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{{Short description|WWE's intra-brand draft}}

{{About|the draft conducted in April 2019|the draft conducted in October 2019|2019 WWE Draft}}
{{short description|WWE's intra-brand draft}}
{{Infobox sports draft
{{Infobox sports draft
| name = 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up
| name = 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up
| image= File:2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up logo.jpg
| image= File:2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up logo.jpg
| caption = The 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up logo
| caption = The 2019 [[WWE Superstar Shake-up]] logo.
| sport = [[Professional wrestling]]
| sport = [[Professional wrestling]]
| dates = April 15–16, 2019
| dates = April 15–May 8, 2019
| location = [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]], [[Canada]]
| league = [[WWE]]
| league = [[WWE]]
| teams = [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]<br>[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
| teams = [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]<br>[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]<br>[[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]]<br>[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]] (outgoing only)
| prev =[[2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up|2018]]
| prev = [[2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up|2018]]
| next =
| next = [[2019 WWE Draft|October 2019]]
}}
}}
The '''2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up''' is the thirteenth [[WWE draft]], produced by the [[American professional wrestling]] promotion [[WWE]] between the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] and [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] [[WWE brand extension|brands]]. The two-day event is taking place on the April 15 and April 16 episodes of ''[[WWE Raw|Monday Night Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown Live]]'', respectively, on the [[USA Network]]. Both ''Raw'' and ''SmackDown'' were/will be broadcast from [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]] at the [[Bell Centre]].
The '''2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up''' was the thirteenth [[WWE draft]] – and the last to be branded as the Superstar Shake-up – produced by the [[American professional wrestling]] promotion [[WWE]] between the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]], [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]], and [[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]] [[WWE brand extension|brands]]. Instead of a traditional draft, changes between the brands were made behind the scenes, with moving wrestlers simply appearing on a brand's show or announced via WWE's website or social medias. The event began on the April 15 and 16 episodes of ''[[Monday Night Raw]]'' and ''[[SmackDown Live]]'', respectively, on the [[USA Network]]. The April 15 and 16 episodes were initially the only episodes advertised for the Superstar Shake-up, but more draft moves were confirmed throughout the remainder of the month and into early May.


Following the Superstar Shake-up, a [[#Wild Card Rule|Wild Card Rule]] was introduced, allowing up to four wrestlers to appear on the opposing brand's show for one night only with unsanctioned appearances penalized. This rule, however, was immediately broken, and the stipulations were never enforced, making brand division unclear. The rule was criticized by journalists and current wrestlers alike. With ''SmackDown''{{'}}s move to [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]] on October 4, 2019, [[2019 WWE draft|another draft]] was scheduled, as well as the announcement that the Wild Card Rule would end with this subsequent draft.
== Background ==
On the April 8 episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Monday Night Raw]]'', [[WWE]] announced the 2019 [[WWE draft|Superstar Shake-up]] for the April 15 and 16 episodes of ''Raw'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown Live]]'', respectively.<ref name="Raw04082019">{{cite web|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/04/08/4-8-powells-wwe-raw-tv-review-the-night-after-wrestlemania-35-edition-featuring-new-raw-and-smackdown-womens-champion-becky-lynch-new-wwe-universal-champion-seth-rollins-new-intercontinental-ch/|title=4/8 Powell’s WWE Raw TV Review: The night after WrestleMania 35 edition featuring new Raw and Smackdown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch, new WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins, new Intercontinental Champion Finn Balor, and new Raw Tag Champions Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins|date=April 8, 2019|last=Powell|first=Jason|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|accessdate=April 9, 2019}}</ref> For the [[2017 WWE Superstar Shake-up|2017]] and [[2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up|2018]] Superstar Shake-ups, instead of a traditional draft, the commissioners and general managers of [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] and [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] made trades and deals between their respective talent, including the promotion of some wrestlers from the [[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]] brand. However, following [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2018)|TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs]] in December 2018, The McMahon Family<!--Do not link to "McMahon family". This is referencing the on-screen authoritative unit, not the whole family lineage of the McMahons.--> ([[Vince McMahon]], [[Stephanie McMahon]], [[Shane McMahon]], and [[Triple H]]) took over the running of both brands with no general managers,<ref name="Raw12172018">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2018/12/17/12-17-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-vince-mcmahon-shaking-things-up-tlc-fallout-balor-vs-zigg/|title=12/17 WWE Raw Results: Keller’s report on Vince McMahon shaking things up, TLC fallout, Balor vs. Ziggler|date=December 17, 2018|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|accessdate=December 31, 2018}}</ref> subsequently leaving them in charge of drafting decisions.


== Selection ==
==Background==
The [[WWE Draft]], known as the Superstar Shake-up since 2017, is an annual process used by the American [[professional wrestling]] promotion [[WWE]] while a [[WWE brand extension|brand extension]], or brand split, is in effect. The original brand extension occurred from 2002 to 2011, while the second and current brand split began in 2016. During a brand extension, the company divides its roster into brands where the wrestlers exclusively perform for each brand's respective television show, and the draft is used to refresh the rosters of the brand divisions, typically between the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] and [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] brands.
=== ''Raw'' ===

The following is a list of wrestlers who were drafted to the Raw brand on the April 15 episode of ''Raw''.<ref name="Raw04152019">{{cite web|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/04/15/4-15-powells-wwe-raw-tv-review-the-2019-wwe-superstar-shakeup-night-one/|title=4/15 Powell’s WWE Raw TV Review: The 2019 WWE Superstar Shakeup Night One|date=April 15, 2019|last=Powell|first=Jason|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|accessdate=April 15, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/article/superstar-shake-up-raw-recap-list|title=Full list of Superstars who moved to Raw in the 2019 Superstar Shake-up|website=WWE|language=en|access-date=2019-04-16}}</ref>
For the [[2017 WWE Superstar Shake-up|2017]] and [[2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up|2018]] Superstar Shake-ups, instead of a traditional draft, the commissioners and general managers of WWE's Raw and SmackDown brands made trades and deals behind the scenes between their respective talent, including the promotion and drafting of wrestlers from the [[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]] brand. However, following [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2018)|TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs]] in December 2018, The McMahon Family ([[Vince McMahon]], [[Stephanie McMahon]], [[Shane McMahon]], and [[Triple H]]) took over the running of Raw and SmackDown with no general managers,<ref name="Raw12172018">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2018/12/17/12-17-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-vince-mcmahon-shaking-things-up-tlc-fallout-balor-vs-zigg/|title=12/17 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Vince McMahon shaking things up, TLC fallout, Balor vs. Ziggler|date=December 17, 2018|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=December 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107072143/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2018/12/17/12-17-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-vince-mcmahon-shaking-things-up-tlc-fallout-balor-vs-zigg/|archive-date=January 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> leaving them in charge of drafting decisions. On the April 8, 2019, episode of ''[[Monday Night Raw]]'', the 2019 Superstar Shake-up was confirmed for the April 15 and 16 episodes of ''Raw'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'', respectively. For the first time, superstars from the [[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]] brand were eligible to be drafted.<ref name="Raw04082019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/08/4-8-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-day-after-wrestlemania-edition-of-raw-with-seth-rollins-becky-lynch-kofi-kingston/|title=4/8 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Day After WrestleMania edition of Raw with Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Kofi Kingston|date=April 8, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=April 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409081341/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/08/4-8-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-day-after-wrestlemania-edition-of-raw-with-seth-rollins-becky-lynch-kofi-kingston/|archive-date=April 9, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Raw04222019"/><ref name="SmackDown04232019"/> Although initially only advertised for the aforementioned episodes, more draft moves were confirmed throughout the remainder of April and into early May.<ref name="Raw04222019"/><ref name="SmackDown04232019"/><ref name="Raw04292019"/><ref name="205Live04302019"/><ref name="MainEvent05112019"/>

