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Now that Hell in a Cell is in the past and perhaps the most underwhelming RAW episode in the history of the brand as well, we can all look forward to the 2019 draft. This is when Superstars will be assigned to either RAW or SmackDown on FOX for the foreseeable future.
RAW has been the flagship show in WWE for a really long time and also has the extra hour of content. SmackDown, on the other hand, has stepped out from the shadow of the red brand to finally emerge as the dominant brand, moving to the FOX Network.
One thing that we know for sure is that there will be surprises galore when it comes to the draft because drama and WWE content always go hand in hand. I invite you to leave a comment and let me know which of these surprises you'd like to see when the draft comes around.
I'd be very interested to know your thoughts and opinions.
#5. Matt Riddle gets called up to SmackDown Live
I know that NXT is on the USA Network and it needs all the star power that it can get because it goes up against the competition on every Wednesday night, but I can't help but wonder if Matt Riddle wouldn't be a better fit on either RAW or SmackDown Live. He already has matches waiting for him against the likes of Brock Lesnar and Goldberg, and I do believe that he would be a great addition to the existing roster.
One of the most exciting things that could happen is if he gets called up from NXT at the upcoming draft, because it would be a genuine surprise. Because of his UFC background, he could also bring 'real sports' experience to brand SmacKDown on FOX.
#4. John Morrison returns to WWE RAW
There have been way too many rumors about the return of John Morrison to WWE for it to just be smoke without any real fire. I'm assuming that a lot of top stars from RAW will go to SmackDown Live because the blue brand is the hot new thing for WWE now. This essentially means that WWE will need stars in the upper mid-card to keep the fans invested, on RAW.
John Morrison is someone who can fill this role and could certainly take AJ Styles to the limit with some thrilling contests. Both these men never seem to age, and if Styles remains on RAW, then the US Championship could certainly be elevated by John Morrison. Of course, even if Shinsuke Nakamura comes to RAW during the draft, Morrison could have a series of great matches against him (we know that he can perform at the highest level because of his recent Impact Wrestling run, where he was the face of the company until not long ago).
Maybe he could also pair up with The Miz again and the two men could dominate the tag team division, taking on the likes of The Revival, and Ziggler and Roode.
#3. The mid-card champions change brands
AJ Styles just seems like a smaller player on RAW, does he not? He's certainly in a prominent position as the leader of The OC, taking Anderson and Gallows on a rampage whenever there's an opportunity, but he just seemed like a far bigger deal back on SmackDown Live.
Plus, him being on SmackDown Live would also give him a chance to bring back the 'house that AJ Styles built' tagline. While this may seem like a small deal to you, every time he says the line, a few hundred t-shirts probably sell out, fully justifying why the move to Smackdown on FOX may make a lot of sense.
His adversary from Japan, Shinsuke Nakamura, on the other hand, will fare far better on RAW for sure because there's the extra hour to ensure that he remains on TV. Sometimes, we go for weeks without seeing him on television and this is a problem that can be rectified by moving the man to the red brand.
This is not really a surprise because the Champions usually change brands during the Superstar Shake-Up, but something like this will always shake WWE up quite significantly.
#2. The New Day gets split up at last
I think we're finally at a stage when Kofi Kingston as Champion is a separate entity from the New Day group. There may be more equity in bringing Big E and Xavier Woods to RAW and have Kofi Kingston compete on SmackDown, to finish the Brock Lesnar storyline. I'm guessing that fans are unhappy with how the match with Lesnar played out on the premiere of SmackDown on FOX and they'll want a more competitive match at some point in the future.
It does make sense to split up the New Day because they seem to have run their course as a comedy act, after so many years at the very top of the industry. What else is there for them to accomplish as a unit after the end of KofiMania and after so many tag team title runs? It just seems like WWE could send Xavier Woods to 205 Live for a spell to bolster the division on the purple brand soon.
Big E has immense promise and he could become the top guy in the company very soon indeed. Keeping New Day together seems a bit redundant at this particular point.
#1. Heyman and Lesnar are forced to end their alliance
Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar are two men who've been together for such a long time that it's impossible to imagine them going their separate ways. But if Brock Lesnar is indeed the face of SmackDown Live, while Heyman is the creative force behind RAW, will Heyman have the time to show up on the blue brand as well?
WWE could always carry out an angle where Eric Bischoff steals Brock Lesnar from the grasp of Paul Heyman. Then it becomes a redemption story, where Bischoff becomes the advocate of The Beast, leading up to a long-term storyline where The Beast Incarnate can reunite with his advocate.
I know that this is a far-fetched theory, but I'm thinking logistically as well, and I know that even the biggest skeptic will agree with me on this front. There's no way that Brock Lesnar will come to RAW and Seth Rollins will go to SmackDown, especially considering that the Universal Championship is a deep shade of red, which won't sync with the brand color or identity.
Lesnar without Heyman could also be a great reboot for his character, to freshen him up.
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