Ahhh! Happy Superstar Shakeup Day to all and a very special Happy Game of Thrones Returns Day to everyone too! Its all going on tonight! I am excited to see who will be showing up to Raw and who’s matches and promos I get to review and analyse on Raw each week moving forward. I’ve added a few cheeky extras in too, because.. well, just because I can. So here are 10 Superstars Predicted For The WWE Superstar Shakeup!
To Raw
Andrade
Why? – Because since arriving on the main roster Andrade has almost been treated as a big deal. He’s not there every week, but when he is, he has usually in a high calibre match with the likes of Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan or AJ Styles but they’ve not actually pulled the proverbial trigger on him yet. Maybe a transfer to Raw could put him in the path of Finn Balor and the IC Title or even better, Rollins for the Universal Title. I’m down for either wherever Andrade is concerned. He’s absolutely killed it since turning Heel in NXT and aligning with Zelina Vega. I feel like the two of them would benefit from the “Red Brand”.
Carmella
Why? – Because the whole “DANCE BREAK!” thing is a total cringefest and the pairing with R-Truth and his apparent case of Kayfabe Alzeimers that has been getting increasingly worse for the last 8 or so years is coming over as more of a carer/patient thing.. I’m not a fan. Its a nowhere pairing, for me at least. She has also faced everyone SmackDown has to offer really, I think a move to RAW could freshen her character up to the level it needs to be. Heel ‘Mella is the real money.
The Usos
Why? – Because.. they literally have beaten every single team on SmackDown. Every single one. More than once I bet! They’ve been the pillars and the pinnacle of the Tag Division in WWE full stop. They have done exactly as their catchphrase states and “locked down” all teams on that division and so Raw would make the most sense for the brothers.
Bobby Lashley
Why? Because he could do with a bit of a spruce up as well. The work he’s been doing lately has won me over to His side for the first time since he debuted in WWE in the Ruthless Aggression Era. Lio Rush is largely to credit for that, but Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush are a dynamite duo and SmackDown Live would be a perfect place for The Almighty to get some more gold. I’m lookin’ at you, Kofi.
AJ Styles
Why? – Because it’s been talked about for nearly 2 whole years that The Phenomenal One would be the top of Monday Night Raw’s main event. To be honest, Styles vs Rollins sounds like an absolute treat, Styles vs Balor, Styles vs Ricochet, etc. would be absolutely awesome! Styles has been the main-stay of SmackDown Live and this Live version of the show is truly the house that he built, he’s proved it time and again, he’s held multiple titles and even has the longest WWE title reign in recent history. It’s time for him to leave home and face the wild and unknown now. My PWJ colleague, Jake Clarke, also believes it’s time for AJ Styles to move to the Red Brand as I do and I’m sure neither of us can wait to see AJ dance with the Demon, battle the Beastslayer, fight the “Favourite Son” and make Monday Nights “Phenomenal” again!
To SmackDown Live
Braun Strowman
Why? – Other than him appearing on SmackDown Live last week and pretty much calling out Samoa Joe with his hands, he had been an almost definite inclusion in the shakeup for a while now. I think this has been a plan for him for a while, hence why he never won the Universal Championship and has been stuck in creative limbo for the last few months after his return from surgery. I think it’s all been a case of biding their time until the shakeup. Strowman has been the human demolition machine of Raw for the last 3 years and he could seriously do with a fresh start, so a feud with Samoa Joe would do him the world of good. I don’t think Joe should lose the feud either, but a feud of that calibre for Braun is definitely a good way to go I think.
Drew McIntyre
Why? – I don’t know whether it was the main event match of last week’s SmackDown Live where he just vanished or whether it’s the clear indication that McIntyre isn’t going to be treated like the animal he should be on Raw, his vicious nature would suit someone as likeable and relatable as, say, Ali or Kofi Kingston. We have seen Rollins and McIntyre go at it about a bazillion times on 2018 alone, so I hope creative are all about shaking things up and giving us something fresh and exciting.