==Selections==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%"
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%"
|-
|-
! style="background:#A8BDEC;" data-sort-type="number"| #
! style="background:#FFFF80;" data-sort-type="number"| #
! style="background:#A8BDEC; white-space: nowrap"| Brand (to)
! style="background:#FFFF80"| Employee<br>{{small|(Real name)}}
! style="background:#A8BDEC"| Employee<br>{{small|(Real name)}}
! style="background:#FFFF80; white-space: nowrap;"| Role
! style="background:#A8BDEC; white-space: nowrap;"| Role
! style="background:#FFFF80; white-space: nowrap"| Brand (from)
! style="background:#A8BDEC; white-space: nowrap"| Brand (from)
! width=50% style="background:#FFFF80"| Notes
|-
! width=50% style="background:#A8BDEC"| Notes
|colspan="5" style="background:#ffd0bd"|{{center|'''[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]'''}}
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#ffd0bd"|The following wrestlers were drafted to the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] brand on the April 15 episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]''.<ref name="Raw04152019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/15/4-15-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-superstar-shake-up-including-more-fallout-from-wrestlemania-35/|title=4/15 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Superstar Shake-up including more fallout from WrestleMania 35|date=April 15, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=April 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416034327/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/15/4-15-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-superstar-shake-up-including-more-fallout-from-wrestlemania-35/|archive-date=April 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/article/superstar-shake-up-raw-recap-list|title=Full list of Superstars who moved to Raw in the 2019 Superstar Shake-up|work=WWE|access-date=April 16, 2019}}</ref>
|-
|-
|1
|1
||{{sortname|The|Miz}}
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
||{{sortname|The|Miz}}<br>{{small|(Michael Mizanin)}}
|Male wrestler
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
Line 38: Line 41:
|-
|-
|2
|2
||[[Ricochet (wrestler)|Ricochet]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
||[[Andrade Cien Almas|Andrade]]<br>{{small|(Manuel Andrade)}}
|Male wrestler
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|Made his main roster debut on February 18, 2019, and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'', ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'', and ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' until the Superstar Shake-up.
|
|-
|-
|3
|3
|[[Aleister Black]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
||[[Ricochet (wrestler)|Ricochet]]<br>{{small|(Trevor Mann)}}
|Male wrestler
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|Made his main roster debut in February 2019 and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'', ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'', and ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' until the Superstar Shake-up.
|Made his main roster debut on February 18, 2019, and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'', ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'', and ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' until the Superstar Shake-up.
|-
|-
|4
|4
|{{nowrap|{{sortname|The|Viking Experience|The Viking Raiders}}<br>([[Ivar (wrestler)|Ivar]] and [[Erik (wrestler)|Erik]])}}
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Male tag team
||[[Aleister Black]]<br>{{small|(Tom Budgen)}}
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|Drafted while [[NXT Tag Team Champions]]. Formerly known as War Raiders in [[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]], the team was renamed to The Viking Experience upon being drafted, while their individual ring names, Hanson and Rowe, were changed to Ivar and Erik, respectively. The team was renamed The Viking Raiders on the April 22 episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]''. They relinquished the NXT Tag Team Championship on the May 1 taping of ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' ([[Broadcast delay|aired]] May 15).
|Made his main roster debut in February 2019 and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'', ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'', and ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' until the Superstar Shake-up.
|-
|-
|5
|5
||[[Cedric Alexander]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Male wrestler
|{{nowrap|{{sortname|The|Viking Experience}} ([[Hanson (wrestler)|Ivar]] and [[Raymond Rowe|Erik]])}}<br>{{small|(Todd Smith, Raymond Rowe)}}
|style="background: #E0CEF2"|[[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]]
|Male tag team
|
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|[[NXT Tag Team Championship|NXT Tag Team Champions]]. Formerly known as War Raiders in NXT. Their team name was changed to The Viking Experience upon being drafted, while their individual ring names, Hanson and Rowe, were changed to Ivar and Erik, respectively.
|-
|-
|6
|6
||[[Andrade El Idolo|Andrade]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
||{{sortname|Rey|Mysterio}}<br>{{small|(Óscar Gutiérrez)}}
|Male wrestler
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
Line 73: Line 71:
|-
|-
|7
|7
|{{sortname|Zelina|Vega}}
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Female wrestler
||[[The Usos]] (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso)<br>{{small|(Joshua Fatu and Jonathan Fatu)}}
|Male tag team
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|
|
|-
|-
|8
|8
||{{sortname|Rey|Mysterio}}
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Male wrestler
||[[Naomi (wrestler)|Naomi]]<br>{{small|(Trinity Fatu)}}
|Female wrestler
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|
|
|-
|-
|9
|9
|[[Lars Sullivan]]<br>{{small|(Dylan Miley)}}
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Male wrestler
||[[Zelina Vega]]<br>{{small|(Thea Megan Trinidad)}}
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|Female wrestler
|Advertised since November 18, 2018, and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' a week prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|
|-
|-
|10
|10
|{{nowrap|[[The Usos]]<br>([[Jey Uso]] and [[Jimmy Uso]])}}
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Male tag team
|[[Eric Young (wrestler)|Eric Young]]<br>{{small|(Jeremy Fritz)}}
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|
|
|-
|-
|11
|11
||[[Naomi (wrestler)|Naomi]]<br>{{small|(Trinity Fatu)}}
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Female wrestler
||[[Ethan Carter III|EC3]]<br>{{small|(Michael Hunter Hutter)}}
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|
|-
|12
||[[Ethan Carter III|EC3]]
|Male wrestler
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|Was promoted as "coming soon" in December 2018 and then began appearing on both ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' until the Superstar Shake-up.
|Advertised since December 17, 2018, and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' for several weeks prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
|-
|-
|12
|13
|[[Eric Young (wrestler)|Eric Young]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
||[[Cedric Alexander]]<br>{{small|(Cederick Johnson)}}
|Male wrestler
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #E0CEF2"|[[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|Separated from his team [[Sanity (professional wrestling)|Sanity]], which subsequently disbanded.
|
|-
|-
|14
|14
||[[Lacey Evans]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
||[[Lacey Evans]]<br>{{small|(Macey Estrella-Kadlec)}}
|Female wrestler
|Female wrestler
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|style="background: #ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|Was promoted as "coming soon" in December 2018 and then began appearing on both ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' until the Superstar Shake-up.
|Advertised since December 17, 2018 and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' for several weeks prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
|-
|-
|15
|15
|[[AJ Styles]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|[[A.J. Styles|AJ Styles]]<br>{{small|(Allen Jones)}}
|Male wrestler
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|
|
|-
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#ffd0bd"|The following wrestlers were drafted to the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] brand on the April 22 episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]''.<ref name="Raw04222019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/22/4-22-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-superstar-shake-up-fallout-the-road-to-money-in-the-bank/|title=4/22 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Superstar Shake-up fallout, the Road to Money in the Bank including no. 1 contender to Seth determined|date=April 22, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=April 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423062742/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/22/4-22-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-superstar-shake-up-fallout-the-road-to-money-in-the-bank/|archive-date=April 23, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Raw04292019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/29/4-30-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-alexa-bliss-announcing-money-in-the-bank-competitors-rollins-styles-hype-more/|title=4/29 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Alexa Bliss announcing Money in the Bank competitors, Rollins-Styles hype, more|date=April 29, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=April 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430032906/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/29/4-30-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-alexa-bliss-announcing-money-in-the-bank-competitors-rollins-styles-hype-more/|archive-date=April 30, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

