2024 WWE Draft

The 2024 WWE Draft was the 18th WWE Draft produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE between their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The two-night event began with the April 26 episode of Friday Night SmackDown (in Cincinnati, Ohio) and concluded with the April 29 episode of Monday Night Raw (in Kansas City, Missouri), with SmackDown airing on Fox and Raw on the USA Network. This was the first draft held with WWE under TKO Group Holdings. Draft results went into effect beginning with the May 6 episode of Raw.

Background
The WWE Draft is a 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 what they call brands and wrestlers exclusively perform for each brand's respective television show, albeit with some exceptions. The draft is used to refresh the rosters of the brand divisions, typically between the Raw and SmackDown brands, which are regarded as the main roster. Since 2016, wrestlers from WWE's developmental brand, NXT, have been eligible to be drafted to either Raw or SmackDown.

During an appearance on WWE wrestler Logan Paul's podcast Impaulsive on April 5, 2024, WWE Chief Content Officer (CCO) Triple H revealed that the 2024 draft was imminent. Just three days later on April 8, the draft was confirmed for the April 26 and April 29 episodes of Friday Night SmackDown on Fox and Monday Night Raw on the USA Network, respectively. Draft results went into effect beginning with the May 6 episode of Raw, two days after the Backlash France pay-per-view and livestreaming event.

Selections
The draft pools were announced on April 24, 2024. It was also announced that the reigning champions—World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest, Women's World Champion Becky Lynch, Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn, and World Tag Team Champions Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) for Raw and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes, WWE Women's Champion Bayley, United States Champion Logan Paul, and WWE Tag Team Champions A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) for SmackDown—were ineligible to be drafted and would remain on their respective brands. While the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship would remain eligible to challengers from all three brands, reigning champions The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) were still eligible to be drafted as the brand that picked them was where they would be assigned upon loss of the title.

Night 1: SmackDown (April 26)
There were four rounds of draft picks on Night 1 with each brand receiving two picks each round; SmackDown went first due to Night 1 taking place as that night's episode of SmackDown. Draft selections were announced by various WWE Hall of Famers, veterans, and wrestlers. In the first round, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes announced SmackDown's picks while Hall of Famer and WWE CCO Triple H announced Raw's. Round two picks were announced by women's wrestling veteran Michelle McCool for SmackDown and Hall of Famer Torrie Wilson for Raw. The third round picks were announced by Hall of Famers The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley), with Bubba announcing SmackDown's and D-Von announcing Raw's. The fourth and final round picks were announced by Hall of Famers Teddy Long for SmackDown and John "Bradshaw" Layfield for Raw.

Night 1 supplemental picks
These wrestlers were included in the Night 1 draft pool, but were not drafted on SmackDown. Their draft selections were revealed on WWE's social media platforms after SmackDown went off air.

Night 2: Raw (April 29)
There were six rounds of draft picks on Night 2 with each brand receiving two picks each round; Raw went first due to Night 2 taking place as that night's episode of Raw. Draft selections were announced by various Hall of Famers, veterans, wrestlers, as well as a celebrity. Both Raw and SmackDown's first round picks were announced by Stephanie McMahon. YouTuber and rapper iShowSpeed announced Raw's second round picks while SmackDown's were announced by United States Champion Logan Paul. Round three picks were announced by Hall of Famers John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Ron Simmons of the Acolytes Protection Agency, with Bradshaw announcing Raw's picks and Simmons announcing SmackDown's. The fourth round picks were announced by Hall of Famers Teddy Long and Alundra Blayze, with Long announcing Raw's picks and Blayze announcing SmackDown's. Hall of Famers The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) returned to announce the fifth round picks, with Bubba announcing Raw's picks and D-Von announcing SmackDown's. The sixth and final round picks were announced by the respective General Managers of Raw and SmackDown, Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis.

Night 2 supplemental picks
These wrestlers were included in the Night 2 draft pool, but were not drafted on Raw. Their draft selections were revealed on WWE's social media platforms after Raw went off air.

Wrestlers not included
The following wrestlers were not listed in either draft pool, mostly due to inactivity as a result of medical reasons.

Post-draft moves and changes
Main roster wrestlers would continue appear in NXT with WWE president Nick Khan stating this cross-over of talent from Raw and SmackDown to NXT was intentional, as he said there was potential for NXT to become WWE's third brand again while still developing younger wrestlers. Meanwhile WWE began a wider talent exchange with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Several TNA wrestlers would make appearances on NXT's weekly television series and livestreaming events.

The day after the draft on May 8, it was revealed that ring announcers Mike Rome and Alicia Taylor, who announced for the SmackDown and NXT brands respectively, would switch brands beginning May 10.

On June 1, it was reported that Becky Lynch's WWE contract had expired and was now a free agent.

On June 17 episode of Raw, NXT's Joe Gacy made his main roster debut as a member of the Wyatt Sicks stable, with his promotion to the main roster on the Raw brand; Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis and Uncle Howdy, all of whom had been undrafted, were also part of the group, as was Erick Rowan who had last been under WWE contract in 2020.

Dijak left WWE on June 28 after revealing that the company did not reach out to renew his contract and was now a free agent. On June 29, Ricochet's profile on WWE's website was moved to the alumni section. The next day, it was reported that his contract had expired and was now a free agent.

Cedric Alexander and Ashante "Thee" Adonis were initially drafted to SmackDown, but were shown on the July 9 episode of NXT to have been transferred to that brand.