Sami Zayn and Other WWE Stars in Desperate Need of Brand Switch

For all the good of WWE's brand split in its first few months, it is unavoidable that there are a handful of Superstars who would benefit from moving to a different show.

Whether it's Raw to SmackDown or vice versa, WWE must be starting to consider bringing the trade option into its storylines to inject some momentum and significance into some of its characters who are beginning to become underused.

Whether it's tag teams, male stars or even female competitors, there are plenty Superstars on the roster who would get a real push and benefit from a trade.

Here's a look at a few, starting with one of the hottest stars to graduate from NXT, Sami Zayn.

Sami Zayn to SmackDown

Credit: WWE.com

A feud with Braun Strowman appears likely as his push begins to take off following a large number of squash victories, which will at least mean a feud of some importance for Sami Zayn.

But in the weeks since the brand split, one of the most exciting talents on the whole roster—let alone Raw's—has been underused by the company.

A move to SmackDown, where the emphasis is on developing fresh talent and allowing them to thrive in the ring, makes sense for Zayn right now.

His biggest asset is his in-ring work, and if he was moved to the blue brand in a trade, it could be the catalyst for his WWE career to take off.

The one plus of keeping Zayn on Raw initially was that Kevin Owens was there with him, sparking the possibility of their rivalry taking off again in the future. Unfortunately, they're so far apart in terms of their places on the card now that Zayn looks like he'll have to move shows to push into the company's elite bracket.

Natalya to Raw

The women's division on SmackDown has been one of the biggest positives since the brand split, but there are one or two members of that group who have suffered.

The surges of Carmella and Alexa Bliss have naturally challenged the more established female talents who perform Tuesday nights, and it is Natalya who seems to be struggling more than most.

A fine in-ring worker, she has been hindered by a lack of opportunities to develop her character on SmackDown, particularly since her heel turn on Becky Lynch earlier in the year.

A move to Raw may not be the definitive solution, given that Bayley, Charlotte and Sasha Banks reside on that roster, but trades allow new talents to move shows and make huge impacts with the surprise element behind them.

There's still every possibility Natalya could become a great heel in WWE. Unfortunately, her chances on SmackDown look too limited right now.

Neville to SmackDown

Neville being drafted to Raw made plenty of sense because he could have become a pivotal part of the new-look cruiserweight division on the show.

Sin Cara has recently begun to make tentative steps in that direction, but there has been no such move from Neville, which seems strange for a guy who has so much potential.

One of the first real stars to break out of NXT, Neville has not been allowed the opportunity for a real push on the main roster so far.

Much like Sami Zayn before him, a move to a show where the emphasis is placed on wrestling would do him a world of good.

Imagine Neville going on the hunt for a midcard title on SmackDown, especially if a top heel such as The Miz gets the Intercontinental Championship back at some point. He is a ways off from being a main event talent as things currently stand, but trading Neville to SmackDown would at least get his career going in the right direction again.

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows to SmackDown

Credit: WWE.com

Of all the Superstars being held back on Raw, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have to slot in somewhere near the top.

One of the most popular tag teams in the entire world, their arrival in WWE was rightly heralded as a big thing earlier this year. But in a matter of months, WWE writers forced them to adopt lame comedy gimmicks, cutting vignettes with them posing as doctors and mocking The New Day.

Time and time again, they lost to the tag champions, and they've now been replaced by Cesaro and Sheamus at the head of the challengers' queue.

Moving them to SmackDown, where they could link up with their buddy, AJ Styles, would be a great move in a burgeoning tag division on the blue brand.

There are a lot of opportunities for them to progress there and, perhaps more importantly, a real chance to climb the ladder with some teams they could get over fairly easily.

Are they being held back for Finn Balor's return to form The Balor Club in WWE? Perhaps, but right now, it just feels like they're too good to be wasting away doing nothing.