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Once WWE agreed to a deal to move SmackDown to FOX, it provided a few instances of clarity. It allowed Vince McMahon to put two men in charge of each show, although he'll likely still have the final say on things.
With the XFL relaunching next year, some of his focus will be taken off of the promotion he built into a juggernaut. With Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman in charge of SmackDown and RAW, however, the future of each show is in capable hands.
Having the brands air on separate channels has forced the WWE to make each show have its own rosters. We will no longer have Superstars like Roman Reigns, Becky Lynch and the New Day appearing on both shows in a given week. And with the draft slated to take place on the second episode of SmackDown on FOX (October 11th) and then later on RAW (October 14th) as well, each show will have its identity forged.
During the Superstar Shakeup, the RAW Women's Division was left bereft of any credible challengers to Champion Becky Lynch. Natalya and Naomi joined RAW while Bayley and Ember Moon went to SmackDown.
The Blue Brand's tag team division was also left in shambles due to injuries (The Hardy Boyz, Big E, Sheamus) and loss of teams (The Usos).
A recent photoshoot for a SmackDown featured RAW Superstars The Miz, Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch. If those moves are going to occur, they will not be included here. Neither will The Revival, who logically will be moved to SmackDown since they are the Tag Team Champs of the Blue Brand.
With the draft having such an importance in setting up both shows for the rest of 2019, here are eight moves that the WWE should make.
#8 Carmella to RAW
If anything comes from Carmella stopping Bayley from further attacking Charlotte Flair last week, it will likely take place at Hell in a Cell or an upcoming episode of SmackDown. Bayley called her other friend out in a tweet last week after she defeated Flair at Clash of Champions. Not to be forgotten, 'Mella reminded The Hugger that she has other friends.
Since these two haven't crossed paths in a singles program on the main roster, they'll likely be having a match at HIAC. It takes place before the draft and can give the two women a chance to battle each other.
After that, however, Carmella should be drafted to RAW. She's been on the Blue Brand from the very start of her main roster run and she needs a slight change. While the likes of Natalya and Naomi are also Superstars with whom she's tangled, 'Mella hasn't been around title pictures since losing the SmackDown Live Women's Championship at last year's SummerSlam.
RAW will need some new babyface blood if Lynch moves to SmackDown and if Sasha Banks wins the title.
#7 Bobby Lashley to SmackDown
According to some recent updates, Bobby Lashley is slated to return around the October 14th draft date. He isn't cleared medically as of today, but that hasn't stopped Superstars from being on television. It keeps them in the minds of the fans until they are ready for action.
Lashley's return to the WWE last year was a mixed bag, as he won the Intercontinental Championship but struggled to get the fans behind him.
A partnership with Lio Rush was used to remedy that, but with The Man Of The Hour being a part of NXT now, it's up to The All Mighty to get over on his own. Whether that is as a heel or as a face again is entirely up to Eric Bischoff.
SmackDown is better suited for his talents because it will focus more on in-ring action rather than character-driven storylines. Lashley isn't the best on the mic, so he'd be perfect for a show relying on physicality. He'd also be a good foil for Brock Lesnar should he beat Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship.
#6 Finn Balor to RAW
Finn Balor has had runs on both shows. On RAW, he was a one-day Universal Champ. On SmackDown, he had a lacklustre run holding the Intercontinental Championship. He's still one of the most valuable and talented performers on the roster, so he needs to be kept atop or near the top of the card regardless of which show he joins.
As things currently sit for the rosters, the Blue Brand is full of uber-talented wrestlers at or around 200 pounds. They have Andrade, Ali, Buddy Murphy, Balor, Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston and Chad Gable. While that is usually the bulk of the workhorse roster, they all can't fill the role of "undersized babyface" that is currently being utilized by Gable.
For that reason, and for another huge one, Balor should once more become a member of RAW. The roster needs some scrappy types even if he hasn't had the best of luck in his bids for the Universal Championship.
The huge reason involves this group on Monday Nights called The OC. Balor is actually the creator of The Bullet Club where AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows were all part of He might be turning heel and joining them once the brands officially split. That would be a great move for the WWE and a huge addition to The OC if it comes to fruition.
#5 Ember Moon to RAW
No matter where Ember Moon goes on the main roster, her shots in the spotlight are few and far between. It's not because of her talent because that is not in question. She challenged Bayley at SummerSlam and was unsuccessful in her bid for the SmackDown Women's Championship.
Her matches following that title shot have been short and usually in losing efforts. That is not how she should be used. If WWE needs some new women's tag duos, have her and Sarah Logan form a team. They're both hard-hitting, underused women who need a soft reboot of sorts.
