When the brand split first happened, we thought Raw had the upper hand. They had the more stacked roster, they had bigger stars and heck, they have been the flagship brand for WWE since time immemorial. It was always Raw vs. Nitro. It was never SmackDown vs. Thunder!
SmackDown has had many legends define its course through time, but it has always been perceived as the B-show. Well, until now that is!
Last week, for the first time since the brand extension draft, Smackdown turned the tide and edged ahead of Raw not only in terms of ratings but also in terms of live attendance at the same venue. This victory was also acknowledged on Raw, this week! Raw, not learning from their mistakes, delivered another snoozefest.
So what caused this massive upset? Let’s analyse the reasons and come to a conclusion for the same.
#5 AJ Styles
The question that everyone asked themselves over the past decade has been, how would AJ Styles fare if he went to WWE? Well, we have the answer. Not only did WWE put the title on him in under a year, he's pretty much the new face that runs the place.
With an innate ability to put on a classic match with just about anyone, AJ Styles is a once in a lifetime Superstar. The way he works with everyone on the SmackDown roster, makes them look like a million bucks.
Little wonder then, that fans voted for him as their pick to main event Wrestlemania 33 when WWE put up a poll. He scored a greater percentage of votes than Goldberg, Lesnar, Cena, Undertaker and Reigns. Fans believe in the champ that runs the camp. So, by association they believe in brand blue.
#4 Raw’s extra hour
On ‘Bring It to the Table’, JBL spoke about how the third hour of Raw earns WWE a great deal of revenue. While that may be true from a financial standpoint, from a fan's perspective, it is just overkill. Because of the third hour, the show plods along at a snail’s pace and consists of silly filler segments that go nowhere.
A reason for NXT’s success is that even during a bad week, it’s just one hour of content to consume. Compare this to Raw, when even the good episodes get on one's nerves; at a time when attention spans are declining by the day!
Sometimes, dropping the financial gain for a better product can save the day in the long run. The ratings certainly indicate so, if one were to map their decline over the years.
#3 SmackDown elevated existing talent
Both The Miz and Dolph Ziggler have been part of WWE for years now. However, before the brand extension, fans were pretty much done with the two of them and wanted to see new stars take their place. The purpose of the brand extension was to elevate existing stars and give them a more important role.
We are happy to report that Dolph Ziggler and the Miz, in addition to others like Heath Slater, Rhyno, Becky Lynch, and even Randy Orton feel more relevant than ever!
While this is not to take away from the ability of the stars mentioned, smart booking can make or break a Superstar in what is a premeditated sport. SmackDown’s booking has been smart and has reflected on their positioning of being the land of opportunity.
Compare this to Raw, where only Strowman seems to have benefited!
#2 Smackdown created new stars
Compare two recent NXT call-ups and how they are faring at the present time. Alexa Bliss was drafted after the brand extension and has risen to prominence as the face of the Women’s Division on SmackDown.
Enzo and Big Cass lost an opportunity to become Tag Team Champions when they were a hot act, and now they’re in a meaningless feud with another promising star in Rusev, in a program nobody really cares about.
Here’s another example. Carmella came up with other NXT talent during the draft, turned heel and is in a program with Nikki Bella that has been entertaining and engrossing. On the other hand, Nia Jax has only been losing since she was called up to Raw and its two woman division. Sure, Raw fans, she did beat some jobbers but what does that prove?
SmackDown Live has built new stars and hence do not have to rely on part-timers to sell tickets.
#1 Daniel Bryan
Think about it like this! One of the hottest angles in the last five years was when Daniel Bryan, the ultimate babyface, faced off against the Authority and triumphed against the heels. If one were to compare the authority figures, between the two shows, once again it’s Daniel Bryan vs. the Authority, in Commissioner Stephanie McMahon.
Who do you think the fans will root for?
Daniel Bryan is the most popular WWE Superstar of the modern era, and even in his non-wrestling GM role, he’s more popular than everyone in the WWE locker room right now. His associations with the show and Talking Smack add significantly to the appeal of SmackDown for WWE fans.
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