2006: Smackdown’s worst year?

[cordless2016]

Ignoring that 2012-2015 were basically replays of Raw, is 2006 Smackdown’s worst year?

Despite taking a dip talent-wise in 2004, most fans seem to agree that for the most part Smackdown was the better show over Raw from 2002-2005. Then we hit 2006, and the “B-Show” label seemed to take on a whole new meaning. Eddie had already passed. 2005 draft picks like Christian and Hassan had left the company long before the year started. Batista, Benoit, Kennedy, JBL, Rey, Henry, and Khali all missed significant time due to injuries, and the show was clearly seen as an after thought by those in charge.

We had Rey as a world champ who lost the majority of his matches. Angle was used as a band-aid for the Batista injury, but he was quickly moved to ECW in the middle of the year. We had career-midcarders like Henry and Finley competing in the main events (not a shot at Henry as I’ve always been a fan, but at this point he was still mostly know for being Sexual Chocolate). A midcard that featured gimmicks ripped right out of the new-gen like Paul Burchill. The Undertaker sent back in time to 1993 as he was feuding with “monsters of the week” like Henry and Khali.

Orton was moved back to Raw post-Wrestlemania despite joining the show less than a year earlier. JBL retired in the middle of the year, and just when Batista was returning, the long awaited feud with Henry died quickly when Henry himself got hurt. Booker T was entertaining as “King Bookah,” but he was essentially seen as a joke of a champion after years of being stuck in the midcard. Batista also never seemed to recapture the same momentum he had built prior to his injury.

Anyone else feel 2006 is the year Vince just stopped caring about Smackdown?

[ASR (therockisback)]

Hmmm I’d say RAW was better than SD in 04 but it was pretty even… SD in 06 at least had MVP/Kennedy etc but overall a weird year for the show.

I liked SD in 07 and I’d say 08 was a great year for them, 09 had good moments too.

02/03/05 were bangers for SD.

[Back to the Codyverse]

It was a weird year. About the only thing I had going for me was Undertaker but his feuds were with Henry, Khali and whatever other 1993 booking they were doing with him.

I didn’t mind Henry is the main event scene as he had been with the company a good 10 years already and is obviously a 400 lb monster that could work a decent match if he was with someone who could get anything out of him.

I found it really weird that Finlay was at the top of the card. Nothing against him but I really didn’t know who he was even tho I watched WCW.

Idk if this is a hot take or not but I think they put the title on Rey for a sympathy PR move and it never felt right to me. Just my two cents on that one but I think Rey’s booking kinda showed they didn’t take him that seriously as champion.

Batista returning in, September 2006(I think), got me amped up again because I was a pretty big fan of his. That’s the last show I ever recorded on a VCR

Kennedy had a good showing in late 06

I wasn’t much into MVP during that time

Angle going to ECW then eventually leaving shortly thereafter was a huge loss. I sure wish things could’ve played out differently but we got some great Kurt matches in TNA. Perc Angle will live forever

Overall, it pretty much sucked but I did enjoy 2007 Smackdown

[K5]

2006-2012 wwe is largely unwatchable imo.

cm punk, Michaels/Taker, and a few other things are the only exceptions.

[drankadranka]

You shut your mouth - and bow down to King BOOOOOOKAH

[theoutlaw1999]

I loved Smackdown in 2006.

You had Rey & Bookers title reigns, MVP's debut, Kennedys feud with Taker & The Brothers of Destructions reunion.

[JokerFC]

Jul 23, 2023 11:05:04 GMT -5 K5 said:

2006-2012 wwe is largely unwatchable imo.

cm punk, Michaels/Taker, and a few other things are the only exceptions.

Yup...few highlights(on ppv mostly) here and there, but mostly dreadful

[TKO Propagandist]

Definitely not. JBL's commentary alone was enough to rewatch every show that year. Smackdown didn't start to tank until 2009/2010/2011 & onwards when they began to have people move between brands. It got so bad though. Some of them 2012-2015 shows especially. You feel wasted & robbed of 2 hours having watched them.

[The Brain]

Every time I think of SD 2006 I think of that random as hell Tatanka comeback

[cordless2016]

Jul 24, 2023 5:58:38 GMT -5 The Brain said:

Every time I think of SD 2006 I think of that random as hell Tatanka comeback

LMAO I remember Matt Hardy was teasing a mystery partner for weeks to take on MNM. Everyone and their mothers expected it to be a returning Jeff for a grand return to the company…only for Tatanka to come out.

[K5]

Jul 24, 2023 5:55:45 GMT -5 TKO Propagandist said:

Definitely not. JBL's commentary alone was enough to rewatch every show that year. Smackdown didn't start to tank until 2009/2010/2011 & onwards when they began to have people move between brands. It got so bad though. Some of them 2012-2015 shows especially. You feel wasted & robbed of 2 hours having watched them.

I basically felt that way about the whole wwe creative when Shawn and HHH started PG DX up.

[ASR (therockisback)]

RAW was great in 06 tbh... a very underrated year. I'd say ECW was great too but SD was meh overall with a few good moments.

I always loved 06 as it was a mix of legends, new stars etc... past, present and future all in one year.

[theoutlaw1999]

Jul 24, 2023 5:58:38 GMT -5 The Brain said:

Every time I think of SD 2006 I think of that random as hell Tatanka comeback

I actually liked Tatanka's return in 2006 and I got to see him live for the 1st time at a Smackdown House show which was a mark out moment.

I wish they would've done more with his heel turn. There was a huge build up to it and they even gave him new theme music and yet nothing came of it.

