6 Dream Feuds Ready to Become a Reality After WWE Superstar Shake-Up 2018

WWE's 2018 Superstar Shake-up significantly altered the rosters for Raw and SmackDown Live, and unlike last year, both brands benefited enormously.

At long last, it seems as if the incredible amount of star power in WWE has finally been distributed evenly between the brands.

Although Raw will remain the flagship show with the notable names they held on to, SmackDown will likely return to being the wrestling show due to the many exceptional athletes they recruited in the Shake-up.

What's most exciting about the draft-esque event is the countless dream matches it makes possible. Superstars who have been separated by the brand split over the past year or two can do battle if they wind up on the same show, and the resulting rosters from the Shake-up offer plenty of fresh feuds.

For example, what would happen if AJ Styles went one-on-one with Andrade "Cien" Almas? What sort of magic would ensue if Finn Balor and Drew McIntyre went to war with each other?

The possibilities are endless for dream matches we could see become a reality thanks to the Superstar Shake-up.

The following six fantasy clashes would be must-see events and need to happen at some point over the next year.

Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz

Credit: WWE.com

SmackDown Live basically won in the 2018 Superstar Shake-up as soon as it became apparent the blue brand was keeping Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles in addition to bringing back The Miz.

According to Raw general manager Kurt Angle, Bryan insisted SmackDown GM Paige recruit Miz to Tuesday night to ensure he can give him his comeuppance.

Of course, Bryan and Miz have quite the decorated history. Miz was paired with Bryan as his "pro" for the inaugural season of NXT, and the two have had bad blood with each other since the start.

Lest we forget, Bryan beat The A-Lister to clinch his first piece of gold in WWE, the United States Championship, at Night of Champions in 2010.

However, their rivalry reached an entirely new level when Miz sounded off on the then-retired Bryan on an August 2016 edition of Talking Smack, essentially implying his wrestling style was reckless and was the reason he had to walk away from the ring.

They continued to tease tension for many months thereafter, but nothing came of it due to Bryan not being medically cleared to compete at the time.

Miz went on to evolve into a grade-A heel and win countless championships on Raw and SmackDown Live, though fans anxiously awaited the day he could rekindle his rivalry with Bryan inside the squared circle.

With Bryan able to lace up the boots again and Miz returning to SmackDown thanks to the Shake-up, it's a matter of when, not if, they will wage war again.

Asuka vs. Becky Lynch

Credit: WWE.com

Asuka vs. Becky Lynch was one of the many dream matches fans hoped to see the Japanese bring to life once she arrived on WWE's main roster last year.

After already facing off with Sasha Banks, Bayley and Charlotte Flair, Lynch is the last remaining member of the Four Horsewomen for The Empress of Tomorrow to step into the ring with on WWE TV.

That said, the two spirited competitors have done battle before. They had a one-off match during WWE's tour of Japan two years ago, but footage of the anticipated matchup has never been released by the company to the public.

Although Asuka is no longer undefeated in singles competition, she is still a force to be reckoned with on the blue brand. She and Charlotte will eventually meet in a rematch of their WrestleMania 34 bout, but before then Lynch would be the perfect person for her to prove her mettle against.

The Irish Lass Kicker has been a cornerstone of the blue brand's women's division since its inception and was the inaugural SmackDown Women's champion. However, she has been treading water lately and is in desperate need of a meaningful feud to get her back on track.

No matter who's the heel, or if they're both babyfaces, Asuka and Lynch would bring the best out of each other and deliver an instant classic.

Jason Jordan vs. Chad Gable

Credit: WWE.com

After lighting up NXT's tag team division in the first half of 2016, American Alpha was destined for big things on SmackDown Live upon their move to the main roster.

However, while they did hold the SmackDown Tag Team Championship for a time early in 2017, it never seemed as if they were used to their full potential as a unit.

Additionally, they were split up prematurely when Jason Jordan was revealed to be Kurt Angle's "long-lost son" and switched shows. There was never any real formal breakup between the two, though Chad Gable did exact a measure of revenge by pummeling Jordan when SmackDown invaded Raw in October.

