It was an eventful night in Cincinnati, Ohio, as WWE SmackDown hosted the first night of the 2024 WWE Draft.
The blue brand kicked things off with a contract signing between Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles.
For those unaware, both men will collide for the title at Backlash in France on May 4. The April 26 episode of SmackDown also featured some big names from the past, such as former GM Teddy Long and Hall of Famers The Dudley Boyz.
So, without wasting any more time, let’s dive right into the biggest hits and misses from the draft edition of WWE SmackDown.
Miss – No Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDown
Roman Reigns hasn’t appeared on WWE television since WrestleMania 40. The Tribal Chief dropped his WWE Title to Cody Rhodes. In his absence, Solo Sikoa has stepped up his game and brought former NJPW star Tama Tonga as a new member of The Bloodline.
Paul Heyman provided an update on Roman Reigns’ future this week on SmackDown. The Wiseman told Kayla Braxton Reigns had voluntarily himself from the 2024 WWE Draft. Heyman added the Tribal Chief won’t be returning to WWE TV in the “immediate future.”
Hit – Historic #1 overall pick
Cody Rhodes had the honor of announcing the number one pick for the 2024 WWE Draft. The American Nightmare revealed former WWE Women’s Champion Bianca Belair had been drafted to WWE SmackDown.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is the first time a woman has gone number one overall in the WWE Draft. This shows how far the company has come since the old days when female superstars had to literally wrestle with the creative to prove they deserved better.
Miss – Tag team match announcement
Kevin Owens tried to take on both Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga this week on WWE SmackDown. The Bloodline eventually got the upper hand on the Prizefighter. The duo tried to take out Owens, but Randy Orton arrived to make the save.
Teddy Long announced a tag team match between the four men at Backlash. The announcement felt abrupt, even though they were trying to capitalize on Teddy Long’s appearance. I think it could’ve waited till the RKO Show on the final SmackDown before Backlash next week.
Hit – Big night for NXT
The NXT roster was surely in for a huge surprise this week on the draft edition of WWE SmackDown. Nick Aldis and his team picked Carmelo Hayes as the third overall pick.
Former NXT Tag Team Champion Kiana James moved to RAW. After the big announcement, Shawn Michaels and the rest of the locker room congratulated Kiana. The future is definitely bright for these young stars.
Miss – Another No Contest ending
Tiffany Stratton interfered in Bayley versus Naomi last week on WWE SmackDown. Tonight, Nia Jax intervened during the Stratton versus Naomi number one contender’s match. For those unaware, Nia was drafted to the blue brand as part of the 2024 WWE Draft.
Nia’s interference caused the match to end in no contest. The Irresistible Force took out Bayley and Naomi. Stratton took advantage of the chaos to hit a double moonsault on both women. Bayley will defend her WWE Women’s Championship against both Naomi and Stratton at Backlash.
Hit – Cody Rhodes vs. Carmelo Hayes on WWE SmackDown
Carmelo Hayes challenged Cody Rhodes after being picked third overall in the WWE Draft. Both men met in the main event of SmackDown. The two delivered arguably the match of the night. The Cody Cutter looked smooth as silk.
Apart from the injury scare, the match was solid from bell to bell. Cody picked up the win with a Cross Rhodes. After the match, the champion came face-to-face with AJ Styles. Both men are set for another faceoff next Friday on SmackDown.
READ MORE: WWE Tag Team Title Match, Cody Rhodes, More Set For 5/3 WWE SmackDown
