WHY I LOVE SMACKDOWN

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On Tuesday 16th October the 1000th episode of Smackdown will finally be coming our way and we are in for an absolute treat.  Rey Mysterio, Batista, Kurt Angle, and the APA are all confirmed to be competing in matches on this celebratory episode, and on top of this we have  the possibility that both Edge and The Rock will be joining the legendary line-up of Smackdown's all-time greats.  2018, so far, has been the year of Smackdown with the show being by far superior compared to it's Monday Night rival, and with such hype surrounding the 1000th episode there is no better time for me to talk about why I love Smackdown so much.

Image result for WWE Rey Mysterio Smackdown

Ever since the Brand Expansion in 2002 Smackdown has been classed as the B-Show despite producing a superior in-ring product week in a week out and having a roster with more technically gifted athletes.  During the Ruthless Aggression Era Smackdown had better contests, more interesting rivalries and the ability to elevate more superstars even if it was for a short period of time.  Examples of Smackdown's best matches in the era include Eddie Guerrero vs Brock Lesnar from No Way Out 2004, Batista vs The Undertaker from Survivor Series 2007, and Jeff Hardy vs Triple H vs Edge from Armageddon 2008.  The likes of Mr Kennedy, Jeff Hardy, and The Great Khali were all held down in the mid-card during their time on Raw but on Smackdown got to enjoy World Title reigns or in Kennedy's case a good few matches competing for the World Heavyweight Championship.  Let's not forget the Cruiserweight Division which lit up the crowd at the start of every Blue Branded PPV.

Smackdown built it's own following, similar to the NXT cult today, with more passionate and loyal fans, and being able to keep viewers interested even during turmoil in 2008.  The year when the brand lost Batista, Mysterio, Kane, and Matt Hardy, and only really gained Triple H, and Jeff Hardy in return was the year they were able to produce the more interesting world title scene with Brian Kendrick actually holding the belt for around 3 minutes during a Scramble Match at Unforgiven.  When the Brand Split ended in 2011 Smackdown lost it's identity it took so long to build and was more or less integrated into Raw with fans and WWE still seeing the Red Brand as the A Show.

Image result for WWE Smackdown 2018

Come 2018 and Smackdown is finally being recognized as the better product with viewership almost matching Raw's for the first time in history thanks to an amazing AJ Styles WWE Title reign.  Whilst Raw is depending of a DX reunion to keep it afloat, on SD we have the likes of The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Andrade Almas, and Becky Lynch putting on classic encounters every Tuesday.  In conclusion the main reason I love Smackdown so much is because it feels alternative, has an edge, and showcases talent in a meaningful way.

What are your thoughts on Smackdown's recent resurgence and is it finally the A Show?  Please comment and return soon as we look at Intercontinental Champions!


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