WWE: 3 major swaps that need to happen in the draft
By Brett Grega
Ahead of the WWE draft, there’s some big moves WWE should consider making in order to fully capitalize on all the talent Raw and SmackDown could feature.
The WWE Draft kicks off on the October 11th edition of Friday Night SmackDown.
With the direction of WWE’s big debut on Fox at stake, this draft might be the most important we’ve ever seen. The superstars who land on Friday Night SmackDown are going to be the ones who shape this crucial period for WWE, potentially becoming even bigger stars than they already are in the process.
Meanwhile, Monday Night Raw will continue to have to fill 3 hours of TV time with solid stories, and compelling matches.
After the debacle that was the Hell in a Cell main event, WWE’s ability to do that on Raw is now more in question than ever.
In short, this draft needs to reassure fans that Raw is must-see TV, and not just a showcase for Tyson Fury and marital infidelity.
With all that in mind, there are some swaps WWE can make to ensure that each brand reaches its goals. Here are 3 transactions that WWE should make to optimize both Raw and SmackDown.
3. AJ Styles with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (The O.C.) to SmackDown and Shinsuke Nakamura to Raw
It may be somewhat a given at this point, but we need yet another draft that swaps the midcard titleholders onto different brands.
The reasoning for this, in part, can’t be more simple. There was a point in time not too long ago when AJ Styles would declare that SmackDown is the house that he built.
As anyone who watched SmackDown could attest, it was an incredible popular catchphrase. Fans would frequently shout along with Styles, and whole feuds were built around it.
In other words, having AJ Styles on Raw when SmackDown is perhaps under it’s brightest spotlight ever would be a travesty. Add to that the fact that he and his O.C. compatriots have been treading water on Raw for some time now, and it makes the whole decision fairly easy.
It’s not like Raw won’t get a suitable replacement for Styles either, as we all know Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the best wrestlers in WWE. His run with the company has recently been rejuvenated by his partnership with Sami Zayn, whose frequently irritating rants have been the perfect compliment to Nakamura’s villainy.
All of this is without even mentioning the fact that Zayn is an incredible wrestler in his own right, who would just so happen to be virtually stranded on Raw if Nakamura didn’t swap brands.
Pairing Zayn with Shinsuke Nakamura on the same brand should be a necessity in order to capitalize on both of their abilities, similar to how Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows should continue to be paired with their phenomenal leader for any potential brand change.
Basically, at the end of the day, that means this is a virtually even trade that simply puts AJ Styles back on the show he should have never left to begin with, while simultaneously ensuring the ongoing partnership between Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura can continue.
Sounds like a good deal if you ask me.