Heading into this draft, I personally was very curious how part-timers would be drafted, and I got my answer here in the third round. “I figure I can get some cool dream matchups, like Lesnar vs. Lashley”, John Dimiceli stated after the draft, adding that “I went for a mix of talent, no real rhyme or reason. Meanwhile, I may not have gotten more angry at losing out on a pick as I did when Caden Moran selected Tetsuya Naito right before I had the chance. I was certain I could get him at that point, as I was picking before Eron, the all-knowing sultan of New Japan, and yet Caden completely ruined my plans. Overall, the third round is full of great talent, but also represented the first signs of people beginning to pick based on their plans for their promotion, rather than always on straight talent.
Best Pick (according to Tim): Grabbing Orton in the third round lessened the blow of losing Naito a bit, however, it’s tough to ignore the fact that Ricochet might truly be the future of this business. A talent who can dazzle with every high-risk maneuver in the book, yet also has the look to incorporate a more tough, strong-style approach when needed, anyone building a promotion would be silly not to pull out all the stops to get Ricochet on their roster.
Worst Pick (according to Tim): In term of star power, Brock Lesnar is a no-brainer. However, after already selecting Chris Jericho, who always needs a few months off for Fozzy, Lesnar’s light schedule may be tough for John to absorb. While either Lesnar or Jericho are a dream match for AJ Styles, we’re still waiting for John to draft someone to have that long-term main event feud with Styles.