Ryder & Hawkins/The Hardys
Why? – I feel like the champions are going to swap brands for some reason. I have this idea that Hawkins and Ryder would better suit SmackDown than Raw and vice-versa for the Hardys. I could be way off and I know this is a sneaky little two’fer but I can’t shake the feeling after their Twitter back and forth this week about a ‘winner takes all’ match and the Usos wanting to face them again.. so with me thinking that the Usos are off to Raw, naturally I’d assume Hardys to RAW and Majors to SDLive.
Ember Moon
Why? Call it a gut feeling. She’s been injured lately and was used very little beforehand, I just think in terms of a creative direction, putting Ember on a brand where she has a brand new talent pool to face would work wonders. Asuka vs Ember rematch, Ember vs Sonya Deville, Ember vs Naomi, I mean, that speaks for itself.
Roman Reigns
Why? – it has been a turbulent 12 months for the Big Dog as we all know by now. Brock Lesnar, Fan hate, Championship win, vacated due to having to fight Leukaemia, once he makes a triumphant return then Ambrose is leaving, The Shield is broken up for good & Seth Rollins is Universal Champion. What else is there for him on Raw? He’s done it all. Won it all. Unless there’s a Heel turn in the works and that is incredibly unlikely to ever happen, then creatively the only road for him to go down is the blue one and to be honest, after overcoming all obstacles and being free of cancer, a fresh beginning for Roman Reigns feels almost as poetic as it does necessary at this point.
Honourable mentions
Undisputed Era
Why? – Purely for my own fantasy booking, I’d love to see Strong, O’Riley, Fish & Cole invade either show and Take Over!
Finn Balor
Our own Rox Blackburn is predicting Balor to SmackDown and I see why. It’s a decent creative direction and he’s not been on SmackDown ever before so it’d be really cool to see, plus a potential blue Demon attire sounds epic.. but in moving Finn to SmackDown, you have to move Joe back to Raw after only a year and I just don’t see that happening. Could very well happen though!
The Revival
My fellow PWJer, Iwan Mackenzie, is predicting The Revival will be drafted to SmackDown Live and I can totally see why. They would do wonderful things there and they’ve already gotten Tag Team Wrestling noticed again and I think they’d be a crazy-awesome addition to the Blue roster but I have to disagree again.. Sorry, Iwan. But because I think with the possibility of The Usos, The Hardys and possibly Heavy Machinery being permanent Raw fixtures going forward, Raw would be a much better place for them. Until their contracts expire and skip on down to AEW for their multi-year long built feud with The Young Bucks at least.
Daniel Bryan & Eric Rowan
Our man, Jake Clarke, is making the ballsy prediction that Daniel Bryan & Rowan will be heading to RAW. I find that very tough to dispute actually, with or without Eric Rowan, preferably with, but Daniel Bryan would be magic up against the likes of Seth Rollins & Chad Gable & Ricochet again and especially Aleister Black. So good pick there, man. I do hear he is injured though, so that may stifle any immediate match bookings but he could still be shifted to Raw.
Various others from the PWJ team
Rox
Usos to Raw
Finn Balor to Smackdown
Bayley to Smackdown
Carmella to Raw
Pete Dunne to NXT
Rhea Ripley to Smackdown (long shot) <– Her words, not mine.. but yeah, agreed. Long shot. But, man wouldn’t that be awesome?
Danny
AJ Styles to Raw, Rollins to Smackdown, Pete Dunne to Raw, Kairi Sane to Smackdown, Hardys to Raw, Finn Balor to Smackdown, Roode and Gable to Smackdown.
Interesting picks. Whilst I agree with some and not others, Kairi Sane almost made it in over Ember Moon. So I totally agree we will see that and maybe even see Io Shirai joining her to go after the IIconics.
That’s a wrap!
So there you go. That’s 10 Superstars predicted for the Superstar Shakeup happening tonight on Raw and tomorrow on SmackDown Live. I will be reviewing the Raw as usual and I am actually excited for Raw and that rarely ever happens, but whenever it does 9/10 times it will lead to disappointment because I am a wrestling fan and that means I’m never fully satisfied. But keep those peepers peepin’ because yours truly will be delivering his thoughts in word form to your eyes and your brains tomorrow. Peace and love, have a great evening/morning/afternoon/night, depending on where you’re reading this.
CB
