The WWE roster is stacked with talent across Raw, SmackDown and NXT, making competition for top spots extremely fierce.
While SmackDown becoming a three hour show will help get more talent on TV from week to week, some stars may need a total repackaging in order to reach success in 2026.
Here are seven WWE stars to potentially be repackaged soon.
7. Grayson Waller
The most recent example of a superstar repackaging on WWE TV has been Austin Theory, who has gone from a directionless tag team wrestler to joining Raw’s top faction The Vision.
The former United States Champion spent much of the past two years involved in a tag team with Grayson Waller, a team that left a sour taste in the mouth of many fans due to how long WWE teased and prolonged their breakup.
While Theory has eventually come out the other side in a much better spot, Waller is little more than a cheerleader for The New Day at this point.
A naturally detestable heel on his own, Waller is in need of a similar reinvention that Theory received in 2026 in order to rebuild his WWE career.
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6. Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae
With rumors rampant regarding Tommaso Ciampa’s long-term future in WWE, 2026 may be a year of change for his DIY teammate Johnny Gargano and wife Candice LeRae.
We got a glimpse of Gargano and LeRae as a double act without Ciampa on the January 2 SmackDown, when “Johnny Wrestling” unsuccessfully challenged Carmelo Hayes for the United States Championship.
If Gargano and LeRae are to achieve greater success in WWE than what they have so far, a full repackaging may be necessary.
Alternatively, WWE could send the pair back to NXT especially now several roster spots are open following the call-ups of Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans and Jordynne Grace.
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5. Apollo Crews
After missing almost the entirety of 2025 due to injury, Apollo Crews will be hoping for a much better 2026 in WWE now he’s fit and healthy once again.
The former United States and Intercontinental Champion made his in-ring return from injury in a dark match at a AAA event in November, leading to speculation that WWE could move him to the Mexican promotion.
However, that appears not to be the case, as Crews has now returned to WWE in-ring action – once again competing in a dark match on the Friday, January 2 episode of SmackDown.
When WWE eventually bring Crews back to television it should come with an all new character, or at least some interesting creative direction that gives him a purpose, rather than returning to be another body on the roster.
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4. Santos Escobar
Another absentee star that could be in line for a character makeover in 2026 is Santos Escobar.
The Mexican star briefly departed WWE in October after turning down a new contract, only to reportedly re-sign on improved terms within a few days.
While fans naturally anticipated a big return and renewed push following this, we have instead not seen or heard anything regarding when Escobar will make his comeback.
Whenever it happens, it feels like Escobar’s return must come with a big shift in his presentation if WWE wants to move him up to the main event scene.
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3. B-Fab
Due to suffering a shoulder injury on WWE’s Holiday Tour, Michin was pulled from her scheduled match with Jade Cargill on the January 2 episode of SmackDown.
While there was no guarantees that it was going to happen, one of the prevailing theories among fans was that this match could have also seen Michin’s teammate B-Fab potentially turn heel.
Joining up with Cargill as she continues to reign over the SmackDown women’s division, B-Fab could be the first of a new group of “Baddies” similar to Cargill’s group in AEW.
With little success as a singles star, B-Fab being repackaged as Cargill’s new ally may be the best course of action for her character in 2026.
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2. Sami Zayn
After several weeks off WWE TV, Sami Zayn made his return on the January 2 episode of SmackDown.
Boldly declaring that he will become a world champion, Zayn’s desire to achieve that goal could get borderline desperate the longer he doesn’t achieve it.
With the fans not quite behind Sami the same way they were several years ago, it feels like the right time to shift his character closer to a heel.
With a new attitude, Zayn may finally capture the big one, albeit under controversial circumstances as he takes shortcuts and cheats to finally make it happen.
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1. Street Profits
The break up of the Street Profits has been another lengthy saga in WWE, with the pair of Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford seeming set to go their separate ways on several different occasions over the years.
While it seemed as if WWE may finally pull the trigger on a split during their feud with the Wyatt Sicks in August, Ford and Dawkins have instead vanished from TV – last competing on SmackDown in October.
Given that they’ve been together for almost a decade in WWE, a split feels overdue, with fans eager to see what both can achieve on their own.
Whether it be solo runs for Ford and Dawkins, or perhaps joining The Vision over on Raw, the pair need something new in 2026.
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