Before I get into this article, it should be noted that this year’s iteration of the WWE Draft really seemed to work differently than the annual event used to in the mid-2000s. Back in those days, only actual moves were noted. If you weren’t drafted, it was naturally a given that you were remaining on the show you started on.
This time around was different, however. While they always try to avoid explaining things that make them seem incompetent if you harped on them, WWE seemed to be operating on the notion that the Wildcard Rule had already completely destroyed the brand split. The WWE Draft was thus enacted to reset things. In other words, they treated like they were free agents. This led to many instances of wrestlers being drafted to shows they had technically already been on all year. (IE. Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan to SmackDown, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch to Raw, ect.)
I wanted to note this because many of the people I’m about to discuss are still listed as being on their old shows, on both WWE.com and wikipedia. Understandably nobody is in a rush to update them when everything’s up in the air and likely to change within a day or so.
Regardless of listing, I think it’s fair game to say that, until official statements are made, everyone below is indeed a free agent that could pop up anywhere.
With that said, there are still a couple dozen or so wrestlers on WWE’s payroll that are currently unassigned following the WWE Draft. Let’s look into some of most notable undrafted free agents, why they were skipped and what the future might hold for them.
The Usos
The Usos are one of the standard bearers of WWE’s tag division and have been for years. Mind you, it’s WWE’s tag division, so it isn’t saying too much. But still, they’ve always been far and away one of the most successful and heavily promoted tandems WWE has seen in a long time. Their disappearance over the summer was notable, but far from mysterious.
Jimmy Uso has been arrested twice over the past calendar years, most recently a DUI in July. Ever since that last one, both he and his brother Jey, as well as his wife Naomi have been taken off the road. The team’s last match for WWE was back on the July 29th episode of Raw. Recently, they’ve been spotted backstage but still they have yet to return even with this draft. Word is they were penciled in to reappear during the SmackDown premiere on FOX two weeks ago, but obviously it didn’t happen.
The situation’s murky to say the least. But if they were that close to being back that recently, I have to imagine they’re still on the horizon. And if SmackDown was the idea at that point, that’s probably still the favorite.
Cesaro
Cesaro himself tweeted that he was a free agent. Puzzlingly, he’s got an upcoming match advertised anyhow. He’ll be facing Saudi’s own Mansoor at Crown Jewel 2019. In spite of this, he’s got no place on either Raw or SmackDown at the moment, nor is he in the midst of any angle that might guide him.
While it’s entirely likely that he’ll just settle into one of the shows’ midcards, there is a third option. There’s always NXT, a show he was integral to once upon a time. And those who saw TakeOver: Cardiff will know there’s a tantalizing future awaiting him in NXT UK as well. Whether he go it alone and potentially challenge WALTER, or he finally reunites with Kassius Ohno to reform their renowned Kings of Wrestling indy team, the possibilities are fantastic.
Ember Moon, Ruby Riott & Naomi
These women are put together here because they were all undrafted for the same reason; currently off the road.
For Ember and Ruby, it’s an injury issue. Ruby’s been on the shelf for most of this year and still has a ways to go before she’s recovered. Last I heard she was penciled in to return in time for – perhaps at – the Royal Rumble. Ember, tragically, recently suffered a severe injury that’s gonna put her out for a very long time, up to a year.
Naomi, as noted above, has been off TV for as long as the Usos have been. One can assume she’ll pop up around the same time as they do. It’s worth noting that one of the less reported changes in the way WWE have treated people since AEW’s emergence is that Vince has cooled down on his usual charge to split up people that are in a relationship. Generally he’ll get a kick out of ensuring that boyfriends and girlfriends are on opposing shows so that they see each other less.
This needless trolling has seemingly been done away with this year. So Naomi and Jimmy are likely going to share a brand, wherever they go.
AOP
In a recently posted YouTube interview, AOP expressed their frustrations with going undrafted, and promised to take it out on WWE’s tag division. This comes after weeks of vignettes featuring Akam and Razar making similar promises.
Of everyone on this list, they’re the least likely to remain free agents for long. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them finally coming in to make good on their word this coming Friday or Monday.
Sheamus
I can’t say it’s a surprise that Sheamus wasn’t drafted, given the quiet abyss his status has been in of late. Since suffering a concussion in April of this year, Sheamus has not been seen. His former partner Cesaro has made it clear that their days as a team are over, The Bar are no more.
Sheamus has reportedly been cleared for a full month and has stated that he’s simply waiting for WWE to call him. He’s also gotten in fantastic shape in his time off. So it really doesn’t look like he intends to hang it up at all. But it almost appears WWE is moving on from the former WWE Champion.
That would be a mis-step in my book. Unless his status was more serious than I realized, there’s not really a good reason to keep Sheamus off TV. He’s a fairly notable name and remains a unique talent with a fair bit left to offer. The Irishman could actually easily be slotted into a headliner position in NXT UK, similar to Cesaro. Failing that he’d add some valuable depth to any other roster.
I can’t really imagine WWE letting him slip through the cracks, so I’d expect to see Sheamus back eventually.
The Hardys
Jeff Hardy went down with an injury in April that was projected to keep him out of action for 6-9 months. In theory we’re now in the range where he could get cleared and make his return any time between now and Mania season. But he was also busted with a DUI a couple weeks back, another addition to his lengthy resume of misdemeanors. Considering a similar crime has kept Jimmy Uso and everyone associated with him off-screen for the past couple of months, it may similarly slow Jeff’s return as well.
Meanwhile his brother Matt has been biding his time, doing house shows and slowly losing his mind through YouTube videos of his own making. Entertaining as always, but clearly not leading into anything that’ll be seen on WWE television, sadly. It doesn’t appear WWE sees anything in Matt without his brother these days. So he’ll most likely just continue waiting out his absence.
Luke Harper
Ah… poor Luke Harper.
I’ve hated what WWE have done to him this year. It appears the only reason he’s on the roster is to ensure that no one else can possibly feel underutilized in comparison. That, and to serve as a warning to anyone who might be thinking of asking for their release.
After months of forced inaction despite being ready, willing and able, Harper surprisingly returned out of nowhere at Clash of Champions to aid Erick Rowan. This setup a tag match pitting the former tag title winning team against Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan at Hell In A Cell, in which Harper of course took the fall. Not counting the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal Kickoff, this was the one televised main roster match Harper has had all year. And with the WWE Draft landing Rowan on opposing shows to Roman and Bryan, and Harper of course going undrafted entirely, it’s looking like that direction was just a one-off, leaving Harper with zero direction once again.
In spite of the talent, presence and experience that Harper brings, Vince McMahon sees nothing in him. And thus, he is nothing in WWE. It’s a sad state of affairs. Harper’s WWE contract was originally set to expire before too long, but after he requested his release in April, WWE tacked on six months worth of injury time just to make sure he’d have to wait longer until he could work anywhere else. Barring some change he’ll be staying with WWE whether he likes it or not until mid-2020. I’m not optimistic that he’ll be featured much in the meantime.
