Tonight on Raw, the first Superstar Shake-up is set to begin.
As Mr McMahon announced last week, the WWE needs a bit of freshening up and all Superstars are available to be moved around. We don’t know what the exact format will be, but we are certainly assured of some surprises.
Remember John Cena being picked #1 overall by Raw back in the day? Or Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley having to end the Dudley Boyz tag team after being drafted to different shows? Both are great memories of the draft night in the WWE.
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This year will be no different. Here are 5 twists we can expect in the Superstar Shake-up.
#5 The Revival will move to SmackDown LIVE
With a multitude of NXT stars debuting within the last week, on the surface, it would seem silly to move anyone so early in the game. Take a look at that SmackDown LIVE tag team division though. Leaves a little bit to be desired don’t you think? Enter The Revival.
Dash and Dawson are one of the best tag teams in the world today and the best tag team on the WWE main roster. Even though they debuted on Raw this past week, their future lies on SmackDown LIVE. Why? For one, The Revival adds instant credibility to the division.
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Also, they can elevate and help get American Alpha over. Alpha’s main roster run has been one of the biggest disappointments to date since the brand split. Various reasons have led to that disappointment. A big one is the fact that they haven’t had a viable heel tag team to work with.
The Revival is that team. Not only will that foursome put on great matches, but Dash and Dawson will be able to tell a story good enough to generate the interest and sympathy that American Alpha desperately needs.
#4 The New Day will split up
Since their debut, The New Day ascended quickly to the top of the WWE tag team scene, becoming the longest reigning tag team champions in the company’s history. They’ve worked with all comers and the trio of Big E, Xavier Woods, and Kofi Kingston really found something that clicked.
They were able to tap into their personalities and turn a bad gimmick on the surface into one of the most over acts that the WWE has.
However, all good things must come to end. It’s been obvious within the last four months that New Day has become stale with the audience and the WWE writers, so much so that the WWE featured them strictly as hosts of WrestleMania instead of featuring them in a main program.
Now is the perfect time to make this split. After the run that New Day has had, having Xavier, Big E, and Kofi all turn on each other is a bit nonsensical due to the fact that the New Day character is that of happiness and friendship.
By splitting them up in this Shake-up, they can break up the tag team without ruining what made them great. All three stars will benefit by being rejuvenated creatively and Big E especially could begin that long rumoured singles push.
#3 An NXT Superstar will debut
Many of the rumoured NXT call-ups have already made their debuts on the main roster via the after-WrestleMania Raw and SmackDown LIVE shows. That said, surely the WWE has left an ace up their sleeve to create a big surprise moment on the Superstar Shake-up.
There is plenty of NXT talent to choose from as well. Acts like DIY, Elias Sampson, and Asuka have certainly paid their dues successfully in the developmental system. They are all ready for the main roster, and the Superstar Shake-up is a perfect way to get them on it in a meaningful and memorable way.
#2 AJ Styles will officially turn babyface
We’ve all heard the AJ Styles cheers for months on end now. Even when he was booked as SmackDown’s most villainous heel, Styles was the most cheered Superstar on the roster. The time is now to officially make him a premiere babyface in WWE.
The seeds were planted last week with AJ breaking from his heel character and showing respect to Shane McMahon by shaking his hand in the middle of the ring.
The Raw audience is so used to the status quo of Roman Reigns as the featured babyface that injecting AJ Styles in a surprise fashion, which the Shake-up will allow for, will naturally launch him as a babyface.
The fact that he is on the show to oppose Reigns will be enough to make him the most beloved Superstar in the WWE.
#1 Roman Reigns will remain on Raw
All week long, rumours have pointed to Roman Reigns moving to SmackDown LIVE via the Superstar Shake-up. With John Cena heading out the door to film a movie, SmackDown LIVE is in need of another top tier star on the show. Reigns appeared to be that guy, but not so fast.
He has an incredible amount of unfinished business to attend to on Raw, one of which is Brock Lesnar. Paul Heyman essentially called out Roman Reigns on Brock’s behalf last week so the two will undoubtedly be squaring off in the somewhat near future.
This feud will be taking place on Raw. Not that it needs to, but knowing Vince McMahon, it will.
Lesnar is an attraction that transcends WWE and typically that type of attraction is featured on the Raw show. With that major ball in the air for Reigns, his future remains with the red brand.
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