2019 Superstar Shakeup

[cero2k]

i don't even know if the shake up is officially done, and from reading here and elsewhere, the consensus seems to be a big 'meh' to it (except nwk), but let's try to find the positive side to it.

Are there any new match ups or feuds that you're looking forward?

personally, the prospect of Styles vs Galloway sounds promising, as does Balor vs Bryan. Strowman killing cedric should be a pleasure. Nakamura vs Buddy Murphy too since I never got to see Omega vs Nak.

[KILLdozer]

They literally switched everybody they feature the most, with a few exceptions like Charlotte, and the champions. This is 2009 all over where you had HHH and Edge switch brands while champion.

[cero2k]

They literally switched everybody they feature the most, with a few exceptions like Charlotte, and the champions. This is 2009 all over where you had HHH and Edge switch brands while champion.

not at all, Strowman, Rollis, Galloway, Corbin, Lashley, they all stayed the same. As did new day, bryan, Nak, rusev, orton.

and for that matter, i expect charlotte to move to raw sooner or later

[KILLdozer]

They literally switched everybody they feature the most, with a few exceptions like Charlotte, and the champions. This is 2009 all over where you had HHH and Edge switch brands while champion.

not at all, Strowman, Rollis, Galloway, Corbin, Lashley, they all stayed the same. As did new day, bryan, Nak, rusev, orton.

and for that matter, i expect charlotte to move to raw sooner or later

Ok not every single one...but a large part of they people they've been using for a while prominently. Andrade, Naomi, Usos, AJ, Balor, Ember Moon (before the injury) Bailey, and that's just to name a few. I know that's the point...but it just feels like they've reversed the shows for the most part with the corre faces of the brand sent back and forth.

[KILLdozer]

Elias and The Miz as well...maybe there's not as much to it as it seems to me...but it's mainly the ones they've "been behind", and making sure to use that got moved. Gable to a lesser extent but he's always been on Raw a while now as well.

[Big Red Machine]

You can put me on the "very meh" wagon as well. I guess AJ vs. Rollins would be cool, but that's babyface vs. babyface so they won't do it.

[KILLdozer]

At least I don't have to see Naomi all over the place in forced spots on SD anymore....maybe they'll change her now somewhat..

[Serujuunin]

I am also kind of meh on it, to be honest. I was hopeful for Balor moving to Smackdown because he seems to fit the mold of what the top guys are like on Smackdown vs what RAW is like... But with Roman moving to Smackdown too, I worry that Roman is going to be the perennial top guy on Smackdown and the small guys aren't going to get the chance like they would have before.

I don't like the NXT callups, I don't like them putting Asuka in a tag team, I've already made my thoughts known on the former War Raiders... But why have them beat Aleister and Ricochet at TakeOver, do their callup, and then call them up too just a few weeks later? That doesn't make very much sense to me.

AJ v Rollins is something that I would also love to see, but with where they both are now it doesn't make much sense to make either of them heels. AJ v McIntyre would be super fun for me also.

I think I read somewhere on here that Joe was also quietly drafted, which they would have to do since Balor brought the IC title with him, but why wouldn't you make that obviously known on TV? No one is going to know until they finally decide to have Joe show up on RAW and then the commentators will pull some BS about how he was some big acquisition for RAW when we all know better.

It's a really mixed bag, but I guess we'll see what they pull out of it.

[Big Red Machine]

I am also kind of meh on it, to be honest. I was hopeful for Balor moving to Smackdown because he seems to fit the mold of what the top guys are like on Smackdown vs what RAW is like... But with Roman moving to Smackdown too, I worry that Roman is going to be the perennial top guy on Smackdown and the small guys aren't going to get the chance like they would have before.

I don't like the NXT callups, I don't like them putting Asuka in a tag team, I've already made my thoughts known on the former War Raiders... But why have them beat Aleister and Ricochet at TakeOver, do their callup, and then call them up too just a few weeks later? That doesn't make very much sense to me.

