The 2021 WWE Draft was the 16th WWE Draft produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE between their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The two-night event began with the October 1 episode of Friday Night SmackDown (in Baltimore, Maryland). It concluded with the October 4 episode of Monday Night Raw (in Nashville, Tennessee), with SmackDown airing on Fox and Raw on the USA Network. Unlike previous drafts, in which results took effect immediately, the results of the 2021 draft went into effect in the October 22 episode of SmackDown. This was also the last draft with Vince McMahon as head of WWE creative.
Production Background The WWE Draft is an annual process used by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE while a brand extension, or brand split, is in effect. The original brand extension occurred from 2002 to 2011, while the second and current brand split began in 2016. During a brand extension, the company divides its roster into brands where the wrestlers exclusively perform for each brand's respective television show, and the draft is used to refresh the rosters of the brand divisions, typically between the Raw and SmackDown brands. The 2021 draft was WWE's 16th draft and was officially announced during the September 13 episode of Raw. It was scheduled to occur during the October 1 and October 4 episodes of SmackDown and Raw, respectively, with SmackDown airing on Fox and Raw on the USA Network.
2021 draft rules The rules of the 2021 draft were revealed by WWE correspondent Megan Morant on Twitter during the day before the first night of the draft on October 1. Over 60 wrestlers (including tag teams) were eligible to be drafted across the two nights, with half being eligible the first night and the other half eligible the second night; however, no draft pools were revealed for which wrestlers were eligible for each night. Tag teams were counted as one pick unless Fox or USA Network officials (who were promoted as draft decision makers) specifically only wanted one member of the team. Wrestlers from NXT were also eligible to be drafted to either Raw or SmackDown, while any non-NXT wrestlers who were not drafted became (kayfabe) free agents and could sign with the brand of their choice. Unlike previous drafts, in which results took effect immediately, results of the 2021 draft did not become effective until the October 22 episode of SmackDown, the night after the Crown Jewel pay-per-view and livestreaming event.
Selections Night 1: SmackDown (October 1) There were four rounds of draft picks during night 1 of the 2021 draft. Unlike previous drafts in which Raw received three picks and SmackDown only received two, both brands had two picks each round. WWE officials Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville announced the draft picks. Rnd.Pick #Wrestler(s)Pre-draft brandPost-draft brandRoleBrand pick #11Roman Reignswith Paul HeymanSmackDownSmackDownMale wrestler and managerUniversal Champion (Reigns)112Big ERawRawMale wrestlerWWE Champion113Charlotte FlairRawSmackDownFemale wrestlerRaw Women's Champion214Bianca BelairSmackDownRawFemale wrestler225Drew McIntyreRawSmackDownMale wrestler326RK-BroRawRawMale tag teamRaw Tag Team Champions327The New DayRawSmackDownMale tag team428EdgeSmackDownRawMale wrestlerHall of Famer439Happy Corbin and Madcap MossSmackDownSmackDownMale tag team5310Nikki A. S. H. and Rhea RipleyRawRawFemale tag teamWomen's Tag Team Champions5311Hit RowNXTSmackDownIntergender stable6312Keith "Bearcat" LeeRawRawMale wrestler6413NaomiRawSmackDownFemale wrestler7414Rey Mysterio and Dominik MysterioSmackDownRawMale tag team7415Jeff HardyRawSmackDownMale wrestler8416Austin TheoryNXTRawMale wrestler8
Notes One stable was split up as a result of the first night: Austin Theory was drafted to Raw while his Way stablemates, Johnny Gargano, Dexter Lumis, Candice LeRae, and Indi Hartwell, remained on NXT.
