WWE Draft 2019 Rules, Rumors: Becky Lynch and Roman Reigns' Fates Decided on 'SmackDown' on Fox
The WWE Draft 2019 is here as over 70 superstars will be assigned to either the Raw roster or SmackDown roster in a two-night draw beginning Friday night on Fox and continuing next Monday on USA Network.
Where will the likes of Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch and Roman Reigns end up? What about Universal Champion Seth Rollins and SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair?
The 2019 draft is the first hard roster split between the two shows since the 2016 WWE Draft. Over the past few years, WWE has opted for what it has called a "superstar shakeup," moving select superstars from Raw to SmackDown and vice versa.
But with Friday Night SmackDown's move from USA Network to Fox, USA and Fox are both looking to stack up their respective show's rosters with exclusive talent—precipitating the WWE Draft 2019.
Find out how to keep on top of all the moves in the WWE Draft below.
How will the WWE Draft work?
The WWE Draft 2019 begins on Friday night on SmackDown and continues next Monday on Raw.
Half of the eligible draft picks, including Lynch, Reigns and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, will be assigned to their new shows on Friday's SmackDown. The second group of eligible draft picks—including WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, Rollins and Flair—will be assigned their new shows on Raw next week.
SmackDown airs at 8 p.m. ET Friday on Fox. Raw airs 8 p.m. Monday on USA.
What are the WWE Draft rules?
WWE announced on Thursday the rules for the WWE Draft 2019. Raw will draft 41 Superstars and SmackDown will draft 30. That's because Raw is a three-hour show and SmackDown is two hours.
Per WWE, the rules are as follows:
- Over 70 superstars, as well as tag teams, are eligible for selection in this year's WWE Draft.
- SmackDown will draft 30 Superstars, and Raw will select another 41 Superstars.
- Since SmackDown is a two-hour show and Raw is a three-hour show, for every two picks SmackDown makes, Raw will receive three.
- Tag teams will count as one pick unless Fox or USA Network specifically wants to pick only one Superstar from the team.
- Any undrafted superstars will immediately be declared free agents and able to sign with the brand of their choosing.
Who will be drafted on SmackDown?
The first group of superstars to be drafted will find out their new shows on Friday's episode of SmackDown on Fox.
WWE announced Thursday that the list includes:
- Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch
- Roman Reigns
- The O.C. (United States Champion AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson)
- "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt
- Drew McIntyre
- Randy Orton
- Sasha Banks
- Ricochet
- Braun Strowman
- Bobby Lashley
- Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
- Lacey Evans
- The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)
- SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder)
- Natalya
- The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins)
- Lucha House Party (Kalisto, Gran Metalik, Lince Dorado)
- Cesaro
- Kevin Owens
- Humberto Carrillo
- Akira Tozawa
- Sin Cara
- Eric Young
- EC3
- Chad Gable
- Heath Slater
- Drew Gulak
- The B-Team (Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel)
- Tamina
Who will be drafted on Raw?
The second group of superstars to be drafted will find out their new shows on Monday's episode of Raw on USA.
The list includes:
- Universal Champion Seth Rollins
- WWE Champion Brock Lesnar
- SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair
- Titus O'Neil
- Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura (with Sami Zayn)
- Aleister Black
- The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E & Xavier Woods)
- Daniel Bryan
- Bayley
- Luke Harper
- Erick Rowan
- The Miz
- Ali
- King Corbin
- Elias
- Raw Tag Team Champions Dolph Ziggler & Bobby Roode
- Samoa Joe
- WWE Women's Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane)
- Rusev
- Cedric Alexander
- Rey Mysterio
- R-Truth
- Carmella
- AOP (Akam & Rezar)
- Heavy Machinery (Tucker & Otis)
- Apollo Crews
- Andrade
- Liv Morgan
- Jinder Mahal
- Buddy Murphy
- Mojo Rawley
- No Way José
- Dana Brooke
- Shelton Benjamin
- Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder
- The IIconics (Billie Kay & Peyton Royce)
- Sarah Logan
- Fire & Desire (Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville)
- Drake Maverick
WWE Draft rumors
Warning: There may be spoilers ahead.
The WWE rumor mill has been blazing ahead of the WWE Draft. Though there is no confirmation that this is how things will go down on Friday, one rumor that has been going around social media is that Raw's executive director Paul Heyman (who also appears as Brock Lesnar's manager on-screen) wants "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt and Aleister Black on his show.
Meanwhile, Fox officials are allegedly trying to secure Roman Reigns and Charlotte Flair for SmackDown.