AJ v Rollins is something that I would also love to see, but with where they both are now it doesn't make much sense to make either of them heels. AJ v McIntyre would be super fun for me also.

I think I read somewhere on here that Joe was also quietly drafted, which they would have to do since Balor brought the IC title with him, but why wouldn't you make that obviously known on TV? No one is going to know until they finally decide to have Joe show up on RAW and then the commentators will pull some BS about how he was some big acquisition for RAW when we all know better.

It's a really mixed bag, but I guess we'll see what they pull out of it.

I hadn't thought about AJ vs. Drew. That should rock.

[Serujuunin]

I am also kind of meh on it, to be honest. I was hopeful for Balor moving to Smackdown because he seems to fit the mold of what the top guys are like on Smackdown vs what RAW is like... But with Roman moving to Smackdown too, I worry that Roman is going to be the perennial top guy on Smackdown and the small guys aren't going to get the chance like they would have before.

I don't like the NXT callups, I don't like them putting Asuka in a tag team, I've already made my thoughts known on the former War Raiders... But why have them beat Aleister and Ricochet at TakeOver, do their callup, and then call them up too just a few weeks later? That doesn't make very much sense to me.

AJ v Rollins is something that I would also love to see, but with where they both are now it doesn't make much sense to make either of them heels. AJ v McIntyre would be super fun for me also.

I think I read somewhere on here that Joe was also quietly drafted, which they would have to do since Balor brought the IC title with him, but why wouldn't you make that obviously known on TV? No one is going to know until they finally decide to have Joe show up on RAW and then the commentators will pull some BS about how he was some big acquisition for RAW when we all know better.

It's a really mixed bag, but I guess we'll see what they pull out of it.

I hadn't thought about AJ vs. Drew. That should rock.

DUDE Drew can get a good match out of anyone, I think.

[Bob-O]

In addition by subtraction, I'm not viewing this as "Roman going to Smackdown", I think the bigger story is Roman isn't on Raw. No Roman, no Elias, no Shield stuff, an active champion, and it's looking like Sami Zayn might catch on as an actual top heel. We can be underwhelmed by the potential matchups, which will all most likely be given away on free TV with little or no announcement, but let's not overlook that this show is going to be completely different moving forward - starting with the Strowman/Joe feud that marks the first time I've been excited about Brawn Strowman in a very long time. This is also the first time I can look up and down that roster and not single out any one talent that's at the level of being 100% protected, and there's a great mix of talent and intriguing matchups that are sure to be given away with little to no announcement on weekly television. Raw will be must see for a while, because you never know when they're going to decide tonight's a good night to kill some time with Adrade vs Ricochet. Maybe the moves aren't earth shattering, but the Roman move means that they're actually going to rebuild this roster that's suffered from #cenawinslol to #romanwinslol to #brocksgonnakeepittillsummerslamanywaylol, and it should be fun to watch (recaps of)!

Related/Unrelated, but I get the feeling that they're using AJ as a safety net for Seth. I think they're both going to get a run with the belt and we'll see who the Bread Winner is around Summerslam-ish.

As for Smackdown...

Doesn't matter who's there now, #romanwinslol, that show's fucked.

[Serujuunin]

In addition by subtraction, I'm not viewing this as "Roman going to Smackdown", I think the bigger story is Roman isn't on Raw. No Roman, no Elias, no Shield stuff, an active champion, and it's looking like Sami Zayn might catch on as an actual top heel. We can be underwhelmed by the potential matchups, which will all most likely be given away on free TV with little or no announcement, but let's not overlook that this show is going to be completely different moving forward - starting with the Strowman/Joe feud that marks the first time I've been excited about Brawn Strowman in a very long time. This is also the first time I can look up and down that roster and not single out any one talent that's at the level of being 100% protected, and there's a great mix of talent and intriguing matchups that are sure to be given away with little to no announcement on weekly television. Raw will be must see for a while, because you never know when they're going to decide tonight's a good night to kill some time with Adrade vs Ricochet. Maybe the moves aren't earth shattering, but the Roman move means that they're actually going to rebuild this roster that's suffered from #cenawinslol to #romanwinslol to #brocksgonnakeepittillsummerslamanywaylol, and it should be fun to watch (recaps of)!

