10 Huge WWE Superstar Shake-up Predictions To Revitalise Raw
Red Or Dead
Much in the same way it's sometimes hard to miss people until they actually f*ck off for a bit, WWE's Brand Extension only has value when the two sides actually properly part company.
Less and less of this has happened in 2018, and the trend is to continue with the return of dual-brand monthly pay-per-views joining collaborative efforts such as the Mixed Match Challenge and the three Royal Rumble matches that will have taken place in four months by the time 27 April's Saudi Arabia supercard has concluded.
A financial call if not a creative one, the reasoning for bringing the brands back together has sound front-of-house logic that betrays a shaky foundation. Whilst WWE could ape New Japan Pro Wrestling's model of overstuffing the back-end of the card with tag matches propping up three or four headline singles attractions, they won't.
Each show will contain a multitude of secondary and tertiary title matches and a minimum of one headline strap scrap. Spaces will again be limited and television wrestlers will again fall from the face of the Earth without creative cliff-edges to cling to in between profiled programmes.
To this end, both rosters require an assemblage diverse enough to proffer weekly feuds worthy of the substantially-more-valuable minutes. It's a key time for the company too. SmackDown Live! requires lifebuoys (and girls) so not to drown completely, whilst Raw thankfully could just do with a fresh infusion to stop the show treading water.
10. Rusev (W/ Aiden English)
Pinned at WrestleMania and booked as an afterthought in the post-supercard SmackDown Live!, 'The Bulgarian Brute' wasn't afforded even one Happy Rusev Day during his New Orleans long weekend, and though he'll feature prominently in Saudi Arabia's Greatest Royal Rumble, a Casket Match loss looks likely against part-time pallbearer The Undertaker.
All burial jokes aside, the company seem to be giving with one hand and taking with another, propping Rusev up as king of the midcard to satiate the huge response his gimmick receives without committing to his push in a way that will actually satisfy the deep affection for him as a performer.
A move to Raw might possibly remove the logjam, not least if the former United States Champion isn't stuck getting booked into a corner by blue brand boss Road Dogg. Rusev's proven a competent opponent for Roman Reigns in previous angles, but has a raft of new heels to work with if the organisation show willing with his incredible babyface momentum. WWE not splitting up his partnership with Aiden English (as they have with both Lana and Jinder Mahal in the past) is of vital importance too.