The SmackDown roster is the best WWE roster this generation
Raw and SmackDown are booked as separate brands and after a full review it’s clear that WWE SmackDown boasts the better roster of the two.
Throughout the many editions of the WWE brand split it’s always been apparent that SmackDown is considered the “B” show. Whether fans want to believe it or not, that’s often how the shows are booked against each other. However, in looking at the rosters against one another it’s clear that SmackDown has the best roster in the WWE today and perhaps the best roster the WWE has put together this generation.
Look at this list of names: AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, Rusev, Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura. Each one of those individuals could be the WWE champion at any given moment. They have the in-ring abilities and the personalities to put on some of the best matches that the promotion has seen in recent years. Styles and Bryan are two of the top five wrestlers in the industry today. Hardy and Orton are veterans that have always had the interest of fans, regardless of their storyline. Then you have Rusev, Joe and Nakamura – three men who are relatively new to the WWE but their work across the wrestling industry is well known, far and wide.
But the depth on this roster doesn’t stop there. Over on Raw, that brand struggles with big stars beyond the names of Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman. However, it’s in this “2nd tier” where SmackDown shines. Big E, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Cesaro, Sheamus, Shelton Benjamin, Karl Anderson and the Miz are the types of talent that are perfect for the development of mid card storylines and some can even branch off into the main event. This is a strong mix of experienced and over competitors that can complement their position with matches that deliver on a weekly basis. Depth is what makes entertainment rosters so important and SmackDown has a wealth of it on their roster today.
The conversation doesn’t end with the men, because the SmackDown women’s roster is equally impressive. Charlotte and Asuka just put on one of the best matches at WrestleMania 34 and imagine a world where Charlotte and Ronda Rousey headline WrestleMania 35 – that’s not as far off as some will think. Names like Mandy Rose, Peyton Royce and Carmella are expected to blossom into the women’s faces of tomorrow. While Raw has Sasha Banks, Bayley, Ruby Riott and others, it’s clear that it’s the Rousey storyline and not much else. On SmackDown there’s the potential to build storylines around all of the women on the roster.
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Monday Night Raw often struggles to fill the three-hour timeslot with quality content that keeps viewers engaged. Much of that is due to the inability to get the most out of the men and women that are on that roster. If the time slots were switched and SmackDown could fully leverage their full roster across that time, then wrestling fans would be in for a treat as this roster is the best that the WWE has put forward in a long time.