With the report that the WWE Draft is coming this summer, many fans breathed a collective sigh of relief. Both WWE RAW and SmackDown need some fresh faces; the red brand, in particular, has felt stale for months. Thankfully, the draft is an easy way to shake things up heading into the fall.
With that in mind, here’s a look at a few moves that could benefit WWE by placing some of its top-stars in new places.
Street Profits to RAW
WWE RAW often feels like a chore these days. The show doesn’t tend to feel fun anymore; repetitive matches and head-scratching booking continue to derail WWE’s flagship show. The red brand needs some electricity, and though moving the Street Profits to the program wouldn’t fix the aforementioned problems, they could at least add some levity.
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins can effortlessly add some buzz to any segment on any given day; in hindsight, though their initial role as the hypemen for RAW wasn’t ideal, at least the duo made various matches and developments feel actually important. That’d be a big step up from the current state of the show. Plus, Ford and Dawkins could boost RAW’s tag team division; on paper, they could put on some dynamic matches with AJ Styles & Omos and R-K-Bro.
Asuka to SmackDown
Like some other names on this list, Asuka needs a change of scenery. Though she held the WWE RAW Women’s Championship for a year across two reigns, her run with the title was fairly lackluster. That’s not a knock on Asuka; she rarely got the chance to face credible opponents who had been built up as legitimate threats to her titles.
Since Rhea Ripley’s call-up and Charlotte Flair’s returned, Asuka has gotten lost in the shuffle. It’s unclear exactly how she would fit in SmackDown, but given the blue brand’s need for another big-name star in the women’s division, she should be better off on the blue brand.
Kevin Owens to RAW
If Kevin Owens stays on WWE SmackDown, he could get trapped in a potentially dull time loop. The former Universal Champion has already engaged in lengthy feuds with SmackDown’s top heels, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Plus, he’s currently locked into a program with Apollo Crews and a continuation of his never-ending feud with Sami Zayn. Beyond these opponents, the options on SmackDown seem fairly slim.
By switching brands, Owens would gain access to several fresh adversaries. Clashes with AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton, Riddle and Sheamus, among others, could reinvigorate Owens’ career and add more star power to the red brand.
Shayna Baszler to SmackDown
Shayna Baszler needs to leave WWE RAW, plain and simple. For months, her booking on the red brand has been questionable, if not downright disappointing. From getting pinned by Reginald to suffering bizarre leg cramps mid-match, these creative decisions have essentially neutered the former NXT Women’s Champion who had initially been built up as a dominant player on WWE RAW.
It’s not too late to salvage Baszler’s run on the main roster. But she desperately needs a fresh coat of paint because it would give her the chance to start over. Moving to WWE SmackDown would give Baszler the chance to face stars like Bianca Belair, Bayley and, at some point, Sasha Banks. These match-ups could easily remind fans that Baszler is still a force to be reckoned with.
John Morrison To SmackDown
Maybe more than anything else, WWE needs change. Breaking up The Miz and John Morrison could be an easy way to shake things up. While USA Network might want to keep “The A-Lister” on WWE RAW for promotional purposes, Morrison could easily slide over to SmackDown and get an overdue singles run.
When he returned to WWE, many fans wanted to see what today’s version of Morrison could offer as an individual star, but he didn’t get the chance to prove himself. Shortly after he came back to the company, he quickly reunited with The Miz. Even after the former WWE Champion got eaten by zombies, Morrison still couldn’t escape this team. But the draft is an easy way to send Morrison on his own way, and he could easily thrive on the blue brand, either as a heel or as a face.
Mandy Rose to SmackDown
The latest round of releases depleted the women’s division, particularly on the WWE SmackDown side of the equation. The blue brand is down to seven active female competitors, and two of them split time with WWE RAW because they hold the tag titles. There’s not a perfect way to fix this issue, as the depth across both brands is lacking. But SmackDown needs help, and Mandy Rose could be the answer.
Rose’s return to SmackDown could open the door for another chapter in her romance with Otis, which never got the ending it deserved. The draft could also pair Rose and her partner, Dana Brooke together in order to prevent another loss in the tag team division.
