5 WWE Draft moves that need to happen
By Ryan Satin
FOX Sports WWE Analyst
With the WWE Draft starting this week on Friday Night SmackDown, here are five moves I believe need to occur the most.
The stars of Raw and SmackDown will be up for grabs in a two-night draft starting this Friday and continuing next Monday. As usual, the WWE Draft allows for the rosters to even out a little and gives Superstars who might be in a rut the opportunity to hopefully flourish on a new night.
Both rosters are stacked right now – which means there are plenty of options to choose from – but these stood out to me as the top five choices who'd gain the most from a change of scenery.
#5. Ricochet to SmackDown
It’s time to stop using Ricochet sporadically on RAW.
The 32 year-old Superstar is a one-of-a-kind performer whose value needs to be maximized with a significant push on SmackDown.
Each time Ricochet is in the ring, he’s wow’ing audiences. He did it before signing with WWE, he did it in NXT and he does it now whenever given a chance. His recent feud with John Morrison and The Miz also showed how innovative he can be outside of the ring too.
Even his mic work, which some critics like to call out as one of his weak spots, has proven to draw interest in his matches – as evidenced by his series with Mustafa Ali on Main Event which they hyped themselves via social media.
There's no reason to hold him back anymore. Let the man fly.
#4. Finn Bálor to RAW
Since returning to the main roster, Balor has largely been playing his hits from the past (the smiling, "The Demon," etc).
What Balor needs, though, is a return to the tweener character he was successfully playing in NXT these past few years – especially after losing to Roman Reigns at Extreme Rules. It would be beneficial for Balor to quickly transition away from that awkward finish with a move to Raw as a heel who targets Damian Priest and the United States title.
The two Superstars had success in NXT against each other and Balor eventually holding a secondary title for a little while would be good for him. Then, if that run is successful, he can hopefully move back to the main event where he belongs.
#3. Shayna Baszler to SmackDown
Baszler’s recent social media posts, as well her match on Raw last week, indicate a singles push could be on the horizon.
Personally, I’d like to see it happen on SmackDown. Baszler has been stuck in a tag team for far too long. A move to a new brand with a dedicated push there would do her well.
She’s one of the toughest people on the roster and someone who could actually beat most of her opponents in a shoot fight. That attitude would work better on SmackDown, which is geared more towards a sports-based product, rather than some of the theatrics she’s been involved in on Monday nights.
#2. Apollo Crews to RAW
Since losing the Intercontinental Championship, Apollo has had trouble regaining momentum. Moving to RAW and possibly being built up as a future opponent for Big E’s WWE title could change that.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘Ryan, we already saw them do that match to death. We don’t need it again.’ In my opinion, however, this feud could be a lot better if more story were injected.
The problem last time was that the two performers repeated the same match over and over again for no real reason, rather than engaging the audience with a developing story. If that were to change, they could have a money program against one another.
#1. Hit Row to Raw or SmackDown
Hit Row are connecting with the audience on multiple levels right now. Bringing Isiah ‘Swerve’ Scott, Top Dolla, Ashante "Thee" Adonis and B-Fab to Raw or SmackDown while the act is hot would be wise.
Swerve could bolster the US title scene on Raw or the IC title scene on SmackDown if given the opportunity. Top Dolla and Ashante would be a good fit for either brand’s tag division, too.
And while B-Fab still only has a handful of matches to her name, she makes up for it in star presence, so the company shouldn’t wait to pull the trigger on their move because of that.
The group can also play heel or babyface depending on what is needed of them on either brand, so there’s no use in keeping them in NXT for much longer. They’d be more valuable elsewhere.
Ryan Satin is a WWE analyst for FOX Sports. Satin previously appeared on FS1's "WWE Backstage" and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet, where he broke countless news stories as editor-in-chief. You can follow him on Twitter @RyanSatin.
