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Since the WWE first split its roster in half in 2002 between Raw and SmackDown, drafts and Superstar Shakeups have served to redistribute talent between the two shows, set up fresh stories and offer new opportunities to underutilized performers.
That process has taken several years, but since the second time in 2016, the post-WrestleMania Superstar has had a fresh start for a new year of WWE.
Over the course of two days, WWE stars will move between Raw and SmackDown (and in some cases, from NXT and other WWE brands) to a new home. The first night of some heavy hitters The first night of the night – from The Miz at the beginning of AJ Styles to close all out, and everything in between.
Here's How Night 1 of the Superstar Shakeup played out.
The Miz
WWE did not take long to get the night's action underway, as The Miz moved from SmackDown Live to Raw. It's a move that makes sense, and should not be that surprising. As The Miz moved shows in every single Superstar Shakeup to date, Shane McMahon and the story that culminated at WrestleMania 35. Miz got a few shots in on McMahon for good measure in the moments after he ran to the ring, and being on Raw shouldn 't be much of an adjustment.
As far as whom he could face, the options are plentiful. Miz, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley would have been more than happy to meet you, but a freshly returned Sami Zayn might be the most compelling opponent out of the gate. Something just feels right about Miz, one of the WWE's most visible presence in mainstream media and a star on the USA Network (via "Miz & Mrs."), returning to the WWE's flagship program.
The Viking Experience
Narrowing down the past, Ivar (previously Hanson) and Erik (previously Rowe) joining the Raw Roster is still likely to net positive. Ivar and Erik are incredibly versatile big men. They got the win, alongside The Revival, over Aleister Black, Ricochet and tag team champions Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder.
If Ivar and Erik are really close to the history of Vikings and are not nearly as problematic. There are a lot of horror stories of NXT call-ups going sideways, but if they're strong as a platform, they can be a part of a revitalized tag team division in a hurry.
The trainer cruiserweight champion hopes to follow in the footsteps of Ali by making a big splash after leaving. He had taken a backseat of late to a rising cruiserweights like Buddy Murphy and Tony Nese, so now is a good time for a change of scenery. A matchup with the likes of a Chad Gable could showcase the best of what both guys have to offer, while a bigger opponent like Baron Corbin might be a good jumping off point.
Judges?
: 100 :: 100 :: 100:#raW #SuperstarShakeUp @AndradeCienWWE pic.twitter.com/9h1RA8KVxy
– WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2019
Andrade
After putting together some of the best matches of the last year on SmackDown opposite Rey Mysterio and a variety of other opponents, Andrade makes a move to Monday nights. A start win against Finn Balor is a big deal in and of itself, and it's the perfect way to show fans everything he's capable of. His mix of Lucha Libre is a high-flying contender, and in the interim, an Intercontinental championship rivalry with Balor is a great place to start. Zelina Vega is also a valuable piece of the puzzle as a mouthpiece, heat magnet and valuable distraction in key matches.
Rey Mysterio
WrestleMania 35 was a rough night for Mysterio, who lost in abrupt fashion to Samoa Joe. For at least 1 hour Monday, Mysterio also lost his top rival on SmackDown, Andrade, until he, too, moved to Raw. A change of pace was well in the ring with Lars Sullivan on Monday night was not quite welcome. Rey's got a couple of years left in wrestling, by his estimation, and it's mixing it up with some of the smaller stars on the raw roster like the newly acquired Cedric Alexander or bigger guys like Corbin Baron, Mysterio still has something to give WWE and its fans.
So #raW just became the #OneAndOnly show you need to watch! ? https://t.co/IBTNj3n0NT
– The One And Only! (@KingRicochet) April 16, 2019
Ricochet & Aleister Black
Though it has been made abundantly clear on commentary, Ricochet and Aleister Black have officially joined the Raw roster, as long as Ricochet's tweet is as clear as it sounds. When Black and Ricochet were first paired up, the two diametrically opposed subjects seemed like a strange fit, to say the least. Whether it's their combined charisma or complementary in-ring styles, the pairing has been broken into a hurry and has not even been discussed. Alongside the newly rebranded "Viking Experience," this could be a sign that Raw's tag team is back on the rise.