=== ''SmackDown'' ===
The following will be a list of wrestlers drafted to the [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] brand on the April 16 episode of ''SmackDown''.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%"
|-
|-
|16
! style="background:#A8BDEC;" data-sort-type="number"| #
|[[Samoa Joe]]
! style="background:#A8BDEC; white-space: nowrap"| Brand (to)
|Male wrestler
! style="background:#A8BDEC"| Employee<br>{{small|(Real name)}}
! style="background:#A8BDEC; white-space: nowrap;"| Role
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|Drafted with the [[WWE United States Championship|United States Championship]].
! style="background:#A8BDEC; white-space: nowrap"| Brand (from)
! width=50% style="background:#A8BDEC"| Notes
|-
|-
|1
|17
|[[Claudio Castagnoli|Cesaro]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|Drafted separately from his tag team partner, [[Sheamus]], who had to take time off due to an injury.
||{{sortname|Finn|Bálor}}<br><small>(Fergal Devitt)</small>
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#ffd0bd"|The following wrestlers were drafted to the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] brand on the April 29 episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]''.<ref name="Raw04222019"/><ref name="Raw04292019"/>
|-
|18
|[[Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson]]
|Male tag team
|style="background:#ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#ffd0bd"|The following wrestler was confirmed to be drafted to the [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] brand on the May 8 taping of ''[[WWE Main Event|Main Event]]'' ([[Broadcast delay|aired]] May 11).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://insidepulse.com/2019/05/13/wwe-superstar-shake-up-week-5-fallout-spoilers-did-nxt-alumni-nikki-cross-land-on-raw-or-smackdown-live-or-nxt-uk/|title=WWE Superstar Shake-Up Week 5 Fallout & Spoilers: Did NXT Alumni Nikki Cross Land On Raw Or Smackdown Live Or NXT UK?|date=May 13, 2019|last=Babos|first=John|work=Inside Pulse|access-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513195744/https://insidepulse.com/2019/05/13/wwe-superstar-shake-up-week-5-fallout-spoilers-did-nxt-alumni-nikki-cross-land-on-raw-or-smackdown-live-or-nxt-uk/|archive-date=May 13, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MainEvent05112019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/11/5-8-wwe-main-event-tv-report-strong-episode-featuring-ec3-vs-cedric-alexander-nikki-cross-vs-peyton-royce/|title=5/8 WWE Main Event TV Report: Strong episode featuring EC3 vs. Cedric Alexander, Nikki Cross vs. Peyton Royce|date=May 11, 2019|last=Myers|first=Mike|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512075317/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/11/5-8-wwe-main-event-tv-report-strong-episode-featuring-ec3-vs-cedric-alexander-nikki-cross-vs-peyton-royce/|archive-date=May 12, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|19
|[[Nikki Cross]]
|Female wrestler
|style="background:#ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|Advertised since December 17, 2018, and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' for several weeks prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#ccf"|{{center|'''[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]'''}}
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#ccf"|The following wrestlers were drafted to the [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] brand on the April 16 episode of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]''.<ref name="Smackdown04162019">{{cite web|last=Keller|first=Wade|title=4/16 WWE Smackdown Results: Keller's report and analysis of the second night of the Superstar Shake-up|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/16/4-16-wwe-smackdown-results-kellers-report-and-analysis-of-the-second-night-of-the-superstar-shake-up/|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|date=April 16, 2019|access-date=April 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417022729/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/16/4-16-wwe-smackdown-results-kellers-report-and-analysis-of-the-second-night-of-the-superstar-shake-up/|archive-date=April 17, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|1
||{{sortname|Finn|Bálor}}
|Male wrestler
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
Line 149: Line 165:
|-
|-
|2
|2
|[[Athena (wrestler)|Ember Moon]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|[[Ember Moon]]<br><small>(Adrienne Reese)</small>
|Female wrestler
|Female wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
Line 156: Line 171:
|-
|-
|3
|3
|[[Bayley (wrestler)|Bayley]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|[[Bayley (wrestler)|Bayley]]<br><small>(Pamela Rose Martinez)</small>
|Female wrestler
|Female wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Separated from her tag team partner, [[Sasha Banks]].
|-
|-
|4
|4
|[[Kairi Sane]]
|style="background: #ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|[[Kairi Sane]]<br><small>(Kaori Housako)</small>
|Female wrestler
|Female wrestler
|style="background:#ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|style="background:#ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
|Separated from her tag team partner, [[Io Shirai]].
|-
|5
|[[Lars Sullivan]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Was originally drafted to [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]], but transferred to [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]].
|-
|6
||[[Buddy Matthews|Buddy Murphy]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background: #E0CEF2"|[[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]]
|
|
|-
|7
|[[Elias (wrestler)|Elias]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|
|-
|8
|[[Roman Reigns]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|
|-
|9
|[[Liv Morgan]]
|Female wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Announced on WWE.com. Separated from her team, [[The Riott Squad]].
|-
|10
|[[Chad Gable]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Announced on WWE.com. Separated from his tag team partner, [[Bobby Roode]].
|-
|11
|[[Apollo Crews]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Announced on WWE.com
|-
|12
|[[Mickie James]]
|Female wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Announced on WWE.com
|-
|13
|Heavy Machinery<br>([[Otis (wrestler)|Otis]] and [[Tucker (American wrestler)|Tucker]])
|Male tag team
|style="background:#ffa"|[[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]]
||Announced on WWE.com. Advertised since December 17, 2018, and appeared on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' for several weeks prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#ccf"|The following wrestlers were drafted to the [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] brand on the April 23 episode of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]''.<ref name="SmackDown04232019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/23/4-23-wwe-smackdown-results-kellers-report-on-roman-reigns-vince-mcmahon-fallout-shinsuke-vs-kofi-charlotte-becky-face-off/|title=4/23 WWE Smackdown Results: Keller's report on Roman Reigns-Vince McMahon fallout, Shinsuke vs. Kofi, Charlotte-Becky face off|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|first=Wade|last=Keller|date=April 23, 2019|access-date=April 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424020354/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/23/4-23-wwe-smackdown-results-kellers-report-on-roman-reigns-vince-mcmahon-fallout-shinsuke-vs-kofi-charlotte-becky-face-off/|archive-date=April 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|14
||[[Andrade El Idolo|Andrade]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Originally drafted to [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]], but moved back to [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]].
|-
|15
|{{sortname|Zelina|Vega}}
|Female wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Originally drafted to [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]], but moved back to [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]].
|-
|16
|[[Aleister Black]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|Originally drafted to [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]], but moved to [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]], separating him from his tag team partner, [[Ricochet (wrestler)|Ricochet]].
|-
|17
|[[Jinder Mahal]]
|Male wrestler
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|
|-
|18
|[[The Singh Brothers]]<br>([[Sunil Singh (wrestler)|Sunil Singh]] and [[Samir Singh]])<br>{{small|(Gurv Sihra and Harv Sihra)}}
|Male tag team
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#ccf"|The following wrestlers were drafted to the [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]] brand prior to the April 30 episode of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]''.<ref name="SmackDown04232019"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/b-team-officially-join-wwe-smackdown-latest-roster-changes-282386|title=B-Team officially join WWE SmackDown in latest roster changes|date=April 25, 2019|last=Rose|first=Bryan|work=[[Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online]]|access-date=April 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426012648/https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/b-team-officially-join-wwe-smackdown-latest-roster-changes-282386|archive-date=April 26, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|19
|[[The B-Team]]<br>([[Bo Dallas]] and [[Curtis Axel]])
|Male tag team
|style="background:#ffd0bd"|[[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]
|
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#E0CEF2"|{{center|'''[[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]]'''}}
|-
|colspan="5" style="background:#E0CEF2"|The following wrestlers were drafted to the [[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]] brand on the April 30 episode of ''[[WWE 205 Live|205 Live]]''.<ref name="205Live04302019">{{cite web|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/05/01/4-30-wwe-205-live-results-anish-vs-review-of-wwe-cruiserweight-champion-tony-nese-vs-drew-gulak-in-a-non-title-match-lucha-house-party-vs-the-singh-brothers/|title=4/30 WWE 205 Live Results: Anish V's review of WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese vs. Drew Gulak in a non-title match, Lucha House Party vs. The Singh Brothers|date=May 1, 2019|last=Vishwakoti|first=Anish|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|access-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501163538/https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/05/01/4-30-wwe-205-live-results-anish-vs-review-of-wwe-cruiserweight-champion-tony-nese-vs-drew-gulak-in-a-non-title-match-lucha-house-party-vs-the-singh-brothers/|archive-date=May 1, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|1
|[[The Singh Brothers]]<br>([[Sunil Singh (wrestler)|Sunil Singh]] and [[Samir Singh]])
|Male tag team
|style="background:#ccf"|[[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]]
|Originally drafted to [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown]], but moved to [[205 Live (WWE brand)|205 Live]], separating them from their stablemate, [[Jinder Mahal]].
|}
|}

