Biggest Winners of 2024 WWE Draft, The Return of Braun Strowman and More Raw Takes

The April 29 edition of WWE Raw completed this year's draft, establishing the red brand and SmackDown rosters for the next year.

The rosters did not change massively, but key NXT call-ups set the stage for fresh stories. Following Carmelo Hayes and Kiana James' moves on Friday, Ilja Dragunov, Lyra Valkyria, Blair Davenport and Dijak all got drafted out of the gold brand.

After being picked by Raw, Braun Strowman also returned to action Monday and took out The Judgment Day. He is a welcome addition to the red brand now that he is healthy.

CM Punk returned to taunt Drew McIntyre once more. While he has not been cleared for action yet and the Scot is also nursing an injury, WWE should lean into this feud in whatever form it can continue.

This show established important changes for WWE going forward that will have ramifications throughout 2024.

WWE Draft Needs Complete Revamp for 2025

The WWE draft no longer works in its current form. SmackDown's portion of the event was especially uneventful, but Raw did not add enough Monday to make it feel special.

Fans aren't interested in seeing who stays with their respective brands; they want to see who changes shows.

The NXT call-ups were the most emotional moments of the night. This was even clearer as the champions could not be drafted since the potential for titles changing brands is a major selling point for the current format.

WWE should revamp the draft to focus on what fans care about most. Roster changes and NXT call-ups should be all that is announced.

This will allow the company to highlight major moves on both shows rather than focusing fans on which names are staying put.

This would allow moments such as Damage CTRL going to Raw or Nia Jax heading to SmackDown to get the attention of fans rather than Bianca Belair staying on the blue brand or Gunther remaining on Monday nights.

Women's Division is Biggest Winner of WWE Draft

While there was little change on Raw and SmackDown, the women's division on the main roster did see a major evolution, helped by the call-ups of Lyra Valkyria, Kiana James and Blair Davenport.

The Valkyrie and James will head to the red brand, while Davenport will appear on Friday nights.

Davenport may only be 28 years old, but she is already a 12-year veteran after beginning her training at 16 years old. She came into NXT with experience and instantly slipped into the veteran role, putting over developing stars.

She will get a chance to show what she can do on a new-look SmackDown roster led by Bayley, and she could find her way into the title picture sooner than later.

James spent several years developing her character while becoming one of NXT's top wrestlers. Her in-ring work will help her stand out, but her developing character work will define her success on Monday nights.

However, Valkyria has the highest ceiling on a Raw roster that needs more top names with Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair out of action for the foreseeable future.

This trio will help redefine a women's division brimming with talent but in need of fresh stories.

Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch Must Continue NXT Story on Main Roster

Lyra Valkyria may be the most important NXT call-up of the 2024 draft. While Carmelo Hayes is the biggest name to move, she has a chance to become an instant title challenger.

The 27-year-old Irish wrestler already has a story built with Becky Lynch who she defeated to become NXT women's champion in 2023. She has also called her compatriot her inspiration to join WWE.

This sets up two interesting angles for The Valkyrie to work with the women's world champion: fight her or team with her.

Lynch can help establish Valkyria for a new audience and would be a perfect teammate for The Man.

They are going to be better together in the long term, and WWE should not wait to pair them up.

Braun Strowman Return Shakes Up Raw Main Event Scene

Braun Strowman is back, and he looks ready to challenge for a world championship again.

While Jey Uso will face Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship at Backlash France on Saturday, The Monster Among Men will likely be next up after an Uso loss.

It seemed Andrade was on track to challenge Priest next, but he was drafted to SmackDown on Friday. Only Ricochet is left on the red brand actively feuding with The Judgment Day.

Strowman and The One and Only have teamed together before, and both should get a shot to challenge the champion before long.

While Ricochet is a fresh challenge, Strowman is a former world champion with major credibility who could sell himself as a true challenger to Priest as early as King and Queen of the Ring on May 25.

Beyond that, Strowman's presence will make a major impact on Raw with fresh challengers including Gunther, Bron Breakker and Dijak who will likely all tease main event pushes in the second half of the year.

Keep Injured CM Punk on TV Every Week

CM Punk adds necessary energy to Raw, and as one of the second-round draft picks for the red brand, it's clear WWE knows what he can bring to the show.

It is important to do whatever is necessary to keep The Best in the World on television. He is great on commentary and can cut strong promos, and he still hasn't interacted with much of the Raw roster yet.

For all those reasons, Punk should be back on television every week as long as it does not interfere with his rehabilitation.

Drew McIntyre is so focused on The Best in the World at the moment that he seems lost without his rival on the card. Monday was the best segment yet from both men and further built their rivalry.

This is the dynamic to highlight no matter where it ends. It would be ideal if both men are healthy in time for Clash in the Castle in Scotland on June 15. But if Punk can at least travel by then, he can play a role in whatever McIntyre does in his home nation.