Despite the spoiler from the graphics department, The Usos joining Monday Night is one another boost to the Raw Tag Team Division. Some might just be happy that we will not be getting any more combinations of the Bar / New Day / The Usos for the foreseeable future, but the Usos have proved time and again that they are given the spotlight, they thrive. Their performance at WrestleMania 35 ounces again proved they are among the best tag teams in the world. They may be the ideal team to play the role of Ryder and Hawkins and re-establish themselves as true villains – a role they thrived in.
The prospect of The Usos Against The Viking Experience is a straight-up tag team match against Aleister Black and Ricochet, is just what the wrestling in WWE.
Naomi
Naomi, a two-time women's champion, has been on SmackDown since the 2016 edition. Just as the Raw Tag Team Division got a complete overhaul in the Superstar Shakeup, this could be a strong move towards reshaping the women's division on Raw. With the big overarching story of Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Ronda Rousey overshadowing the rest of the Raw and SmackDown women's rosters over the past few months, getting the right balance between the two shows will be paramount. Naomi could find tremendous matchups against the likes of Ruby Riott and Ember Moon, or Sasha Banks or Bayley – the latter with which she was second to none The IIconics in her first match on Raw.
EC3
Monday night was something of mixed bag for EC3. After a few months, EC3 is officially a member of the Raw roster, but his welcome came in the form of a brutal mauling at the hands of Braun Strowman. It's going to take some time to get off to a good start, but it's going to be a good time, but it's going to be a good time. right.
The proper move here would be to peer EC3 with his pre-WWE compatriot Drake Maverick and have Drake build EC3 back up from scratch. The one thing working in EC3's is not possible anymore.
Eric Young
Every ounce in a while WWE will break up a tag team just to prove that "anything can happen" with a Superstar Shakeup – everyone remembered when Bubba Ray and D-Von were sent to different shows? But separating Eric Young and essentially scuttling SAnitY by just dropping him onto the end of the graphic is peak afterthought action. Since moving from NXT, SAnitY has been made to be a part of the world, and has never been a part of WWE TV. Tearing Nikki Crossing out of the group was a rush of the chaotic heart out of them, and not appearing on TV for a time was indicative of where they stood on the totem pole.
Young, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe are all individually talented, but only Young should have something to contribute, but without a dramatic shift in character or opportunity, it is hard to see much upside.
Lacey Evans
Lacey Evans was plucked from NXT and directly into conflict with the newly crowned Raw and SmackDown women's champion, Becky Lynch. After a couple of weeks on Raw and SmackDown, Evans attacked Lynch twice and then finally made his roster early Monday against Natalya. There's no doubting Evans' character and how far she's come in that look, but she's still working to polish up her in-ring repertoire to catch up to a similar level. Her springboard has been visually impressive, but it also seems like a rough landing.
It's clear that Evans has some big fans in high places in WWE, but she'll have a lot to prove in a high-pressure situation against Lynch as she lives for the Raw Women's Championships very early on in her hand roster tenure.
Since making his WWE debut in 2016, Styles has made the most of every opportunity. Almost all of that success has come as a member of the SmackDown roster, with that show often described as "House that AJ Styles built." He became a two-time WWE champion, with career-defining rivalries against John Cena, Dean Ambrose and Shinsuke Nakamura and epic matches against Brock Lesnar, Finn Balor, Daniel Bryan and many others. Styles became the longest-reigning WWE champion in SmackDown history.
But all good things must come to an end, and the opportunities on Monday Night Raw for Styles seem endless. A Universal championship rivalry with Seth Rollins would be a tremendous way to carry over the summer, or even as next year's WrestleMania comes around. If Finn Balor lives on Raw, they could renew tensions with the common history of a certain "club." If Roman Reigns stays on Raw, he and Styles could revisit a rivalry they had after they went face-to-face in the 2016 Royal Rumble. McIntyre Styles and Drew could absolutely tear it up and elevate both men in a heartbeat.
Most importantly, Styles are one of the most visible centers of the WWE in this moment. He was on the cover of WWE 2K19 and had an entire marketing campaign built around Styles playing a lucky winner for $ 1 million. Though Styles was found in his early days in the world, Styles has found his niche and connects with WWE audiences worldwide. Aj Styles shirts and how many AJ styles T-shirts There are in the crowd to know how valuable to a member of the roster Styles has become.
He's one of the centerpieces of this version of the Superstar Shakeup and there's no reason to believe he will not thrive in a new environment. It's going to take a tremendous move in the opposite direction Tuesday night to come close to the impact that Styles' move made on Monday.
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