WWE.com
SmackDown Live edged the WWE Superstar Shakeup, which has set the table for a host of fresh, exciting rivalries on Tuesday nights.
The WWE Superstar Shakeup produced an interesting two nights of shows. It saw talents switch between Raw and SmackDown, making for a big roster shuffle after WrestleMania 33.
When Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt and The Miz arrived on Raw last Monday night, one worried for how much SmackDown might lose. Gone also was two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss.
There was no reason to fear, however. Kevin Owens’ arrival to kickoff SmackDown set the tone, and he would be joined by Sami Zayn, Charlotte Flair and The New Day. They didn’t lose AJ Styles or John Cena, and also added Shinsuke Nakamura and Tye Dillinger from NXT.
The Superstar Shakeup saw the Intercontinental and United States Championships switch brands, but the future of the WWE Championship depends on the Payback meeting of Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt.
What new rivalries can we look forward to on Tuesday nights? Here’s five that could happen at some point down the line.
WWE.com
Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles
Assuming Kevin Owens defeats Chris Jericho at Payback in little over two weeks, we’ll get to see this match unfold for the United States Championship, after Styles became No. 1 contender on SmackDown Live. It’s a feud that should be really be reserved for the WWE title, but we’ll likely see it, even if only briefly, in the near future.
Styles appears to be transitioning to a babyface, while Owens sported a new look following his arrival on SmackDown last week. With a suit and blue tie, KO is set to take over the role as the brand’s top heel, a spot Styles held down prior to WrestleMania.
Owens has moved on from his comedic act with Jericho, closer resembling his meaner, edgier character of old. Styles gets cheered everywhere he goes, and returning to good guy status was inevitable.
In John Cena’s absence, these are the two biggest stars on SmackDown Live, and pitting them together could act as Tuesday night’s headline act, whether for the WWE or US Championship.
WWE.com
Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch
Shane McMahon wasn’t wrong when he called Charlotte the biggest acquisition made by either brand during the Superstar Shakeup.
The main benefit of moving The Queen to Tuesday nights is the potential rivalries it sets up. Since the WWE Draft last July, Charlotte had faced Sasha Banks and/or Bayley in each of her pay-per-view matches. Now we get to see a host of fresh feuds, and none would be bigger than reuniting with Becky Lynch.
Lynch was separated from the other three members of the Four Horsewomen when she was drafted to Smackdown Live, and now for the first time can renew her rivalry with former friend Charlotte.
Lynch and Charlotte have a rich history. They were promoted to the main roster from NXT together, and along with Paige formed Team PCB. It was Charlotte who later turned her back on Lynch, before going onto defeat The Irish Lass Kicker at both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 32.
Renewing this rivalry would be money, but it shouldn’t be rushed. Charlotte should challenge Naomi for the SmackDown Women’s Championship initially. Somewhere down the line, Charlotte and Becky will come face-to-face, and we’ll finally see the next chapter of this rivalry.
WWE.com
The New Day vs. The Usos
SmackDown’s tag team division needed a jolt of life. The New Day, meanwhile, required a change of scenery. Looks like The Usos may have the next challengers for their championships.
After seeing off American Alpha last week, The Usos need a legitimate threat for the tag titles. Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods held the Raw Tag Team Championship for a record 484 days but have been out of the title scene for some time.
Not only can both of these teams put on strong matches, but they can also talk a good game on the mic. The New Day’s arrival on SmackDown may force more of the spotlight onto the tag team division, which is good news for The Usos.
The division remains thin, but this move ensures we have a feud to look forward to. And this beats seeing rematches of The Usos and American Alpha, as entertaining as those matches were.
The New Day to Tuesday nights makes a whole lotta sense, and they are the next logical challengers for the titles.
WWE.com
Sami Zayn vs. Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler has been somewhat lost in the shuffle of late, while Sami Zayn suffered much of the same fate on Raw, prompting a move to Team Blue.
Not only could these two tear the house down in the ring, they could also put together an entertaining program leading up to it. Zayn is billed as the underdog, but has the opportunity to become one of the top stars on SmackDown. Combining him with the cocky character of Ziggler would make for an intriguing story.
Ziggler appears to be the first competition for Shinsuke Nakamura, but it’s unlikely their feud will go on longer than a few weeks. Zayn can spend this time establishing himself on the SmackDown roster, having been part of an excellent triple threat match with AJ Styles and Baron Corbin last week.
The key is to keep Zayn away from Kevin Owens for the time being, and pairing him with Ziggler might be exactly what he and The Show Off need to earn a regular spot on the mid-card and set the foundations for a promising future.
WWE.com
Rusev vs. Randy Orton
Moving Rusev to SmackDown was a good decision. He’s currently on the shelf with an injury, but when healthy has the opportunity to become the dominant force of old.
Had he stayed on Raw, Rusev could easily have been lost in the shuffle. There’s a number of giants like Braun Strowman, Big Show and Brock Lesnar. Competing with those other stars on an already-crowded show didn’t bode well for The Bulgarian Brute. He’s all alone on Tuesday nights, and can finally go back to dominating.
To add some legitimacy to his role, a feud with Randy Orton would make sense. This likely wouldn’t be for the WWE Championship, at least not yet, so Orton would need to drop the title elsewhere. But taking on the 13-time World Champion could help elevate him up the card.
Next: Women's division benefits most from Superstar Shakeup
Rusev has the potential to become a top-tier talent on SmackDown, and a feud with Orton could set him on his way to a potential championship run.