Former WWE Champion leaving RAW for SmackDown - Reports

The WWE Universe is buzzing in a major way tonight. Rumors and speculation are running rampant with the first SmackDown of 2025 airing live, and the RAW Netflix era kicking off in less than four days. After leaked reports on several of Triple H's changes in the works, sources are now revealing how one big roster change is set to be a part of the company's latest shake-up. This reportedly involves The Scottish Warrior, Drew McIntyre.

SmackDown is moving to a three-hour format with tonight's episode, airing live from the Footprint Center in Phoenix. A backstage update from earlier revealed how Drew McIntyre and other RAW Superstars were backstage for the first blue brand show of 2025. Sources reported then that both main roster brands are set to feature some of each other's talents for a while, but officials also planned to have certain superstars make more of a permanent switch between the two rosters.

The Scottish Psychopath is among the superstars that have appeared on both shows as of late due to their storylines, but a new update from PWInsider revealed how McIntyre is expected to make a full-time move to SmackDown. This has been the word going around among other talents in the company over the last week or so.

McIntyre's expected permanent brand change is said to be a part of the latest internal roster shake-up, with officials re-shuffling the brands now that all new media rights deals, or TV deals, have officially kicked in. SmackDown is moving to three hours on the USA Network, and the report noted how it made perfect sense that they would want one of their top talents on the show. The roster move is not official as of this pre-SmackDown writing, but it has been a steady discussion backstage at recent RAW and SmackDown events.

Logan Paul was previously announced as moving from SmackDown to RAW, while Braun Strowman made the jump from Monday nights. Cody Rhodes is still on the SmackDown roster but is expected to appear on RAW more moving forward as Netflix reportedly wants the Undisputed WWE Champion on their shows. There continues to be an increase in talk about superstars making crossover appearances, and WWE doing more storylines across both shows.

WWE has announced the following for tonight's loaded episode of SmackDown: DIY defend the WWE Tag Team Championship vs. The Motor City Machine Guns, United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Andrade in a non-title match, Nia Jax defends the WWE Women's Championship vs. Naomi, plus The Usos and Sami Zayn vs. Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga in the main event.