WWE Reveals Dates for 2019 Superstar Shake-up
WWE's promotion for WrestleMania 35 is already in full swing, but the company is already planning [...]
WWE's promotion for WrestleMania 35 is already in full swing, but the company is already planning for what will happen just one week after the biggest pay-per-view of the year.
POST Wrestling's John Pollock tweeted out an ad from the Canadian broadcast of Monday Night Raw this week, which had WWE personality Scott Stamford promoting the April 16 and 17 episodes of Raw and SmackDown Live from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. According to Stamford, those two shows will include another round of the "Superstar Shake-up."
Here is the promo that aired in Canada during Raw announcing the first “International Superstar Shakeup” for April 15 & April 16 at the Bell Centre in Montreal pic.twitter.com/Rum2IuleJm
— John Pollock (@iamjohnpollock) February 5, 2019
"WWE Universe, now's your chance to see all your favorite WWE Superstars this April as Montreal hosts the first-ever International Superstar Shake-up," Stanford said. "Find out who joins Ram and SmackDown Live this Spring."
The Shake-up, which replaced the annual WWE Draft back in 2017, was last held on the April 16-17 editions of Raw and SmackDown a week after WrestleMania 34. Some of the wrestlers who switched brands last year included then-United States Champion Jinder Mahal, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, The Miz, Drew McIntyre, Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe, Asuka, Cesaro and Sheamus and Andrade.
This year's Shake-up could have extra implications, as the WWE is moving SmackDown Live to Friday nights on the Fox network starting on Oct. 19. Moving that show to network television could prompt the company to move some of its biggest stars over to the Blue Brand.
One star who has already been making appearances on both brands is Becky Lynch, who despite being a member of the SmackDown Live roster opted to challenge Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women's Championship after winning the Women's Royal Rumble match. Lynch appeared on Raw last week to officially make the challenge, which Rousey accepted.
Lynch showed up on Raw once again this week for a segment with Stephanie McMahon, who was noticeably worried about Lynch still limping around on the knee she injured during the Rumble match. Lynch repeatedly refused McMahon's request that she see a doctor to have the knee examined, and Lynch wound up getting suspended indefinitely after ignoring McMahon's request.
"The Man" opted to respond to the news by repeatedly punching McMahon and was escorted out of the building by backstage agents. Rousey stopped her just before she left the arena and berated the former SmackDown Women's Champion for jeopardizing their match.
WrestleMania 35 will take place on April 7 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
