raw roster". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  33. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (May 27, 2023). "Seth Rollins Becomes Inaugural WWE World Heavyweight Champion At WWE Night Of Champions". Fightful. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  34. ^ Wells, Kelly (May 2, 2023). "5/2 NXT Report: Wells's report on draft fallout, Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh, Fyre and Dawn vs. Carter and Chance, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  35. ^ a b Barnett, Jake (June 9, 2023). "WWE Friday Night Smackdown results (6/9): Barnett's review of Jey Uso's decision, Asuka presented with the WWE Women's Championship belt, MITB qualifiers featuring Butch vs. Baron Corbin, Santos Escobar vs. Mustafa Ali, Michin vs. Bayley, and Shotzi vs. Iyo Sky". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  36. ^ Mahjouri, Shakiel (June 23, 2023). "WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: The Usos make the first move in 'Civil War' vs. Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa". CBSSports. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  37. ^ Keller, Wade (October 22, 2021). "10/22 WWE SmackDown Results: Keller's report and analysis of Crown Jewel fallout and first look at the new post-draft roster". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  38. ^ Keller, Wade (May 8, 2023). "WWE Raw Results (5-8-2023): Keller's report with analysis of World Title Tournament matches, Backlash fallout, Trish". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  39. ^ Defelice, Robert (June 12, 2023). "Rhea Ripley Crowned Women's World Champion, Given New Title Belt On 6/12 WWE Raw". Fightful. Archived from the original on June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  40. ^ Mohan, Sai (May 30, 2023). "Maxxine Dupri Officially Joins Alpha Academy On WWE Raw". Wrestling Inc. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  41. ^ Johnson, Mike (August 16, 2023). "Lacey Evans Update". PWInsider. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  42. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (October 2, 2023). "Adam Copeland On His AEW Debut, Will Be Full-Time & Debut On This Week's Dynamite". 411Mania. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  43. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (October 28, 2023). "Ronda Rousey Moved To Alumni Section Of WWE Website". Fightful. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  44. ^ Currier, Joseph (December 1, 2023). "Ronda Rousey not planning to join AEW, focused on being a full-time mom". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  45. ^ PWMania.com Staff (October 17, 2023). "Update On Bo Dallas' WWE Status And The Uncle Howdy Character". PWMania. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  46. ^ Mahjouri, Shakiel (September 22, 2023). "WWE roster cuts: Matt Riddle, Dolph Ziggler among more than 20 superstars released after new TV deal announced". CBSSports. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  47. ^ Fightful Staff (September 22, 2023) [September 21, 2023]. "WWE Releases Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, Mustafa Ali, Emma, Rick Boogs, Riddick Moss, And More". Fightful. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
Categories