Back in Business: Where Bobby Lashley Fits on Smackdown After WrestleMania

One of the biggest, both in stature and reputation, superstars on WWE's Smackdown will likely miss WrestleMania again. With a relatively quiet year behind him, it is fair to wonder where Bobby Lashley fits on Smackdown going forward. The former world champion had the unfortunate luck of being moved to Smackdown in 2023, a brand dominated by a primarily absent Roman Reigns who was already destined to battle with Cody Rhodes.

Creating space for Lashley and The Pride, B-Fab and The Street Profits has seemed easy. However, their minutes on television are hardly maximized by what they are asked to do, and the week-to-week programming would be fine in their absence. The culmination of the biggest WrestleMania in decades offers a chance for a reset. However, where Bobby Lashley fits on Smackdown is an open question with a few viable answers.

Moving over to Monday Night Raw

This is a bit of a cop-out, but the answer to where Bobby Lashley fits on Smackdown may very well be nowhere. If WWE still sees Lashley as a top guy, then it is Raw's World Heavyweight Championship calling out for "The Almighty." A title with no lineage to speak of could use a string of former top champions to bolster its legacy before going to a new champion like Jey Uso or Gunther. Additionally, Lashley has way more potential feuds for that title than he would for its counterpart on Smackdown after WrestleMania 40.

Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, and Sami Zayn each have a history with Bobby Lashley. While The Bloodline is a mostly well-insulated story, the faction warfare that has yet to catch fire on Fridays might work better with a more popular heel team. That describes Judgment Day well. Lashley would be an instant impact player in the division, which has been crying out for a proper second face since it became clear that Cody wasn't finished with Roman Reigns last summer. A shift to Monday for a big name like Bobby also gives the 2025 Netflix premiere a famous name who can help anchor that show without WWE's two most featured stars, Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes.

Transitioning away from full-time wrestling 

Most fans imagine dream matches or future title runs when determining where Bobby Lashley fits on Smackdown. In reality, though, it might be that Lashley isn't meant for a full schedule anymore. His team is still popular, and so is he. Like MVP did with The Hurt Business, Lashley can lead this new generation of athletes. This provides several benefits for Lashley and Smackdown overall.

First, it creates a new faction for making stars. The Bloodline is in its prolonged endgame, and Karrion Kross is still waiting to develop the next crop of main-event talent. Lashley's name, history, and really entire gimmick is about money and power. Those are all great to have for superstars looking to break big. Second, he can still go in the ring. Saving him for only the most formidable opponents will make it so the superstars on the wrong side of Lashely and company get a bump in notoriety from getting a Lashely match. With so few special attractions left, this pivot lets Lashley rest while giving WWE a PLE draw.

Putting over Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford

If Lashey doesn't do anything else on Smackdown, he has to facilitate the end of the Street Profits as we know it and start a singles run for Both Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins. That pairing revitalized fans' interest in the former world champion before WWE dropped them off television. Both of the Profits are talented and have very different wrestling styles. Montez is usually seen as the future world champion, but Dawkins has a lot of the raw power of Bobby Lashley.

They could both turn on Lashley and benefit from a complete implosion of their alliance. Alternatively, Lashley and one of his pupils can turn heel and start a feud with the other. If the WWE Universe refuses to boo Lashley at this point, then it is possible Lashley takes the betrayed face of the former Street Profits and coaches them up to success. The Pride, for all of its hype, isn't clicking right now. It might be best to cut the faction entirely and focus on making Ford and Dawkins breakout stars. That was the presumed purpose of the faction, anyway. It also gives the trio something interesting to do every Friday.

Where does Bobby Lashley fit on Smackdown? Not in the main event.

At least for now, the answer to where Bobby Lashley fits on Smackdown is not as world champion. Bobby doesn't have a path forward with Cody Rhodes or Roman Reigns heading up Smackdown post-WrestleMania. Rhodes is a face, and fans have already refused to turn on Lashley once before. If Roman makes it out of WrestleMania as Champion, it will be for a story with The Rock. As well-liked as Bobby Lashley is, he doesn't outdraw Rocky. If WWE feels they need him to be a top star, he has to get away from the blue brand. However, they have a few ways to use this support if they are comfortable without him there. His talent for making memorable factions and his status as a former world champion can help launch a lot of careers if they have the time to make it work.