The date for the next WWE Draft has been revealed, courtesy of a new report from Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast.
Zarian reports that the next WWE Draft is scheduled for the August 30th episode of Monday Night RAW and the September 3rd edition of SmackDown. In a follow-up tweet when asked whether this would be a full draft or just a shake-up, Zarian added that the word “draft” had been used when he asked.
The WWE Draft sees talent moved between RAW and SmackDown respectively, while Superstars from NXT are often brought to the “main roster” too as part of the move. While the traditional format saw General Managers from each brand make the picks, the most recent editions have featured mock FOX and USA Network board rooms poring over their decisions before RAW gets three picks, due to being a three-hour show, for every two SmackDown picks.
Over the past two years, the WWE Draft has taken place in October – with 2019 actually seeing a Superstar Shake-Up in April too. However, the 2020 Draft only featured Superstars from RAW and SmackDown as opposed to the previous incarnations which traditionally saw a handful of NXT stars move to the red and blue brands respectively.
Hearing the WWE Draft is scheduled for 8/30 and 9/3.#WWE#WWERAWpic.twitter.com/hWIXNUqZfW
— Andrew Zarian (@AndrewZarian) June 7, 2021
While nothing has been officially confirmed at this point, the report is just one of a long line from Andrew Zarian recently, whose reports on the date and location of WWE SummerSlam and of NXT moving to Tuesday nights post-WrestleMania came to fruition.
A draft has long been rumoured due to the floundering ratings of WWE RAW, while SmackDown has been met with boosted ratings and critical acclaim over the past year, however Zarian’s tweet is the first report which has specified a date for the special editions of RAW and SmackDown.
Inside The Ropes will bring you more information on the upcoming WWE Draft as and when it’s available.