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WWE Draft Center Live Notes:
The panel is Renee Young, Booker T, Lita and Corey Graves. We will be recapping anything newsworthy as well as any promos/appearances by WWE talents.
Seth Rollins was interviewed about being the number one Draft pick. Rollins asked Tom Phillips what it was like standing next to the number one draft pick He said there was no doubt he would be the number one pick and there's no doubt he would walk out the WWE champion tonight. He said he was then going to win at Battleground because no one knows what the mental state of Roman Reigns is when he returns this weekend. He said he is going to win the belt, then have a major celebration next week on Raw and prove once and for all that he was the man who mattered in the Shield.
WWE Women's champion Charlotte was interviewed about being Drafted to Raw. She said that being drafted in the first round means that the women can hang with the men and can take over. She said it's a lot of opportunity on Raw. Charlotte said there's a lot of new women coming up and she's looking forward to it. Charlotte was asked who she wanted to see shipped off to Smackdown and she said Sasha Banks. Booker called her out for not standing on her own because of her father and now Dana Brooke. Charlotte said she can always do it on her own because she's genetically superior. Booker said she is great but wants her to have her own history making moment. Charlotte was asked how she feels about being the one drafted to Raw as the champion and being the woman for the entire division. Charlotte said she didn't even think about it until now but she and the other women have made history in the last year and she will continue doing that. She teased that perhaps she spoke to Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley about making sure Dana Brooks stays with her.
WWE champion Dean Ambrose was interviewed by Greg Hamilton. Ambrose said he is excited to for Shane McMahon and with Daniel Bryan. He said that if he's going to Smackdown, so it the WWE championship. He promised to beat Seth Rollins tonight and then walk out the champion at Battleground. He said he and his girl (the belt, not Renee Young) were going to Tuesdays. AJ Styles was interviewed by Greg Hamilton. He said that it's obvious Shane McMahon is the smartest man because he hasn't even been here a year and Shane drafted him as #4. Styles said that he promises he's going to be the champion next. He said that he wants The Club on Smackdown and perhaps he needs to go talk to the GM. He said that he was going to get to keep doing his favorite thing: Beat up John Cena.
John Cena sat in on the panel. Booker T asked him if he feels like he's been demoted because he's been the face of Raw and now he's going to Smackdown after being #1. Cena said he was never #1, he earned #1. He said that it's not a demotion, it's a fresh start. He said that he heard Styles say he's going to be the next champion and he likes that. Cena said that he and Booker were there when no one gave Smackdown a chance in the beginning of the initial draft but then a few years later, everyone was paying attention. He said it was done and it's going to be done again. Cena said people are asking what he has left in the tank and he's going to show that the best is yet to come. He said that he's going to show everyone that he can do everything at once - whether it's host the ESPYs, The Today Show or appear on WWE programming. He said that he's a company guy and everything he does, he does to promote WWE. He said now he's going to be promoting Smackdown. Booker said he's one of the elder statesmen of WWE, so does John feel it's his job to help the younger talents break the glass ceilings. Cena said some things can be taught and some things you just have to have but he's going to go out every night and will go as long as he can keep pace. Cena said right now, he's ahead of the pack. They asked Cena how important it is to have the WWE title come to the brand. He said that it wouldn't be a crushing blow, but having the belt shows who is at the top of the mountain. He said Raw has been around longer than Smackdown and it's time to get to work. He said that as the draft continues and the picks surprise people, it's going to show how deep the WWE roster is. He said he's happy AJ Styles got drafted as they have a lot of things to resolve.
There was a bit where The Social Outcasts couldn't understand why all these other talents were drafted before them. Bo Dallas said they had to wait and see where they will be drafted. Instead, Heath Slater said that they should go talk to Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon to tell them why they should be drafted.
They went to the WWE Performance Center, where Finn Balor was interviewed. The WWE developmental talents were chanting his name in the background. Balor said it's a bittersweet moment because he's been a big part of what NXT has become. He said it's been 16 years to get to this moment. He said that everyone in NXT comes here to get to the main roster. He said that he was picked #5, which means there are four others that he has to prove he is better than.
Tom Phillips interviewed Sasha Banks about being drafted to Raw. Sasha mocked Charlotte for saying that she carries the WWE Women's division and that Charlotte has been running from her but now he's coming to Raw.
Greg Hamilton interviewed Becky Lynch about being the first woman drafted to Smackdown Live. Lynch said it was an honor and a fresh start. She said that it's a whole new beginning and world. With Charlotte on Raw, she is wondering what that means for her because she's on the hunt for gold and is going to speak to Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon about that. She said that she's waiting to see where Natalya ends up and she hopes that she isn't on Smackdown.
Chris Jericho joined the panel. Jericho said he's the best at the world at what he does and Raw's newest star. Jericho was pissed he was drafted in the third round. He said that Mick Foley never liked him and hasn't since Jericho ran him out of WWE in 2000 (Uh?????) He said that Stephanie McMahon was always a great fan of his and is one of his favorite people on the planet. He jumped all over Renee Young and said he's not going to do her WWE Network series. Jericho said there is a lot of political maneuvering right now. Jericho said he is a physical freak and that's why he's still the best in the world. He knocked all sort of sporting legends for not lasting as long as he has. He said Raw is Jericho and will be forever. Jericho predicted that Brock Lesnar is going to crush Randy Orton at Summerslam and he's going to convey that to Orton at Battleground.
Tom Phillips interviewed WWE Tag Team champions Big E and Kofi Kingston. No Xavier Woods. They said he was resting after his bout with Bray Wyatt. They did their spiel and mocked Phillips. It was noted they are about to break the longest reigning WWE Tag Team championship record in a few days. Big E said there were a lot of naysayers and Phillips was the face of them.
Draft Center Coverage will continue on Page 2!
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