The reaction to the brand split has been bitter-sweet. The first time it happened, the roster was much fuller, with bigger stars, hotter crowds, and more compelling storylines. From the very first ‘Smackdown Live’ episode of the New Era, we realized that in 2016, things weren’t the same as 2002.
While we concede that Smackdown may marginally be the better show of the two, as of now, we feel that if 5 stars from the Blue Brand are transferred to the red one, it may actually make Raw a much better show as well. So let’s go and meet them, shall we?
Kalisto
The Diminutive Dynamo had a singles run last year as US Champion, and during his title reign the belt suffered like never before. In competition against larger guys, his performance was lackluster and it became a repeat of the giant-killer gimmick every time he stepped into the ring.
Be it against Ryback or Del Rio, his reign was so forgettable that US Championship matches were relegated to the pre-show of most Pay-Per-Views. However, he had a match with Neville on Smackdown, earlier this year, which was far, far, better.
The new Cruiserweight Division on Raw will also need stars bigger than Kota Ibushi and Gran Metalik, and who better to lead the division than a former US champion? And if Neville and Kalisto can recreate their chemistry...nothing like it! Definitely a better plan for him, than a feud with Baron Corbin.
Carmella
Let’s face it; we all started loving Carmella during her NXT run because of her association with Enzo and Big Cass. The ‘Bada Bing, Hottest Chick in the Ring’ gimmick only made sense when the Princess of Staten Island was paired with her two boys. And ever since they’ve split up, things haven’t been the same.
We know how much female valets have helped The Miz and Rusev rise up the ranks; so imagine how much this awesome threesome can accomplish. Also on the babyface front, the female division on RAW is paper-thin (except for Sasha Banks and the injured Paige). We think Carmella can do wonders on Monday Night Raw, and a run with her boys can propel her singles career to the next level.
Kane
Before you argue that Kane does not need to appear on television anymore in the year 2016, hear us out. There’s one reason that he needs to appear on Raw. We have two words for you; Braun Strowman. While his current ‘vanquishing of jobbers’ gimmick is very entertaining, there will come a time when Strowman will need to face a legitimate.
Who better than Kane to take on this beast, put him over and make him look strong? Mark Henry can’t go like he once used to. Kane still puts on better matches than the Big Show. We think a confrontation between the veteran Kane and the still green Braun Strowman can be entertaining.
And a demon vs demon feud with Balor may be interesting too.
Natalya
Everyone loves the Women’s Revolution. But whether you want to admit it or not, we’re all bored of seeing the same Sasha vs Charlotte/Dana Brooke match week after week. And while Nia Jax may be next in line to face Sasha, from the looks of it; she may be a little too green at the moment.
Sure, she'll be a fantastic opponent given time, but if the WWE pushes her before she’s ready, she may be another Dana Brooke. We think that a Natalya vs Sasha Banks feud could definitely help both, as they’re both amazing workers and can put on wrestling classics.
In her role on Smackdown, as the lead ‘heel’, Natalya somehow feels like she’s being wasted. This would definitely be a better role for her, because, very honestly, we ‘do not’ want another feud between her and Becky Lynch.
A.J. Styles
Remember when The Bullet Club was the hottest angle in sports entertainment and the signing of A.J. Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows was the hottest topic in wrestling? Remember the ‘Balor Club’ t-shirts which came out simultaneously leaving us to wonder who would lead ‘The Club’?
Here is an unfinished storyline, which is definitely a money feud. Whether A.J. aligns with Finn Balor, or chooses to take him on; this is a showdown every wrestling fan has been waiting for. And while one can argue that this is a feud that they’re building for Wrestlemania, WWE fans have short attention spans and this story may just be irrelevant by then.
