How to Watch and What to Expect From the 2024 WWE Draft

Fans counting on WWE to give them a moment or two of respite after the most incredible WrestleMania of all time won't get their chance to relax this month because the WWE Draft is right around the corner!

In a blink-and-you-missed-it announcement during Raw After WrestleMania, WWE revealed that the 2024 edition of the annual WWE Draft will be taking place sooner than we think, in just a few weeks from now. The WWE Universe has barely had a chance to exhale after Cody Rhodes' stunning victory over Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. With news that everything about the Raw, SmackDown, and NXT rosters is about to change, fans won't get that opportunity anytime soon. 

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But that's not a bad thing.

Last year's WWE Draft featured a shakeup for the ages. Drew McIntyre, Shinsuke Nakamura, The New Day, and other Superstars officially moved from SmackDown to Raw while the likes of Bianca Belair, Bobby Lashley, and Damage CTRL headed to the blue brand. It was a wild few nights that turned the locker room upside down, but it ultimately led us to the WWE that we see today – who knows if Drew McIntyre would've captured the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania if he hadn't gotten drafted to Raw in the first place!

How to Watch the 2024 WWE Draft

Bianca Belair was one of the many Superstars shifted in the WWE Draft

Photo: WWE

The 2024 WWE Draft is scheduled to begin on April 26 on SmackDown and continue through the April 29th episode of Monday Night Raw. Of course, the best way to watch is to tune into both iconic WWE shows as the Draft happens. With Raw's roster substantially larger than SmackDown's, it's safe to say that Monday's telecast will be especially memorable – and the only way to catch the fireworks is to tune into USA Network on Monday, April 29!

With hundreds of Superstars mentally preparing themselves for sudden change, it shouldn't be surprising that many WWE Draft episodes led to iconic and emotional moments for the men and women in the locker room:

What kind of moments will come out of the 2024 WWE Draft? For example, Superstars like Chad Gable, who has tirelessly attempted to win the Intercontinental Championship on Monday nights for the last six months, could be left with no path toward future opportunities if drafted to SmackDown. Drew McIntyre might never get his hands on CM Punk if the two are drafted to opposite brands. There is an endless array of possibilities – all of which could turn the WWE on its head.

There will be mayhem on April 26 and 29 – there's no doubt about it. 

Last year, USA Insider gave the WWE Universe a crash course on the WWE Draft and its significance. In essence, the annual WWE Draft isn't all that different from the rookie drafts that occur every year in the NBA, NFL, and Major League Baseball. However, there's one significant caveat.

As previously mentioned, whereas professional league drafts only involve players entering the league for the first time, the WWE Draft is different: all Superstars are eligible to be drafted to Raw, SmackDown, or NXT – so throughout the WWE Draft, men and women move around at a dizzying pace. Your favorite Raw Superstar could very well find themselves in NXT by the end of the process.

The reality of the Draft is that everything is in motion. Everything could change in an instant. Representatives for each brand will take turns selecting the Superstars they want to fill their respective rosters. No WWE Superstar is safe. The result is a chaotic few nights where rosters are scrambled and exciting new matchups and storylines suddenly present themselves – much to the glee of the WWE Universe.

Let's put it this way: beginning April 26, Monday nights could look very different for the WWE Universe. There will be a learning curve and an adjustment period. However, in the end, even the most stubborn WWE Superstars of all time acknowledge the Draft's importance.

In 2023, The Miz famously proclaimed that WWE Drafts "can make or break you." Indeed, sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what some wrestlers need to take the necessary next steps toward greatness.

We must admit, when The Miz is right, he's right. 

You can tune in to Peacock to watch Backlash France on May 4. In the meantime, catch up on all things WWE Universe on Peacock.