As all of you saw, WWE just completed its annual Superstar Shake-up, and there were some interesting moves. There were a lot, but I’ll be grading each individual move based on what each guy can bring to the roster. Let’s get right into it, starting with the red brand.
RAW
Jinder Mahal
RAW opened with former United States Champion Jinder Mahal demanding to be treated like Brock Lesnar. He subsequently lost his title to Jeff Hardy. No Way Jose came backstage which may be foreshadowing his next feud. That pretty much is in line with what Jinder was doing before he abruptly became a main eventer for six months. The former WWE Champion will have WWE’s mainstream names to contend with if he wants to make a name for himself. Unfortunately, Jinder’s style has yet to change, and he will do no better on RAW than he did on Smackdown. He’s still bland, his promos are still packaged in unoriginal fashion, and he didn’t address any need RAW may have, unfortunately. But at least 3MB can reunite now. All about them silver linings.
Grade: C-
Baron Corbin
Much like Jinder, Baron Corbin won’t make RAW any better because he himself hasn’t shown any improvement since the 1st draft either. We’ve been hearing for months on end that WWE has huge plans for Corbin, but those plans haven’t amounted to anything but a disappointment. If there are main event plans in store for Corbin, he’ll be working with the likes of Rollins, Balor, and Reigns, and they are in a completely different class than him. Corbin’s performance on Smackdown doesn’t inspire confidence that his tenure on WWE’s premiere show will bear any fruit, but again, those reports of him having big plans because of something Vince apparently sees in him haven’t quieted down. Maybe that bald spot in his hair is blinding Vince because I don’t see it.
Grade: C-
Bobby Roode
Bobby Roode especially has disappointed since his main roster call-up, but it isn’t because he’s not a good worker. It’s because, for some bizarre reason, WWE turned Roode into a guy you’re supposed to cheer for. When he first made his NXT debut, what made him so popular was not only his theme song but his arrogance. He had entire choruses singing for him. He came out in luminescent robes. But best of all? He was a self-loathing egomaniac, and that’s how we love our heels. All of a sudden, when he’s brought to Smackdown, he’s smiling and we’re supposed to be cheering for him now. Everything about his gimmick says that he should be an arrogant heel. If he turns heel, as he should, then his run may be a success. If he remains a face, he’s just a guy that will have people sing his theme song and react mildly to him.
Grade: C+
Dolph Ziggler and Drew McyIntyre
They debuted together, and I’m not sure if they are going to be a tag team or not, but since they appeared as a pair, I’ll grade them as a pair. I love Drew as a heel. He has the look, he has the moveset and he has the aura around him. Ziggler also has the cockiness that can compliment his style well if they are a tag team. Since they combined their finishers, I think that’s what they will be. I think Ziggler needed a change of scenery (though I’m sure we’ve said that thousands of times about him before), and he wasn’t going to go anywhere on Smackdown. At the very worst, Ziggler’s still a serviceable worker with street cred and Drew enjoyed some success in NXT. If they are booked right, I think they can be a valuable asset to the RAW tag team division. If they are separate singles wrestlers, they still can be used effectively to a better extent than guys like Corbin and Mahal from what I’ve seen.
Grade: B-
The Duckling (Riott) Squad
The Riott Squad haven’t really done anything to separate themselves, and they are pretty much what Absolution was on RAW, meaning their role won’t change and they are just doing what was being done before. I think there’s a better chance that Ruby becomes RAW Women’s Champion on the red brand than on the blue brand with Charlotte and Asuka occupying the top spots. , and maybe if they are booked well they can be of value to the RAW Women’s Division, but I’m not sure how they will do anything that Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville weren’t already doing before them.
Grade: C+
Bobby Lashley
Bobby is someone that has enjoyed great success since leaving WWE in both mixed martial arts and TNA, and he looks the part as well. He’s been rumored to be feuding with Brock over the Universal Championship, and he’s probably one of the only guys on the roster that can go toe to toe with Brock. What he may lack for in promos he makes up for in athleticism and strength. If he’s not used as a main eventer, he’s a serviceable mid-carder as he was in his first WWE stint. I think the versatility that he brings to the table can help RAW a good deal.
