Dean Ambrose, Alexa Bliss and Biggest Winners, Losers from Raw, SmackDown Trades
The Superstar Shake-up started with a bang on Raw last night, as some of SmackDown's biggest names headed to WWE's flagship product.
Intercontinental champion Dean Ambrose and The Miz kicked off the festivities, showing that the WWE meant business in turning over its rosters.
Following Raw on Monday night, here's a rundown of the new faces fans will see on the red brand:
- Apollo Crews
- The Miz and Maryse
- Dean Ambrose
- Curtis Hawkins
- Bray Wyatt
- Kalisto
- Health Slater & Rhyno
- Alexa Bliss
- Mickie James
In addition, former NXT Superstar Elias Sampson, who lost against Kassius Ohno in a "Loser Leaves NXT" match last month, was drifting throughout the Nassau Coliseum Monday night but was not officially announced as a member of the Raw roster.
With night one of the Superstar Shake-up in the books, and additional fireworks likely on SmackDown, we want to know: Who are the biggest winners and losers after the first night of WWE's Superstar Shake-up?
Winner: Dean Ambrose
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Dean Ambrose on Raw seems like a perfect fit: On a show that has lacked consistent electricity, Ambrose brings uncertainty and charisma to the flagship product.
A main event-caliber Superstar headlining the midcard on SmackDown, Ambrose can shift between roles on Raw. On one night, Ambrose can challenge the up-and-comers and bring along new talents. The next night, Ambrose can do battle with headliners like Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and anyone else in the main event scene.
Why the switch, one may ask? Ambrose carried SmackDown since last year's brand split draft, coming onto the new live show as its inaugural champion before giving way to AJ Styles. From there, he dethroned The Miz as intercontinental champion, a title that follows him to Raw.
That is the other reason this move is a winner: On SmackDown, there wasn't enough of a midcard to make the IC title relevant anymore. Thanks to The Miz's reigns, anyone who was a contender was disposed of. Ambrose defeated the only other potential contender, Baron Corbin, cleanly at WrestleMania 33.
The title needed to change shows to create new intrigue. That means Ambrose followed suit, which made this a win-win for Raw fans
Loser: Apollo Crews
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Hours before Raw went live, WWE announced the first piece in the Superstar Shakeup: Apollo Crews.
The news was met with rolling eyes rather than ohs and ahs. That the announcement was made prior to the start of the show, in a backstage segment, only shows how much of an afterthought he is on the main roster.
As B/R's own Ryan Dilbert tweeted, Crews' future with WWE may be best served by taking a step back:
"Apollo Crews to Raw isn't the answer. Crews heading back to NXT and some honest-to-God character development is.
— Ryan Dilbert (@ryandilbert) April 10, 2017"
Crews' promotion to the main roster was surprising, considering he had spent less than a year in NXT following his signing. During his run in development, Crews showcased the athleticism that made crowds in DragonGate and Evolve salivate, but he never developed beyond his big-smiled, happy-to-be-here persona.
B/R's Joseph Zucker correctly writes that sending Crews back to NXT could be rejuvenating, much as it was for Emma in 2015. With so many NXT stars now being promoted, the main event scene in development could use a big name to bolster the brand, while allowing Crews additional screen time to flesh out a character—face or heel—that can connect with fans.
Instead, Crews heads to a Raw roster filled with main event-level talent, so much that the former WWE Universal Champion (Kevin Owens) holds the show's secondary title. The biggest question is: If Crews couldn't get over on SmackDown, a show where seemingly every Superstar has been able to flourish, how will he get over on a program that hasn't had the same success as its blue-brand brethern?
Winner: Bray Wyatt
3 of 6Bray Wyatt's arrival on Raw seems like the perfect landing spot for The Eater of Worlds, and his introduction on Monday was a wonderful set up to what can be an exciting feud with Finn Balor.
First, the departure from SmackDown Live made sense: Wyatt had been to the mountaintop, albeit for a short time, and won not one, but two championships since the brand split. If you're counting at home, that's two more than he had won in his previous four-plus years on the main roster.
His feud with Randy Orton seemingly stalled after a clean loss and what appears to be a rushed House of Horrors match (a match no one seems to know what it will entail, including the WWE) slated for WWE Payback later this month. Another clean loss to Orton is likely, meaning Wyatt would have nothing and no one to realistically battle on the SmackDown roster.