;Notes
*Seven tag teams/stables were split or broken up as a result of the Superstar Shake-up. [[Sanity (professional wrestling)|Sanity]] disbanded after [[Eric Young (wrestler)|Eric Young]] moved to Raw, The Boss 'n' Hug Connection was split up as [[Bayley (wrestler)|Bayley]] moved to SmackDown while [[Sasha Banks]] remained on Raw, [[Liv Morgan]] was split from [[The Riott Squad]] as she moved to SmackDown while her teammates [[Ruby Soho (wrestler)|Ruby Riott]] and [[Sarah Logan]] remained on Raw, the team of [[Chad Gable]] and [[Bobby Roode]] was split up as Gable moved to SmackDown while Roode remained on Raw, the team of [[Aleister Black]] and [[Ricochet (wrestler)|Ricochet]] was split up as Black moved to SmackDown while Ricochet remained on Raw, [[The Bar (professional wrestling)|The Bar]] disbanded as [[Claudio Castagnoli|Cesaro]] was drafted to Raw while [[Sheamus]] took time off due to injury, and the stable of [[Jinder Mahal]] and [[The Singh Brothers]] ([[Sunil Singh (wrestler)|Sunil Singh]] and [[Samir Singh]]) was split up as Mahal moved to SmackDown while The Singh Brothers went to 205 Live.
*The [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|Intercontinental Championship]] moved to SmackDown, while the [[WWE United States Championship|United States Championship]] moved to Raw. Reigning [[NXT Tag Team Championship|NXT Tag Team Champions]] [[The Viking Raiders]] were drafted to Raw, but the championship did not move with them; they subsequently relinquished the title on the May 1 taping of ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' ([[Broadcast delay|aired]] May 15).
*At [[WrestleMania 35]], SmackDown wrestler [[Becky Lynch]] won both the [[WWE Raw Women's Championship|Raw]] and [[SmackDown Women's Championship]]s, allowing her to appear on both brands. She was not assigned a home brand during the Superstar Shake-up, but after she lost the SmackDown Women's Championship at [[Money in the Bank (2019)|Money in the Bank]], she became a member of the Raw brand.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/20/5-20-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-money-in-the-bank-fallout-will-brock-lesnar-announce-his-intensions-mick-foley-reveals-new-wwe-title/|title=5/20 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Money in the Bank fallout, will Brock Lesnar announce his intentions, Mick Foley reveals new WWE Title|date=May 20, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=May 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523220126/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/20/5-20-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-money-in-the-bank-fallout-will-brock-lesnar-announce-his-intensions-mick-foley-reveals-new-wwe-title/|archive-date=May 23, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
On Raw, new draftee [[Lacey Evans]] defeated [[Natalya Neidhart|Natalya]] to earn a [[Raw Women's Championship]] match against [[Becky Lynch]] at [[Money in the Bank (2019)|Money in the Bank]]. Natalya was subsequently entered into the women's [[Money in the Bank ladder match]], along with [[Dana Brooke]], [[Alexa Bliss]], and new draftee [[Naomi (wrestler)|Naomi]]; for medical reasons, Bliss was subsequently replaced by new draftee [[Nikki Cross]]. New draftee [[AJ Styles]] earned a [[WWE Universal Championship|Universal Championship]] match against [[Seth Rollins]] at the event, while new draftees [[Samoa Joe]] and [[Rey Mysterio]] continued their feud from SmackDown, leading to a United States Championship match at Money in the Bank that Mysterio won. Bobby Roode, now a singles competitor, turned [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] and changed his ring name to Robert Roode and became the second holder of WWE's [[WWE 24/7 Championship|24/7 Championship]] that was introduced in May. New draftee [[The Miz]] continued his feud from SmackDown with authority figure Shane McMahon, leading to a [[Steel Cage match]] at Money in the Bank that Shane won. New draftee [[Ricochet (wrestler)|Ricochet]] was entered into the men's Money in the Bank ladder match, along with [[Braun Strowman]], [[Drew McIntyre]], and [[Baron Corbin]], though Strowman was replaced by [[Sami Zayn]]. New draftees [[The Usos]] ([[Jey Uso]] and [[Jimmy Uso]]) began a feud with [[FTR (professional wrestling)|The Revival]] ([[Dax Harwood|Scott Dawson]] and [[Cash Wheeler|Dash Wilder]]).<ref name="Raw04152019"/><ref name="Raw04222019"/><ref name="Raw04292019"/><ref name="Raw05062019"/> After Eric Young's transfer to Raw, [[Alexander Wolfe (wrestler)|Alexander Wolfe]] moved to the [[NXT UK (WWE brand)|NXT UK]] brand and [[Killian Dain]] moved to the [[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]] brand.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/alexander-wolfe-debuts-nxt-uk-tapings-282031|title=Alexander Wolfe debuts at NXT UK tapings|date=April 20, 2019|last=Rose|first=Bryan|work=[[Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online]]|access-date=April 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420234259/https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/alexander-wolfe-debuts-nxt-uk-tapings-282031|archive-date=April 20, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2019, Raw wrestler [[Tyler Breeze]] began appearing on ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' and unsuccessfully challenged [[Velveteen Dream]] for the [[NXT North American Championship]] at [[NXT TakeOver: XXV]] on June 1. Following that match, Breeze confirmed that he was back on NXT.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4HRytBWeb4|title=Is Tyler Breeze cut out for the "new" NXT? WWE Exclusive, June 1, 2019|date=June 1, 2019|author=[[WWE]]|publisher=[[YouTube]]|access-date=June 3, 2019}}</ref>

