5 WWE Superstars who should have switched brands during the Superstar Shake-up

The poster for the Superstar Shake-up.
Raw and SmackDown traded several wrestlers during the Superstar Shake-up.

The Superstar Shake-up saw over 20 wrestlers switch between Raw and SmackDown, but many who could have benefitted from a change of scenery stayed put.

Despite being run by the same people, Raw and SmackDown often feel like two completely different products. Raw has an extra hour to occupy, so there is bound to be some filler between matches.

SmackDown feels like the place to be for wrestlers looking to get over for the first time or have a second chance at stardom. The blue brand has definitely been the more entertaining show as of late.

Both shows have several people who could use a fresh start. This slideshow will look at the top five wrestlers who would have benefitted from switching brands during the Superstar Shake-up.

#5 Dolph Ziggler

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Dolph Ziggler has been one of the hardest working Superstars for years, but for some reason, it always seems like WWE halts his push right when he starts picking up steam.

He had an outstanding feud with The Miz in 2016, but once it was over, he was back to sitting on the sidelines. He is too good not to be in constant circulation.

Moving Ziggler to Raw would have allowed him to feud with the likes of Finn Balor, Chris Jericho and Seth Rollins. A showdown against any of those three would have torn the house down at any show.

The Showoff has interests outside the ring, so if WWE isn't careful, he may be inclined to pursue them once his current contract expires. He looks to be starting a feud with Shinsuke Nakamura, so at least that should produce some solid matches.

#4 Brock Lesnar

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It might seem surprising to see Brock Lesnar's name on this list, but he is someone who could be so much more valuable on SmackDown than he is on Raw.

For one thing, his presence draws ratings. If WWE wants to bridge the gap between the two shows, having Lesnar appear only on Tuesday nights would be a big step in the right direction.

Another reason Lesnar moving to SmackDown would make sense is the various possible feuds he could have. Nakamura and AJ Styles are two names he has yet to face in a WWE ring, and both would help him produce better matches than we have seen from him in years.

Some WWE fans may not realise Nakamura lost to Lesnar in New Japan Pro Wrestling over nine years ago, so The King of Strong Style would have an established reason to feud with Lesnar.

#3 Emma

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Emma and her tiny gloves finally returned to action, but it doesn't look like she will be in the hunt for the women's title after a feud with Dana Brooke was teased during a backstage segment.

On Raw, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, Mickie James and Nia Jax are all going to be chasing the belt, which leaves Emma in the lurch. On SmackDown, she could be a contender.

Also read: Analysing which brand benefited more from WWE Superstar Shake-up

The Raw women's division was dominated by two women in the second half of 2016, but the blue brand gave several different competitors a chance to shine.

Emma is a very talented wrestler who has been the victim of bad gimmicks, injuries and poor timing. She deserves a chance to succeed, and she would have had a better chance on SmackDown. Hopefully, she is able to find what she is looking for on Raw.

#2 Carmella

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Carmella's current storyline with James Ellsworth is going nowhere, and it looks like she is stuck with the chinless wonder for the foreseeable future.

WWE should have moved Carmella to Raw, turned her babyface and put her back with Enzo and Cass. The trio was one of the most popular acts in NXT during their run, and she could help breathe new life into the tag team.

Enzo and Cass are always entertaining, but they have been treading water for a long time. With no titles on their resume, it's getting harder to take them seriously as competition for the champions.

Carmella's chemistry with both men was part of the fun. If she was booked to win the Raw women's title at the same time they won the tag belts, they could tout themselves as the most successful stable in WWE today.

#1 Roman Reigns

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Whether you like Roman Reigns or not, it's hard to deny how valuable he is. Even if he is being booed, he is getting the loudest reaction almost every single night.

The Big Dog just came off the most important win of his career at WrestleMania 33 over The Undertaker, and the following night saw him soak in the heat from the Raw crowd before declaring WWE was his yard now. It was handled beautifully considering how hard WWE has tried to get people to cheer Reigns in the past.

We have seen Reigns fight just about every top star on Raw, and he has faced most of the SmackDown main event scene, too. However, AJ Styles is someone with a limited history with Reigns.

They had a short feud for the WWE title last year, but that's it. With The Prince of Phenomenal now being one of the biggest stars in the company, it would make perfect sense to put them back in the ring.


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