Kiana James was drafted to the RAW roster during the inaugural night of the WWE Draft on this week’s episode of SmackDown.
James was one of the three NXT talents to be called up to the main roster, the others being Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin, who will compete on SmackDown.
Taking to Twitter, WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels praised James, writing,
“Every time she steps between those ropes, @kianajames_wwe gets better and better. She knows how good she is, and now she gets to show how good she is every Monday Night. #WWERaw #WWEDraft”
Every time she steps between those ropes, @kianajames_wwe gets better and better.
She knows how good she is, and now she gets to show how good she is every Monday Night. #WWERaw #WWEDraft pic.twitter.com/5D2au4BDiI
— Shawn Michaels (@ShawnMichaels) April 27, 2024
On a recent edition of their “Talk’n Shop” podcast, The OC expressed their belief that WWE would be inclined to focus more on tag team wrestling following the splitting up of the tag team titles.
At present, each show has its champions, with Awesome Truth holding the World Tag Team Titles and A-Town Down Under carrying the WWE Tag Team Championships.
Luke Gallows said, “I thought it was really cool, even though we weren’t in the match and should’ve been, that they split the tag team titles at WrestleMania XL. It’ll be nice to see if there is some focus on tag team wrestling again. I feel like you’re starting to see some of that. I don’t know if the previous regime appreciated it as much. We know there is great fun, great drama in good tag team wrestling. Two sets of belts, one for each show, is a huge plus.”
Karl Anderson replied, “Hunter [Triple H] is in charge of all of that. He’s going to make sure there is going to be tag teams.”
Kiana James Makes RAW Debut in WWE Draft
In an exciting turn of events, Kiana James was drafted to the RAW roster during the inaugural night of the WWE Draft on this week’s episode of SmackDown. James, along with Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin, was one of the three NXT talents called up to the main roster.
The news of James’ promotion was met with praise from WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, who took to Twitter to express his admiration for her. Michaels wrote, “Every time she steps between those ropes, @kianajames_wwe gets better and better. She knows how good she is, and now she gets to show how good she is every Monday Night. #WWERaw #WWEDraft.”
This move to the main roster signifies a significant milestone in James’ career. As an NXT talent, she has been honing her skills and gaining experience in the developmental brand. Now, she will have the opportunity to showcase her talent on a larger stage and compete against some of the top Superstars in the industry.
The WWE Draft is an annual event where Superstars are assigned to either RAW or SmackDown, creating new storylines and rivalries. It allows for fresh matchups and gives Superstars the chance to reinvent themselves on a different brand.
In addition to James, Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin were also called up to the main roster. Hayes and Corbin will be competing on SmackDown, adding new faces and dynamics to the blue brand.
In another development related to tag team wrestling, The OC (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) discussed their belief that WWE would focus more on tag team wrestling following the splitting up of the tag team titles. Currently, each show has its own set of tag team champions, with Awesome Truth holding the World Tag Team Titles and A-Town Down Under carrying the WWE Tag Team Championships.
Gallows expressed his excitement about the split, saying, “I thought it was really cool, even though we weren’t in the match and should’ve been, that they split the tag team titles at WrestleMania XL. It’ll be nice to see if there is some focus on tag team wrestling again. I feel like you’re starting to see some of that. We know there is great fun, great drama in good tag team wrestling. Two sets of belts, one for each show, is a huge plus.”
Anderson added that Triple H, who is in charge of the tag team division, will ensure that there is a continued emphasis on tag teams in WWE.
This shift in focus towards tag team wrestling could lead to more opportunities for tag teams to shine and create memorable moments for fans. With separate tag team titles for RAW and SmackDown, Superstars will have a chance to compete for championship gold and establish themselves as dominant forces in the division.
Overall, the WWE Draft has brought about exciting changes and opportunities for Superstars like Kiana James, Carmelo Hayes, and Baron Corbin. As they make their way to the main roster, fans can look forward to witnessing their growth and witnessing the impact they will have on their respective brands.