On SmackDown, [[Elias (wrestler)|Elias]] was introduced as the "biggest acquisition in SmackDown history" by Vince McMahon and began a feud with fellow new draftee [[Roman Reigns]], leading to a match at Money in the Bank that Reigns won. After Andrade moved back to SmackDown, he continued a feud with new SmackDown draftee and Intercontinental Champion Finn Bálor that began the previous week; both were entered into the men's Money in the Bank ladder match along with [[Mustafa Ali|Ali]] and [[Randy Orton]]. Bálor was then scheduled to defend his title against Andrade at [[Super ShowDown (2019)|Super ShowDown]]. New draftee [[Lars Sullivan]] began a feud with [[R-Truth]]. New draftee [[Bayley (wrestler)|Bayley]] was given an opportunity to challenge Becky Lynch for the [[SmackDown Women's Championship]] at Money in the Bank, but lost it to [[Charlotte Flair]]. Bayley was subsequently entered into the women's Money in the Bank ladder match along with [[Mandy Rose]], [[Carmella (wrestler)|Carmella]], and new draftee [[Athena (wrestler)|Ember Moon]]; Bayley won the match and later that same night, cashed in the contract to win the SmackDown Women's Championship from Flair, who had just defeated Lynch for the title. [[Saraya Bevis|Paige]] introduced a new tag team, The Kabuki Warriors, consisting of [[Asuka (wrestler)|Asuka]] and new draftee [[Kairi Sane]], to manage and go after the [[WWE Women's Tag Team Championship]].<ref name="Smackdown04162019"/><ref name="SmackDown04232019"/><ref name="SmackDown04302019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/30/4-30-wwe-smackdown-report-kellers-report-on-the-latest-money-in-the-bank-developments-roman-reigns-settles-in-becky-vs-bayley/|title=4/30 WWE Smackdown Report: Keller's report on the latest Money in the Bank developments, Roman Reigns settles in, Becky vs. Bayley|date=April 30, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=April 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501023836/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/04/30/4-30-wwe-smackdown-report-kellers-report-on-the-latest-money-in-the-bank-developments-roman-reigns-settles-in-becky-vs-bayley/|archive-date=May 1, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SmackDown05142019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/14/5-14-wwe-smackdown-results-kellers-report-on-kofi-kingston-on-the-kevin-owens-show-money-in-the-bank-fatal-four-way-match-reigns-returns-to-discuss-elias-match/|title=5/14 WWE Smackdown Results: Keller's report on Kofi Kingston on The Kevin Owens Show, Money in the Bank fatal four-way match, Reigns returns to discuss Elias match|date=May 14, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=May 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515090333/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/14/5-14-wwe-smackdown-results-kellers-report-on-kofi-kingston-on-the-kevin-owens-show-money-in-the-bank-fatal-four-way-match-reigns-returns-to-discuss-elias-match/|archive-date=May 15, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Raw wrestler [[Dolph Ziggler]] had been inactive since January's [[Royal Rumble (2019)|Royal Rumble]] event, but returned prior to June's [[Super ShowDown (2019)|Super ShowDown]] event to challenge [[Kofi Kingston]] for SmackDown's [[WWE Championship]]. On-screen graphics when he appeared on ''SmackDown'' showed that he was still part of Raw, but following Super ShowDown, his WWE.com profile was updated to show that he was moved to SmackDown.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/superstars/dolph-ziggler|title=Dolph Ziggler|work=[[WWE]]|access-date=June 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614013512/https://www.wwe.com/superstars/dolph-ziggler|archive-date=June 14, 2019}}</ref>

The reasons for Andrade and [[Zelina Vega]]'s move back to SmackDown, and Aleister Black's switch to the brand, were later revealed. In WWE's attempt to keep real-life couples on the same brand, Andrade was moved back to SmackDown because of his relationship with Charlotte Flair, Vega was moved as she is Andrade's on-screen manager, and Black was moved because of his marriage to Vega. It was also reported that [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]], where ''SmackDown'' would begin airing in October 2019, wanted more Latin American stars on the show and requested Andrade and Vega to be moved back to the brand.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/wwe/2019/04/24/andrade-zelina-vega-aleister-black-moved-smackdown-live-reasons-why-fox-couples/|title=Report: Multiple Reasons Why Andrade, Zelina Vega and Aleister Black All Moved to SmackDown Live|date=April 24, 2019|last=Casey|first=Connor|work=[[ComicBook.com]]|access-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424194554/https://comicbook.com/wwe/2019/04/24/andrade-zelina-vega-aleister-black-moved-smackdown-live-reasons-why-fox-couples/|archive-date=April 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Wild Card Rule===
On the May 6 episode of ''Raw'', Vince McMahon introduced a Wild Card Rule, with specific stipulations:<ref name="Raw05062019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/06/5-6-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-will-roman-reigns-show-up-money-in-the-bank-hype-including-rollins-styles-rey-wants-u-s-title-more-grooming-perhaps/|title=5/6 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Will Roman Reigns show up, Money in the Bank hype including Rollins-Styles, Rey wants U.S. Title, More Grooming Perhaps|date=May 6, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=May 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507063320/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/06/5-6-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-will-roman-reigns-show-up-money-in-the-bank-hype-including-rollins-styles-rey-wants-u-s-title-more-grooming-perhaps/|archive-date=May 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-posts-explanation-how-wild-card-rule-works|title=WWE Posts Explanation Of How The "Wild Card Rule" Works|date=May 7, 2019|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=May 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508042300/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-posts-explanation-how-wild-card-rule-works|archive-date=May 8, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
#Up to four wrestlers would be allowed to appear on the opposing brand's show by invitation for one night only.
#Unsanctioned appearances would be penalized with a fine or termination.

