With the calendar about to change from 2025 to 2026, there should be a lot of roster turnover on all three brands in WWE.
WWE Raw should see some stars leaving the program to head to either NXT or Friday Night SmackDown.
Whether to be elevated up the card on another show, or play a specific role on a different brand, numerous talents could be in need of a change of scenery on the Raw brand.
Here are seven WWE Raw stars to potentially leave the show.
7. Penta
Signing with WWE in January 2025, Penta has become one of the hottest stars on the entire Monday Night Raw brand.
The former AEW star has taken the WWE by storm and had a meteoric rise to become one of the most popular babyfaces in the company.
However, Penta’s brother Rey Fenix signed with the promotion in April and has since been making a name for himself on Friday Night SmackDown.
Penta could be moved to the blue brand and get paired up with Fenix to reunite Lucha Brothers in a new company where they could completely take over the SmackDown tag team division.
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6. Rusev
On the November 28 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, Jey Uso defeated Rusev to advance to the “Last Time Is Now” Tournament Semifinals.
This was the first time “The Bulgarian Brute” had appeared on Friday Night SmackDown since his return to the company in April 2025.
While he has made an impact on WWE Raw, Rusev hasn’t quite found the same success that he had during his initial run in the company.
Rusev should be moved to SmackDown where he could have some more upward trajectory and potentially become a main event star in the promotion.
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5. Natalya
In 2024, Natalya re-signed with WWE for a multi-year contract. However, the Hart Family member has been appearing more outside of the promotion.
Becoming a regular fixture on Lucha Libre AAA, Natalya has been bringing a new intensity to her work that has garnered the fans’ attention.
Natalya is someone who might need a new environment to strive in WWE again for the first time in a while.
Moving her to SmackDown, Natalya could help the show’s women’s division that need some veteran experience and someone who could be counted on to deliver inside the squared circle.
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4. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods)
Ever since losing the World Tag Team Championships in June, The New Day have been grieving their loss and wanting another shot at the gold.
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are still one of the best and most popular tag teams in WWE today and deserve to be able to mix it up with some of the better duos in the company.
Considering the SmackDown tag team scene has the likes of DIY, Motor City Machine Guns and Street Profits, The New Day might be better utilized working with other high level pairings in the promotion.
Making the SmackDown tag team division even better than it already is, The New Day could offer a strong heel threat that might bring more eyes back to the title picture that needs it at the moment.
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3. Lyra Valkyria
2025 has been a huge year for the blossoming career of Lyra Valkyria with the Irish star making a name for herself on the WWE main roster.
Becoming the first ever WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion, Valkyria has proven herself to be one of the most impressive in-ring performers in the women’s division today.
After losing her gold, Valkyria might need to move over to Friday Night SmackDown where she could be propelled into the WWE Women’s Championship picture.
Lyra Valkyria could offer a ton to the SmackDown women’s division where she can be a breakout star against the likes of Jade Cargill, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair.
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2. IYO SKY
IYO SKY has become one of the best in-ring performers in the pro wrestling business today.
The past few months has seen IYO SKY team up with Rhea Ripley against her former friends in the Kabuki Warriors.
However, SKY seems like someone who should always be involved in the main title picture and might need to jump to SmackDown to return to that scene.
With the SmackDown women’s division lacking main event stars, IYO would be a huge addition that would immediately position herself against the top talent like Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax and Bianca Belair.
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1. GUNTHER
After losing the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk at WWE SummerSlam 2025, GUNTHER was sidelined due to a nose surgery.
Making his return in the John Cena “Last Time Is Now” Tournament, “The Ring General” has picked up consecutive wins over WWE NXT’s Je’Von Evans and SmackDown’s Carmelo Hayes to make his way to the semifinals.
GUNTHER could be walking into the finals and win where he will be set up to face John Cena in his final match on the December 13 edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.
If he is able to beat Cena, GUNTHER could become a favorite to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship after making the jump from Raw to SmackDown.
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