5 WWE Superstars who should switch brands in 2019

This past week on Monday Night RAW, the McMahons finally opened the show and promised about a fresh start and a new direction. They promised new faces and fresh match-ups in the coming months. While the McMahons seemed to have worked the fans, given the formulaic and repetitive matches that followed their announcement, the company seems to be heading in a new direction.

This was made evidently clear when Paige was dropped as the General Manager of SmackDown Live and multiple storylines reportedly being dropped including a Shane McMahon heel turn. When the company announced that Vince McMahon would be appearing on RAW, the underlying theme was that the WWE Chairman would be shaking things up on the res brands and people assumed that there will be some sort of mini superstar shake-up or something to that effect.

But, that sadly didn't happen. Triple H announced new faces and fresh match-ups on both the brands. For all the talking that the McMahons did on RAW, the so-called 'change' would be more effective if a brand switch is done prior to WrestleMania.

These are some talented superstars who have no exciting match-ups left in the respective brands or have been put in storylines that necessitates a brand switch. Here are 5 Superstars who should switch brands in 2019:

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#5 Buddy Murphy

Buddy Murphy has one of the biggest success stories in 2018

If one year ago, Someone would've told me that Buddy Murphy would become a major player in the company, carrying an entire division on his shoulders and becoming the face of that division, I would've laughed him off. But, only has Murphy become the face of 205 Live, he has tremendous progress as an in-ring performer.

The Australian was slowly becoming an afterthought in NXT and wasn't exactly doing anything substantial or noteworthy on the yellow brand. Not only he has turned it around for himself, but he has also made 205 Live one of the best pure wrestling show on the WWE Network.

Although the ratings should suggest otherwise, 205 Live has been one of the biggest surprises of 2019, dishing out an array of excellent matches throughout the year and Murphy has been a major player in the brand and helped 205 Live grow by leaps and bound, ever since arriving on the brand.

The reigning Cruiserweight Champion has become the very definition of how long hard work and determination can take you places. He has come out of the shadow of his popular fiancee Alexa Bliss and has proven to be one of the biggest dark horses of the WWE in 2018.

Murphy won the Cruiserweight title from Cedric Alexander at WWE Super Show Down in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia and has defended the title successfully on multiple occasions, with the most recent one being against Cedric Alexander at TLC.

Murphy has accomplished everything there is to achieve in the cruiserweight division and its time for him to be a permanent fixture on wither on RAW or SmackDown. With the recent announcement of Mustafa Ali becoming a full-time member of SmackDown, Murphy should be next in line. The Melbourne-native has been one of the biggest success stories of 2018 and is more than deserving of a solid run on either RAW or SmackDown.

#4 Bayley

Bayley has been overlooked throughout 2018

The Hugger has been pushed to the gallows in 2018 and this has severely affected her charisma and connect with the fans. While 2017 wasn't exactly great for Bayley, 2018 has been even worse.

Bayley is a shadow of a performer that he was a few years ago in NXT. The company has booked the Hugger in such a way that she hasn't had an opportunity to shine as a performer or be involved in something that she can sink her teeth into. Most of her promo nowadays seems superficial, over-the-top and completely bland.

While it is understandable that every woman superstar can't be slotted in a championship, the company could've actually gone ahead with the Banks-Bayley which started simmering at the started and have the two compete in what could've been the biggest women's non-title feud in recent memory. But, they instead chose to have the two friends be besties again, which made absolutely no sense.

Bayley has been severely underlooked on the red brand and she definitely deserves better. With Ronda Rousey-Becky Lynch-Charlotte situation, it is safe to assume that the Hugger won't be getting a shot at the RAW Women's Championship anytime soon.

With Becky and Charlotte possibly moving to Monday Nights, this leaves a huge vacuum on the blue brand with the brand's Champion Asuka having no viable challenger.

This is why we think that Bayley should move to SmackDown in the coming months. Asuka needs an opponent for WrestleMania and Bayley seems to a credible opponent for the Empress.

The duo had a great rivalry in NXT where Asuka got the better off, Bayley. This feud would once again give Bayley the opportunity to prove why she is one of the best female performers in the company.