Following the implementation of the Wild Card Rule, the stipulations were routinely ignored with numerous stars freely appearing on both shows for multiple weeks with storylines crossing over both brands, blurring the lines between Raw and SmackDown. The rule was heavily criticized by journalists and current wrestlers alike. Writing for ''[[Newsweek]]'', Phillip Martinez said that even though WWE tried explaining the rule, it was still confusing and unclear.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/wwe-wild-card-rule-explain-what-1418067|title=WWE explains the new "Wild Card Rule" and it's still confusing|date=May 7, 2019|last=Martinez|first=Phillip|work=[[Newsweek]]|access-date=September 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507192305/https://www.newsweek.com/wwe-wild-card-rule-explain-what-1418067|archive-date=May 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Raw wrestler [[Seth Rollins]] said that the rule "really muddled things up" as it "used to feel special" to only see other talent every so often, but because of the rule, they were seeing each other every week.<ref name="WildCardEnding"/> SmackDown wrestler [[Kevin Owens]] also criticized the rule. He said that he understood that it was intended to bring unpredictability to the shows, but it was "loosely defined".<ref name="WhatCulture">{{cite web|url=https://whatculture.com/wwe/kevin-owens-criticises-wwes-wild-card-rule|title=Kevin Owens Criticises WWE's Wild Card Rule|date=June 21, 2019|last=Murray|first=Andrew|work=WhatCulture|access-date=September 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624031555/https://whatculture.com/wwe/kevin-owens-criticises-wwes-wild-card-rule|archive-date=June 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Andrew Murray of ''WhatCulture'' said it was one of WWE's "most divisive creative decisions in years" and the promotion were unable to stick to their original outline.<ref name="WhatCulture"/> Connor Casey of ''[[ComicBook.com]]'' said that the rule "effectively killed the brand split".<ref name="WildCardEnding"/>

===Subsequent draft===
{{main|2019 WWE Draft}}
With ''SmackDown''{{'}}s move to [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]] in October and ''Raw'' remaining on the [[USA Network]], WWE decided to hold a second draft for the year to definitively split the brands. Returning to its original name (the "WWE Draft") and a traditional draft format, this second draft of 2019 occurred on the October 11 and 14 episodes of ''SmackDown'' (renamed to ''Friday Night SmackDown'') and ''Raw'', respectively. Personalities from FOX and [[NBCUniversal]] (USA's parent company) appeared and had influence over the picks (the first time television networks had an influence over WWE's drafting decisions).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-draft-made-official-october-11-announced-during-nfl-fox|title=WWE Draft Made Official For October 11 & 14, Announced During NFL on Fox|date=September 15, 2019|first=Robert|last=Defelice|work=Fightful|access-date=September 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303080937/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-draft-made-official-october-11-announced-during-nfl-fox|archive-date=March 3, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/new-wwe-draft-set-for-two-nights-in-october-2019-over-smackdown-raw-shows/|title=New WWE Draft set for two nights in October 2019 over SmackDown, Raw shows|date=September 15, 2019|last=Crosby|first=Jack|work=[[CBSSports]]|access-date=September 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921223300/https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/new-wwe-draft-set-for-two-nights-in-october-2019-over-smackdown-raw-shows/|archive-date=September 21, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The Wild Card Rule also ended with this subsequent draft.<ref name="WildCardEnding">{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/wwe/2019/09/17/wwe-confirms-wild-card-rule-dead-wwe-draft-raw-smackdown-live/|title=WWE Confirms the Wild Card Rule Will Be Gone After the WWE Draft|date=September 17, 2019|last=Casey|first=Connor|work=[[ComicBook.com]]|access-date=September 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041838/https://comicbook.com/wwe/2019/09/17/wwe-confirms-wild-card-rule-dead-wwe-draft-raw-smackdown-live/|archive-date=September 23, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{WWE}}
{{WWE}}


[[Category:2019 in professional wrestling|WWE Draft]]
[[Category:2019 in professional wrestling|WWE Draft]]
[[Category:WWE draft]]
[[Category:WWE Draft]]
[[Category:Professional wrestling in Montreal]]
[[Category:Events in Montreal]]

Latest revision as of 21:01, 13 June 2024

2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up
The 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up logo.
General information
SportProfessional wrestling
Date(s)April 15–May 8, 2019
Overview
LeagueWWE
TeamsRaw
SmackDown
205 Live
NXT (outgoing only)

The 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up was the thirteenth WWE draft – and the last to be branded as the Superstar Shake-up – produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE between the Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brands. Instead of a traditional draft, changes between the brands were made behind the scenes, with moving wrestlers simply appearing on a brand's show or announced via WWE's website or social medias. The event began on the April 15 and 16 episodes of Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live, respectively, on the USA Network. The April 15 and 16 episodes were initially the only episodes advertised for the Superstar Shake-up, but more draft moves were confirmed throughout the remainder of the month and into early May.

Following the Superstar Shake-up, a Wild Card Rule was introduced, allowing up to four wrestlers to appear on the opposing brand's show for one night only with unsanctioned appearances penalized. This rule, however, was immediately broken, and the stipulations were never enforced, making brand division unclear. The rule was criticized by journalists and current wrestlers alike. With SmackDown's move to FOX on October 4, 2019, another draft was scheduled, as well as the announcement that the Wild Card Rule would end with this subsequent draft.

Background

[edit]

The WWE Draft, known as the Superstar Shake-up since 2017, is an annual process used by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE while a brand extension, or brand split, is in effect. The original brand extension occurred from 2002 to 2011, while the second and current brand split began in 2016. During a brand extension, the company divides its roster into brands where the wrestlers exclusively perform for each brand's respective television show, and the draft is used to refresh the rosters of the brand divisions, typically between the Raw and SmackDown brands.

For the 2017 and 2018 Superstar Shake-ups, instead of a traditional draft, the commissioners and general managers of WWE's Raw and SmackDown brands made trades and deals behind the scenes between their respective talent, including the promotion and drafting of wrestlers from the NXT brand. However, following TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in December 2018, The McMahon Family (Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon, and Triple H) took over the running of Raw and SmackDown with no general managers,[1] leaving them in charge of drafting decisions. On the April 8, 2019, episode of Monday Night Raw, the 2019 Superstar Shake-up was confirmed for the April 15 and 16 episodes of Raw and SmackDown, respectively. For the first time, superstars from the 205 Live brand were eligible to be drafted.[2][3][4] Although initially only advertised for the aforementioned episodes, more draft moves were confirmed throughout the remainder of April and into early May.[3][4][5][6][7]

