10 Greatest Superstars in The History of WWE SmackDown

With the 1000 episode of WWE SmackDown coming up, I think it is time we take a look at the greatest superstars in history of the blue brand who have made it such a special show to watch over the near 20 years it has on television.

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Smackdown has provided us with some of the greatest matches and segments in the history of WWE, but we wouldn't have had them if it hadn't been for these ten superstars.

Honorable Mentions: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman, Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon, Triple H, Teddy Long, Vickie Guerrero, Daniel Bryan, Big Show, Chris Jericho, JBL, The New Day, The Usos, John Cena, Randy Orton, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Christian, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Michelle McCool & Layla, Torrie Wilson, Kane, Mr. Kennedy, MVP, Tajiri, Chavo Guerrero and Charlie Hass & Shelton Benjamin.

#10 Batista

After making his initial debut in May 2002 on SmackDown as Reverend D-Von's enforcer, Deacon Batista, the future Animal soon jumped to RAW when his angle was finished and joined Evolution. Following his main event push and World Championship win in 2005, he was drafted over to SmackDown.

At first, Batista hated being drafted and wished to have stayed o RAW, but overtime he grew to love Smackdown. Batista remained the Heavyweight Champion for the remainder of the year, having entertaining matches with JBL and the late Eddie Guerrero, before taking time off due to injury. He returned in the Summer of 2006, still as popular as ever and won back his World title.

Batista would then have one of the best feuds in SmackDown history with The Undertaker in 2007, over the World Championship. After some more decent feuds and matches, Batista was drafted back to RAW in 2008. He returned briefly to SmackDown in 2009 for a solid feud with Rey Mysterio and re-opening his feud with The Undertaker for a short while, before returning to RAW a few months later.

#9 AJ Styles

WWE Champion AJ Styles likes to call SmackDown, ''The house that AJ Styles built'', and while that isn't technically true, he has done a great job of being SmackDown's premiere star since the second brand split in 2016.

During his current time on SmackDown, AJ was a 2 time WWE United States Champion and a 2 time WWE Champion, having defeated Dean Ambrose and Jinder Mahal. AJ has had several excellent feuds and matches with Dean Ambrose, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens, Shane McMahon, Samoa Joe and more, and never fails to deliver no matter who else he has a match with, having even had watchable matches with James Ellsworth.

As of this writing, AJ Styles is still WWE Champion, moving in on a one year reign just next month, and is still the best the show (and perhaps WWE as a whole) has to offer.

#8 Chris Benoit

It is pretty hard for everyone to talk about Chris Benoit today, for obvious reasons, but his wrestling career cannot be overlooked and forgotten about.

Chris Benoit was the 3rd draft pick to SmackDown during the original brand split in 2002, although he would return from his neck injury on RAW. After he and Eddie Guerrero's planned feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin was aborted due to Austin leaving the company, the two made their way back over to SmackDown a couple months later.

Benoit returned hot, re-opening his previously excellent feud with Kurt Angle, and shortly after, would team with his enemy to lift the very first WWE Tag team Champions that were exclusive to SmackDown. After his tremendous feud with Kurt Angle ended, he would have a great one with friend Eddie Guererro, over the WWE united States Championship, before then moving onto to Challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship in one of Smackdown's most memorable matches.

Benoit jumped to RAW after winning the 2004 Royal Rumble, and spent just over a year as one of the show's top stars before being drafted back to Smackdown in 2005. Benoit spent the last two years of his life having excellent matches with the like of Booker T and MVP over the United States Championship.

#7 Booker T

Booker T has really done it all on SmackDown. After being one of the most popular and entertaining supers on WWE RAW for two years, Booker T was traded over to SmackDown in 2004 and would become one of the show's greatest superstars.

Unlike his two year face run on RAW, Booker would spend most of his time on SmackDown as a heel. Booker T would win his 6th World Championship while on SmackDown and become a 3 time WWE United States Champion. Before the brand split, Booker also won a couple of Tag Team titles on Smackdown, along with the late Test. Booker has also participated in notable feuds with the like of Chris Benoit, The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio, John Cena and Batista, among more.

Booker T's time on SmackDown will probably be best remembered for when he won the King of The Ring tournament in 2006 and became 'King Booker', a hilariously over the top King of WWE. Booker would also become a color commentator for SmackDown and later the General Manager for the show from 2012 - 2013.

I think when many people, including WWE themselves, look over the best superstars in SmackDown history, Booker T is often overlooked.

#6 Rey Mysterio

The then former WCW Cruiserweight Champion and standout, Rey Mysterio made his WWE debut on the July 25, 2002, episode of SmackDown defeating Chavo Guerrero. Despite his size, Rey was given a handsome push.

Rey was originally brought into the company to help revitalize the Cruiserweight division, but those plans pretty much changed from the moment he arrived. After a short but good feud with Kurt Angle, Rey formed a short-term tag team with Edge, where they lost in the excellent final match of the inaugural WWE Tag Team Championship tournament to Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit.

Rey would eventually enter the cruiserweight division full-time when he defeated Matt Hardy for the Cruiserweight Championship in June 2003. Over the next year he would have several solid feuds over the Championship with Tajiri, Chavo Guerrero and Spike Dudley, among more. After teaming and feuding with Eddie Guerrero in 2005, Rey won the 2006 Royal Rumble in honor of his late friend and won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 22.