Since she's basically been pushed to the back of the line again and she needs to go back to RAW. If Becky Lynch is returning to the Blue Brand, then the spot of top face will become even harder to achieve for Moon. If Sasha Banks wins the RAW Women's title, then the Red Brand will need some better faces than Natalya. Moon fits that and is ready for a big title run.
#4 AOP to RAW
One of the most unique teams from NXT hasn't really had the chance to dig in on the main roster. They first ditched Paul Ellering and were then paired with Drake Maverick. That partnership did lead to a RAW Tag Team title win, but then they lost the titles and one of the members got injured.
After that, AOP didn't regain much momentum. They're still one of the best monster heel teams on the roster but haven't been used much as of late. That all changed when a vignette aired in which they dressed in suits and spoke in their mother tongues. It gave them a cool and dangerous vibe, especially when they said all they wanted to do was fight and that all of the WWE tag teams were soft.
Since The Revival are joining SmackDown as the new Champs and The New Day are likely to stay put, it means that RAW will have some better options in its division. Dolph Ziggler and Bobby Roode are likely transitional Champions, leaving The OC and the Viking Raiders as the two other main teams on the red brand.
Where The Usos go is up for debate, but they should be kept on RAW so as to keep them away from The Revival and The New Day. Who doesn't want to see AOP and the Viking Raiders go head to head in a prolonged title feud on Monday Nights?
#3 Asuka to RAW
Strangely enough, Asuka's first taste of main roster gold didn't happen on the first show to which she belonged. She initially joined RAW and won the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble. That win allowed her to pick her title match at WrestleMania and she chose Charlotte Flair.
We all know that she lost in that bid for a title, but fast forward nearly nine months and she ended up winning the SmackDown Women's title at last year's TLC PPV. It was as the third competitor in Triple-Threat title match that also involved Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, but it was still nice to see Asuka finally win a title.
Once she lost that title, however, she's been sparingly used. Her pairing with the debuting Kairi Sane was supposed to be a jolt to her prospects. Once it became apparent that the booking for the ladies tag titles wasn't going to be that great, however, it lessened the importance of the pairing.
The best way to give Asuka a much-deserved reboot is to ship her back to RAW. She can either be another face to challenge Banks or turn heel at some point. But with Flair, Lynch and Bayley likely to be members of the Blue Brand, any chance for Asuka to ascend the ladder again is unlikely. A fresh start on RAW should rejuvenate her.
#2 Drew McIntyre to SmackDown
If you told me that Drew McIntyre would have only won a tag team title in his year and a half return to RAW, then I'd be shocked. He's literally everything that bookers love in a top star - as he is a gifted wrestler and a good talker on the mic as well. So why hasn't he at the very least captured a mid-card title?
The whole "Shane McMahon - Best in the World" storyline greatly devalued McIntyre, almost putting him on par with the types of booking usually reserved for pre-Fiend Bray Wyatt and Samoa Joe. He'll be a dangerous challenger and constant thorn in a face's side but will never reach the next level of major Champion.
He's battled Braun Strowman, Balor, Seth Rollins and the smaller guys on RAW like Cedric Alexander and Ricochet plenty of times. In order to give him a boost that he more than deserves, he needs to be a part of SmackDown. He'd give the title scene a boost and could provide a particular Beast Incarnate with a great match at WrestleMania 36 should the WWE Championship leave Kofi Kingston's waist.
#1 Daniel Bryan to RAW
As mentioned earlier in the slide show, SmackDown has an overabundance of plucky, undersized workhorses. Most of them are faces, and if Bryan doesn't turn out to be the orchestrator of the attacks on Roman Reigns, then he's likely joining the good guys again.
For that reason, and the fact that he's already won the WWE title, he should get shipped to RAW. He and Seth Rollins could either ally or face each other and if Balor also gets moved to RAW, The Architect will need some allies in order to battle The OC. It would also be a good storyline when/if Balor turned on them and joined the OC.
Bryan has primarily been on SmackDown since the brand split and the other person synonymous with the Blue Brand - AJ Styles - joined RAW during the Superstar Shake Up.
The Planet's Champion is likely better suited for SmackDown due to it being more focused on in-ring action, but his potential for feuds or matches on RAW are just as tantalizing. Who doesn't want to see him face the likes of Ricochet, Cesaro, Cedric Alexander or The Fiend? If the Fiend wins the Universal Championship, he'll need some big-name challengers not named Seth Rollins.
Bryan would be perfect for that spot and he'd also add at least one guaranteed great match per RAW if Monday Nights are going to get a little more weird with paternity storylines and puppet shows.
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