It has often been said over the years that the end of WrestleMania season unofficially begins the new year for World Wrestling Entertainment programming and storylines. While there is some truth to that, the current brand split that separates the Raw and SmackDown rosters has somewhat extended WrestleMania season a second week for the Superstar Shakeup that involves wrestlers moving to different shows and also NXT performers receiving call-ups to the main roster. Therefore, a plethora of new storylines and feuds are created on Raw and SmackDown on the subsequent shows following those roster changes. Add in that pay-per-view and special events are now co-branded cards that feature performers from both Raw and SmackDown, and the WWE has plenty of options for booking future contests and feuds.
One should not spend too much time trying to get into the head of WWE chairman Vince McMahon as it pertains to certain storylines he may be working on behind the scenes. After all, wrestling journalists such as Dave Meltzer, Bryan Alvarez and others routinely comment how Vince changes his mind, sometimes at the flip of a figurative switch, and goes in a different direction either to swerve those who follow the product or just because he believes he landed a better idea. With that said, those who watch weekly editions of Raw and SmackDown and who also read about WWE rumors can make intelligent guesses for what storylines Vince may be planning heading into the summer of 2018. At least a handful of them could result in fun and entertaining matches.
15 Asuka Squashes The IIconics
Knowing how Vince likes to revisit ideas that played out on other shows or even in NXT, this rumored storyline isn’t much of a stretch. Asuka officially jumping from Raw to SmackDown as part of the Superstar Shakeup wasn’t a surprise, as she officially became part of the blue brand during a segment that involved her helping Charlotte and Becky Lynch in a fight with Carmella, Peyton Royce and Billie Kay.
Asuka’s feud with the Iconic Duo, now renamed The IIconics, made for multiple entertainment segments and moments in NXT. Replaying those matches on SmackDown would keep Asuka fresh in the minds of fans while she is away from the title picture. It’s also worth noting she can now lose a contest or two since her undefeated streak ended at WrestleMania 34.
14 The Club runs SmackDown
Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows making the move from Raw to SmackDown was expected, and the rumored storyline for them is that they will once again reunite with AJ Styles as babyfaces to bring The Club back to the WWE for a time. This would allow Gallows and Anderson to compete with The Bludgeon Brothers and The Bar in the tag team division, and it could set future six-man tag team contests up on SmackDown shows.
There could come a time when the two turn on Styles, such as if the WWE wanted to put the belts on them and make them the top heel team on the blue brand. Until then, however, the split of the Balor Club on Raw should result in the return of the WWE’s original version of The Club back to TV.
13 Bayley and Sasha Feud Continues
Vince and others who make booking decisions for the WWE are nothing if not repetitive, so it shouldn’t be all that shocking to see that this storyline will probably continue through the spring and summer. Neither Bayley nor Sasha Banks moved during the Superstar Shakeup, and the two who have enjoyed an on-again, off-again friendship were jumped by the Riott Squad on the April 16 edition of Raw.
The expectation is that these two will once again join forces to feud with the new heel faction on the Raw brand, probably before Bayley and Sasha once again wrestle each other because that’s just how the WWE works. It may be best for both athletes if the WWE separates them following SummerSlam. Both could use jumpstarts for their characters.
12 Big Cass and The Miz
There are two parts to this rumored storyline we believe Vince could be working on behind the scenes. Big Cass made his official return from injury when he joined SmackDown as part of the Superstar Shakeup, and he immediately began a feud with Daniel Bryan both backstage and then inside of the ring in the closing segment of that show.
It is possible the best way for Vince and company to advance this storyline would be to pair Big Cass with none other than the Miz so that the seven-footer (you can’t teach that height, by the way) can serve as the muscle for the heel and former Intercontinental Championship holder. Eventually, Bryan should notch a noteworthy win over Cass leading up to the advancement of a different storyline that’s been building since 2017.
11 Ronda Rousey vs. Natalya
We begin with a rumored storyline that comes straight out of classic pro wrestling thinking and reasoning. Ronda Rousey came to the aid of Natalya during the April 16 edition of Raw, and it’s been established in storyline that the two are friends. Natalya has been a heel throughout her stint on SmackDown, while Rousey has been positioned as the top babyface of the entire women’s division. Natalya turning on Rousey makes sense, especially knowing that the idea is for the former Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight champion to work and improve as a member of the Raw roster.
These two have trained together behind the scenes, and Natalya could help the Rowdy one continue to find her feet in her new profession. This would also give Rousey something to do outside of the championship picture and a different rumored storyline that is likely to continue.
10 Buddy Murphy weight gimmick
While it has been reported that Triple H was placed in charge of weekly 205 Live programs, the belief is that Vince still needs to sign-off on matches that occur at major shows such as WrestleMania and other pay-per-view events. On the edition of 205 Live that aired immediately after the Superstar Shakeup affected SmackDown, it was announced that Buddy Murphy, positioned as one of the better heels on the Cruiserweight roster, had not made weight leading up to a scheduled championship match.
This is an old-school storyline that could have legs. It adds intrigue whenever Murphy is supposed to be part of a show, and it lets him grow stronger as a heel without having to immediately wrestle for the title.
9 Dolph and Drew: HBK and Diesel 2.0?
Here is a rumored storyline that we didn’t expect to see even though it had been suggested by reporters that Drew McIntyre could make the jump directly from NXT to the main roster once he was recovered from the injury that cost him the first several months of 2018. McIntyre joined the Raw brand as part of the Superstar Shakeup, but he did so alongside Dolph Ziggler, who moved over from SmackDown to Raw.
Ziggler has been compared to none other than the “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels for his look and his moveset. McIntyre, meanwhile, could serve as Ziggler’s Diesel for future Raw storylines and feuds. Of course, McIntyre is much more talented of a wrestler than Kevin Nash was on his best day, meaning Ziggler and the former NXT Champion could have some solid matches once the inevitable breakup occurs.
