The much-anticipated WWE Draft took place finally on Tuesday night Smackdown Live at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, as a plethora of WWE superstars learnt their fate over whether to appear on Raw or Smackdown. While the likes of Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose were the No. 1 and the No. 2 choice in the draft, one cannot ignore the draft of NXT superstars to either of the shows remained a major talking point of the night.
Six NXT superstars, including Finn Balor, Nia Jax, Carmella, Mojo Rawley, American Alpha and Alexa Bliss were drafted to the two WWE weekly TV shows and the reception from the crowd were tremendous. It only went to show how the lesser-known WWE program has generated a wide hysteria from the WWE fans.
"Can't really sleep right now. Everyone can say wrestling is scripted or the dreaded fake, but tonight couldn't have been more real," wrote WWE NXT Producer Ryan Katz on Facebook Tuesday night after the draft. "So many people I know whose lives were changed forever. The call ups. The commentary changes. The new open spots in NXT for people to grab. The landscape has changed in very real ways, and as always here, the work never ends, and in fact, it's time to step it up again. [sic]
"The emotion was real. The suspense, real. The anticipation, real. The passion, real. Desire, real.
The bittersweet feeling that I'll no longer see my friends on a day to day basis because their dreams are coming true...REAL. What a night! Crazy [sic]," he added.
Among the other major highlights from the night was WWE superstar John Cena being drafted to Smackdown Live, which will be managed by veteran pro wrestler Daniel Bryan. Brock Lesnar, who bagged a dominating win over Mark Hunt at UFC 200, will be seen in Raw from now on.
Raw, managed by hardcore pro wrestling legend Mick Foley, will also have the new sensation in the WWE -- "The New Day" as well as "The Club," excluding AJ Styles, who was drafted to Smackdown Live.
Here's the full list of WWE superstars who have been drafted:
WWE RAW - Seth Rollins, Charlotte (WWE Women's champion), Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, The New Day, Sami Zayn, Sasha Banks, Chris Jericho, Rusev (w/Lana), Kevin Owens, Enzo Amore and Big Cass, The Club, Big Show, Nia Jax, Neville, Cesaro, Sheamus.
Manager: Mick Foley.
Commissioner: Stephanie McMahon.
WWE Smackdown Live - Dean Ambrose (WWE World Heavyweight champion), AJ Styles, John Cena, Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Becky Lynch, Miz (w/Maryse), Baron Corbin, American Alpha, Dolph Ziggler, Natalya, Alberto Del Rio, Carmella, Mojo Rawley, Alexa Bliss.
Manager: Daniel Bryan.
Commissioner: Shane McMahon.