Grade: B+
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
It’ll be so refreshing to see Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn be involved in something that doesn’t involve Shane McMahon for a change, but for the sake of both of their careers, I think they desperately need to find a way to separate these two and allow them to blossom on their own. Unless they are going to be a permanent tag team, they won’t be looked as anything more than what they are, and this goes double for Sami, considering that he has STILL yet to win a championship since coming over to the main roster. That said, if you remove all of that and erase Shane McMahon from their memories, they are two of WWE’s best performers, and them being on RAW can only be looked at as a plus. However, I’m still trying to recover from the amount of Roman/Kevin matches I saw on RAW in 2016/2017, so let’s keep them away from each other, yes?
Grade: B+
Ember Moon
Ember is dynamite in my opinion, and I think she is going to do a great job in getting herself used to the main roster. She has a distinct look, she can easily separate herself from the rest of the RAW Women’s roster, and she’s an uncanny ring worker. Her run in NXT speaks for herself and there’s no doubt in my mind that she’s going to be an asset to the RAW Women’s Division. She’ll also have no problem getting over with the crowd because I think she works a style that promotes engagement and anticipation. I’m highly looking forward to seeing what she can do with the likes of some of her former NXT alumni such as Banks, Bayley and Bliss.
Grade: A-
Authors of Pain
The Authors of Pain getting called up was a long-time coming, and with the losses The Bar and Gallows/Anderson, AOP is a good way to cushion the blow. The only thing I didn’t like about this move was how quickly they abandoned Paul Ellering. There wasn’t any real build up to it, and it sort of just happened. I’m not sure how they would function on their own without a manager, but I’m interested to see how they can do without them. They give the RAW Tag team division some grit and strength. Maybe they and The Revival can work some of the magic they had in NXT.
Chad Gable
I actually think is an underrated, under-the-radar move from WWE here. Chad Gable may not have done much on Smackdown, but before, he was showing glimpses of being one of WWE’s top in-ring performers if given the time, and the RAW roster has more than a few serviceable people he can work with as an undercard guy. I desperately hope he’s not paired up with Jason Jordan when he returns from his injury. As a matter of fact, I think that should be his first major singles feud when he comes back.
Grade: B-
Mojo Rawley
I thought WWE was going for something with Mojo with his heel turn and I think he was showing some promise, but ultimately it appeared as though that my optimism was unfounded as he quickly got lost in the Smackdown shuffle and is seldom seen on television anymore. And if he wasn’t on Smackdown consistently before the Shake-up, you can imagine how concerned I am how he’s going to find time on RAW to do anything meaningful with the number of names on there. And it’s a shame because he really is a hard worker.
Grade: C-
Natalya
Thought it was a bit of a random move but then when you realize that she was a big part of helping Ronda Rousey get acclimated to the WWE style. She’ll no doubt be Ronda’s first major singles feud, and while Natalya has been saddled with some bad gimmicks over the years, she’s still one of WWE’s most reliable female workers. She’ll be up for the challenge of helping Ronda get over in her first feud and I know for a fact that she can work with any other women on the RAW roster.
Grade: B
The Ascension
The Ascension has been one of the stars on Smackdown that have been there since the 1st draft in 2016, and they didn’t win the SD Tag Titles. SO needless to say, I don’t think they will be winning the RAW Tag Titles any time soon. They aren’t really meant to be taken seriously and since they didn’t do anything in their years on Smackdown, it won’t change on RAW as presently constructed.
Grade: D+
Breezango
Breezango have served their role well with what they’ve been provided with, and they already made an impact by pinning Cesaro and Sheamus (albeit inexplicably) on their first night. I’m not sure if their luck will change on RAW, but they certainly are in a better place than other tag teams who aren’t doing anything, and hey, they can say they pinned the former RAW Tag Champs. The Revival can’t say that.