8 A.O.P. Squash Woken Universe
This one may be more pessimistic thinking that something fans are predicting because of what they’ve seen occur on recent editions of Raw. Woken Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt are now a duo on their own with Jeff Hardy being moved from Raw to SmackDown as part of the Superstar Shakeup. They may ultimately win the Raw Tag Team Championships, but the Authors of Pain, called up from NXT following WrestleMania, are there waiting to squash whichever undersized unit is carrying the belts in the near future.
Don’t think that Vince won’t push A.O.P. as an unstoppable force just because the company is using a similar storyline with the Bludgeon Brothers on SmackDown. The WWE has, in the past, repeated ideas on both shows, and there’s no reason to think that trend won’t continue.
7 Nia Jax vs. Ruby Riott
To be fair, we are not entirely sure if this is a rumored storyline Vince is working on behind the scenes or the result of simple wrestling math. Other women currently on the Raw brand are either busy doing something else or have already been squashed by Nia Jax. Sure, Alexa Bliss will probably continue her program with Nia for a time, but it’s been made clear Bliss probably won’t be in the championship picture for long.
Jax is currently working as a babyface, meaning she needs a new heel to feud with. Ruby Riott is an ideal opponent in that she can cut good promos, help Jax improve as a wrestler and also serve as a different type of opponent than Bliss. Truth be told, Riott using her Squad to win the title and become a top heel could be the right call to make in the summer.
6 Jeff Hardy vs. Andrade
Fans around the world have been impressed with the Andrade “Cien” Almas character since he joined forces with Zelina Vega and turned heel in NXT. Almas’ reign as the champion in NXT ended at the NXT Takeover: New Orleans show, and spoilers for NXT tapings indicated that he was finished in developmental. Those rumors were proven true when the company announced that the duo of Alamas and Vega had joined SmackDown as part of the Superstar Shakeup.
Almas has been having tremendous matches in NXT since the fall of 2017, and he deserves a solid storyline right out of the gates. One rumor floating around immediately after the April 17th edition of SmackDown is that the WWE will insert Almas directly into a feud with Jeff Hardy for the United States Title. Almas would be a great heel to take that title from Hardy.
5 Sanity vs. Bludgeon Brothers
The time had come for Sanity to receive a call-up from NXT to the main roster, and it has been announced that the trio, minus Nikki Cross, have been added to the SmackDown roster. Once the Bludgeon Brothers have beaten the Usos and removed them from the title picture, the champs will need something new to do on Tuesday nights.
Sanity have worked as both babyfaces and heels in developmental, and they could, in time, be turned into the team to win the championships depending on what writers will do with other duos on the blue roster. The WWE could even, down the road, turn the Bludgeon Brothers into a babyface team that loses a feud with a heel Sanity group. Either way, upcoming matches involving these teams could be epic.
4 Daniel Bryan finally beats The Miz
Some fans out there may be looking forward to this feud more than anything else on SmackDown for the rest of the year. One reason it is believed Vince may be working on a storyline involving Daniel Bryan battling with Big Cass as Cass does Miz’s dirty work is to prolong the feud between Bryan and Miz leading to a match at a major show such as SummerSlam or even the Survivor Series.
Bryan versus Miz is the obvious match to create, but making fans anticipate its arrival, for even a few months, is logical booking and good business. Besides, imagine the pop Bryan will elicit once he forces Miz to submit during one of the four biggest pay-per-view events of the year. This will be worth the wait. However, it should be noted that two are set to battle at several non-televised events overseas. Hopefully, this doesn't lead to a premature matchup on-screen as well.
3 Lengthy Nakamura vs. Styles program
Wresting fans around the world were legitimately surprised and maybe even stunned when AJ Styles defeated Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania en route to Nakamura turning heel. The SmackDown shows that have followed WrestleMania have made it clear that Vince is planning on this storyline continuing up through and probably even beyond the Greatest Royal Rumble show.
Styles won the first encounter between the two that occurred underneath the WWE umbrella, meaning Nakamura will probably notch a championship victory over his rival to extend that feud even further. We wouldn’t be surprised to see these two battle up through SummerSlam before both men move on to different storylines. Here’s hoping that their future contests outdo what the two produced at WrestleMania 34, as that match was somewhat of a letdown, hopefully due to the fact that more matches are to follow.
2 Stephanie gets revenge on Ronda
History suggests that Vince is not going to let any member of the McMahon family, particularly Stephanie, get dominated on multiple occasions without obtaining some sort of revenge in time. Ronda Rousey will probably be busy in a different feud during the slower time of the WWE year, but we imagine Stephanie will return to Raw and resume this feud leading up to a massive show, such as SummerSlam.
Perhaps Stephanie will even use a group such as the Riott Squad as her muscle to make Rousey look vulnerable. Obviously, the hope is that Stephanie will do what’s right for business and take a loss to Rousey in a one-on-one contest that isn’t all that competitive. Then again, Vince put up a fight against Shawn Michaels during their memorable WrestleMania match.
1 Roman Reigns title reign
Odds are that Roman Reigns taking a loss to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania was more so the continuation of a storyline rather than the end of a feud. In fact, it is expected among some journalists and fans that Reigns will defeat Lesnar for the Universal Championship leading up to the Big Dog once again serving as the top man on the Raw brand.
It may not make sense to plenty reading this sentence, but the WWE, specifically Vince, remains convinced that Reigns can be the successor to John Cena and other babyface wrestlers who became generational stars. Those who are tired of Reigns being pushed should just get used to the idea of him winning the title. Doing so should keep you from being too disappointed.