5 Superstars who shouldn't have changed brands in the WWE Draft 2021

The WWE Draft of 2021 is officially in the books after two big days on both SmackDown and RAW. While the WWE Draft is normally favorable towards one brand, this year, it has been relatively well-balanced.

There were rumors that the TV networks requested WWE to treat RAW and SmackDown equally and not favor one brand. While WWE has often favored RAW as the flagship brand of the company since its inception, the broadcast money that FOX pays for SmackDown has changed the company's top priority.

Even then, there were some moves that were slightly questionable. Admittedly, this wasn't the worst WWE Draft by any means. WWE set up the tone of both brands for the coming year, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out. This list focuses on moves that shouldn't have been made in the WWE Draft this year:

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#5. Becky Lynch - Moved to RAW in the WWE Draft

From a storyline perspective, it makes sense that Becky Lynch is back on RAW. When she took a hiatus from WWE in 2020, she vacated the RAW Women's Championship.

In that sense, she was considered the uncrowned champion while Asuka dominated the RAW Women's division for close to a year. When Lynch returned at SummerSlam 2021, she instantly defeated SmackDown Women's Champion Bianca Belair to capture the title.

It was a big return, and although she ideally should have targeted the RAW Women's division, The Man on SmackDown made a lot of sense. After all, Becky Lynch has been one of WWE's biggest superstars since 2018.

Her run from 2019 to 2020 propelled her to being one of the company's biggest stars, and that's what SmackDown has generally been getting because of the mammoth $200 million a year deal with FOX.

However, while being the SmackDown Women's Champion, Becky Lynch was moved to RAW in the WWE Draft. There's no doubt that she will do well whichever brand that she is a part of, but if WWE wanted to make SmackDown's women's division feel as big as possible, they should have stuck with Lynch on the brand.

Moreover, the entire swapping of titles concept seems to have been better kept to last year when The New Day and Street Profits had to exchange titles following the 2020 Draft to the opposite brands.

The same could happen this year with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, who now hold the opposite brand's titles. Becky Lynch should have stayed on SmackDown in this year's WWE Draft.

#4. Charlotte Flair - Moved to SmackDown in the WWE Draft

If Becky Lynch moving brands in the WWE Draft 2021 was a mistake, so was Charlotte Flair's move. As the reigning RAW Women's Champion, Flair was drafted to Friday Night SmackDown.

There are one of two scenarios that could happen. Either Flair could lose the RAW Women's Championship before the drafts come into effect on October 22nd, or she will simply have to swap titles with Lynch.

We're not crazy about the second idea because it was done last year with the Tag Team Championships. The alternate option, however, is yet another short title reign for The Queen.

We have to wonder, if the second option is what unfolds, does that count as yet another title reign for Charlotte Flair? Either way, it was rumored that FOX specifically requested for Flair, which is quite interesting:

Overall, Charlotte Flair staying on RAW would have been better in the WWE Draft, as she seems to be a better fit for the brand. Perhaps FOX viewed Flair as a bigger star, which is why they specifically asked for her in the WWE Draft.

#3. Dominik Mysterio - Moved to RAW in the WWE Draft 2021

Dominik Mysterio was moved to RAW with Rey Mysterio in the WWE Draft 2021. It isn't the worst move by any means, but the Mysterios seemed to be doing fine on SmackDown.

While WWE didn't deem SummerSlam as big enough a moment to have them re-capture the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, there was an ongoing storyline with the father and son duo.

The WWE Draft means that they will now have to move over to RAW, where Dominik got his first start. One has to wonder whether it was time to split them up, especially since there wasn't much progress being made lately.

Either way, it's possible that Rey Mysterio will be by his son's side until his WWE contract expires. It will be interesting to see how Dominik Mysterio is handled on RAW, but SmackDown would have been better for him in the long run, even if he was away from his father.

Right now, Dominik is in a "sink or swim" storyline where he has faced a string of losses. It remains to be seen whether it will change post-WWE Draft.

#2. Seth Rollins - Too brief a stint on SmackDown after the WWE Draft 2020?

Seth Rollins was moved to SmackDown in the WWE Draft 2020 and moved back to RAW in the WWE Draft of 2021. Overall, his stint on SmackDown lasted only a year.

It's quite brief given how much he's done on the brand in just a year. Perhaps his two most notable achievements are putting over Cesaro at WrestleMania 37 and his recent feud with Edge.

Rollins' feud with Edge will continue on SmackDown even though both men were moved to RAW in the WWE Draft 2021. It's another fresh chapter for Rollins, who returns to RAW as a completely different character.

However, we can't help but wonder whether it was the right move for Seth Rollins to go to RAW in the WWE Draft this year. He has been one of the company's key stars and has had some momentum on SmackDown.

He even teased Universal title contendership against Roman Reigns, but that never came to fruition. Rollins to RAW isn't a bad move - it's just that his stint on SmackDown ended up being too short after last year's WWE Draft.

#1. Liv Morgan - Constantly changing brands in the WWE Draft

When Carmella moved to RAW in the WWE Draft this year, it marked the first brand shift she had since she was called up to SmackDown in the summer of 2016.

King Nakamura is yet to move brands from SmackDown, having been in the blue brand for over four-and-a-half years without a shake-up or draft. While these two were rare cases of superstars who rarely ever moved in the WWE Draft, Liv Morgan is the opposite.

Virtually every superstar shake-up or WWE Draft has seen Liv Morgan move brands. When speaking to Sportskeeda's Rick Ucchino, Liv Morgan anticipated beforehand that she would change brands, even though she felt SmackDown was a better fit for her.

Ultimately, the move happened again and it feels unnecessary. After losing two massive stars in Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair, there is a spot on SmackDown for a rising babyface female star. Liv Morgan is perfect for that role, but the brand shift may have ruined the chances of that happening.