Back in 1999, WWE wanted to create a show that would run in sync with RAW. At the time, WCW had Monday Nitro and Thunder, with Thunder airing Thursdays on TBS.
Vince McMahon saw value in creating a sister show for RAW and with the massive talent pool in the company, it also gave McMahon the opportunity to showcase more talent to the world.
Since the launch of the blue brand nearly two decades ago, SmackDown has provided the fans with numerous memorable moments. From the Lesnar-Angle segments to the feud between D-X and The Rock/Austin, SmackDown has cemented itself as an equal to its sister show, Monday Night RAW.
Today, we turn back the pages and take a look at the top 10 highest rated episodes in SmackDown history (ratings collected from TWNPNews.com and gerweck.net)
#10 Return of Cactus Jack - January 13th, 2000 (5.0)
SmackDown in 1999 and 2000 was pure, unadulterated fun. At the turn of the new millennium, it was Stephanie McMahon and Triple H who were calling the shots in the company. Triple H was the WWE Champion, and was scheduled to defend the title at the Royal Rumble against Mankind. Earlier in the week on RAW, Stephanie reinstated Mankind, after the WWE locker room threatened to walk out of the company.
Towards the end of RAW, Triple H brutally assaulted Mankind, busting him wide open. However, something snapped inside Mankind, as he took the fight to Triple H. On SmackDown, Triple H warned that what happened on RAW was just a teaser and that he would brutalise Mankind at the Royal Rumble.
This led to Mankind speaking about how he needed to change to beat Triple H. That was when Mankind removed his mask, and sported the infamous “Wanted Dead or Alive” shirt. Mankind resurrected the Cactus Jack character, and the episode got a 5.0 rating!
#9 Birth of ‘The Game’ - January 20th, 2000 (5.0)
Just days before the Royal Rumble, Cactus Jack and Triple H once again came face-to-face on SmackDown. The show also had a solid main event, with Kane, The Big Show and The Rock facing each other in an Over The Top Rope Lumberjack match. Kane won the match, and The Big Red Machine carried the momentum into the Royal Rumble.
The final segment involved a confrontation between Triple H and Cactus Jack, where the former warned the latter that he would punish him at Royal Rumble, and told him not to let his kids watch the PPV. Cactus said it would be Triple H that would find out what he is truly capable of the hard way.
Both men then brawled, with Triple H decking Cactus Jack with chair shots.
In the end, however, Cactus piledrove Triple H through the announce table, and celebrated with the WWE Championship to close the show! The January 20th edition of SmackDown had a 5.0 rating, similar to the previous week.
#8 Challenge to reveal the true ‘Iron Man’ - May 11th, 2000 (5.0)
At WrestleMania, Triple H defeated The Rock, The Big Show and Mankind to retain the WWE Championship, but lost the title at Backlash to The People’s Champion. Going into Judgment Day, Triple H wanted his rematch, and during the May 11th edition of SmackDown, Triple H laid down the challenge to ‘The Great One’.
The Game proposed an Iron Man match, to determine the WWE Champion.
On the same episode, the WWE Intercontinental Champion, Chris Benoit, defeated The Godfather, while Crash Holly defeated Davey Boy Smith to become the new WWE Hardcore Champion. The WWE European Champion, Eddie Guerrero, defeated Perry Saturn, while Triple H won the six-man elimination match for his team in the main event.
#7 Crowning of the Box Office Champion - November 11th, 1999 (5.1)
Arnold Schwarzenegger is no stranger to the WWE or WWE fans. In fact, Schwarzenegger has appeared numerous times on WWE programming. Back in November of 1999, WWE and Vince McMahon decided to bring him to SmackDown, and honour him with a championship. Vince then crowned Arnold as the official Box Office Champion.
Later in the evening, Arnold joined the commentary team, as D-Generation X faced the team of Test, Shane McMahon, Kane and The Rock, with Steve Austin as the guest enforcer. Towards the end of the bout, Arnie handed a chair to Austin, and The Rattlesnake proceeded to take Triple H out with a chair shot! Test covered Triple H to pick up the victory for his team.
Post match, The Game tried to take Arnold out with a cheap shot, but ‘The Governator’ took the WWE Champion out! The episode drew an impressive 5.1 rating, proving Arnold’s enormous appeal.
#6 The Rock gets his retribution - April 20th, 2000 (5.2)
Following closely on the heels of WrestleMania 16, the April 20th edition of SmackDown saw Triple H still holding the WWE Championship. Triple H successfully defended the title against The Rock, Mankind and The Big Show at WrestleMania, and the following night, The Rock managed to get his retribution. Going into SmackDown, Triple H wanted to face The Rock, but Shane and Vince McMahon had other ideas.