Night 1 supplemental picks (October 1–2) These picks were announced on October 1 via WWE's social media accounts and on the October 2 episode of Talking Smack. Wrestler(s)Pre-draft brandPost-draft brandRoleAkira TozawaRawRawMale wrestlerAliyahNXTSmackDownFemale wrestlerAlpha AcademySmackDownRawMale tag teamApollo Crews and Commander AzeezSmackDownRawMale tag teamDoudropRawRaw Female wrestlerDrake MaverickNXTRawMale wrestlerDrew GulakRawSmackDownMale wrestlerJohn MorrisonRawRawMale wrestlerMaceRawSmackDownMale wrestlerMansoorRawSmackDownMale wrestlerMustafa AliRawSmackDownMale wrestlerNia JaxRawRawFemale wrestlerR-TruthRawRawMale wrestlerReggieRawRawMale wrestler24/7 ChampionT-BarRawRawMale wrestlerToni StormSmackDownSmackDownFemale wrestlerZelina VegaSmackDownRaw Female wrestler Notes One tag team was split up as a result of the supplemental draft: Mace was drafted to SmackDown while his tag team partner T-Bar remained on Raw.
Night 2: Raw (October 4) There were six rounds of draft picks during night 2 of the 2021 draft. Like the first night, both brands had two picks each round. WWE officials Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville again announced the draft picks.
Rnd.Pick #Wrestler(s)Pre-draft brandPost-draft brandRoleBrand pick #11Becky LynchSmackDownRawFemale wrestlerSmackDown Women's Champion112The UsosSmackDownSmackDownMale tag teamSmackDown Tag Team Champions113The Hurt BusinessRawRawMale wrestler and manager214Sasha BanksSmackDownSmackDownFemale wrestler225Seth RollinsSmackDownRawMale wrestler326King Nakamura and Rick BoogsSmackDownSmackDownMale tag teamIntercontinental Champion (Nakamura)327Damian PriestRawRawMale wrestlerUnited States Champion428SheamusRawSmackDownMale wrestler439AJ Styles and OmosRawRawMale tag team5310Shayna BaszlerRawSmackDownFemale Wrestler311Kevin OwensSmackDownRawMale wrestler6312Xia LiNXTSmackDownFemale wrestler6413The Street ProfitsSmackDownRawMale tag team7414The Viking RaidersRawSmackDownMale tag team7415Finn BálorSmackDownRawMale wrestler8416RicochetRawSmackDownMale wrestler8517Karrion KrossRawRawMale wrestler9518Angel Garza and Humberto CarrilloRawSmackDownMale tag team9519Alexa BlissRawRawFemale wrestler10520CesaroSmackDownSmackDownMale wrestler10621CarmellaSmackDownRawFemale wrestler11622Ridge HollandNXTSmackDownMale wrestler11623Gable StevesonFree agentRawMale wrestler12624Sami ZaynSmackDownSmackDownMale wrestler12
Notes One stable was split up as a result of the second night: Xia Li was drafted to SmackDown while her Tian Sha stablemates, Boa and Mei Ying, remained on NXT. One tag team was split up as a result of the second night: Ridge Holland was drafted to SmackDown while his tag team partner Pete Dunne remained on NXT.
Night 2 supplemental picks (October 4) These picks were announced on the October 4 episode of Raw Talk. Wrestler(s)Pre-draft brandPost-draft brandRoleDana BrookeRawRawFemale wrestlerThe Dirty DawgsSmackDownRawMale tag team The Hurt BusinessRawRawMale tag teamJaxson RykerRawRawMale wrestlerJinder Mahal and ShankyRawSmackDownMale tag teamLiv MorganSmackDownRawFemale wrestlerMia YimRawRawFemale wrestlerThe MizRawRawMale wrestlerNatalyaSmackDownSmackDownFemale wrestlerShotziSmackDownSmackDownFemale wrestlerTaminaSmackDownRawFemale wrestlerTegan NoxSmackDownRawFemale wrestlerVeerRawRawMale wrestler
Notes One stable was split up as a result of the supplemental draft: Veer stayed on Raw while his stablemates, Jinder Mahal and Shanky, were drafted to SmackDown. Two tag teams were split up as a result of the supplemental draft: Tegan Nox was drafted to Raw while her tag team partner Shotzi stayed on SmackDown, and Tamina was drafted to Raw while her tag team partner Natalya stayed on SmackDown.