Grade: C-
Zack Ryder
Not much to say here other than the fact that RAW’s backstage comedy segments have been sort of lacking as of late. I guess he can fill that role.
Grade: D
Mike Kanellis
LOL, wait this guy is still here?
Grade: F
Now, onto the blue brand.
Smackdown LIVE
Jeff Hardy
The question here was whether Jeff Hardy would keep the US Title on RAW or if Seth Rollins would bring the Intercontinental Championship back to Smackdown, and ultimately, I think for the sake of balance for both brands, they made the right decision. Jeff is obviously past his prime, but he has proven that he is still a serviceable worker that can work in any form. I’m kind of sad we won’t be seeing any interaction with him and Matt/Bray, but on his own, Jeff is still an enigma of a performer that still electrifies the crowd at a moment’s notice. The only thing I need now from him is to bring back the “No More Words” theme now that it looks like he’s a singles performer once again.
Grade: B+
Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe is exactly the kind of guy that Smackdown needs. An enforcer, monster heel that can talk shit and back that up in the ring. When you think about it, since the first draft in 2016, the major heels that have represented the blue brand over the years have been AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Jinder Mahal and I guess if you want to stretch it, Baron Corbin. Samoa Joe has a ruthless aggression about him that will make for compelling feuds on Smackdown and I was thinking one of him or Strowman would get the call to Smackdown LIVE. Joe can do it all. He can work in the ring, he can cut a promo and play the role of a badass heel to a perfect tee. Overall, I couldn’t think of a better person to bring over from the RAW brand to Smackdown, and since the blue brand has been devoid of true top-tier names for quite a while, this was a step in the right direction.
Grade: A
The Miz
The Miz was one of the stalwarts of Smackdown back in 2016 and one of the reasons why more people were speaking fondly of Smackdown more than RAW. Not to mention, his feud with Dolph Ziggler that year was great as well. It goes without saying that The Miz has ascended to being one of WWE’s top workers in the business overall. We all know that he can the promos, we all know that he is a serviceable ring worker, and we all know, most importantly, that he has proven to WWE that he can be reliable. The Miz can succeed on any level, whether that’s putting other stars over or making titles look and feel important. Him being on the blue brand is what is best for business because he was a big part of helping make it what it was in the first place. I’m glad to see that he will be going back to doing the fabulous work that he was doing before. Him not bringing the Miztourage with him will probably make his star shine through even more.
Grade: A
Big Cass
Cass making his return on the blue brand was probably the right call as well. Before his untimely ACL injury, he was involved in feuds with The Big Show and Enzo Amore, and neither feud was propelling him everywhere. As we can see, he’s already looking to make a big impact by feuding with the returning Daniel Bryan, and I love the dynamic of him working with a smaller guy that will force him to work a different kind of pace. Cass at the very least looks the part and is another big guy that could potentially deliver on promises, just probably not to the extent of Joe. Regardless, he’s another serviceable worker that will do SD well in my opinion. I actually think he could potentially be what Baron Corbin was supposed to be for Smackdown originally.
Grade: B+
Andrade “Cien” Almas
Are you freaking kidding me? Smackdown also gets arguably NXT’s best performer of the past year? Celmas has worked his ass off to improve his craft, and Zelina has done a magnificent job in being the perfect heel manager for him. Of course, I don’t expect him to be immediately thrust in the main event as he’ll probably start in the main-card, but his style and in-ring acumen can give Smackdown the shot in the arm that they may need down in the mid-card. Once he starts to get working with some of WWE’s top stars, the possibilities are endless and I shudder to think what Almas’ ceiling may be on Smackdown. He’s a great worker, I love his style, and he’s meant for Smackdown, not to be lost in the shuffle on RAW.
Grade: A-
sAnity
Another surprising move to me, but something that will provide substance to Smackdown. I’ll be honest in saying that I haven’t been following sAnity as often as I would have liked on NXT, but I’ve been a fan of how they worked when they were down there. Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe bring fresh, young blood to the Smackdown tag division and Eric Young is another serviceable mid-carder that will have no issue in finding people to work compelling programs with. I’m not sure if he’ll get to main event status or even if he’ll hold a title, but he’s still a new body to the Smackdown roster that brings a different kind of energy. Of course, the NXT aura never hurts.