Selections

[edit]
# Employee
(Real name)
Role Brand (from) Notes
The following wrestlers were drafted to the Raw brand on the April 15 episode of Raw.[8][9]
1 The Miz Male wrestler SmackDown
2 Ricochet Male wrestler NXT Made his main roster debut on February 18, 2019, and appeared on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT until the Superstar Shake-up.
3 Aleister Black Male wrestler NXT Made his main roster debut on February 18, 2019, and appeared on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT until the Superstar Shake-up.
4 The Viking Experience
(Ivar and Erik)
Male tag team NXT Drafted while NXT Tag Team Champions. Formerly known as War Raiders in NXT, the team was renamed to The Viking Experience upon being drafted, while their individual ring names, Hanson and Rowe, were changed to Ivar and Erik, respectively. The team was renamed The Viking Raiders on the April 22 episode of Raw. They relinquished the NXT Tag Team Championship on the May 1 taping of NXT (aired May 15).
5 Cedric Alexander Male wrestler 205 Live
6 Andrade Male wrestler SmackDown
7 Zelina Vega Female wrestler SmackDown
8 Rey Mysterio Male wrestler SmackDown
9 Lars Sullivan
(Dylan Miley)
Male wrestler NXT Advertised since November 18, 2018, and appeared on Raw and SmackDown a week prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
10 The Usos
(Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso)
Male tag team SmackDown
11 Naomi
(Trinity Fatu)
Female wrestler SmackDown
12 EC3 Male wrestler NXT Advertised since December 17, 2018, and appeared on Raw and SmackDown for several weeks prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
13 Eric Young Male wrestler SmackDown Separated from his team Sanity, which subsequently disbanded.
14 Lacey Evans Female wrestler NXT Advertised since December 17, 2018 and appeared on Raw and SmackDown for several weeks prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
15 AJ Styles Male wrestler SmackDown
The following wrestlers were drafted to the Raw brand on the April 22 episode of Raw.[3][5]
16 Samoa Joe Male wrestler SmackDown Drafted with the United States Championship.
17 Cesaro Male wrestler SmackDown Drafted separately from his tag team partner, Sheamus, who had to take time off due to an injury.
The following wrestlers were drafted to the Raw brand on the April 29 episode of Raw.[3][5]
18 Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson Male tag team SmackDown
The following wrestler was confirmed to be drafted to the Raw brand on the May 8 taping of Main Event (aired May 11).[10][7]
19 Nikki Cross Female wrestler NXT Advertised since December 17, 2018, and appeared on Raw and SmackDown for several weeks prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
The following wrestlers were drafted to the SmackDown brand on the April 16 episode of SmackDown.[11]
1 Finn Bálor Male wrestler Raw Drafted with the Intercontinental Championship.
2 Ember Moon Female wrestler Raw
3 Bayley Female wrestler Raw Separated from her tag team partner, Sasha Banks.
4 Kairi Sane Female wrestler NXT Separated from her tag team partner, Io Shirai.
5 Lars Sullivan Male wrestler Raw Was originally drafted to Raw, but transferred to SmackDown.
6 Buddy Murphy Male wrestler 205 Live
7 Elias Male wrestler Raw
8 Roman Reigns Male wrestler Raw
9 Liv Morgan Female wrestler Raw Announced on WWE.com. Separated from her team, The Riott Squad.
10 Chad Gable Male wrestler Raw Announced on WWE.com. Separated from his tag team partner, Bobby Roode.
11 Apollo Crews Male wrestler Raw Announced on WWE.com
12 Mickie James Female wrestler Raw Announced on WWE.com
13 Heavy Machinery
(Otis and Tucker)
Male tag team NXT Announced on WWE.com. Advertised since December 17, 2018, and appeared on Raw and SmackDown for several weeks prior to the Superstar Shake-up.
The following wrestlers were drafted to the SmackDown brand on the April 23 episode of SmackDown.[4]
14 Andrade Male wrestler Raw Originally drafted to Raw, but moved back to SmackDown.
15 Zelina Vega Female wrestler Raw Originally drafted to Raw, but moved back to SmackDown.
16 Aleister Black Male wrestler Raw Originally drafted to Raw, but moved to SmackDown, separating him from his tag team partner, Ricochet.
17 Jinder Mahal Male wrestler Raw
18 The Singh Brothers
(Sunil Singh and Samir Singh)
(Gurv Sihra and Harv Sihra)
Male tag team Raw
The following wrestlers were drafted to the SmackDown brand prior to the April 30 episode of SmackDown.[4][12]
19 The B-Team
(Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel)
Male tag team Raw
The following wrestlers were drafted to the 205 Live brand on the April 30 episode of 205 Live.[6]
1 The Singh Brothers
(Sunil Singh and Samir Singh)
Male tag team SmackDown Originally drafted to SmackDown, but moved to 205 Live, separating them from their stablemate, Jinder Mahal.
Notes

Aftermath

[edit]

On Raw, new draftee Lacey Evans defeated Natalya to earn a Raw Women's Championship match against Becky Lynch at Money in the Bank. Natalya was subsequently entered into the women's Money in the Bank ladder match, along with Dana Brooke, Alexa Bliss, and new draftee Naomi; for medical reasons, Bliss was subsequently replaced by new draftee Nikki Cross. New draftee AJ Styles earned a Universal Championship match against Seth Rollins at the event, while new draftees Samoa Joe and Rey Mysterio continued their feud from SmackDown, leading to a United States Championship match at Money in the Bank that Mysterio won. Bobby Roode, now a singles competitor, turned heel and changed his ring name to Robert Roode and became the second holder of WWE's 24/7 Championship that was introduced in May. New draftee The Miz continued his feud from SmackDown with authority figure Shane McMahon, leading to a Steel Cage match at Money in the Bank that Shane won. New draftee Ricochet was entered into the men's Money in the Bank ladder match, along with Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre, and Baron Corbin, though Strowman was replaced by Sami Zayn. New draftees The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) began a feud with The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder).[8][3][5][14] After Eric Young's transfer to Raw, Alexander Wolfe moved to the NXT UK brand and Killian Dain moved to the NXT brand.[15] In May 2019, Raw wrestler Tyler Breeze began appearing on NXT and unsuccessfully challenged Velveteen Dream for the NXT North American Championship at NXT TakeOver: XXV on June 1. Following that match, Breeze confirmed that he was back on NXT.[16]

On SmackDown, Elias was introduced as the "biggest acquisition in SmackDown history" by Vince McMahon and began a feud with fellow new draftee Roman Reigns, leading to a match at Money in the Bank that Reigns won. After Andrade moved back to SmackDown, he continued a feud with new SmackDown draftee and Intercontinental Champion Finn Bálor that began the previous week; both were entered into the men's Money in the Bank ladder match along with Ali and Randy Orton. Bálor was then scheduled to defend his title against Andrade at Super ShowDown. New draftee Lars Sullivan began a feud with R-Truth. New draftee Bayley was given an opportunity to challenge Becky Lynch for the SmackDown Women's Championship at Money in the Bank, but lost it to Charlotte Flair. Bayley was subsequently entered into the women's Money in the Bank ladder match along with Mandy Rose, Carmella, and new draftee Ember Moon; Bayley won the match and later that same night, cashed in the contract to win the SmackDown Women's Championship from Flair, who had just defeated Lynch for the title. Paige introduced a new tag team, The Kabuki Warriors, consisting of Asuka and new draftee Kairi Sane, to manage and go after the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship.[11][4][17][18] Raw wrestler Dolph Ziggler had been inactive since January's Royal Rumble event, but returned prior to June's Super ShowDown event to challenge Kofi Kingston for SmackDown's WWE Championship. On-screen graphics when he appeared on SmackDown showed that he was still part of Raw, but following Super ShowDown, his WWE.com profile was updated to show that he was moved to SmackDown.[19]

