It has been seven months since I wrote a WWE-specific column. Why now? Why with a similar title to the last one? What has happened? Well, I'll tell you. Smackdown has become the must-watch show in WWE. That's what. Smackdown was having some serious troubles last year. It seemed that everyone was getting injured. Ken Kennedy, Booker T, Kid Kash, and the big one, Batista. Couple that with the untimely death of Eddie Guerrero and Smackdown started to be terribly lacking in terms of utilized talent and the overall quality of the episodes.
Without warning, giving Smackdown a huge shot in the arm, Kurt Angle made a surprise appearance and won the World Heavyweight Championship. 2006's Smackdown started to look promising. It was not simply Kurt Angle's jump to the blue team that turned around the brand, but it certainly was the start of the good times Smackdown has been having this year. I would even go so far as to say that it has surpassed Raw recently as the #1 show. Good wrestling, new talent, legendary wrestlers showing up, great feuds and tons more.
Although, having discussed Smackdown with other fans, I get the feeling that some people are still not watching and only tune in for Raw. If you spend any time on a wrestling message board, you know the inevitable poll that pops up in the WWE section: Which brand(s) do you watch? A lot of the votes indicate that there are fans who do not watch Smackdown, and I am not only talking about those who do not receive UPN in their area. Therefore, I will take this opportunity to explain Smackdown's current goings-on as well as hype the best features and wrestlers of the show.
THE MAIN EVENT SCENE: First things first. The leaders of the brand. Smackdown's top wrestlers have all added something special to the main event in the past couple months. As previously indicated, World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle was a major part of the revitilization of Smackdown. His shocking jump from Raw and subsequent win in the World Championship battle royal instantly cemented himself as Smackdown's #1 man. A lot went right that evening. First of all, Kurt Angle turned babyface within the course of one match. Yes, fans had been cheering his heel act for weeks, but his defeat over a heel like Mark Henry made him a true babyface without even sucking up to the fans, kissing babies, chanting "U-S-A!" or anything else. The fans were dying to cheer for Kurt Angle, and in that night, he gave everyone what they wanted. It was okay to cheer for a new World Champion, regardless of the fact that he just said he wanted to make Jesus submit to the ankle lock. The fans took the opportunity and sealed the deal.
Next, very close to being the top babyface on Smackdown (he's more like #1B than #2) is Rey Mysterio. The elevation of Mysterio is one of the best things going on Smackdown right now. While I admit I hated all the Eddie Guerrero references, that is a thing of the past, and WWE realizes they should not go there again. They stepped back, understandably so, and now the focus is actually on Mysterio. Not Guerrero. Many are saying Mysterio is primed to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania. It's certainly a strong possibility. Think about it. With rare exception, Wrestlemania ends with the babyface on top. So, either Triple H vs. John Cena is going last and Cena is winning, both of which are unlikely, or the Smackdown triple threat will be the main event and either Angle or Mysterio will win. I predict Mysterio. If/when he does win, that is going to be the feel-good moment of the year. It will belong to Smackdown.
Third, we have the top heel on Smackdown in Randy Orton. I have heard some say that Orton is not a legitimate contender because he has not done anything lately that would make the fans believe he deserves it. Well, for one thing, he defeated Rey Mysterio in the contender's match at No Way Out. For another, his heel heat is incredible, so I think the fans buy into the fact that he's the top bad guy on Smackdown. His promos have been impressive -- especially during the face-off three-way interview segment a couple weeks back -- and his ring work has been solid, if unspectacular. Orton deserves to be back in the main event. He has been out for a long time besides a non-title Hell in a Cell match last year. He has been given the ball again, and he is running with it perfectly.
Finally, the odd man out (at least in terms of the Wrestlemania main event) is Undertaker. I still consider him in the main event scene. It was only last month when he was vying for the World Championship. Probably won't be much longer before he gets another shot. His match at No Way Out with Kurt Angle is probably the Smackdown brand match of the year so far. Also, while I am on the subject of NWO, it is probably the Pay-Per-View of the year so far as well. Royal Rumble and New Year's Revolution weren't up to its level. Another reason Smackdown is showing signs of greatness right now.
