If there is one constant in a professional athlete's world, it would be that of change. Any organization is constantly looking to evolve and improve. This is especially true in professional wrestling. Over the years, regardless of the organization, every promoter has always sought to bring in the best, brightest and newest talent. It’s a great way to keep fans coming to consume their product. It’s also a terrific way to keep providing fresh matches for fans.

At least, it’s terrific when it is change in the form of new wrestlers coming in. On the flip side, speaking about WWE in particular, the company regularly jettisons talent for one reason or another. Perhaps they weren’t working out. Maybe there was a personality clash. Sometimes, a contract runs out and neither the Superstar nor WWE have an interest in continuing the relationship. This is just a reality in WWE, as much now as it was when there were other big options for Superstars.

Now, as our calendars are changing from 2018 to 2019, we acknowledge that there will be changes coming to WWE. The McMahon Family promised as much a few weeks ago on RAW. So what kind of changes are coming in 2019? Specifically, lets identify seven Superstars we expect to leave WWE soon-and predict where they end up. On the flip side, we will also identify seven talents we expect to debut on the main roster soon. Some of these will be obvious, some will be a bit more educated guess. But, without further delay, let’s see who stays and who goes!

Right off the bat, I am excluding those Superstars who are expected to retire. This means The Undertaker or Big Show or anyone in that tier will not be appearing on this list. That would just be too obvious. I’ll also go light on the ones we know are coming, since we just had a ton of call-ups announced.

21 Superstar Leaving: Asuka

Yes, Asuka just won the SmackDown Women’s Championship. But she was so hot early in 2018 and then WWE just ended that when they had her lose, cleanly, to Charlotte at WrestleMania, thus ending her impressively long winning streak, dating back to her NXT debut. There were rumblings that the Superstar might have been unhappy with things, and could be open to entertaining offers to return to her home country. Indeed, going back to work at home could prove lucrative in its own right. The rumblings have quieted down of late, so it’s possible that her winning the title is a vote of confidence. It’s also possible it may be too little, too late.

20 Where Asuka Will Go Next: Cody Rhodes' Upcoming Promotion

Where will Asuka end up? New Japan would be the most obvious choice. She is a huge star in Japan sto this day. That promotion would love to have her back, and she would be a bigger star there than say, Ronda Rousey is in WWE. She's easily a talent that could have a multitude of choices if and when she opts to move on from WWE, and of course, when her non-compete runs out. However, given her stature, I would call out a dark horse candidate: if the rumors are true, that Cody Rhodes and Shad Khan are working to create a new promotion, then surely they'd want to make a big, splashy acquisition. Asuka would be perfect to build a Women's Division around.

19 Superstar Debuting: Lars Sullivan

This is easy. Lars Sullivan was announced with vignettes running as far back as Survivor Series. When the McMahon Family announced more NXT call ups, he was still front and center. Word on the street is that Vince himself is extremely high on Lars Sullivan, so we can expect him to be pushed as the next mega-monster heel when he does show up. In terms of when? Well, no date was announced yet, but it seems quite likely that we will see Sullivan showing up and shaking things up in the Royal Rumble, if not making his mark before. Since the Rumble is in late January, we can officially be on Lars Watch.

18 Superstar Leaving: Shinsuke Nakamura

 

Similar to Asuka, there had been reports that either Shinsuke Nakamura was unhappy with WWE and his direction within the company, or that the company was not happy with him following his jump to the main roster. As with Asuka, he too lost at WrestleMania, which doesn’t happen often for a Rumble winner. Unlike Asuka, Nakamura has not recently won a championship. In fact, as of the Christmas edition of SmackDown Live, he is a now former U.S. Champion. Now, title changes happen all the time, so that in and of itself doesn’t necessarily mean a lot. But, given that he was rumored to be on the outs, it is worth watching. As with Asuka, I’d expect him to return to New Japan

17 Where Nakamura Will Go Next: NJPW

I feel comfortable sticking with my New Japan call here. That's less a reflection on Nakamura's appeal (he's a star), and more an admission that New Japan is growing and is a strong promotion to be recognized. For whatever reason, he was not always utilized correctly in WWE. Some booking decisions remain head-scratchers, especially when you consider just how over this man was before the heel turn. He'd be at least that over as a top star back in Japan, without a doubt one of the top babyfaces they could book. The King of Strong Style got that moniker for a reason, and if WWE won't use him to his full extent, there is little doubt he'd go back and reclaim his throne.

