3 necessary moves for SmackDown in the WWE Draft

WWE SmackDown is in an interesting spot heading into the 2024 WWE Draft. Roman Reigns is no longer the undisputed champion and he’s going away for an extended period. But taking his place is the new champion, Cody Rhodes. The roster is packed with superstars ready to challenge him, Bayley, Logan Paul, A-Town Down Under, and even the Kabuki Warriors. But there are still some great moves to be made for the blue brand during the upcoming event. These are three big picks that should move over to this show.

Piper Niven

All good tag teams must come to an end. Such is life for Piper Niven and Chelsea Green. Separating these two individuals doesn’t need to be a bitter shift, but one that leads to wonderful things for both women. Green should go on to WWE NXT, where she has all the credentials to be a main event threat on that show. Niven needs to get a run of her own as a monster heel in the women’s division and that should come on SmackDown.

Imagine Niven being introduced with a series of squash matches, eventually moving her way up to face women like Bianca Belair, Naomi, Jade Cargill, and even Bayley. Niven has the skills, looks, and has presented her character well on television in recent months. Building her up as a major threat would go a long way in adding depth to SmackDown’s women’s division.

Imperium

Rhodes is going to have some interesting feuds in his time as the WWE Undisputed Champion. But at some point, he will need a giant foil that threatens his existence. That omega-level threat should come from none other than Gunther. And the first step in making that happen is moving Imperium over to SmackDown.

This move will give SmackDown a top-tier tag team with Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser to continue the three-man act. When Gunther does secure the top championship in the company, which many think he will, he should do so with a strong faction at his side. This move makes all the sense to get this angle on the board for the future.

Ilja Dragunov

This is another draft pick that could be linked to not only Rhodes but a huge feud with Gunther. Ilja Dragunov is one of four individuals to have a victory over Gunther. And their battles in WWE NXT UK and NXT are things of legend. In some ways, Dragunov can be booked as a boogeyman from Gunther’s past, setting up a huge feud and even bigger matches. Drafting Dragunov to SmackDown gives that brand a player as either a babyface or heel and the violence would rain from the sky. This is a must-make move.