Former WWE superstar maven revealed that the company intentionally⁤ withheld draft ⁣selections from talent during the inaugural WWE Draft in 2002 to elicit genuine on-camera reactions. Maven, who ⁣was the 10th overall pick to the SmackDown brand, shared this insight on his YouTube channel.

The Surprise of⁣ the First Draft

According to Maven,no⁤ one present⁣ in the room knew their destination until their⁢ name was announced live‍ on television. He explained that wrestlers were simply instructed to⁣ gather in a room and await their fate on the day of the draft.

“During the very‍ first WWE draft,I had no idea I was going to be drafted ⁢10th overall to SmackDown until it happened on live TV. No one ⁤else in that room knew either,”⁤ Maven⁢ stated.

A Strategy for Genuine Reactions

Maven explained that the secrecy was a purposeful tactic by WWE to ensure authentic responses ⁢from the wrestlers.The company wanted unscripted reactions to add to⁢ the drama of the event.

“One ‍of the reasons the WWE refuses to enlighten the ⁣talent on where they might be going is ⁣because they want genuine⁣ reactions from everyone,” Maven said. He confirmed his ⁢own reaction,and also those ⁤of others,were entirely genuine when their names were called.

At the time of the draft,‍ Maven was the reigning WWE Hardcore Champion and the first male winner of the “Tough Enough” competition series.

Looking Ahead

The annual WWE ⁣Draft typically occurs either in the spring following wrestlemania or in the ⁣fall. As of August 30, 2024, WWE has not yet held ⁢a draft in‍ 2025.Fans can view Maven’s full video, where‍ he reflects on his career, on his official YouTube channel.