Why Smackdown failed last year and is continuing to fail this year

When the WWE brand-split happened in 2016, everyone agreed that Smackdown LIVE got the shorter end of the stick. Most of the star-power in WWE at that time was drafted to RAW, and Smackdown was left with only a few names who could be considered main-event caliber.

Although they had AJ Styles and then WWE Champion Dean Ambrose, the Smackdown locker-room felt a little lackluster, compared to the likes of Lesnar, Rollins, Reigns, and NXT sweetheart, Finn Balor.

The Women’s division had only one well-known face in Becky Lynch, and the tag division had The Usos, who were in a downward spiral.

There were some nearly unknown faces like Baron Corbin, American Alpha, Alexa Bliss and Apollo Crews, and it looked like Smackdown really was the B-show, and WWE didn’t give a second thought about it.

But it all changed when Smackdown started producing the best television it had produced in years. They used their talent to their full potential, and Smackdown really felt like the ‘Land of Opportunity’.

They made Superstars out of people who had just stepped into the limelight, and rejuvenated the careers we thought were finished. I think few people will disagree with me when I say the feud between The Miz and Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship was one of the best feuds of that year.

Alexa Bliss was on fire, Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton were in a feud which did not bore, the instant classic matches between Styles and Cena, and The Miz and Daniel Bryan trading verbal jabs was delightful.

From the storylines to matches, Smackdown was the must-watch show in 2016, and I as a fan was fully invested. While RAW was becoming boring every week, Smackdown LIVE was exceeding expectations.

In 2016, it was like I was watching Smackdown from the 2004-05’s where the likes of Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, and Edge became stars. I wanted wrestlers like Sami Zayn, Rusev and Cesaro to move to Smackdown where I knew they were going to get their time in the limelight and get a chance to show off their talent, which they possessed in bounds.

But it could not last long, and after WrestleMania 33, everything changed. The Superstar Shake-up had all the major names from Smackdown, move to RAW. But it was not just the move of the wrestlers which affected Smackdown. They had ample talent with the likes of Nakamura, Styles, Charlotte, Roode, but it was storylines and bad booking which destroyed the show.

I have nothing against Jinder Mahal, but the way he had been booked previously, he had no reason to become WWE Champion. And I think a few will disagree with the atrocious title reign he had. It not only managed to give us boring matches and feuds, but also destroyed the credibility of wrestlers like Nakamura.

The tag team division was constantly rehashing the same feuds between the Usos and The New Day, because the brand has failed to build other teams (same can be said about the tag division on RAW, but that is another story). The Women’s division is overlooked, and I’m tired of this six-woman tag team matches.

I sincerely hope Asuka comes to Smackdown and rules over that division. I would rather watch another Asuka squash match than another tag match. Then there is Dolph Ziggler, the man who quit and then returned.

I thought at one time WWE was going somewhere with him, but after his Rumble performance; I don’t know. They even managed to make Bobby Roode boring. In NXT he was one of the best heels, but he is the most boring face on the show.

And I am not sure where WWE are going with the Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon feud. If their differences don’t culminate into a match (which is unlikely considering Bryan’s condition) then it is absolutely pointless.

WWE has managed to turn Smackdown from ‘must-watch’ to ‘I don’t care’ in a matter of a year, and if nothing happens post-WrestleMania 34, it will continue to be terrible. We, as fans, can just hope that it gets better than what it is at the moment.