Free agents Within WWE storyline, a "free agent" referred to a contracted wrestler who had not been assigned to one of the company's five brands at the time—Raw, SmackDown, NXT, NXT UK, or 205 Live (the latter two were subdivisions of NXT). Several wrestlers were made free agents due to injury, inactivity, or simply not being drafted despite being an active member of the rosters. Wrestlers who became free agents could (kayfabe) sign with the brand of their choosing. The chart is organized by date. Wrestler(s)Pre-draft brandReason for not being drafted(if any)Subsequent statusDateNotesBrock LesnarRawContractual provisionFree agentOctober 1, 2021During night 1 of the draft, Lesnar announced that he was a free agent (implying it was due to a deal arranged by Paul Heyman), thus is eligible to appear on any brand.Lucha House PartyRawWere not drafted on either nightReleasedNovember 4, 2021Last appeared on the September 13, 2021, episode of Main Event. On November 4, both Dorado and Metalik were released from their WWE contracts.Eva MarieRawWas not drafted on either nightReleasedNovember 4, 2021Last appeared on the September 27, 2021, episode of Raw. On November 4, Marie was released from her WWE contract.Shane ThorneSmackDownWas not drafted on either nightReleasedNovember 18, 2021Last wrestled a dark match on the September 24, 2021, episode of SmackDown. On November 18, Thorne was released from his WWE contract.MaryseRawWas not drafted on either nightRawNovember 29, 2021Last appeared on the April 12, 2021, episode of Raw. Returned alongside her husband, The Miz, who was also returning after participating in Dancing with the Stars.Ronda RouseyFree agentInactive due to maternity leaveSmackDownJanuary 29, 2022Last appeared at WrestleMania 35 in April 2019. Rousey made a surprise return at the Royal Rumble in the women's Royal Rumble match, winning it from the number 28 entry.Elias RawWas not drafted on either nightRawApril 4, 2022Last appeared in a pre-taped vignette on the August 23, 2021 episode of Raw. Returned with a new gimmick, that of Elias' younger brother, Ezekiel, but returned as Elias in October 2022.Lacey EvansRawInactive due to maternity leaveSmackDownApril 8, 2022Last appeared on the February 15, 2021, episode of Raw. Returned in a pre-taped vignette on SmackDown.AsukaRawInactive due to a hand injuryRawApril 25, 2022Last appeared at Money in the Bank. Returned and interrupted Becky Lynch, who was also making her return.Titus O'NeilRawWas not drafted on either nightWWE Global AmbassadorJuly 18, 2022Last appeared at WrestleMania 37 on April 10, 2021. Returned on the July 18, 2022, episode of Raw and announced he was a WWE Global Ambassador.BayleySmackDownInactive due to torn ACLRawJuly 30, 2022Last appeared on the June 25, 2021, episode of SmackDown. Returned at the 2022 SummerSlam and aligned with Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky (making their main roster debuts) to from a stable called Damage Control. They confronted Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair after she had successfully retained her title against Becky Lynch.
Aftermath During the draft, Raw drafted SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch while SmackDown drafted Raw Women's Champion Charlotte Flair. Neither lost their respective championship before the October 22 episode of SmackDown, the night that the draft results went into effect. The day of the show, WWE announced that Flair and Lynch would exchange titles to keep the championships on their respective brands while going off script. In turn, Lynch became the Raw Women's Champion while Flair became the SmackDown Women's Champion.
Also during the draft, SmackDown drafted NXT North American Champion Isaiah "Swerve" Scott as part of his stable, Hit Row. Swerve claimed he would be taking the title to SmackDown, however, on the October 12 episode of NXT 2.0, Swerve lost the championship to Carmelo Hayes, thus keeping the North American Championship on NXT before the draft results went into effect on October 22.
In November, vignettes began airing to hype Veer's post-draft appearance on Raw. His ring name was changed to Veer Mahaan. He finally debuted in April 2022, but in October, he was moved to NXT.