The recent WWE brand switches involving LA Knight moving to RAW and Sami Zayn arriving on SmackDown were reportedly executed as a direct trade between the two shows. According to a report from Fightful Select, the core reason for the swap was to “freshen up the babyface rosters” on both Monday and Friday nights. Internally, both Zayn, a former Intercontinental Champion, and Knight, a former United States Champion, are considered to be on a similar level within the company’s hierarchy.
Content continues after the ad
While WWE has not formally addressed the moves as a trade on television, the roster changes were made official over the past two weeks. Zayn initiated his brand switch on the August 15 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, declaring himself a member of the blue brand to seek retribution against Solo Sikoa. Just days later, between August 18-19, WWE quietly updated its official website to list LA Knight as a member of the Monday Night RAW roster, cementing the unofficial exchange.
For LA Knight, the move to RAW has provided an immediate push into the World Heavyweight Title scene. He is scheduled to challenge champion Seth Rollins for the title at Clash in Paris on August 31. The bout will be a fatal four-way match that also includes CM Punk and Jey Uso, a stipulation where Rollins could lose the championship without being pinned.
On SmackDown, Sami Zayn has been similarly positioned in a prominent role, reigniting his long-standing feud with The Bloodline. After being attacked by Solo Sikoa on RAW, Zayn’s pursuit led him to the blue brand, where he has already pinned the United States Champion in tag team matches on consecutive episodes. Zayn is now slated to challenge Sikoa for the United States Championship on the next episode of SmackDown in France.
READ MORE: Becky Lynch Breaks Character During SmackDown In Dublin
