Johnny here again, and I have been given the heads up that we depart for Charleston within the next hour. Furthermore, I have been forewarned against discussing too much about the ULW strategy going into the draft, so here we have it:
AEW
Much has been said already about Megan and Sami’s strategy and how they have a “target list” for stars to grab on Monday (or Sunday, depending on whether or not the administrations of all three companies agree on moving the date up one day). While I know that there is actually a list that BWM Inc. has compiled and that they have had this put together since long before Benny was sent to a…home…, I think that staying strictly loyal to this script could prove problematic for any company. No, I don’t think that BWM Inc. are so inflexible with this list that they will be crippled if things don’t start going their way, but I do think that part of their strategy is intentionally over-sharing what they plan to do so as to throw WWE and ULW off of their game.
I suspect that AEW will move away from the women’s-centric draft strategies that we have seen in years past. Not because the women are any less important, but because the rest of the pool is arguably the richest it has ever been. I also foresee the so-called “Available Talent” pool being ransacked first by AEW and then by WWE. As for surprise pick-ups, plan to see AEW focus on bringing in some of the traditionally “smaller” talent so as to fine-tune the vision they have had for the company from the very beginning via emphasizing: quality over quantity as well as youth over experience.
WWE
Elizabeth Hulette is the force for stabilizing change that WWE has needed. Hell, the force that the industry has needed. Considering that Megan and Catherine are in positions of power elsewhere, Elizabeth’s position represents the first time that a woman not related to someone in the establishment has led a wrestling promotion, and I think that her agenda heading into this will take everyone by surprise. If anyone focuses on the women of the industry, I think it will likely come from Elizabeth. That isn’t to say that she will ONLY focus on the women, but I do think she will be more aggressive at doing so than Murrey was last year.
Again, like I said before, I see WWE taking the “Available Talent” pool apart until there are very few left. I also see WWE following AEW’s lead on the newer generation smaller talent, but I think they will have more of a broad approach. WWE represents the biggest wildcard in this year’s draft, just like last year. This time, though, they will have a solid exemption list (as opposed to just two people), and they will seek to expand on their roster every which way. I can absolutely see Elizabeth burning an early pick on Lexis King and some other WWE talent, but I could be completely wrong. Again, they are THE wildcard.
ULW
Finally, we have the company that I work for. I will just share with you some of the few things that have been pre-approved by The Triad (don’t worry, this censorship is not something that I will tolerate for much longer):
The Triad is presently enjoying the perception that they are in some kind of uphill battle and that the hint given by some unnamed insider about “having plans” for the exempted has created some kind of ceiling for all potential draft picks. Catherine Mouse and Ted Brown, for example, have a strategy of their own to strengthen ULW’s beginnings and build for its future, whereas Ted Dibiase has a plan to look for “the next big thing”.
I can say that there “may or may not be” a handful of talent in the “Available Talent” pool who’ve captured the attention of the Triad, and that the same can be applied to AEW’s and WWE’s rosters. I have also been told that the Triad is not wedded to any specific strategy pertinent to being centrally focused on any particular roster group. I have been told that there is a “list…a loose list”, and that we will see what that means during the draft.
Finally, one member of the Triad told me to keep their identity anonymous, but they wanted me to convey one thing to WWE and AEW: “THIS is the real war. Prepare for the opening shots. Prepare to be surprised. Prepare for this to be our era.”
Now I need to prepare for my flight. See you all when I get to West Virginia!!
World Of Wrestling: Murrey Universe 