4 Replacements for Roman Reigns if he leaves WWE SmackDown
WWE has made a lot of big moves in the past several months. SmackDown, which was on the FOX Network for five years, moved to the USA Network. Meanwhile, NXT left the USA Network after five years and has moved to The CW.
Monday Night RAW has and will undergo some changes too. The show was cut from three hours to just two hours, albeit temporarily. In January, RAW will likely return to the three-hour format and will stream on Netflix.
There will be some major changes when RAW does move to streaming. One of the rumored changes involves Roman Reigns. The former world champion will allegedly be making his way to the red brand, leaving SmackDown after being part of the show for half a decade.
Naturally, Roman leaving the blue brand will leave a major void on the show and he will surely need to be replaced with other talent. This article will take a look at four possible replacements for the OTC if he does indeed move from SmackDown to RAW come January.
#4 Drew McIntyre has been absent from television
Drew McIntyre is a dominant and imposing WWE star. He towers above most of his opponents, but he is also surprisingly quick and agile. The Scotsman is a former world champion, so he has proven to be incredibly successful.
McIntyre hasn't been seen in several weeks. His last WWE appearance came at Bad Blood in early October. At that event, the former world champion lost a grueling and bloody fight with CM Punk.
The Scottish Warrior could remain away from television for two more months and make his big return once Roman Reigns moves to RAW. While he's a heel, Drew is a big star and could help to fill the void created by The Original Tribal Chief's departure.
#3 Seth Rollins wants nothing to do with Roman Reigns anyway
Seth Rollins is another fantastic WWE star who has had a lot of success in the promotion. He is a multi-time world champion and has also headlined WrestleMania.
The Visionary is currently feuding with Bronson Reed on WWE Monday Night RAW. Despite that, he was recently approached by Sami Zayn, with The Underdog From The Underground wanting Rollins to help the OG Bloodline at Survivor Series: WarGames.
Not only did Rollins reject the offer, but he flat-out stated he would never team up with Roman again. As a result, if Reigns is coming to RAW, he might simply go to SmackDown to avoid his long-time friend and enemy. Distance may be the best choice for both men. Otherwise, they may fight endlessly on the red brand.
#2 Sami Zayn could be a top babyface on WWE SmackDown
Sami Zayn is one of the best and most likable wrestlers in the world. He is a former WWE Intercontinental and NXT Champion. Additionally, Zayn has headlined WrestleMania alongside Kevin Owens.
The Underdog From The Underground has a complicated history with Roman Reigns. The two have recently reunited as the OG Bloodline alongside Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso on WWE SmackDown, but Sami remains a RAW star.
There is little question that Sami Zayn is a beloved babyface. If World Wrestling Entertainment officials and Triple H feel that they need a popular star who fans can rally behind as Roman's replacement, there are few better choices than Sami. The audience loves him, so he might be the best option for that reason alone.
#1 Gunther could move to SmackDown if Cody Rhodes goes to RAW with Roman
Gunther is one of the most dominant champions in WWE history. He is the reigning World Heavyweight Champion, but he also had record-breaking title runs with both the United Kingdom Championship and the Intercontinental Title. Now, The Ring General rules Monday Night RAW.
There has been some speculation about Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes moving to RAW alongside Roman Reigns. While that isn't official by any means, it would leave an even bigger void on SmackDown.
If Cody were to leave alongside Roman, it would mean SmackDown would be left without a world title. Gunther switching brands could be the best way to solve the problem. He has the unbeatable champion vibe that Roman had during his title run.