'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
From heel turns and face turns to reunions and retirements, the last 12 months of WWE television has seen more eventful moments than any year in recent memory.
As 2017 comes to an end, we will be taking a close look at the top 50 Superstars from each of the Raw and SmackDown Live rosters over the last year, ranking them from 50 to 1 and grading them from F to A+.
In this article, the countdown begins with a look at the Superstars who took the positions from 50 to 31 on the SmackDown Live roster.
#50 Eva Marie
Eva Marie’s WWE career was getting better and better until the summer of 2016. She’d proved in NXT that she wasn’t as bad as people thought, despite the continued “you can’t wrestle!” chants, and the first women’s storyline on the revamped SmackDown Live revolved around her.
However, “All Red Everything” was suspended in August 2016 for violating the company’s wellness policy and she was released in July 2017 after almost a year off WWE television.
Grade: F
#49 Jack Swagger
Like Eva Marie, Jack Swagger featured in the early days of SmackDown Live after the 2016 brand split but it didn’t take long before he was back in the WWE wilderness.
From October 2016 to March 2017, the former World Heavyweight champion was hardly used by the company, so it’s no wonder that he was granted his release shortly before WrestleMania 33.
Grade: F
#48 Simon Gotch
Simon Gotch was called up to the main roster alongside Vaudevillian partner Aiden English in 2016 ahead of the long-awaited brand split between Raw and SmackDown Live.
He ended up with the blue brand but, sadly for the former NXT Tag Team champion, he was rarely used and was released from his contract in April 2017.
Grade: E
#47 Mike Kanellis
When someone from outside WWE skips the NXT process and goes straight to the main roster, you’d expect the company to have plans for them.
That was the case, at least initially, with Mike & Maria Kanellis and their “power of love” for each other. Unfortunately, the gimmick didn’t quite catch on and Mike has only had two televised matches since July.
Grade: E
Joint #45 Primo & Epico Colon
Whether they were fighting with a bull or they were trying to convince people to visit Puerto Rico, Primo & Epico’s multiple WWE gimmicks over the years have left a lot to be desired.
That changed in 2017 when they moved to SmackDown Live and were presented simply as The Colons: a hard-hitting duo who seemed a genuine threat to the blue brand’s tag team division until Primo’s untimely knee injury in June.
Grade: D-
Joint #43 Konnor & Viktor
Okay, it’s not saying much, but 2017 has been The Ascension’s best year on the main roster since they were called up from NXT in December 2014.
Like Primo & Epico, it’s not been a great year in terms of tag-team opportunities for Konnor & Viktor, but their comedy segments with Breezango have at least given them a platform to appear regularly on SmackDown Live throughout the year.
Grade: D-
#42 Sin Cara
Will the Sin Cara character ever live up to the high hopes that WWE had for it in 2011? Probably not, but at least the masked man from Mexico City, played nowadays by Hunico, was involved in a feud for Baron Corbin’s United States title in 2017.
Expect to see more of Sin Cara in the future – he reportedly signed a new WWE contract in November.
Grade: D-
#41 Lana
As a manager, Lana is one of the best we’ve seen in WWE over the last five years – more so when she was with Rusev than with Tamina, who she’s been aligned with to varying degrees over the last few months.
As a Superstar herself, however, “The Ravishing Russian” has a lot of work to do but still surprised people with her in-ring capabilities in the few matches she competed in during 2017.
Grade: D-
#40 Tye Dillinger
As is the way when popular NXT Superstars are called up to the main roster, there’s no guarantee that they’ll succeed on Raw or SmackDown Live.
Tye Dillinger has remained a favourite among fans in 2017, despite hardly being involved in any meaningful storylines since his call-up in April, and he will hope to receive more television time in 2018.
Grade: D-
#39 Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder’s first six months of 2017 were spent recovering from a serious knee injury that he sustained while winning a Battle Royal in December 2016.
Fortunately for the former Intercontinental champion, he made his comeback in June and he now looks set to receive a renewed push as a singles performer following his split from tag-team partner Mojo Rawley.
Grade: D
#38 Rowan
It’s been another mixed year for Rowan. The former Wyatt Family member featured in the creepiest WWE segment of 2017 when he popped balloons and laughed maniacally in Renee Young’s face on Talking Smack in May. Then, for whatever reason, his push as an unstable heel was over before it began.
Still, after four months on the WWE sidelines, the future looks bright for Rowan now that he and Harper have reunited and started wreaking havoc together on SmackDown Live.
Grade: D+
#37 James Ellsworth
WWE has told hundreds of stories since the 2016 brand split, but few have been better than the real-life story that saw James Ellsworth – an independent worker who was helping set up a Raw ring one day – become a WWE Superstar.
In 2016, “The Chinless Wonder” was a Survivor Series team mascot and challenged AJ Styles for the WWE Championship, but 2017 saw him better those moments when he appeared at WrestleMania and became the most-hated man on SmackDown Live.
Now that he’s been released, a successful independent career surely lies ahead.
Grade: C
Joint #34 Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan
Had Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan made their main-roster debuts a little earlier, they’d probably appear higher in this list.
The villainous trio has attacked anyone and everyone since moving from NXT to SmackDown Live in November and the early signs are very promising for all three women.
Grade: C
#33 Shelton Benjamin
After sustaining a serious shoulder injury in 2016, it’s great to see a fully recovered Shelton Benjamin back on WWE television in 2017.
However, his alignment with Chad Gable hasn’t been so great to see. The pair doesn’t seem to have much chemistry together and, despite a series of victories on SmackDown Live, they still don’t feel like genuine contenders to win the Tag Team titles anytime soon.
Grade: C
Joint #31 Samir & Sunil Singh
From NXT obscurity to main-eventing pay-per-views in the space of six months, The Singh Brothers played their role as Jinder Mahal’s sidekicks to absolute perfection throughout 2017.
Without Samir & Sunil, “The Modern Day Maharajah” wouldn’t have remained WWE champion for as long as he did. Whether they stay with Jinder for the long-term or not, the future looks bright for two of the most underrated talents on the SmackDown Live roster.
Grade: C
Check back on Friday, 15 December to see who we ranked from 30 to 11 on the SmackDown Live roster in 2017.
For latest WWE News, live coverage and rumours visit our Sportskeeda WWE section.
Also if you are attending a WWE Live event or have a news tip for us drop us an email at [email protected].
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
