Smackdown was who's show?

[CM Steel]

The WWF/E show Smackdown debut in the WWF/E in 1999 with a pilot episode in April and the start of Smackdown in September of that same year. With the catchphrase "Smackdown" being dubbed by the Rock, it was his show in that sence. But in early 2003 when the Rock left for RAW on monday nights, the Smackdown torch was thrown in the air by the Rock thus never looking back on the Smackdown show never being on the show 9 years and counting live.

But Smackdown help elevate career's when the brand split was in effect. Let's take a look at the career's shall we...

1. Kurt Angle: Whenever he was on the Smackdown brand back in the day, Kurt Angle was the backbone of the blue brand.

2. Edge: Won most of his WWE world title's on the Smackdown brand, and was in control of the Smackdown brand for awhile when he was in a "relationship" with then-Smackdown GM Vickie Guerrero as the heads of La Familia faction on the blue brand.

3. Booker T.: The current Smackdown GM has had more success on the Smackdown brand opposed to the RAW brand by winning a world championship in the WWE as "King Booker". And is a first-time general manager on the Smackdown brand as a wrestling legend!

4. JBL: Was the longest WWE champion in Smackdown history. We've all hear that story.


All in all Smackdown was the home of whomever was as big as Smackdown in the WWE of the Smackdown era for the past 13 years now. So who is "Mr. Smackdown" when it comes to, smackdown was who's show?

 

[thebarber]

it was clearly The Rock's show, hell it was named after one of his many catch phrases.

But based on the list you have posted, I would say Edge. He held the main event level together when Batista and Taker were on their many injury breaks, he was there when transitional rubbish like Khali and Henry held the title. He was a true main eventer in tag team matches and singles.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Kurt Angle - Smackdown! was always seen as the B-Show but when Angle was on top in 2002/2003 Smackdown made RAW look feeble, and I am not kidding. When RAW was having HLA, Katie Vick Story Lines, and Scott Steiner in the main event Kurt Angle was having 4 to 5 star matches on TV and PPV.

Also if RAW was Triple H's show from 2002 to 2005, Angle was Smackdown!'s Triple H. A top heel in the forefront of the brand.

 

[dd23beatlesfan1]

One huge name that wasn't mentioned in the list is The Undertaker. Once the Undertaker came to Smackdown in 2003, he never came back to Raw (other than special appearances or to build his Wrestlemania matches with HBK and HHH). Undertaker was really the cornerstone of the Smackdown brand from 2004 up until his semi-retirement (around 2010 ish). Can't forget Taker.


Another name to add to the list would be Rey Mysterio, as he was a major part in drawing in the Latino audience (along with Eddie Guerrero) which became a trademark for the brand throughout the 2000's. Smackdown always drew well with Latino television viewers and Rey Mysterio was a huge part in that. Not to mention he won his only worthwhile world title on the brand, and produced countless classic matches and feuds on that brand (from Eddie Guerrero, to Chavo Guerrero, to Dolph Ziggler, to CM Punk).


Brock Lesnar could also be mentioned too. He was the superstar of the brand from 2002-2004. Granted his run was much shorter than the others (Edge, Taker, Angle, Mysterio, etc.), but he definitely has to be in the discussion.


I personally don't feel the Rock is even worth being in the debate honestly. Yes the show was started based on his catchphrase, but once Smackdown became a separate brand and separate show, he was hardly ever on it. He was a Raw guy, plain and simple.

 

[Eyebrows]

Maybe it's just the time I picked up starting wrestling again but it has to be The Undertaker surely. HHH was the top name on Raw, Undertaker was the top name on Smackdown. And he pretty much stuck to Smackdown from the start of the brand extension to the end of it.

That roster in 02/03 though was pretty awesome in itself though.

 

[Bone For Tuna]

When I think of Smackdown, I immediately think of Eddie Guerrero. He tore it up all over that show and you knew that every time you saw him you were guaranteed to be entertained. Eddie was kinda like Mick Foley in that he was basically loved and respected by all, and you would have to be a real douche not to rally behind him. He had a connection with the audience like no other and I would say while he was alive and kicking it, Smackdown was his show.

