5 WWE Superstars who should switch brands in the 2019 Superstar Shake-Up

When the WWE announced their second brand extension in 2016, the entire landscape of the company changed.

No longer could Superstars hop from one show to the other, now they were locked, with SmackDown LIVE also going live, similar to Monday Night RAW.

This massive change has certainly paid off for the company, allowing more Superstars to be featured, as well as making SmackDown a lot more interesting, as fans could've easily looked up spoilers before.

But some Superstars have not fared well in the Brand Extension, with the annual Superstar Shake-Ups allowing for men and women from RAW to jump to SmackDown Live and vice versa, hoping for some better matches from brand new opponents.

The Shake-Up has become a yearly tradition, with the 2019 Shake-Up expected not long after WrestleMania 35.

Here are five WWE Superstars who should switch brands in the WWE 2019 Superstar Shake-Up.

#5 RAW to SmackDown Live: Bobby Lashley

Lashley first debuted in WWE in 2005, on SmackDown.

When Bobby Lashley returned to the WWE in 2018, there were high hopes for the former ECW Champion.

But despite impressive showings on Monday Nights, Lashley has yet to capture any gold, and despite a recent heel turn, has now stuck in the mid-card.

A move to SmackDown Live in 2019 could be exactly what the Powerhouse needs, and could lead to some very entertaining feuds.

Fans of his will recall his amazing main event run in Impact Wrestling, which saw the former Army ranger capture all the titles in the company.

Pushing Lashley as the top heel on SmackDown would be fantastic, as he would definitely be hateable, being a giant amongst a show which has focussed on smaller, more technical stars (AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Andrade 'Cien' Almas etc.)

#4 From SmackDown Live to RAW: The Usos

The Usos have done it all on SmackDown Live.

One of, if not the, longest tenuring tag-teams in WWE today, The Usos have dominated SmackDown since Day One (Ish!).

But despite being a huge success on the show, the team of Jimmy and Jey have gotten rather stale, as they've seemingly faced every team on the show, countless times.

Multiple time Tag Champions, The Usos have done it all for the Blue Brand, and a move to RAW could be exactly what they need.

Perhaps they could even bring Naomi, the real-life wife of Jimmy Uso, who similarly, has been successful on SmackDown, but has fallen down the company's totem pole.

Perhaps the biggest error by the company is having the Usos and the New Day on the same show, as whilst both are entertaining, it leaves a clear vacuum on the Red show.

#3 From RAW to SmackDown Live: Zack Ryder

Ryder has struggled to get airtime since moving to RAW.

Now, some of our younger readers may not remember, but yes, there was a time where the WWE cared about Zack Ryder.

In a brief window from 2011-2012, Ryder was even one of the company's biggest stars, winning the US Championship, and featuring in storylines with John Cena.

But that was a long time ago, and nowadays, Ryder struggles to get airtime, despite being listed as a RAW superstar.

Moving to SmackDown Live could frankly save Ryder from being future-endeavored, as the show has given chances to plenty of forgotten stars.

Moving to the alleged B-Show, could even allow the Woo Woo Woo Warrior to recapture the star-spangled title, currently held by Shinuke Nakamura.

Having Ryder defeat the New Japan star would be a huge victory for the Figure collector, whose now mostly used on WWE's YouTube channel.

#2 From SmackDown Live to RAW: AJ Styles

A change of scenery could be just what the Phenomenal One needs.

Much like The Usos, AJ Styles has been one of SmackDown Live's most loyal stars, being a fixture of the show since the Brand Extension of 2016.

A two-time WWE Champion, Styles has competed with the best of the Blue brand, including Shinsuke Nakamura, Samoa Joe, Rusev and Daniel Bryan.

Moving to the RAW brand in 2019 could be risky, as there's always the chance of Styles getting lost in the shuffle, but we feel that the Phenomenal One has the talent to make it work.

On RAW, Styles could feud with so many more stars, including Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Elias, and Braun Strowman.

That last one would even make for an excellent Universal Title feud, if the company decides to give the Monster Among Men the title in 2019.

#1 From RAW to SmackDown Live: Finn Balor

Balor could reunite with Gallows and Anderson if moved to SmackDown.

When Finn Balor joined the main roster as part of the 2016 Brand Extension, hopes were high.

Balor had carried NXT as their champion in arguably the brand's peak and was the longest reigning NXT Champion, a record that still stands today.

And whilst Balor was pushed at the start, becoming the inaugural Universal Champion, an injury forced him to quickly vacate, with the Irishman not getting even close to the gold since.

Moving to the Blue brand, therefore, could be the best choice for Balor, with SmackDown offering opportunities to several Superstars that RAW didn't, e.g. Jinder Mahal.

On SmackDown, Balor could even reunite with his Club brothers, Gallows and Anderson, and form an unstoppable trio, as either a face or more interestingly, if the company decided to turn him heel.