WWE Chairman/CEO/Head Lunatic Vince McMahon returned to television on Monday, mostly to appoint, as expected, Kurt Angle, as Raw's new GM, but also to announce a "superstar shakeup", which is a buzz-phrase for opening up the rosters for trades. No, there won't be a draft---yet, but trading should've already started. Blame it on McMahon and his current creative cretins on Raw, because they're not supposed to remember things from the past any more than the viewers are supposed to. As usual, McMahon misreads and misunderstands his audience.
But, enough about that.
With Commissioner Stephanie McMahon on spring break, selling the first tabling of her career at Wrestlemania, her insane pops had to return, hopefully just for the one night. Angle has been a GM before, over on Smackdown for 3 months in 2004, but, as with his predecessor, Mick Foley, here's a chance for Angle to start with a clean slate. I had warned in this space that this wasn't a good idea to plug Angle in here, given his history with Stephanie & Triple H, but that's Vince for you. Let's consider who should be moved.
Trade proposal #1: Sami Zayn to Smackdown Live! for Dolph Ziggler.
Ziggler's been treading water on Smackdown of late, regardless of whether he's been a face or heel. Zayn has been a punching bag for Braun Strowman and Kevin Owens since arriving on Raw. With Foley gone, Zayn really hasn't anyone to be an advocate for him to earn a better opportunity, and opportunity is what the Tuesday show is all about.
Trade proposal #2: The Miz & Maryse to Raw for Seth Rollins.
Maryse came out of retirement for perhaps just the one match at Wrestlemania, but Daniel Bryan would be hot enough to send her & Miz packing, and with Rollins headed the other way, it would bring a Shield reunion one step closer. Bear in mind that the trades would be protracted over a period of weeks, in all likelihood, allowing time for Stephanie to return to negotiate something with big brother Shane, as she would be the one to trigger Rollins' departure from Raw.
Trade proposal #3: The New Day & the Golden Truth to Smackdown for Breezango, Mojo Rawley, the rights to Zack Ryder (keeping the Hype Bros together), and Aiden English.
It would be easier if Simon Gotch hadn't been cut. Rawley goes to the flagship because Vince will want maximum eyeballs on the Andre the Giant Memorial battle royal winner, just because he's buds with Rob Gronkowski of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. The New Day were in an angle with the Revival, so this is another trade that will happen later rather than sooner.
Trade proposal #4: Becky Lynch to Raw for Dana Brooke.
This would be a straight trade so that the Four Horsewomen (Lynch, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, & Sasha Banks) would all be together again. Moving to Tuesdays gives Dana a chance to grow that she isn't getting on Raw after being Charlotte's stooge for several months. I'm not moving Nia Jax because I see her and cousin Roman Reigns being kept on the flagship for a number of reasons, bloodline not included.
We'll see how everything unfolds starting Monday.
