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One week after a successful WrestleMania 33 card and just nine months into its latest brand extension, WWE reshuffled its deck with a Superstar Shakeup on both Raw and SmackDown Live.

While there wasn't a ton of pomp and circumstance into the announcement of many of the roster changes, the overall results were positive considering the potential big-money feuds that are now in play moving forward. 

Before we take a look back at the highs and lows from a memorable week in WWE, allow us to introduce the brand new podcast, In This Corner, where once a week my co-host Adam Silverstein and I will rant and rave on all things WWE.

The debut episode takes a closer look at the Superstar Shakeup and where WWE is going as its new season begins after WrestleMania 33.

Report card

Superstar Shakeup: Overall, chalk this up as a success considering the timing. WWE strategically avoided any form of fatigue that could've been felt from the latest reshuffling last July. More importantly, the company also did well to better balance out its two major brands after Raw received an almost embarrassment of riches during last year's draft. SmackDown, which without question outperformed Raw over the last nine months, now has a much stronger roster to play with, further applying the pressure on Raw to produce consistently strong three-hour shows. That's a good thing. WWE also provided much better balance to its women's and tag team divisions. Grade: B+

Braun Strowman attacks Roman Reigns: This was vicious and an incredibly powerful statement from WWE regarding the plans it still has for the athletic big man despite a recent demotion of sorts at WrestleMania 33. The segment featured creative camera work and an almost chilling level of violence. Each time it felt like it was over and Reigns' character couldn't possibly endure more, Strowman reappeared to escalate matters. 

Historically, the Raw segments that have stood the test of time as being unforgettable have all shared a specific jarring element. This may not have been on the level of Brian Pillman pulling a gun on Steve Austin, but it was just as memorable. The fact that an idea as absurd as Strowman flipping over an ambulance with his bare hands could be so well captured as believable is ultimately what made it so good. Grade: A+

Kevin Owens, AJ Styles and the United States title: With the exception of the impact Charlotte Flair will have on the SmackDown women's division, there was no bigger acquisition for either brand than Owens. There also wasn't a bigger surprise than Styles staying put on SmackDown. For fans, the prospect of a feud between the company's top worker in Styles and one of its best talkers in Owens has money and entertainment written all over it once Owens wraps up his current program with Chris Jericho at Payback.

Styles' subtle turn back to babyface has potential to be an incredible byproduct of the roster shakeup. But so does what a feud between these top stars could do for the U.S. championship, which outside of the rub John Cena gave it during his open challenge in 2015, has historically been treated like a junior title. Owens-Styles is something to be excited about and wouldn't be out of place headlining a card like SummerSlam. Grade: A

Shinsuke Nakamura's main roster debut: It's still early, which is an important thing to remember right now. But two weeks into Nakamura's SmackDown debut, things just don't feel right. While Dolph Ziggler makes perfect sense for Nakamura's debut feud in the same way that Jericho was an ideal dance partner for Styles last spring, "The King of Strong Style" just doesn't yet look like he belongs. Something feels off. 

Part of that could be that he hasn't been allowed to get physical yet and has mostly used his two appearances on SmackDown to show off his incredible entrance. But the beauty of Nakamura's unique character has always been the drastic contrast between his physical, MMA-inspired wrestling style inside the ring and his flamboyant antics outside of it. So far, he has simply come off as creepy, with no true explanation as to who his character is and what his motivations are in WWE. If you've followed his incredible 12-month run in NXT, that might not matter as much. But for fans who are new to Nakamura's unique style, questions likely remain. Grade: C-

Kurt Angle backs Seth Rollins: It has been so far, so good for Angle in his new role as general manager of Raw. With underrated comedic chops and plenty of big pops remaining from the crowd each time his music hits, Angle has potential to add some intrigue to Monday nights. And seeds for a longterm role of opposition against Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and The Authority appeared to be planted when Angle publicly backed Rollins, saying, "Stephanie is entitled to her own opinion but as long as I am GM, you have a home on Monday Night Raw." While Rollins appears poised for a feud with Samoa Joe, who blindsided him moments later, any help Angle can provide to igniting Rollins' occasionally stale babyface push would be a welcome development. Grade: B+

House of Horrors concept: The model simply doesn't make sense. After lengthy builds for major feuds like Owens-Jericho and Randy Orton-Bray Wyatt heading into WrestleMania, attempting to extend them one more month to Payback on April 30 feels nothing more than gratuitous. It's a decision further exposed by the Superstar Shakeup. Considering Payback is a Raw-exclusive pay-per-view, having Owens and Orton of SmackDown appear in major matches only delays the impact of the roster changes. Orton-Wyatt was a strong program that went south in a hurry due to a muddled storyline and underwhelming WrestleMania match. Even if their House of Horrors match at Payback overachieves, the time for this feud to shine has already passed. Grade: F

Best of the best

Wrestler -- Braun Strowman: No one left a bigger mark over the past seven days. 

Match -- The Usos (c) def. American Alpha to retain the SmackDown tag team championship: The rematch of their electric SmackDown match in late March was just as good, featuring classic teamwork, high spots and a series of believable near-falls. 

Move -- Sami Zayn's springboard moonsault: The acquisition of Zayn was an underrated one for SmackDown, which has taken on the identity of being more of a "wrestling show" opposite Raw. Zayn's debut in a triple threat with Styles and Baron Corbin was strong. 

Promo -- Kevin Owens on Talking Smack: Owens' debut on the SmackDown post show was a Tour de Force for his strong personality and improvisational style. From throwing his shoes on the desk upon appearing to ripping commissioner Shane McMahon for not initially drafting him last July (and "taking food off my family's table"), Owens made a huge impact. 

Show -- SmackDown Live: Strong debuts from Owens and Flair, and a pair of matches (The Usos-American Alpha and the triple threat main event) which featured pay-per-view intensity gave SmackDown a leg up on the others. 

Grade

Week of April 14: B+