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"It's time to shake things up around here!"
Those were the words uttered by Vince McMahon shortly before he announced WWE's first-ever draft in 2002 and although it would never have the same impact, a draft is still a nice way to freshen things up. It is also a chance for the WWE Universe to see the seemingly impossible happen right before their very eyes.
That's what makes this upcoming draft so enticing. Not only does it come on the heels of what has to be some of the company's best programming, but it is a chance to ensure that things stay that way. If nothing else, this is a very powerful tool at WWE's disposal and one has to wonder what they will do with it.
In the end, WWE has many options during the upcoming draft, especially with RAW, SmackDown, and NXT to pull from, but here are the five biggest blockbuster moves WWE can make. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and tell us who you think should switch brands and why.
#5 Bring Bobby Lashley to SmackDown
While many will look at a Superstar like Bobby Lashley and see nothing but wasted potential and bad booking, critics seem to always forget about the level of legitimacy he brings to the squared circle. They also forget about his time in MMA, StrikeForce, and Titan Fighting Championship. His experience makes him one of the company's most legitimate fighters.
With that stated, and one of the big selling points of Friday Night SmackDown being legitimacy, it only makes sense for WWE to put Lashley on the Blue Brand. That way, the company can start slowly transitioning casual sports fans into the fold and do it in a way that feels organic.
Fortunately for the WWE Universe, Lashley has already made a hell of a return by showing up on RAW with Lana in a love triangle storyline that fans are sure to enjoy. If nothing else, this proves that WWE is intent on making Lashley a big deal as time goes forward and it could raise his stock up enough for that dream match against Brock Lesnar.
#4 Move Kabuki Warriors to RAW
Kairi Sane and Asuka finally have some momentum behind them after beating Fire and Desire on SmackDown, but the duo need to follow up on that somehow. Fortunately for The Kabuki Warriors, the upcoming brand split offers them a fresh start and more time than they would ever get on the Blue Brand.
Of course, it's going to take a while to build the team back up after weeks of being on and off TV, but they should start thriving once they have a chance to tell a story again. In fact, between Asuka's incredibly fast offense and the high flying fury that is Kairi Sane, it won't be long before they become challengers for the Women's Tag Team Championships.
Championship hopes aside, Asuka and Kari are severely struggling on SmackDown and a lot of it has to do with the limited time they have to tell a story. If nothing else, putting them on RAW gives them a chance to showcase their talents to the audience, get them over again, and ultimately climb the ladder.
After that, WWE can finally flip the switch on an Asuka heel turn and start to build up Sane as a strong babyface. At least this way, WWE has more options going forward with the duo and they even have potential beyond their eventual split. None of that will come to fruition, however if they are not moved to RAW. That move could end up being the difference between being kept off television and thriving as a top team in the division.
#3 Bring The Fiend to SmackDown
Brock Lesnar versus Bray Wyatt?
The thought alone is enough to make fans ooze with excitement and that's even before anyone considers the other benefits this move could have. Between Wyatt being arguably the biggest thing in WWE right now and the company needing an edgy gimmick for Friday Night SmackDown, it seems like a perfect fit.
Sure, there would be some contrast between the legitimacy of Lesnar and the kayfabe that makes Wyatt's new character so spectacular, but that could be easily taken care of with the right booking. Furthermore, Bray Wyatt's character doesn't even seem to be particularly interested in title hardware, which would make things a lot easier for WWE
Think about it this way, WWE might not want to put a WWE title on Bray Wyatt, but the company still probably wants to do the dream match between he and Lesnar. One way to do this would be to have the two face off for the title in their highly touted dream match, create a Dusty finish, and then have the two move on from there.
With that stated and Friday Night SmackDown needing to court a younger audience into their fold, it makes perfect sense for WWE to bring their most organic creation to the Blue Brand.
#2 Draft Ronda Rousey to SmackDown
Whether some fans want to admit it or not, the Women's Revolution is still one of the biggest things the company has going for it right now and that is exactly what they need to showcase. One could argue that it would benefit the company to make it the focal point of Friday Night SmackDown.
What better way to do that than to put Ronda Rousey, who absolutely dominated the RAW Women's Division last year, on Friday Night SmackDown? Beyond just being a blockbuster move for WWE fans, it also plays off the legitimacy factor the company is going for with the Blue Brand, which could be quite lucrative.
In the end, WWE needs mainstream names for their prime time premiere on FOX and Ronda Rousey accomplishes this in spades. She might even have more mainstream appeal than Brock Lesnar, which makes the move all the more likely.
Maybe some see this as a bad move, especially with Friday Night SmackDown still only two hours long, but it would give the company some much needed star power heading into their new partnership with FOX.
#1 Draft Finn Balor to RAW to join The Club
AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows reformed The OC earlier this year and while WWE has done a great job of making the group relevant, they still lack that extra something. Interestingly enough, WWE can change all that with one single surprise draft pick!
Not only would this blockbuster move succeed in giving Finn Balor the spot he has deserved for quite some time, but it also gives him, Anderson, Gallows, and Styles options going forward. It would also be the one move that can put the group over the edge and really get the fans behind them.
All WWE has to do is bring in Balor at the right moment to help The Club during a beatdown and fans will lose their minds. They will also finally be taken seriously by fans after months of stop and go pushes, which will go a long way in helping the group establish dominance.
WWE has a three hour show on Monday night and they sometimes still struggle to fill that time. Fortunately for them, all they would have to do is intermix The Club with Finn Balor into the equation and the company could get great programming out of it.