#3 Finn Balor

Balor has been one of the most over superstars on the red brand

If a recent report by Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter is anything to go by, it seems like Finn Balor is in for a major push, come 2019. This isn't surprising considering the fact that the Balor Club Leader has been on a mini win streak recently, raking up victories against the likes of Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler and has been a constant thorn in the path of former RAW GM-elect Baron Corbin.

This is much deserved as Balor has been one the most consistent performers on the main roster and although he has been overlooked and put in meaningless feuds, the Demon King has managed to stay over with the crowd, despite him losing a bit of sheen over the past few months.

With the McMahon family announcing fresh matchups, we would like Balor to switch brands and go to SmackDown. Blair has had singles match with every prominent singles star on the red brand and has feuded with almost all of them.

At this moment, there aren't any fresh or existing feuds for Balor on Monday Night. On SmackDown, however, there are a plethora of potential big money-feuds for the former Universal Champion. Blair could continue his rivalry with Samoa Joe or he could feud with Daniel Bryan over the WWE Championship, the possibilities are ended.

Finally, the Balor Club could once again reform. Although the first time around, it was ended rather abruptly, we would like to see Balor, Gallows, and Anderson as a unit once again. Balor could also turn heel and could lead the faction to championship glory. It will be quite the sight to see the trio tracking havoc on the blue brand.

#2 Becky Lynch

Becky Lynch has been the most talked-about WWE superstar over the past few months

After being overlooked for over a year, Becky Lynch was finally given an opportunity at the SmackDown Women's champion at Summerslam. The Irish Lass Kicker came within inches of capturing the said championship but failed when her then-best-friend Charlotte Flair came from behind and hit her with the Natural Selection and pinned her to win the SmackDown Women's Championship.

As the Queen was celebrating with her Victory with Lynch, something snapped inside Becky and she turned on Charlotte, laying her out with the crowd firmly behind. Although the company tried to turn her heel on SmackDown by having her utter the generic heel lines, the crowd was firmly behind her and the company had no option but to make Lynch, the first anti-hero in the women's division, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In a short period of time, Lynch has become the most-talked-about superstar in the entire WWE and has been the MVP of the entire company for the last few months. Although her match against Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series got canceled, Lynch has continuously been taking potshots at Rousey on Social Media.

Judging by what happened at TLC and Becky's Promo on Tuesday, this feud is far from over. While the company has already announced Becky Vs Asuka for the SmackDown Women's Championship at Royal Rumble, it is safe to assume that Lynch would most likely end up losing the match in some way or fashion.

All signs, at this juncture, point to Lynch entering the Women's Royal Rumble Match, winning it and challenging Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women's Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 35, becoming a part of RAW in the process. While many believed that Charlotte would take on Rousey at Mania, we believe that it would travesty to have anyone other than Becky face Rousey at Mania.

#1 AJ Styles

Styles have been the heart and soul of SmackDown Live

After being the WWE Champion for over a year, AJ Styles finally lost his WWE Champion to Daniel Bryan on the go-home episode of SmackDown before Survivor Series. While Styles had been a great champion, his title run was marred with controversial and screwy finishes.

Styles' WWE career has been nothing short of phenomenal, so far and It is safe to say Styles has had a meteoric rise in the company, the likes of which hadn't been seen in a while. Styles deserves all the praise and adulation that he receives as he has been one the biggest workhorses in the company. But, we think it's time for Styles to turn a new leaf in his WWE career.

Styles has been an integral part of SmackDown ever since the Brand Split returned in 2016. When Styles says that 'SmackDown is the house that AJ Styles built', he isn't lying as the Phenomenal One has been the face of the blue brand for the majority of the period since it went live in 2016.

Styles has openly stated in multiple interviews that he only has a few years left in him as an in-ring performer. While Styles has won the WWE Championship once, he is yet to win the Royal Rumble, an event that he debuted in 2016 and hasn't participated in ever since.

2019 might be the year he finally wins it. Styles is more than deserving to win the Royal Rumble and.go on to challenge the Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 35. Lesnar is the only man that Styles is yet to defeat in the WWE and is the best bet to face the Beast Incarnate at the Showcase of Immortals.

Fans were genuinely upset when the scheduled match between the duo at Survivor Series git scrapped due to Styles dropping the title to Bryan. Fans would love to see a rematch between the duo as their first match was one of the best WWE matches of 2017.