I'm gonna pull a Red here, I didn't even think about Ricochet v Andrade, that would be ridiculous.

As for Smackdown...

Doesn't matter who's there now, #romanwinslol, that show's fucked.

Which is why I am sad for Finn...

[cero2k]

Which is why I am sad for Finn...

Finn has defeated Roman before, fear for people like Kofi, Rusev, Nak

[Big Red Machine]

Which is why I am sad for Finn...

Finn has defeated Roman before, fear for people like Kofi, Rusev, Nak

And Dragon and Cesaro.

[cero2k]

And Dragon and Cesaro.

i feel a babyface Dragon can once again derail Roman. Cesaro indeed, but I don't even count him anymore

[Bob-O]

And Dragon and Cesaro.

i feel a babyface Dragon can once again derail Roman. Cesaro indeed, but I don't even count him anymore

Cesaro shouldn't be counted. He's had his chances, he isn't losing anything he has going for him nor was going to have going for him through Roman's existence. Not everyone gets to be champ... but a singles program between the two would have a lot of potential... potential he wouldn't have had without Roman...

I think Dragon should sit right where he's at, as a heat magnet heel. Best work of his career.

The idea they should be going for if they learned anything from Roman or Cena before him, is ways to elevate more than one person to credible major title level without burying literally EVERYBODY else. I feel bad for Finn, I feel bad for Kofi, but I most of all feel bad for Owens who is killing it (imo) in his current role. I think they've learned (lol I know, I know) from their mistake of ruining all the heels on the Raw Brand trying to get Roman where they wanted him, but it's the other babyfaces I fear for. It's this pedestal mentality that's only going to let Finn, Owens, or any babyface get so far (just ask Brawn!)... there should be a group of guys positioned between the secondary title and the world title, 5-ish guys that a US or IC run would feel like a step down for, and it feels like WWE/Vince is terrified that a top 'bracket' is going to get too over and spoil marketing plans.

These are the things they're hopefully figuring out... they've admitted to having no "stars", and they've admitted that it's because they've "damaged everyone beyond repair". Meaning they (should) realize the obvious issues, Roman ruins the heels, and the heels ruin the rest of the roster in an effort to stay credible enough for Roman.

Now that he's on Smackdown, hopefully they view this as not so much a fresh start from a "hey! So and So can work with So and So now!" but more of a fresh start in the mentality they take in developing these guys.

[cero2k]

So apparently Charlotte didn't like being separated from her man and talked WWE into moving a bunch of stuff. Black, Andrade, and Zelina seem to be moving back to Smackdown

[Big Red Machine]

So apparently Charlotte didn't like being separated from her man and talked WWE into moving a bunch of stuff. Black, Andrade, and Zelina seem to be moving back to Smackdown

Is Ricochet moving, too?


Also, f*ck this company for not being able to stick to anything.

[Big Red Machine]

So apparently Charlotte didn't like being separated from her man and talked WWE into moving a bunch of stuff. Black, Andrade, and Zelina seem to be moving back to Smackdown

PWInsider attributes the move to a request from Fox because SD had no Latinos on it (or at least no visibly Latino wrestlers, anyway, as Bayley apparently doesn't count). If this is the case then WWE should have told Fox "don't worry, we'll fix it before the move" so they could have an actual storyline for it.

[Big Red Machine]

PWInsider also says Cesaro has now been moved to Raw, with no word on Sheamus because Sheamus is injured, which means they might not have even made up their mind about him yet.