The reasons for Andrade and Zelina Vega's move back to SmackDown, and Aleister Black's switch to the brand, were later revealed. In WWE's attempt to keep real-life couples on the same brand, Andrade was moved back to SmackDown because of his relationship with Charlotte Flair, Vega was moved as she is Andrade's on-screen manager, and Black was moved because of his marriage to Vega. It was also reported that FOX, where SmackDown would begin airing in October 2019, wanted more Latin American stars on the show and requested Andrade and Vega to be moved back to the brand.[20]

Wild Card Rule

[edit]

On the May 6 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon introduced a Wild Card Rule, with specific stipulations:[14][21]

  1. Up to four wrestlers would be allowed to appear on the opposing brand's show by invitation for one night only.
  2. Unsanctioned appearances would be penalized with a fine or termination.

Following the implementation of the Wild Card Rule, the stipulations were routinely ignored with numerous stars freely appearing on both shows for multiple weeks with storylines crossing over both brands, blurring the lines between Raw and SmackDown. The rule was heavily criticized by journalists and current wrestlers alike. Writing for Newsweek, Phillip Martinez said that even though WWE tried explaining the rule, it was still confusing and unclear.[22] Raw wrestler Seth Rollins said that the rule "really muddled things up" as it "used to feel special" to only see other talent every so often, but because of the rule, they were seeing each other every week.[23] SmackDown wrestler Kevin Owens also criticized the rule. He said that he understood that it was intended to bring unpredictability to the shows, but it was "loosely defined".[24] Andrew Murray of WhatCulture said it was one of WWE's "most divisive creative decisions in years" and the promotion were unable to stick to their original outline.[24] Connor Casey of ComicBook.com said that the rule "effectively killed the brand split".[23]

Subsequent draft

[edit]

With SmackDown's move to FOX in October and Raw remaining on the USA Network, WWE decided to hold a second draft for the year to definitively split the brands. Returning to its original name (the "WWE Draft") and a traditional draft format, this second draft of 2019 occurred on the October 11 and 14 episodes of SmackDown (renamed to Friday Night SmackDown) and Raw, respectively. Personalities from FOX and NBCUniversal (USA's parent company) appeared and had influence over the picks (the first time television networks had an influence over WWE's drafting decisions).[25][26] The Wild Card Rule also ended with this subsequent draft.[23]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Keller, Wade (December 17, 2018). "12/17 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Vince McMahon shaking things up, TLC fallout, Balor vs. Ziggler". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  2. ^ Keller, Wade (April 8, 2019). "4/8 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Day After WrestleMania edition of Raw with Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Kofi Kingston". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on April 9, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e Keller, Wade (April 22, 2019). "4/22 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Superstar Shake-up fallout, the Road to Money in the Bank including no. 1 contender to Seth determined". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e Keller, Wade (April 23, 2019). "4/23 WWE Smackdown Results: Keller's report on Roman Reigns-Vince McMahon fallout, Shinsuke vs. Kofi, Charlotte-Becky face off". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d Keller, Wade (April 29, 2019). "4/29 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Alexa Bliss announcing Money in the Bank competitors, Rollins-Styles hype, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Vishwakoti, Anish (May 1, 2019). "4/30 WWE 205 Live Results: Anish V's review of WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese vs. Drew Gulak in a non-title match, Lucha House Party vs. The Singh Brothers". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Myers, Mike (May 11, 2019). "5/8 WWE Main Event TV Report: Strong episode featuring EC3 vs. Cedric Alexander, Nikki Cross vs. Peyton Royce". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Keller, Wade (April 15, 2019). "4/15 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Superstar Shake-up including more fallout from WrestleMania 35". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  9. ^ "Full list of Superstars who moved to Raw in the 2019 Superstar Shake-up". WWE. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  10. ^ Babos, John (May 13, 2019). "WWE Superstar Shake-Up Week 5 Fallout & Spoilers: Did NXT Alumni Nikki Cross Land On Raw Or Smackdown Live Or NXT UK?". Inside Pulse. Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  11. ^ a b Keller, Wade (April 16, 2019). "4/16 WWE Smackdown Results: Keller's report and analysis of the second night of the Superstar Shake-up". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on April 17, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  12. ^ Rose, Bryan (April 25, 2019). "B-Team officially join WWE SmackDown in latest roster changes". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  13. ^ Keller, Wade (May 20, 2019). "5/20 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Money in the Bank fallout, will Brock Lesnar announce his intentions, Mick Foley reveals new WWE Title". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on May 23, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  14. ^ a b Keller, Wade (May 6, 2019). "5/6 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Will Roman Reigns show up, Money in the Bank hype including Rollins-Styles, Rey wants U.S. Title, More Grooming Perhaps". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  15. ^ Rose, Bryan (April 20, 2019). "Alexander Wolfe debuts at NXT UK tapings". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  16. ^ WWE (June 1, 2019). Is Tyler Breeze cut out for the "new" NXT? WWE Exclusive, June 1, 2019. YouTube. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  17. ^ Keller, Wade (April 30, 2019). "4/30 WWE Smackdown Report: Keller's report on the latest Money in the Bank developments, Roman Reigns settles in, Becky vs. Bayley". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  18. ^ Keller, Wade (May 14, 2019). "5/14 WWE Smackdown Results: Keller's report on Kofi Kingston on The Kevin Owens Show, Money in the Bank fatal four-way match, Reigns returns to discuss Elias match". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on May 15, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  19. ^ "Dolph Ziggler". WWE. Archived from the original on June 14, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  20. ^ Casey, Connor (April 24, 2019). "Report: Multiple Reasons Why Andrade, Zelina Vega and Aleister Black All Moved to SmackDown Live". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  21. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (May 7, 2019). "WWE Posts Explanation Of How The "Wild Card Rule" Works". Fightful. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  22. ^ Martinez, Phillip (May 7, 2019). "WWE explains the new "Wild Card Rule" and it's still confusing". Newsweek. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  23. ^ a b c Casey, Connor (September 17, 2019). "WWE Confirms the Wild Card Rule Will Be Gone After the WWE Draft". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  24. ^ a b Murray, Andrew (June 21, 2019). "Kevin Owens Criticises WWE's Wild Card Rule". WhatCulture. Archived from the original on June 24, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  25. ^ Defelice, Robert (September 15, 2019). "WWE Draft Made Official For October 11 & 14, Announced During NFL on Fox". Fightful. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  26. ^ Crosby, Jack (September 15, 2019). "New WWE Draft set for two nights in October 2019 over SmackDown, Raw shows". CBSSports. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.