16 Superstar Debuting: EC3

 

Another obvious one (OK, I can lay off the super easy obvious ones now, I promise). I think some folks thought that once EC3 decided to come back to WWE, he might get a similar debut like AJ Styles; straight to the main roster. The reality was entirely different. We know McMahon has a thing for sending talent to NXT for refinement, even some very talented Superstars, like Bobby Roode or Shinsuke Nakamura. Styles was the exception, not the rule, and having seen some of EC3 in NXT, the polishing was needed. Still, I am excited to see what he can do on the main roster. I think his persona plays more as a heel, instead of the babyface he played in Florida.

15 Superstar Leaving: Kassius Ohno

OK, not a main roster guy, but the former Chris Hero, who is on his second run with WWE (in NXT) is currently running with an angle where he’s unhappy with how he’s been used and passed over. It’s probably not a stretch for him to portray that role, because since he returned, he’s been overlooked. He hasn’t done much on most of the TakeOver specials since he came back, and he’s seen plenty of NXT talents move from Florida to the main roster. Assuming he continues to play a glorified enhancement talent (like losing to Matt Riddle in less than ten seconds at the last TakeOver), it’s not hard to imagine him leaving when he has the chance. For Ohno, he could work anywhere, having made a name for himself on the indie scene.

14 Where Ohno Will Go Next: ROH

Ring of Honor seems quite likely...but is it almost too obvious? Here's the thing about Ohno-as Chris Hero; he was an indy darling, a top star. He could allow himself to be booked by any and all promotions around the globe, and make a good living at it too. He would be an interesting sort of reclamation project for a place like Impact, however. He's clearly talented, but a bit unconventional. No, he does not have the classic look that certain promoters love, but he's undeniably good in the ring. Put him in Impact and let him loose and he could really find himself.

13 Superstar Debuting: Ricochet

 

He was one of a couple NXT guys whom I was stunned was not on the list of those being called up. I get it, he currently holds the N.A. Championship, and you don’t necessarily want to telegraph that belt being dropped, but he is one of the more exciting NXT Superstars around. I feel confident in saying that he shows up on a main roster show in 2019. If not on the post-‘Mania RAW, then by the post-SummerSlam shows. I also wouldn't be shocked if he gets a slot in the 2019 Rumble, like Adam Cole did in 2018. He’s too good to keep down for much longer. I am looking forward to several debuts in 2019, and this one is easily one of the more exciting ones to think about.

12 Superstars Leaving: The Revival

 

I loved these guys coming out of NXT, and when they debuted on the main roster, I thought for sure they’d have a nice push and would hold Tag Team Championship quickly. It’s been a while since they debuted on the main roster, and they’ve barely sniffed title matches. Granted, yes, they had to deal with injury issues along the way. I mean, some really bad injury luck, really. That being said, unless the shakeup gives them a new shot at being the top tag team on their show, we may not get to enjoy them on WWE TV much longer.

11 Where The Revival Will Go Next: NJPW

They strike me as a duo that would do extremely well in New Japan. Ring of Honor is also likely a promotion that would appreciate their no frills style. That all being said, I can see them working a lot of indie dates for a while, before anything sticks. The challenge for them is finding a home where tag team wrestling is more appreciated. WWE is doing better than it had say, five years ago, but tag team wrestling is still not close to what it once was. A group like New Japan would do wonders with Dash and Dawson (I mean, look what happened to Luke Gallows).

10 Superstars Debuting: Undisputed Era

 

Officially, this is four guys. Perhaps they don’t all stick together when making the jump, but that’s to be determined. I mean, they could always have an angle where three of them turn on the fourth (like, the original trio boot out Roderick Strong, after Strong costs them the NXT Tag Team Championship). Word is, the group was not part of the move to the main roster because they are seen as vital to the NXT brand right now. I get it, though. It's the same reason Asuka was kept on NXT for so long too. But, no one can rise up and fill the void if they don’t first move on. They’ve dominated NXT since arriving, so it’s time to move up and shake things up. A debut following WrestleMania feels about right on the timing.

9 Superstar Leaving: Tamina

 

Here’s one I think may end up leaving, but without going anywhere of significance. Yes, Tamina is a name recognized the world over. But she’s getting older and she’s dealt with injuries over the years. She was off WWE TV for what felt like an eternity before she came back and wound up aligning with Nia Jax. And in that current program, she’s as good as she’s going to be. She’s a bodyguard, a valet, someone’s muscle. She has to realize, with the influx of superior female talent, her time has come and gone. With that in mind, and with the division getting more and more stacked, I would not be shocked if, when her contract expires, we see her fade away. Perhaps the only thing saving her right now is that WWE is bringing out the Women's Tag Team Championship.

