WWE Superstar Shake-up: 4 pairs of superstars that must be on different brands
With the Superstar Shake-up beginning in less than a day, WWE likely has its plans ready for who goes where. Ever since Vince McMahon decided to shake things up in December, there has been a lot of moving between brands.
A bunch of talent was called up from NXT, but they have all done next to nothing and did not even get assigned a brand. The next two days should fix that. Also, Aleister Black and Ricochet have been teaming on Raw, SmackDown, and even NXT for almost two months now. So that will also be settled during the Superstar Shake-up.
Every bit of uncertainty should be solved during Raw and SmackDown, with the fans getting a clear picture of the direction WWE is going for the coming months at the very least. With a roster so bulked and talented, WWE really cannot go wrong.
Both brands will need to have a certain amount of star power, while NXT is also in the mix. How involved will they be in the Superstar Shake-up? With so many questions about the futures of various WWE Superstars, there are a couple of pairings that must either be separated or remain away from each other. The reasons may vary, but the intentions meet.
Here are four pairs of WWE acts that must be on different brands following the 2019 Superstar Shake-up.
#4 Samoa Joe and Finn Balor
Samoa Joe is the current United States Champion and Finn Balor is the current Intercontinental Champion, both in perfect roles for themselves. This boosts the credibility of both mid-card titles and would eventually create newer stars on the main roster.
For that very reason, WWE should not book any one of them to drop their titles this week. It is a distinct possibility, as Jinder Mahal lost his US title on the night he brought it over to Raw so that Jeff Hardy could keep it on SmackDown.
Joe is most in danger of losing his title, as a feud between himself and Braun Strowman was teased on this past SmackDown. Joe could suffer the same fate as Mahal if he moves to Raw and immediately loses the US title to Strowman, who then moves to SmackDown.
While that would be a fine way to rebuild the Monster Among Men, it would be in WWE's best interests to keep the US Championship on the big Samoan. He is the only main roster champion to retain his title over the entire WrestleMania week and deserves to hold it on for longer.
That would mean him and Finn Balor remaining on separate brands, whether they stay put or simply switch shows with each other. It is a possible surprise.