Big WWE Roster Changes Coming After WrestleMania 33?

Raw and SmackDown could be set for a reshuffle.

by Andy H Murray
wwe draft
WWE.com

Raw and SmackDown's talent rosters have remained reasonably stable since the 2016 WWE Draft.

Jack Swagger has moved from Mondays to Tuesdays, The Undertaker has become a brand-less free agent, and a few new faces have shown up, but aside from that, the groups have been settled since July.

That could all be about to change, however. According to Dave Meltzer on a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE are considering making some big roster trades between Raw and SmackDown, though there's no word on which wrestlers might be shifting brands.

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The brand split has been a success for WWE (and SmackDown in particular), but this news should be welcomed. A number of wrestlers are still struggling to find their place in WWE despite the reshuffle, and a change of scenery could be exactly what wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler and Rusev need to get ahead.

The split has has only been in effect for seven months, so it's unlikely that WWE will tear everything down and start from scratch. Still, a few trades could work wonders for SmackDown's threadbare midcard and Raw's struggling main event scene, and with WrestleMania traditionally acting as WWE's season finale, the timing is perfect.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.