WWE Draft 2023 night two commenced on Monday Night RAW, which aired on May 1, 2023. The show kicked off with Triple H announcing the first picks of the night for WWE RAW and SmackDown.
The number one pick for WWE Draft 2023 night two was WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley, and she was drafted to Monday Night RAW. It’s worth noting that WWE RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair was drafted to SmackDown on WWE Draft 2023 night one.
Now that the women’s champions are drafted to different brands, Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair could swap titles when WWE Draft 2023 goes into effect.
#SmackDown Women's Champion @RheaRipley_WWE stays on #WWERaw!#WWEDraft pic.twitter.com/M3UhTzZfOM
— WWE (@WWE) May 2, 2023
Since The Eradicator is drafted to RAW and The EST of WWE to SmackDown, WWE could air a segment post-Backlash 2023 where the superstars swap titles. This method ensures both remain champions, but of the brands they’ve been drafted to.
Furthermore, Bianca Belair has already exclaimed that she’s excited to be the SmackDown Women’s Champion once again.
A similar title swap segment aired following WWE Draft 2021 when Becky Lynch (then SmackDown Women’s Champion) was drafted to RAW, and Charlotte Flair (then RAW Women’s Champion) was drafted to SmackDown.
#SmackDown gets the next pick in the #WWEDraft:#WWERaw Women's Champion, The EST @BiancaBelairWWE! 👏🔥 pic.twitter.com/eUv9PC5fUD
— WWE (@WWE) April 29, 2023
While the segment back in 2021 didn’t go as planned, if WWE moves forward with a title swap segment after Backlash 2023, hopefully, it will not go off-script the way it did in 2021.
WWE may have different plans for Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair following WWE Draft 2023
WWE Draft 2023 has followed the same pattern as seen on WWE Draft 2021, where RAW and SmackDown picked the other team’s women’s champions. Since it’s becoming a pattern at WWE Drafts, the company could decide to eliminate the entire idea of title swap segments.
Instead, it could be easier to change the title names and remove any brand associated with the same. This way, regardless of what happens at WWE Drafts, the superstars will not have to swap their titles. They can continue to defend their current titles whether they’re on RAW or SmackDown.
While the chances of WWE changing the title names are low, it’s a decision that could potentially change the course of the women’s division in the company. It even opens the doors for WWE to introduce new championships for the women’s division as it’s been done for the men’s division with the new World Heavyweight Championship.