I digress. Let's move on to another topic.
ELEVATION OF NEW TALENT: I look at the Raw roster for new talent. That is, wrestlers who have debuted on television less than a year ago. The only one who has been pushed with any consistency is Mickie James. Chris Masters debuted a month or two outside of this bubble. He does not count. Matt Striker and Trevor Murdoch are almost exclusive to WWE.com Unlimited. It's a crying shame. Smackdown, on the other hand, is full of recent acquisitions. Perhaps because WWE likes to use Smackdown to test the waters or maybe it is only a coincidence. I do not know. What I do know is that Smackdown benefits a lot from all the new blood.
Let's start with Bobby Lashley. He debuted on Smackdown in September of last year. Six months later, after a long undefeated streak, huge pops, pyro, squashes and power moves, he's one of the biggest names on the roster. WWE has pushed him to the moon. Currently, Lashley is involved in a bitter feud with Fit Finlay. It has gotten over huge. Lashely is also going to be involved in the Money in the Bank ladder match this Sunday at Wrestlemania. He is not considered the favorite to win, but he will absolutely make an impact. As the biggest, baddest wrestler in the match, he is going to bring power to a match that is normally about speed and flying. Expectations are high for Lashley. In all likelihood, he will be wearing some gold before the year is out.
Also making a big splash on Smackdown is Paul Burchill. He debuted on Smackdown in August, and while his push has not been as huge or consistent as Lashley's, Burchill has recently blown up big. No longer William Regal's tag team partner, Burchill has turned babyface and adopted a new gimmick: the wrestling pirate. Yes, it sounds like wrestlecrap, but it has been handled shockingly well for a gimmick like this. It is not cartoony or filled with nothing but comedy. Burchill wields a sword and puts it to wrestlers' throats. He swings to the entrance ramp on a rope and throws jewels (beads, actually) to the crowd. Also, he's darn good in the ring as well. A lot of potential there. He has started to use his FWA finisher, the C4, and while perhaps a bit contrived, the fans love it. This is the best repackaging of a wrestler in WWE in a while.
Ken Kennedy, even though he is on the shelf with an injury, is worth mentioning here too. Debuting nearly at the same time as Burchill, the former Mr. Anderson (McMahon did not like the name) is one of the most charismatic new heels in wrestling today. His ring announcer gimmick is wildly popular. Armed with the gift of gab, he is sure to reach new heights once he returns. Also, I guess I should mention The Boogeyman. He's over with the crowd. So, he's got that going for him. He sucks...but...uh....did I mention he's over with the crowd?
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: There is so much goodness on Smackdown that it is difficult to give everything its own category. So, here are some quick hits.
Have you noticed the great mix in the Smackdown roster? There's the new talent that I just mentioned, there's the regulars like JBL, Matt Hardy and Chris Benoit who have been around for years, and then there's the resurgence of 40+ year-old veterans. Not only the Undertaker (he never goes away for long) but also Fit Finlay, Tatanka and Road Warrior Animal. Finlay has made the biggest return. Pushing fifty, he is still a tough worker and probably one of the best all-around performers on Smackdown right now. The youngsters could learn a lot from him. His tag matches and his singles with Mysterio and Lashley have been impressive. If you aren't watching Smackdown, you are missing one of the best comebacks in modern WWE history. Animal has turned heel on Matt Hardy and bought himself some leather. Tatanka has not done too much, but his presense is a nice blast from the past.
Booker T and Sharmell have been an excellent pair of heels. Forget about Book and Sharmell as babyfaces during the Kurt Angle "beastiality sex!" feud. They have been on fire. Booker hasn't been wrestling much, but these two cut some of the best promos in WWE. They obviously have natural chemistry, so it all feels legitimate. Booker and Sharmell have even been given guest spots on commentary. Absolutely hilarious.
Oh yeah. One last thing. Speaking of commentary, Michael Cole and Tazz completely destroy the Raw announce team of Lawler, Styles and Coachman. Don't believe the hate about Cole.
Well, that's about it. I could go on and on about Smackdown, but those are the main highlights of the blue show right now. Looking at my clock, at the time I post this, Smackdown will be starting in few hours. Are you going to watch?