Although Rey's Championship run was lackluster, he still remained one of Smackdown's premiere superstars until he was drafted to RAW in 2008. Rey returned to Smackdown the following year, where he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship and a second World Heavyweight Championship, with many exciting matches with the like of Chris Jericho, Batista, CM Punk and many more along the way.

Rey Mysterio will make his full-time return to WWE on SmackDown 1000, where he will be full-time on SmackDown once again, and surely create many more great memories on the blue show

#5 Eddie Guerrero

Lied, cheated and stole our hearts on SmackDown

After a short but decent run on RAW, Eddie Guerrero was moved to SmackDown at the request of creative writer Paul Heyman, and his life was changed.

Eddie had arguably the best time of his entire career during his 2002 - 2005 run on SmackDown. Shortly after his arrival, he formed a tag team with his nephew Chavo Guerrero, and they would have an excellent series of matches with Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Edge, and Rey Mysterio.

Eddie and Chavo performed many hilarious skits demonstrating their lying, cheating and stealing ways. They would hold the WWE Tag Team Championships twice, as well as Eddie also holding it in an odd couple team with Tajiri. Eddie became the inaugural WWE United States Champion at Vengeance 2003 and have many thrilling matches with Chris Benoit, John Cena and more during this time.

The height of Eddie's success on SmackDown and his career as a whole came when he defeated Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship in 2004. Eddie would close out his career with a string of phenomena feuds with Kurt Angle, JBL, Rey Mysterio, Batista and more.

#4 The Rock

The Rock is one of the greatest superstars in the history of SmackDown (and all of WWE), after all he is the one who gave the show the name SmackDown, coming from his catchphrase "Layeth the SmackDown".

The Rock has had many classic matches and segments on SmackDown over the years with the like of The Undertaker, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, Brock Lesnar, the McMahon family and many more.

Rock competed in the very first main event in SmackDown history, unsuccessfully challenging Triple H for the WWE Championship, due to some interference from special referee Shawn Michaels. Rock would later go on to have many successful Championship matches on the show, including many big high profile matches of he defending the WWE Championship, and WCW Championship. .

The Rock is that charismatic and entertaining, that their literately wouldn't have been a SmackDown without him.

#3 Edge

WWE SmackDown has generally always been a pretty damn good show. And while in 2007 it had a tremendous feud between Batista and The Undertaker, it was missing one big thing, a top heel.

While it seemed Mr. Kennedy was poised to be SmackDown's next big heel, an injury would take him out and his Money in The Bank briefcase was given to RAW superstar Edge, who had accomplished everything he could on RAW and was ready for a new challenge on SmackDown.

To be frank about it, Edge saved SmackDown in 2007. Before he jumped ship and won the World Championship, SmackDown was without a top heel and lost some top stars due to injuries, roster transfers and real-life parting of the ways from WWE. Edge moved over at just the right time and brought a hell of a lot of entertainment with him.

Edge would be SmackDown's best performer over the next near four years, becoming a multi-time WWE and World Heavyweight Champion, engaging in fantastic feuds with The Undertaker, Batista, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, Triple H and more, and participate in some of the blue shows best storylines, most notably his romance with Vickie Guerrero.

While his 2011 retirement was shocking, Edge got to leave with his head held high as the World Heavyweight Champion on SmackDown.

#2 Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle is arguably the greatest superstar in the history of WWE SmackDown.

Kurt was the second draft pick during the original brand extension, and would be one of the biggest stars of the show for the next near four years.

During his time as a member of the SmackDown roster, Angle won his second and third WWE Championships, the World Heavyweight Championship and he and Chris Benoit were the inaugural WWE Tag Team Champions. Before the 2002 draft, Angle also won the WCW Championship on an episode of SmackDown in 2001, and his very first Championship, the European Championship on an episode in 2000.

Kurt has wrestled some of the best matches in SmackDown history and has taken part in some of the most memorable feuds of the show, with the like of Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Edge and more. He has taken part in some of Smackdown's most amusing segments such a sing along with Steve Austin, a push-up contest with Brock Lesnar, his performance of 'I'm just a sexy Kurt' and more. Kurt also spent a short while in 2004 as the General Manager of SmackDown, while he was rehabbing his neck.

#1 The Undertaker

The Undertaker was the conscious of SmackDown.

While he was initially a part of the RAW brand after the first brand extension, Taker jumped to SmackDown in September 2002 and remained 'The SmackDown Guy' for the next eight years. Taker would have much success on SmackDown, becoming a 3 time World Heavyweight Champion and participating in some of the shows best feuds, such as with Edge, Batista, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, JBL, Randy Orton, Mr. Kennedy, Kane and many more.

The Undertaker also wrestled some of the best matches of his career, SmacDown history and all of WWE, despite many having thought he was long past his prime. With being able to prove so many wrong, his great performances and strong dedication to SmackDown, The Undertaker is without a doubt the greatest superstar in the history of WWE SmackDown, and perhaps even in all of WWE history.

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Edited by Shiven Sachdeva