Buddy Matthews On His WWE Draft Experience

Note: Fightful originally had scheduled a WWE Draft long-form feature to run around the time of the next draft, whenever that would be. However, due to some other projects, and 2022 being 2022, it ended up getting shelved. However, we’re going to provide some of the quotes for our subscribers to enjoy.

Buddy Mathews on WWE Draft/Shakeup (from 2021):

"Leaving from 205, I was told after Mania that (Cedric and I) would get called up. We kind of heard whispers. The actual Mania plan for WrestleMania 35 was me and Cedric. I fought against it. 'Why me and Cedric?' Basically, their answer was, 'It's a good match.' 'Yes, but it doesn't do anything. Cedirc and I wrestled in his hometown, then we had Super Show where I beat him for the title and now we're doing it at Mania? It's going to be good, cool, great match, but then what happens? I beat him at Mania and lose it the day after to who? You told us we're leaving. Let me pass it on.' 'Who would you work?' 'Tony (Nese). He's a hybrid cruiserweight and is a blueprint of what a cruiserweight is. He looks great and can do it all and it's in his hometown.' The story built itself. He's been my training partner. The whole story was that he helped me get ready for the cruiserweight division. Now, he has a shot. I'm not worried about him and he somehow gets it. Then, I pull the trigger and turn on him before he turns on me. It sets him up as the babyface, he beats me for the title, no one expects it. Our time was short and the following night on 205 Live, we do the rematch and do the Mania match there. That's when we had 25 minutes and did the Mania match where he puts the nail in the coffin and that's the end of me on 205. I did an appearance in NXT as a one-off and I got called to SmackDown. I got told when they pulled us aside before Mania that I was going. As we all know in the wrestling world, until it happens, it ain't happening. When I was at SmackDown, did some of the Roman stuff, and once I did the three matches; Roman, Bryan, and Ali, I started doing nothing and Heyman was like, 'Nothing is keeping you here.' 'Nope, let's do it. I'm happy to go.' 'Alright, leave it with me.' I heard, maybe a week before. They were keeping it pretty quiet. I knew Paul wanted me. I get to SmackDown in Vegas and someone says, 'You can go, you're getting drafted on Monday.' Not knowing where to. Partied in Vegas and I heard on Sunday that I was going to have a match with Cedric on Raw and that basically said I was going to Raw. The last time I was drafted, they basically told us that we were the top rated segments on Raw and that they were going to bring the whole storyline to SmackDown. I think they could have done it better because they did it all the same day. They could have done; Seth goes and then later on maybe I go, but we all went on the same day. I went on like Talking Smack. You're telling people where they are ranked. It's just not nice. It's not that it's not nice, but you expect me to get (higher) when you're portraying me (lower). I want to get (higher), but you have to help build me up a little bit. That was my draft. They keep it pretty quiet. I wouldn't expect answers out of them anyway."