On Raw, Jordan has mixed it up with much of the brand's top talent, including John Cena, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns on multiple occasions, in addition to capturing the Raw Tag Team Championship on Christmas night.

Gable, on the other hand, remained a mainstay in SmackDown's tag team division and wasn't given the chance to showcase his skills as a singles star.

With Gable moving over to Monday nights in the Superstar Shake-up, now is the time to pull the trigger on the long-awaited American Alpha rivalry. Jordan has been out injured for a few months, but once he is cleared to compete, it would only be logical to put him in a program with his former tag team partner.

Not only would their matches be remarkable, they would also show the world what makes them such outstanding athletes and why they deserve to be positioned higher on the card.

The Usos vs. Sheamus and Cesaro

Credit: WWE.com

The Usos have been down since Day 1 of SmackDown Live's tag team division, as they were one of the first two teams drafted to the blue brand in the summer of 2016.

From American Alpha to Breezango to The New Day to Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable, they have beaten virtually every tandem that has come through the Tuesday night program.

However, the same can be said about Sheamus and Cesaro on Raw as well. They formed an incredible alliance when no one expected the former foes to coexist and they have captured the Raw Tag Team Championship a whopping four times as The Bar.

These two teams have been the flag-bearers of tag team wrestling in WWE on their respective brands for years, but it was high time they ended up on the same show.

Sheamus and Cesaro finally made the move to SmackDown in the Superstar Shake-up, leading fans to wonder how long it would be before they crossed paths.

Sheamus and Cesaro did meet The Usos in a battle for brand supremacy at Survivor Series 2017, a match won by The Usos. One would have to imagine The Bar will be out to avenge that loss at the start of their stint on SmackDown, no matter if a championship is on the line or not.

Either way, SmackDown has a stacked tag team division between The Bar, The Usos and everyone else new to the blue brand, but this will be the feud that carries the scene through the remainder of the year.

AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe

Credit: WWE.com

So far on WWE's main roster, Samoa Joe has exceeded all expectations set by fans. Granted, he has yet to hold gold of any kind (aside from the NXT Championship), but his Raw run was spectacular as he picked up a number of notable victories.

Despite being featured as a prominent player on Team Red more often than not, it was necessary for him to jump ship to SmackDown Live to ensure he wasn't going to be overshadowed by Reigns, Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman any longer. On the blue brand, there is no doubt he will be a permanent fixture in the main event scene.

Furthermore, there are so many opponents on SmackDown who Joe has either never faced or hasn't shared the ring with in several years. Leading that list is AJ Styles, a rival The Samoan Submission Machine is extremely familiar with from their days in TNA together.

It was almost impossible for them to have a bad match against each other, and even over a decade later, both men are still at the top of their game. Therefore, Styles vs. Joe is a money match for WWE in 2018, especially if the WWE Championship is at stake.

Styles may have his hands full at the moment with Shinsuke Nakamura, but Joe should be next in line to get a crack at The Phenomenal One's prestigious prize.

Braun Strowman vs. Baron Corbin

Credit: WWE.com

With Big Show, Kane and Mark Henry all nearing the end of their active in-ring careers, WWE has had a shortage of monsters in recent years, though Braun Strowman and Baron Corbin have filled the void quite nicely on Raw and SmackDown Live, respectively.

Strowman is a one-man wrecking crew on the Raw roster who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Meanwhile, Corbin saw his momentum stalled time and again on SmackDown, so a fresh start on Raw is for the best.

Due to the brand split, these two have largely been kept apart. In fact, the only instance where they interacted was in the 2017 Royal Rumble match when Corbin eliminated Strowman by tossing him over the top rope.

A match between Strowman and Corbin likely wouldn't be a barn-burner from an in-ring standpoint, but it could be a spectacle if built up the right way. The Lone Wolf could use a big-time feud to re-establish himself as a dominant force, and thus The Monster Among Men would be an ideal first challenge for him on Raw.

Strowman has wowed audiences with his impressive feats of strength over the years, but this battle of titans would be among his most arduous challenges to date.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.