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Now that the Raw and SmackDown Live rosters have started to take shape following the Superstar Shake-Up, it’s become clear which men and women will feature in WWE’s initial plans for this summer.
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Daniel Bryan, for example, is back competing in a WWE ring after three years away and he’s guaranteed to feature on our screens every Tuesday night for the foreseeable future, but who else will join him in the blue brand spotlight?
In this article, let’s take a look at five SmackDown Live Superstars who look set to receive a push in the coming year.
.#5 Cesaro
When WWE had the idea to have a 10-year-ol.d child win the Raw Tag Team titles against one of the company’s most respected and established duos, Sheamus and Cesaro, they clearly only looked at the short-term benefit of a WrestleMania clip going viral the next day.
In the long-term picture, the four-time Raw Tag Team champions can no longer be taken seriously as title contenders and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if they ended their 20-month run by splitting up in the not-too-distant future.
If and when that happens, expect Cesaro to face the likes of Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe and AJ Styles and receive the strongest singles push of his WWE career so far.
#4 Lana
Lana’s shock Money In The Bank qualifying victory over Billie Kay on the most recent episode of SmackDown Live is presumably the start of her latest push as a singles competitor in the women’s division.
“The Ravishing Russian” has appeared sporadically on our screens ever since she stopped managing Rusev over a year ago, and her alignment with the injured Tamina hasn’t been mentioned on television since January.
Recent hints seem to suggest that the Rusev Day tag team could soon break up, with Lana telling Rusev that Aiden English is holding back his career, so there’s a high chance that the real-life husband and wife will be reunited on our screens as a duo.
Either way, whether she’s competing or managing, expect to see more of Lana soon.
#3 Andrade “Cien” Almas
Andrade “Cien” Almas has started life on SmackDown Live with two comfortable victories over local talents, but it surely won’t be long before he’s mixing it up with the main stars on the blue brand’s roster.
The Mexican is one of the best in-ring talents in WWE right now and, as the youngest male Superstar on SmackDown, it’s clear that Triple H, Vince McMahon & Co. see him as a huge star for the present and future.
When he finishes his current run of dismantling rookies with ease, expect the former NXT champion to challenge for major titles on SmackDown within the next year.
#2 Sonya Deville
After Paige was forced to retire due to injury problems, Absolution members Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose are now beginning to receive pushes as singles competitors on SmackDown Live.
In Sonya’s case, she has gradually improved since her time in NXT and fans only need to watch her latest match against Naomi on SmackDown to see how impressive she can be when given opportunities and enough time in one-on-one matches.
Reports over the last few months have suggested that WWE is very high on Mandy, who has reportedly been given a similar gimmick to the one they wanted Emma to play as Emmalina, but don’t be surprised if Sonya turns out to be the breakout star of the women’s division in the next year.
#1 The Miz
The Miz has been a constant presence in featured storylines ever since he won the Intercontinental Championship from Zack Ryder the night after WrestleMania 32, so you could argue that he’s been receiving a ‘push’ for the last two years.
However, with rumours around that he could be in line for a WWE Championship run at some point in the next year, it’s fair to say that whatever ‘push’ he is currently receiving will turn into something a lot more significant if he manages to win the top prize on SmackDown Live.
Even if “The A-Lister” isn’t able to win the title that he previously held in 2010-11, he will still be involved in one of the biggest storylines of the year when he inevitably faces off with long-term rival Daniel Bryan.