The father-son duo challenged The Rock to a 2 on 1 Handicap match, which was later changed, with The Rock facing Road Dogg and X-Pac. Furthermore, Triple H was named as the special guest referee for the bout! In the end, Vince McMahon interfered in the bout, resulting in The Rock hitting Vince’s skull with a chair shot!
The episode ended with Vince McMahon laid out at the entrance area. The show had a 5.2 final rating, as 2000 proved to be an excellent year for SmackDown.
#5 Kane tombstones Tori - February 10th, 2000 (5.2)
Back in November of 1999, something truly unique happened. Kane began showing emotions, and was romantically linked with Tori. However, D-Generation X and X-Pac ensured that their relationship wouldn’t last long, and Tori turned on Kane in early 2000, siding with X-Pac and joining D-Generation X.
On the February 10th edition of SmackDown, Kane was placed in a Handicap match, as he took on the WWE Champion Triple H, and X-Pac. The Big Red Machine unleashed hell, however, and held his own against his opponents. Kane took Triple H out with a chair shot, and just as he was about to turn his attention towards X-Pac, Tori interfered.
Kane thought about choke slamming his storyline girlfriend Tori, but decided against it. As Tori tried to sweet talk her way out, Kane planted Tori with a Tombstone piledriver! Tori was laid out, as Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and X-Pac watched in horror at ringside.
#4 The Billion Dollar Champion - March 30th, 2000 (5.3)
Going into WrestleMania 16, the power couple had the perfect opportunity to kick the McMahon-Helmsley Era into the next gear. While Triple H was scheduled to defend the WWE Championship against three other men, it was Stephanie McMahon that had the chance to taste gold on SmackDown.
Stephanie McMahon faced the then WWE Women’s Champion, Jackie, with the title up for grabs. Tori interfered during the bout, planting Jacqueline with a DDT, leading to Stephanie McMahon taking advantage of the situation, and winning the WWE Women’s Championship! Stephanie looked on in disbelief, as she was announced as the new WWE Women’s Champion!
The show saw a chaotic end, however, as the Superstars poured out of the locker room, resulting in a huge melee. The Rock and Mick Foley cleaned house, as Stephanie and Triple H watched on. The episode did a 5.3 rating – one of the highest rated SmackDown shows in WWE history!
#3 The Rock against the world - May 4th, 2000 (5.3)
With The Rock winning the WWE Championship, Triple H and the McMahons started targeting The Rock and Earl Hebner. On the May 4th edition of SmackDown, The Rock was forced to defend the WWE Championship.
The odds were stacked against ‘The Brahma Bull’, as The Rock teamed up with Earl Hebner, to face Triple H, Road Dogg and X-Pac in a 3 on 2 Handicap match!
In the main event, it was The Rock against the world, as Vince, Shane, Tori, Stephanie, Brisco and Patterson watched from ringside. Towards the end, Jericho’s interference gave Earl Hebner the opportunity to connect with a lowblow to X-Pac, and The Rock dropped him with the Rock Bottom to pick up the victory!
The Rock retained the WWE Championship, and the episode drew a staggering 5.3 overall rating!
#2 A giant unleashed - January 27th, 2000 (5.4)
Following the Royal Rumble, Cactus Jack believed that he had Triple H’s number, but was blinded by his willingness to maim The Game. Triple H barely managed to retain the WWE Championship, and on SmackDown, Cactus called Triple H out. However, Stephanie McMahon came out instead, and slapped Cactus Jack!
During the show, The Big Show tried to tell Triple H that he won the Royal Rumble match, and not The Rock. In the main event, The Rock faced Rikishi, but The Big Show interfered, and laid both men out! Triple H then joined in on the assault, as The Big Show and Triple H were the last two men standing in the ring.
The episode had a 5.4 overall rating – the joint highest rated edition of SmackDown in history!
#1 ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin destroys the DX Express - SmackDown April 27th, 2000 (5.4)
At number one is arguably the greatest edition of SmackDown in its two decade existence. Leading up to Backlash, the show was built around the return of The Rattlesnake, who wasn’t seen in WWE for nearly half a year! The Rock promised the McMahons and D-Generation X that they would hear from Steve Austin by the end of the evening.
The paranoid members then took out their frustrations backstage, and in the final segment of the evening, Triple H and Vince McMahon called The Rock out. The Rock then said he was a man of his word, and revealed that Steve Austin was indeed present inside the arena.
The cameras then showed Austin in a crane in the parking lot, where he dropped a concrete barrier on the DX Express, causing the bus to explode! The McMahons and D-Generation X looked on horrified, as the show faded.