 

[Dr. Mantis Toboggan, M.D.]

My mind instantly went to two men, Kurt Angle and The Undertaker.
Kurt because he was the on the top of the game from 2002-2004 on Smackdown. He had some of the best matches of his career representing the blue guys and was one of the guys who really made SD the top brand in the early 2000s.
Undertaker because he has been there for 10 years now and was really the shining star after the guys like Brock, Angle, Cena, and Edge for a short while left the brand. He had two of his best rivalries on SD being Edge and Batista

 

[Brewski]

It hurts to say it but to me it was honestly John Cena. I remember watching his debut match with Kurt Angle and being impressed and then a while later the whole rapper gimmick that really gave him momentum. I LOVED that Cena. His character was just so funny up until WMXX when IMO he really solidified himself as a top star by giving the FU to Big Show and winning the US title. He would go obviously to be the face of the company and the star of Raw. Smackdown went down a bit after that happened and really became the "B show".

 

[KKKKwe]

u guys are all wrong. Its was Vince's show then and still is now because he created smackdown with his intelligent mind. In terms of superstar you can say it was the rocks show in the beginning, but after he left there was a little gap between august 2002 - december 2002 of who the main guy of smackdown was. Cleary Brock Lesnar was the main guy of smackdown after the rock as he carried the brand as its major champion for the majority of 2002 - 2004 , had the main event fueds with the likes of kurt angle, undertaker, big show, etc. if u go back and watch smackdown from late 2002 which im sure you cann still find somewhere on the net you can clearly see Brock Lesnar was the guy of smackdown after rock and any intelligent wrestling fan will let you know that right off the bat. Well, Then Lesnar left and smackdown was still a good show but from lesnars leave smackdown started going downhill and being recognized as the "B" show

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

I have to go with no other, but The Undertaker. The Deadman has been a Smackdown Exclusive from 2002 to 2010. 8 years of "blue" destruction. It was his yard, his playground. He had some of the most amazing feuds there, against Lesnar, Orton, Batista, Edge and many others...

Also, If I had to choose from your list, I'd choose Edge. From 2007-2011, Edge made Smackdown his show. He even took out Batista, who had been Smackdown's number one face since 2005.

 

[King Patrick Star]

First, from 1999 to early 2002, Smackdown was the Rock’s show, as Raw was Stone Cold Steve Austin’s show. With the first pick of the 2002 WWF Draft, Smackdown (Vince McMahon) selects Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson from the University Of Miami.

Then, after the Brock Lesnar defeated the most electrifying man in Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment, and decided to be exclusive to Smackdown, I believe, that’s when the Blue flamed torch was passed. I believe Smackdown, at that moment, became Brock Lesnar’s show.

Brock Lesnar would then share the top spot with Big Show, Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, JBL, and then for a short period of time, John Cena.

When the two greatest Draft picks ever were made in 2005, Batista then took the Blue Ball and ran with it. He then shared the spotlight with Kurt Angle, Rey Mysterio, King Booker, Undertaker, Edge, and The Great Khali.

In the 2008 Draft, Triple H took over the Blue Brand. Edge and Jeff Hardy were also at the top briefly. Also, CM Punk, Undertaker, Chris Jericho, Jack Swagger, Rey Mysterio, Kane, Dolph Ziggler (for a few minutes), Christian, Randy Orton, Mark Henry, Big Show, Daniel Bryan, and Sheamus were all running the Blue Show at one point in time or another.

To sum it up, it started out as the Rock’s show and as of right now, the B-Show (B for Blue) belongs to the Big Show.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Started with Rock, then Lesnar, than Angle/Cena than Batista/Taker/Edge/Mysterio

 

[HBsam31]

I am going with the first name that came to my mind when I saw this thread, and that is The Undertaker. He was the top star on that show for a while. I think of his feud with Batista, and his feud with Edge right off the bat. Later he had the feud with Kane on Smackdown. For the longest time he was always in the main event feud on that show. To be truthful I can't remember a time when he wasn't on Smackdown up until the time he had his feud with HBK,, and basically became a special attraction. Runners up for me are easily Kurt Angle and Edge.