3 biggest moves from Night One of the 2024 WWE Draft

Night One of the 2024 WWE Draft went down on SmackDown. Coming out of the show fans were quickly complaining about the lack of big moves between the brands. But after a full review of the first night of the draft, here are the three biggest moves to take away from the event.

Carmelo Hayes to SmackDown

Carmelo Hayes is the top prospect coming out of WWE NXT in this draft. With his successful tenure on NXT behind him, fans are ready to see what he will achieve on the main roster. He and Cody Rhodes had a fun main event on SmackDown, even with that risky miss on that double springboard. But look for Hayes to continue to bloom into a figure that will push through the mid-card, to eventually becoming a main card threat. And just wait for business to truly pick up when Trick Williams joins the main roster and they continue their arc for years to come.

Kianna James to WWE Raw

Kianna James getting drafted was a major surprise. The 26-year-old has two years of experience under her belt. According to Cagematch, her resume lists only 109 matches, but Fightful Select released a report on the draft in which James was mentioned as “one of the best in-ring workers on NXT’s women’s roster.” With all that potential it will be interesting to see where James fits into the roster. The group is deep and fans are salivating at the idea of the division getting more television time. James is one who would benefit from that increase.

Bron Breakker to WWE Raw

Bron Breakker has been working double duty for the past few months. His time in NXT is over and it was expected that he would remain on the SmackDown roster where he was “signed.” That wouldn’t be the case, as Monday Night Raw scooped him up. If Raw is still considered the “flagship” show, it makes sense to get Breakker on that roster. He has the potential to be another huge star for the company. His momentum waned for a bit on NXT, but the recent tag team run with Baron Corbin helped restart that spark. Expect Breakker to continue with the squash matches for a few weeks before being inserted into the midcard scene. He’ll hold the WWE Intercontinental Championship by the end of 2024.