NXT talent was included in this year’s WWE Draft, as stars from the developmental brand were called up to the main roster and placed on Raw and SmackDown.
As PWMania.com previously reported, WWE did not tell several wrestlers where they would be drafted in advance, and the majority of NXT talent call-ups had no idea if they would be promoted to the main roster. According to the report, one of the NXT stars was aware that they would be called up, while others were unaware.
Speaking with Fox Sports, Grayson Waller, one of the names called up from NXT and placed on SmackDown, compared his Draft experience to the start of Tom Brady’s NFL career, when the legendary quarterback was drafted in the sixth round.
“I’m not gonna lie, it was tough. I sat there on the Friday night for four or five hours or however long it was. I saw name after name and Grayson Waller’s name wasn’t picked. Not everyone was there. Not everyone was there. I got asked to be there. So I expected to be drafted. When I wasn’t, I was frustrated. And I had to sit that whole weekend and think about how low I felt. Then I turn up that Monday and the same thing happens. I watched the entire episode of Raw and I’m hearing these names picked – and there’s some really talented people in NXT who got drafted, but I’m Grayson Waller. I’m the number one person here. My name should be drafted on television. So I was frustrated, and I really thought that I was gonna sit there for two nights and not get picked – and I thought about Tom Brady, and I thought about that, if you watch the documentary, The Brady Six about the six quarterbacks that got picked before Tom – and I know every single person drafted before me. I know every NXT person that was drafted before me,” Waller said.
Waller, who was most likely speaking in character, stated that he was upset that his Draft spot was announced on RAW Talk rather than on television. He mentioned that he operates best when he has a large chip on his shoulder, and that night he had a whole bag of chips on his shoulder.
Waller believes SmackDown got the number one pick with the last pick being him.
The Grayson Waller Effect will take place on this Friday’s SmackDown with guest AJ Styles.
Waller spoke with PWMania.com last month and revealed he’d like to work a WrestleMania program with Logan Paul. The NXT standout also commented on Vince McMahon. You can check out his appearance below:
