The term 'free agent' in professional wrestling is pretty loose and can mean a lot of different things these days. For the sake of this list, let's go ahead and claim that it includes all of the following - former WWE stars, NXT talent and pretty much anybody on the independents.
Does that sound good? Great, because it's pretty much the only criteria we have here. SmackDown Live is a wonderful place full of wonderful people, but in the midst of their greatness, we as a fanbase cannot lose sight of the fact that their roster is still pretty bare.
They've done well to stretch it out, but the Elimination Chamber provided the glaring evidence in black and white that there need to be a few additions to the blue brand over the coming months.
Obviously, the rumoured WWE Draft in the summer would be a great place to do this, but you could even sign free agents completely out of the blue - pun not intended. Just look at the arrival of Jack Swagger as a prime example of that.
Surprise newcomers can work wonders and whilst some will see a few of these options as obvious, they're incredibly necessary. With that in mind, let's take a look at five free agents SmackDown Live needs to sign.
#1 Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle pretty much made his name on SmackDown during the last few years of his career, and that alone is enough of a reason to sign him again. The guy is still a wrestling machine even at his advanced age and could probably wrestle circles around half of the male roster on the blue brand. Oh it's true - it's damn true.
Also read: Five things WWE should change with the brand extension this time around
SD Live still desperately needs a few more top names, and even if it's a limited run, Angle could still make memories for the WWE Universe that would last a lifetime. The older generation would appreciate seeing him back, meanwhile newer fans can be educated on what it means to be a legend within this business.
If you really think about it, everyone wins.
We move from an American hero to a British bruiser.
#2 Wade Barrett
It's a grand old shame that Wade Barrett never became WWE Champion during his time with the company, and it's an even greater shame that he's not even there anymore.
Barrett continually re-invented himself yet for some reason, the machine never quite got behind him as much as the fans did, which is baffling when you consider what a well-rounded talent he was.
Obviously, SmackDown is littered with heels right now but one more wouldn't hurt, and Barrett could instantly be thrust into the main event picture because he truly is that good.
If WWE was to come to its senses, the promotion would see that Barrett is one of the hottest commodities in professional wrestling right now and luring him back to the industry would certainly be best for business.
Onto a man that a few fans may not have heard of.
#3 Marty Scurll
During his time on TNA's British Bootcamp, Marty Scurll came across as a standard white meat wrestler. However, over the last few years, he has managed to transform himself into something so much more than that - to the pleasure of fans all around the world.
Whether it's been on the British independents or overseas in Ring Of Honor, Scurll has turned himself into one of the biggest stars outside of the WWE today.
His character is so different and alternative that it would bring a whole new kind of buzz to SmackDown Live. Scurll could start in the mid card and slowly work his way up, with his journey towards the top likely being fantastic.
It would be a risky move given his lack of worldwide star power, but soon enough people would start to take notice of this guy and rightly so.
#4 Kenny Omega
The Cleaner is one of the best options out there right now when it comes to free agents, as he has displayed on numerous occasions over in NJPW. The guy is one of the most well-rounded wrestlers in recent memory, and he backs up what he says on the mic inside the ropes.
You may love him or hate him, but you can’t deny his quality, which is why SmackDown Live needs to seriously consider bringing him on board. Can you imagine the reaction from Monday Night Raw once they see what an impact Omega makes on the blue brand?
They’d react in such a strong way that it’d be as if we’ve witnessing the Monday Night Wars within the company itself. Hell, we may even end up seeing Styles vs Omega inside of a WWE ring.
To conclude, we look at a man who tried to reach for the brass ring once before.
#5 Drew Galloway
It's becoming a trend in the last few years for Superstars to leave the WWE and end up making a bigger name for themselves somewhere else around the world. One prime example of that is Drew Galloway, with the Scot proving to Vince what a mistake he made when it came to booking him.
After all, it seemed like it was a dream scenario for the company at the time.
On SmackDown Live, Galloway would be awarded the opportunity of a lifetime as you can see him being shot straight into the main event picture. Some may see it being a gradual climb, but he's proven himself now to the point where WWE need to tie him down to a long-term deal.
The longer they wait, the less time they will have left to utilise his talents.
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