Grade: B
The Bar
Cesaro and Sheamus have carried the RAW Tag Team Division on their backs for the past year and they defeated everybody that was put in front of them with the exception of Strowman and a 5th grader. Bottom line is there was probably no reason to continue to have them on RAW anymore. Smackdown’s tag team division was borderline anemic and Cesaro/Sheamus working with different teams is exactly what they need. More importantly, what Smackdown needed to do was have more tag teams in the Smackdown division that are actually legit contenders for the titles and not just pairs that get a paycheck by staying in catering week after week. The Bar is coming to Smackdown, and I couldn’t think of a better case scenario for the SD Tag Division.
Grade: A
Gallows and Anderson
Unfortunately, my fears about Gallows and Anderson were confirmed as they faltered on the RAW roster by themselves without AJ Styles to be their middleman. A reunion is bound to happen at some point, but again, the Smackdown Tag Division needed new faces of any kind, and Gallows and Anderson are at least former tag champs, so it’s not like they don’t have any credibility. There isn’t anything special about the duo, but they are workers that can be relied upon, so that’s a plus for the tag division on Smackdown. And if AJ Styles gets back involved with them and we get some Bullet Club action going again, nothing’s out their grasp.
Grade: C+
Asuka
Not really a surprise since she did challenge Charlotte to begin with, so best believe they are probably saving the inevitable rematch between the two, probably at Summerslam. That said, Asuka going to Smackdown was the logical move. Much like Cesaro and Sheamus in their division, Asuka defeated everybody there was to beat on RAW, and there was no reason to stay there. Now, she can go and do the same thing on Smackdown for a good while. The only thing I hope Asuka gets is more competition. Charlotte and Becky are two of the top female workers in the industry and I’d like to see what Asuka can do with the two of them. She needs new blood to test her, and it’ll be interesting to see what the new women she’ll be facing will bring out of her.
Grade: A-
The Iconics
Much like sAnity, I haven’t been following Royce and Kay a lot, but they are different at least. I’ll be honest with you in saying that I don’t like their promos or how they’ve been working so far, but maybe their style has been pilfered since being called up to the main roster and I should watch some of their NXT matches. I don’t know, but since they are additions to the Smackdown women’s roster, that’s a plus in of itself. Here’s to hoping they can grow while they get their main roster run.
Grade: C
Absolution
Just like with the Riott Squad, they have essentially traded spots with each other in what they intended to do before, and I anticipate that Absolution are just going back to gangbanging the faces of Smackdown and making their presence felt everywhere they go. I have liked the work of Rose and Deville so far, and I think they are adapting without Paige. The key here is how they plan to separate themselves and eventually get into title contention. There’s only so long the group attacks are going to get over. Eventually, they will have to individualize themselves, but I think they have the talent to get there.
Grade: B-
Overall, what a two days. I think it should also go without saying that Smackdown kicked RAW’s ass here. Smackdown was in need of changes in the worst way to remove the stain of monotony that has been plaguing them for so long, but Smackdown feels fresh, energetic and new for the first time since their 1st episode after the brand split. No more nonsensical backstage bickering between Bryan and Shane week after week. No more of Kevin and Sami doing or saying something to Shane week after week.No more of Jinder, Corbin, and Roode coming out but doing nothing of value. We got new faces, Daniel Bryan is back, Styles is still WWE Champion, Nakamura is a heel, and we got new faces that can lead to intriguing matchups.
As for RAW, they certainly downgraded losing Joe and Miz and they got replaced by guys that were making Smackdown a snooze fest. What’s worse is that now they are on the 3-hour show. I think guys like Balor, Strowman, Reigns, and Rollins will take the responsibility of carrying the show to offset some of the negatives, but if the booking is done right, the net gains can outweigh the net losses. Both RAW and Smackdown were reset shows this week. Let’s hope that this is the refresher that both shows required. Until next time.