Moving to Raw, however, opens a new group of entrants who can benefit from working with a storyteller the likes of Wyatt. The WWE can explore the dynamic between Braun Strowman and Wyatt, the darkness that could be an Owens-Wyatt feud, or have The Eater of Worlds prey upon someone like Sami Zayn. A Broken Matt Hardy-Wyatt storyline would also be a lot of fun, so long as the gimmick can finally follow Hardy to the WWE.
But for his first foray back on Raw, WWE set up a tantilizing matchup: Finn Balor. Wyatt vs. Balor would be a fun match in the ring, and it would be a spectacle for their entrances at any pay-per-view event.
Loser: Alexa Bliss
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Make no mistake: Adding Alexa Bliss to the Raw women's division is a huge get for the red brand. There isn't a Superstar in that division who can hang with Little Miss Bliss on the microphone, as she's the perfect blend of cocky and sassy, delivering her lines with such gusto that she oozes disdain for her opponents.
But while the move is great for the Raw brand, the same cannot be said for Bliss, who relished in the lead role on SmackDown and will find such main event opportunities more difficult to come by from here on out.
Understanding that the Raw women's division will undoubtedly lose one, if not two marquee names come Tuesday, Bliss will still have to compete for time among whoever remains of Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax and Charlotte, not to mention a returning Emma and (potentially) Paige.
On SmackDown, Bliss was the unquestioned main eventer, the woman who raised the game of everyone on the roster. She wrestled everyone up and down the roster, as well, which made for more unique matchups than what Raw is accustomed to seeing.
One of the main complaints about the WWE's women's divisions has been their construction: increasingly top-heavy on main eventers and no lower-tiered Superstars to flesh out the Raw women's division, while on SmackDown, the problem (if one could call it that) was the apparent evenness of its roster.
Now, Bliss—SmackDown's biggest star—heads to a top-heavy Raw. Bliss' opportunities are sure to dwindle.
Winner: Kalisto
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When Kalisto was drafted to SmackDown Live last year, a lot of people wondered the reason for splitting the company's most dynamic wrestler from the cruiserweight division, where the luchador would flourish.
The answer? There wasn't one. In his short time on SmackDown, Kalisto has found no footing, has been of no significance, and hasn't been on TV since February's Battle Royal to determine the No. 1 contender to face then-WWE world champion Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 33.
Now with a move to Raw, Kalisto can become a regular part of the cruiserweight division and an anchor for 205 Live. Much like Neville's return to a more natural setting, Kalisto can help right the ship that is the faltering cruiserweight division.
Neville's return and the addition of Austin Aries, as well as the teased TJ Perkins heel turn on Monday night, prove good things are happening in the division. However, there's still little character development from the rest of the roster for fans to care on a week-by-week basis.
A veteran like Kalisto, who was one of the more popular Superstars during his run as United States champion, can only help, and he gives guys like Noam Dar, Tony Nese, Rich Swann and Akira Tozawa another presence to work with and learn from.
Loser: SmackDown Live
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First, the good news: SmackDown Live will come back on Tuesday night and have its own surprises and new Superstars to call its own, and the WWE Universe will talk about all the great matchups those changes will produce.
Now for the reality: Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan lost a lot of top talent that made SmackDown Live what it is today.
The brand's first WWE world champion and its current intercontinental titleholder is gone, as is another former IC champion. A former SmackDown women's champion is no longer with the blue brand, as are the show's first tag team champs. A former world title holder and tag team champ is also gone.
Moreso than the accolades that Dean Ambrose, The Miz, Alexa Bliss, Rhyno and Health Slater, and Bray Wyatt garnered in their time on SmackDown, these Superstars helped SmackDown create the identity it has. Gritty, opportunistic and charismatic.
It's no wonder these were the names who switched brands. Raw has lacked that sort of personality on a week in, week out basis. Its formulaic nature stifles such grandiose acts, while SmackDown was more a free-flowing show with the additional outlet of Talking Smack to advance characters.
It appears the WWE is trying to tap into that personality and bring more life to its flagship brand. While SmackDown is sure to get some great names on the blue brand, it feels like the SmackDown brand got the short end of this one, as the show's identity seems a little lost now.
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