8 Where Tamina Will Go Next: Retirement

I honestly think she goes...nowhere. I have this feeling that, should WWE give her the pink slip, she may just fade into the background. She does strike me as someone who, given her injury history and her legacy with WWE, may make sense to keep in the back. I could see her pick up work as one of the backstage agents for WWE, or even as a trainer in NXT. That's probably not a bad landing spot for her-less travel, fewer bumps, and you stay close to the business. I just don't think she has enough left to offer any other promotion that she'd be a hotly pursued free agent (though I could be wrong).

7 Superstar Debuting: Cody Rhodes

 

This is someone who left WWE already, and boy did he do well for himself since. To put things into perspective, WWE considers Madison Square Garden their home arena; it's the closest major arena to Stamford. All In was sold out in MSG. Hard for WWE to not notice. Now, WWE has been chasing Rhodes for a return,  but if we are to believe Cody, he's rejected every advance so far, and we all know every wrestler always tells us the truth, right? In spite of his impressive success outside of WWE, I still think he returns for the right deal. Creating your own major events could be fun, but it's surely a lot of work. Imagine making more money and not having to deal with the administrative headache, because that's exactly what WWE would be offering Rhodes. Even if Cody creates his own promotion, he will likely leave for the money after a while.

6 Superstar Leaving: Mojo Rawley

 

Here’s someone I had to look on WWE.com’s roster page to even remember worked there. As I looked over the roster, I saw a few other options that made sense too, to be quite honest. But looking at Mojo Rawley, I see a guy who won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and then…did nothing with it. To be fair, the Andre trophy hasn’t really vaulted anyone on to bigger and better things by itself. But, despite having the look and working hard, he is mired in obscurity. Honestly, he’s one I wonder “what if” about; as in, what if Zack Ryder hadn’t gotten injured when they were on the rise and earned the Tag Team Championship shot? Because I felt strongly a title reign was coming, and then things fizzled.

5 Where Rawley Will Go Next: Impact Wrestling

Mojo would be perfect for Impact. He's a high enough profile guy, with his big win at WrestleMania and his connection to someone like Rob Gronkowski. Yet, he's what you'd see as a buy-low guy. Can he carry a promotion as a top star? Maybe not, but he won't likely ever get the chance unless he leaves WWE. Could he have that opportunity at Impact? I'd imagine yes. He'd have less competition from a less crowded roster, so he'd have every opportunity to truly shine, if he can. He strikes me as a guy who can leave WWE, really show what he can do, and potentially be a returning star a few years later.

4 Superstars Debuting: The Young Bucks

 

Yes, we know they've reportedly turned down WWE's previous advances. That means nothing in the grand scheme of things, other than the right offer has yet to be made. If WWE wants them, and it's pretty clear that they are interested, then Vince McMahon will find a way to sign them. Having gone on RAW and promised new talent is incoming, he worded it in such a way as to make me believe this meant not just NXT call-ups. Bringing in this duo immediately makes tag team action that much more exciting, as it gives WWE several intriguing programs to run with.

3 Superstar Leaving: Dolph Ziggler

 

Lets be honest. It seems like Dolph Ziggler and his contract status have been constantly discussed for two years or more. He’s re-upped, he hasn’t, he’s signed but for not as long…take your pick. Part of that stems from how, just a few years ago, he was the hottest Superstar they had. He was the man who was booked to save Team RAW at Survivor Series. The sky was the limit. He seemed destined for another World Championship run….and then that fell flat. WWE of course used some of this in a program earlier this year, where Ziggler won the U.S. Championship and then just walked out-only to return, but without the title he never lost. He gained it back, lost it again, and now is sort of in limbo (as in, sometimes he’s a babyface against Drew McIntyre, sometimes he is more heel against Finn Balor). I can easily see Ziggler walking away when his contract expires.

2 Where Ziggler Goes Next: Impact Wrestling

Anywhere he wants, and that's not even a wise cracking answer. Ziggler would be a huge acquisition for any promotion on the planet. He's got the look, the charisma and the resume. If Impact really wants to make a renewed push for relevance, you could make Ziggler your top star and push that product to the moon. At the same time, this would be the type of huge move a fledgling organization might make, in order to ensure people notice them and understand how serious they intend to be. For that, I expect a Brinks truck to be backed up in Dolph's driveway.