The first night of the 2019 Superstar Shake-Up introduced a bevy of new faces to Raw, the most notable of which was former two-time WWE champion, AJ Styles.

The Phenomenal One headlined an incoming crop that also featured Naomi, The Usos, Ricochet, Lacey Evans, Rey Mysterio, The Miz, Andrade and Zelina Vega, EC3, Eric Young and horrifically renamed NXT tag team champions The Viking Experience (Rowe and Hanson).

Styles' arrival was the biggest takeaway from a loaded show, but another of those Superstars—as well as a returning hometown hero—also made their presence felt on the April 15 episode.

AJ Styles Changes Up the Dynamic of Raw's Main Event Scene

For so long, WWE Raw has been The Shield's playground.

The top of the card has been dominated by Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins or Dean Ambrose, and while that has made for some fine action, it has also created a sameness surrounding the show that hopefully will be broken with the arrival of AJ Styles.

The Phenomenal One, the face of SmackDown Live since 2016, made the jump on Monday's show and will bring his star power and in-ring excellence to a show that already features some extraordinary pro wrestlers.

The flagship has been home to heavy hitters such as Reigns, Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar for so long that the introduction of Styles and his technique creates a unique opportunity for Raw to rebrand itself WWE's wrestling show.

With Rollins at the top of the brand as its universal champion, the potential for a series of stellar matches over a title more synonymous with part-timers like Lesnar and Goldberg, is finally there.

The only question? Whether Raw treats Styles with the same respect as SmackDown did and recognizes he is a building block for the brand and a genuine franchise player.

Lacey Evans Impresses in First in-Ring Action

After months of strutting to the ringside area and then returning to the locker room without rhyme or reason, Lacey Evans finally competed in an official match Monday night.

The Sassy Southern Belle proved double tough, fighting through the pain of Natalya's Sharpshooter to make it to the bottom rope and force the break. A Women's Right from out of nowhere and a nasty moonsault earned Evans the victory.

The Queen of Harts was the right opponent for Evans in her first televised singles bout on the main roster. A veteran of years' worth of high-profile bouts and one of the best technicians in the entire women's division, she could help guide the relative newcomer to a quality first match.

Evans, to her credit, carried her portion of the bout perfectly. For a Superstar who has yet to compete in any significant main roster match, she did not look uncomfortable or out of place.

That confidence in the ring will help her exponentially as she prepares to battle Raw and SmackDown women's champion Becky Lynch for the red brand title sometime in the near future. 

Sami Zayn's Masterful Promo Gives Glimpse into Main Event Heel Potential

Sami Zayn entered the Bell Centre in Montreal Monday night to a thunderous ovation, a hero returning to his hometown. Clearly fired up by the reaction, he danced and pandered to the audience before taking a seat for another edition of "A Moment of Bliss."

Then, in the blink of an eye, he heeled on the audience.

Zayn cut into his countrymen, criticizing the people for projecting their issues on the Superstars of WWE. He brilliantly unloaded on the Quebecers, reminding them he got out of the country the first chance he got and moved to "sunny Orlando" instead.

When the fans responded negatively, he took his leave, walking to the back and leaving the show to end abruptly.

A great heel, he dished it out but could not take it. The result? The latest evolution in a character that has the ability to be a legitimate main event villain for the flagship.

We have long known Zayn has the in-ring ability to be a top-shelf Superstar in WWE. The more he gets an opportunity to go out and unload on the audience the way he has the last two weeks, the more likely he is to realize his potential and bring the full package to the top of the card.