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After a lot of speculation, WWE confirmed that the Draft will return in two weeks on Friday, Oct. 9 on FOX. It will continue Monday, October 12 on USA Network.
After the recently concluded Clash of Champions event, many WWE superstars could be good number #1 draft picks on either brand. Keep in mind that even brand-specific champions (RAW/SmackDown Women's and Tag Team Champions) could be eligible as first picks for WWE's upcoming Draft. However, it is unlikely that they will change brands.
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Here are 5 Superstars who could be #1 pick in the 2020 WWE Draft.
#5: Asuka (WWE RAW)
Asuka wrestled twice during this year's WWE Clash of Champions event. She defeated Zelina Vega in a one-on-one match to retain her RAW Women's Title. After that, The Empress of Tomorrow answered Bayley's open challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship later in the same night.
There is no doubt that Asuka has been an integral force in the Women's Division ever since Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair had to take a leave for different reasons. As RAW Women's Champion, Asuka won't be ending up on WWE SmackDown anytime soon. But that doesn't mean she can't be the first pick of this year's WWE draft.
Last year, Becky Lynch was the first pick for the Red brand as RAW Women's Champion. Asuka's experience is invaluable to RAW, and the fact that she is still searching for opponents on the same level as her shows why other female stars need to be traded to the Red brand.
Compared to Asuka, Bayley is the longer reigning champion and she is currently embroiled in a more exciting feud than The Empress of Tomorrow. But SmackDown's male roster is too stacked for Bayley to stand a chance as the #1 pick.
The same can't be said for WWE RAW, where Asuka is undoubtedly one of its biggest stars, irrespective of the gender.
#4: AJ Styles (WWE RAW)
At WWE Clash of Champions, AJ Styles failed to win the Intercontinental Championship in a highly creative Triple Threat Ladder Match against Sami Zayn and Jeff Hardy.
A report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has indicated that AJ Styles might be moving to RAW because of Paul Heyman's presence on WWE SmackDown.
Everyone knows that AJ Styles isn't on good terms with Paul Heyman. Styles has blamed Heyman for Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows' release from WWE earlier this year.
This would explain why Styles wasn't booked to win the Intercontinental Title at WWE Clash of Champions. Suffice to say, if The Phenomenal One is moving to RAW, he would be one of the frontrunners as a potential #1 draft pick.
Styles is a heel right now. So if the Intercontinental Title feud reduces down to two competitors, it is quite likely that he wouldn't be a part of it on WWE SmackDown. In order to redeem The Phenomenal One's status as a top player, it would make sense if he were the #1 pick for WWE RAW.
Drew McIntyre (WWE Champion) needs fresh opponents after Randy Orton, and so does Bobby Lashley, who can't defend his U.S. Title against Apollo Crews every week. AJ Styles would definitely be a top contender for both titles if he gets drafted to RAW as the #1 pick.
#3: Randy Orton (WWE SmackDown)
Randy Orton has lost to Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship on two separate pay-per-views. Since the beginning of this year, Orton has created havoc on WWE RAW by attacking legends and by ruthlessly decimating stars from the current generation.
That run may have come to an end when all those legends (Big Show, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, and Christian) got some revenge against The Apex Predator at WWE Clash of Champions.
Orton has faced a lot of people from RAW recently, and perhaps the best option for all parties would be to draft him to WWE SmackDown. It would be a fresh environment for The Viper to strike new victims.
Orton is one of the all-time greats who is wrestling full-time even now, so if he were to be drafted to SmackDown, The Viper would be an obvious candidate as the #1 draft pick.
Randy Orton could also be a great opponent for the current version of Roman Reigns. Both men had real-life heat several years ago and Orton recently took a jab at Roman when The Tribal Chief returned at WWE SummerSlam.
#2: Drew McIntyre (WWE RAW/SmackDown)
It wasn't too long ago that the WWE Championship was an integral part of SmackDown. The biggest way to make headlines from this year's draft would be to switch brands for the main champion.
Irrespective of all the previous entries, Drew McIntyre would be a number #1 pick simply because he currently holds the most prestigious title in WWE history.
McIntyre has been the WWE Champion since WrestleMania 36, where he slayed The Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar, in a one-on-one match. At WWE Clash of Champions, The Chosen One defeated Randy Orton, who became the most dangerous threat on RAW after Lesnar's departure.
If McIntyre's feud with Orton is over, he will likely remain the WWE Champion till next year. This is because Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar were the biggest threats to him on WWE RAW. Of course, someone more dangerous than Orton and Lesnar could show up on the Red brand, but moving to SmackDown would give The Chosen One a fresh set of challengers for the coveted title.
This change would make Drew's WWE Championship reign fresh and relevant, at least until next year's Royal Rumble season gets underway.
Technically, McIntyre could remain the #1 draft pick while still being on RAW, but a move to the Blue brand would draw considerably more attention.
#1: Roman Reigns (WWE RAW/SmackDown)
If Drew McIntyre gets drafted to WWE SmackDown, it's only fair that The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, moves to Monday Night RAW.
Reigns is undoubtedly WWE's biggest mainstream star right now, so it's a no-brainer that any brand would want him as the number #1 draft pick.
To be fair, Roman's WWE Universal Title reign has only begun, so it's not a matter of opponents here. Bray Wyatt wasn't included on this list because it's likely that he will stay on SmackDown with his current storyline alongside Alexa Bliss.
But that also creates an awkward situation where WWE's two most newsworthy stars are on the same brand (SmackDown), but they can't feud with each other anytime soon, apart from a couple of interesting teases every now and then.
In order to simplify that equation, Reigns could move to RAW and the ultimate box-office match between The Tribal Chief and The Fiend may happen at a later date.
Again, Reigns is such a big draw that he could very well be the #1 draft pick if he stays on SmackDown next month.
