3 Trades to Give WWE Raw the Boost Needed to Compete with SmackDown

Stop me if you've heard this already: SmackDown is the best WWE weekly series.

The show is concise and entertaining, and it has more star power than Raw. It's hard to understand how both are produced by the same company sometimes.

This has been a common refrain from viewers this year as WWE's flagship series continues to struggle. Although there are some bright spots like Bobby Lashley and MVP, the three-hour show has become a slog to finish most weeks due to incessant rematches and creative stagnance.

Meanwhile, Roman Reigns has made the blue brand must-see television on Friday nights. His ongoing story arc is the best aspect of WWE programming. That is the biggest difference between the two main roster shows.

There just aren't any storylines as compelling on Monday nights. There's also a lack of major stars or an attempt to build new ones. Raw will probably address this issue during the upcoming draft. In the meantime, these are three trades that could give the "A Show" a shot in the arm.

The Raw women's division could use a strong protagonist the fans can get behind. WWE attempted to groom Nikki A.S.H. for this role earlier this year, but she didn't connect with some of the crowd.

Liv Morgan would make an excellent addition to the red brand because she is so popular with many women's wrestling fans. The former Riott Squad member is unique and has vastly improved in between the ropes. She could be a great underdog character WWE can build up in time for the Royal Rumble.

Even more, Morgan has a brief history with the current Raw women's champion, Charlotte Flair. On the July 16, 2019 episode of SmackDown, The Queen made quick work of her, forcing her to take some time off of television and grow as a competitor. After the match, the 27-year-old said: "Charlotte was right and when I come back I'm going to be real."

Morgan returned in December following a slew of vignettes and entered a forgettable love triangle with Lana and Bobby Lashley. Then, she had a short-lived rivalry with Ruby Riott before her rematch with Flair in May.

There was never a satisfying conclusion to their interactions, and this is something WWE could revisit if it wants to establish a new singles competitor on Raw.

Longtime viewers had high hopes for Cesaro earlier this year when he finally got a chance to compete for a world title. He is one of those underutilized members of the roster who die-hard fans always praise for athleticism and versatility in the ring.

Unfortunately, The Swiss Cyborg has been in a slump since he unsuccessfully challenged Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania Backlash. For whatever reason, he re-entered a feud with Seth Rollins, who he defeated on The Grandest Stage of Them All in April.

The 40-year-old lost his rematch against Rollins at Hell in a Cell and has been floundering ever since. A trade to Raw could give him some new opponents and a different direction.

If nothing else, Cesaro could be a suitable contender for the United States Championship. With Sheamus on Raw, it also wouldn't be a terrible idea to reunite The Bar. They were a fantastic tag team, and the red brand could use some more pairings to bolster its tag division.

Kevin Owens is well-known among wrestling fans for his work as a backstabbing heel. However, he has quietly become one of the best babyfaces on the roster for some time.

KO is a tremendous talker and always finds a way to remind everyone just how good he is in the ring. He is truly the full package, and it's a shame he hasn't had a chance to hold a world title since he dropped the Universal Championship to Goldberg at Fastlane 2017.

Yes, the 37-year-old did have a series of great matches with Roman Reigns earlier this year, but no one expected him to dethrone The Tribal Chief. Unfortunately, there isn't much room for the Canadian to thrive on SmackDown. He would be more useful on Raw where he could become the top contender for its top prize.

The red brand's main event could desperately use a Superstar as entertaining as Owens, and it could give him the opportunity to grow as a protagonist.

A feud with Bobby Lashley could also produce some spectacular matches and even better segments on weekly television. The promos between him and MVP alone would be a treat.