[TheEvilDoink1987]

Jul 24, 2023 18:31:05 GMT -5 theoutlaw1999 said:

Jul 24, 2023 5:58:38 GMT -5 The Brain said:

Every time I think of SD 2006 I think of that random as hell Tatanka comeback

I actually liked Tatanka's return in 2006 and I got to see him live for the 1st time at a Smackdown House show which was a mark out moment.

I wish they would've done more with his heel turn. There was a huge build up to it and they even gave him new theme music and yet nothing came of it.

I feel offended as someone who will admit Tatanka is his favorite wrestler of all-time.

2006 was kind of a messy year for the show.

[Kill Em' All]

It can't touch a 2004 SmackDown bad. It's still pretty bad though lol. I think 2006's main event scene post Mania had no luster for SmackDown. Rey as the jobbed out champion to King Booker who did have a good run. But I don't see this as anything to write home about. It's a lot like Kane's 2010 Thank you World Title reign. It was deserved and there was some good character work; but nothing angle wise that will be remembered per say. Just a very directionless flat show.

Raw had it's issues don't deny that. But, you had Edge-Cena/DX-Rated RKO Program/Jeff Hardy return which led to some pretty good stuff. I'd much rather watch 2006 Raw over SmackDown. Raw had it's pitfalls in 2005 as well, but I think even with Cena still finding his feet; Raw from 2004-2006 was the better show. 2007 was down and out for both shows, but by 2008 and until the end of the brands I think SmackDown regained it's spot as the better brand.

I think the worst was also yet to come for SmackDown even though we are not mentioning. 2010 I think managed to have some good TV matches and okay angles we still got the Jack Swagger title run. Taker-Kane, Edge-Kane Paul Bearer stuff, etc. I think when anybody thinks of Prime PG WWE. I think 2010. It's really hard to look back at anything post Hardy/Punk 2009-2013 minus the few arrays of hope and good big time angles that I enjoy. SmackDown was farrrr more tolerable then Raw in 2010 I think.


SmackDown kind of clearly devolved into the true B show in 2011. The WHC was lowered and the brand extension ended somewhat quietly. It was weird spot since the Brand Extension in a lot of ways remained in place until 2013 in someways. SmackDown kind of had it's own roster centered around the WHC that would appear on Raw in like featured matches since it was Raw ''SuperShow''. The prime time Raw angles weren't typically featured on SmackDown.

By 2012 you had the terrible Delrio-Sheamus angle being the main SD angle in Summer of 2012, and as you OG poster it was recap show. By 2013 the titles were unified and pretty much everyone appeared everywhere. SmackDown could not even get the good TV matches. For example like you had Orton taking on Cesaro on Raw and it ended in some dusty finish, leading to match on SmackDown that was just average by Cesaro defeating Orton by nefarious means and the next Raw would be Orton-Cesaro in a Street Fight that would have no business' being that good for a TV match.

It wasn't even like the Attitude Era where SmackDown would continue the story. It was rehashing Monday's story and it really didn't matter if you watched SmackDown it wouldn't effect the story. I think there was talks/rumors of even SmackDown being axed in like 2013-2015 timeline.




Just building off what everyone else has said... Very weird roster as mentioned by Tatanka.
You got Tatanka, Fit Finlay have a run, Paul London as Jack Sparrow, Booker T being a King; it was like the gimmicks of the old WWF took SmackDown over that year. lol.

[TheXtremisT]

I get what you're saying, especially in the early part of the year where it had blow after blow and they were scrambling. But I enjoyed the latter half of the year. Fond memories, so I'm skewed towards bias. But yeah it was still a bit weak later in the year however I enjoyed it.

For me, 2004 was worse. Just felt very forced and wasn't up to the standard set in 2002 and 2003. I was very disappointed in the treatment of RVD and Booker T. RVD was wasted immensely and Booker just never had the company behind him.

Eddie's run was diminished with him being an overly forced babyface (typical WWE formula), and then his light dimmed after losing the title.
JBL was a great heel looking back but had go away heat one week and moments of brilliance the next.

Big Show was just meh. He'd outstayed his welcome IMO. Angle being off was disappointing, and Lesnar leaving hurt as well.

Cena was great but I actually felt he was more entertaining the year before.

So for me 2006 wins over 2004.

[ASR (therockisback)]

SD in 04 actually had a certified roster tbh… many talented guys like RVD, Rey, Eddie, Booker, Angle, Cena, Brock, Big Show, Taker, Dudleyz etc… some good star power there but overall the booking/creative plus injuries killed it all.

The draft affected it too plus Brock leaving. I’d say guys like Rakishi, A Train & Billy Gunn could have helped out the mid card / tag division but they got fired.

[ASR (therockisback)]

Losing Edge & Benoit really sucked for SD tbh… even Rhyno/Tajiri too.

[hbkbigdaddycool]

Honestly, I find 2007 to be way worse than 2006 for Smackdown.

In 2006 we at least had Rey Mysterio win the World Title in Eddie's honour.

We had MNM and their amazing Tag Title reigns and a feud and great matches with Paul London and Brian Kendrick for those Tag Titles.

We saw Booker T change his character and become King Booker and get a World Title reign out of it.

We have MVP and Mr. Kennedy making an impact there.

Chris Benoit US Title matches.

Batista was still over like crazy and became World Champion in late 2006 again.

We got that incredible 4 team ladder match for the Tag Titles in December.


When I think of 2007, I think of injuries, missed opportunities, failed title runs and just lack of any real substance or story lines for Smackdown.