WWE Smackdown!

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

I wrote a similar article in the NWA TNA folder and I completed grades on the WWE RAW rosters as well grading the talent based on their in ring work, usage (like how frequently they are on the shows), and overall way they are booked. Also, don’t get mad if your favorite doesn’t get a good grade. I’m not grading them personally; I am grading them based on the criteria above.

 

Akio – I honestly have always enjoyed him under the Jimmy Yang name, and I was skeptical when I heard that the WWE was going to bring him in. I was right, it’s a shame that they have such a dismal title scene now with Jackie winning the belt and basically feuding with Chavo, and too bad they didn’t think enough to put Akio in there. This guy has solid talent and could be a huge untapped asset to the CW division, although I hardly doubt that they will notice this anytime soon.

 

Grade – F

 

Big Show – I am not the Big Show’s biggest fan, but SD really needs him right now. I surprisingly was a big fan of his “going crazy” skit where he tried to kill Angle, until he did the chokeslam off the balcony in one of those “they have insulted my goddamn intelligence again” moves. But Big Show has generally been booked loosely and none of it has made much sense lately. He was moving fast through his feud with Brock and I really doubt anyone wanted the Eddy or Cena feuds as well. He hasn’t gotten better in quite some time and maybe the WWE should start thinking of things Show can do to put over more younger guys.

 

Grade – C

 

Billy Gunn – This idiot again, great. I won’t waste my time on him like the WWE does. He is generally worthless and hasn’t done anything of value in quite some time.

 

Grade – F

 

Billy Kidman – Since gaining some muscle mass, he has lost a step but can still do it in the ring. Unfortunately for him though, he’s nothing more than a lonely cruiserweight (might as well have the plague in the WWE’s eyes) and there will be nothing done with him. Honestly, with Torrie being Mrs. Airtime and all, I am shocked she isn’t trying to get him a higher position.

 

Grade – D

 

Booker T – What a shame that is all I can say. They had great potential to do things with Booker when he came in as part of the original Invasion angle, but instead they turned him into Austin/Angle’s bitch. He then had the chance to redeem himself at Wrestlemania XIX by winning the title from Triple H, that didn’t happen. They he has a chance to revalidate himself by getting traded to Smackdown recently…..until they started him in a program with Undertaker. This is where it all ends for him, as I don’t think after he gets buried by Taker that a WWE Title program would make any sense as he would be a horribly unbelievable challenger for Eddie’s title. But then again if he could carry WCW when they were barely afloat in 2000, maybe he can make diamonds out of shit.

 

Grade – D

 

The Dudley Boyz – I was going to do separate grades for D-von and Bubba Ray, but I figured that they probably would have about the same grade anyway. The Dudleyz in any shape form or fashion are probably the stalest gimmick in the entire company and that is a shame. I remember when these two where the most awesome uber heels in ECW and now they couldn’t get that heat back if they sat in an over for a week.

 

Grade – F

 

Charlie Haas – It’s kind of mind boggling to me what the WWE thinks sometimes. I thought for sure after I saw Shelton’s treatment on the RAW roster and how depleted the SD roster is that Haas was in store for some star treatment. But I guess I was wrong……dead wrong. They looked as if they were building on a feud with him and RVD, which could’ve been promising. But instead they go with the overly stale “OHMYGODIHATE/AMAFRAIDOFGAYPEOPLE” gimmick that has been done to death in wrestling. I admit that I felt that him and Rico would be terrible, but it is actually turning into one of the more positive things on the Smackdown show. Then again, lets see what they do with Haas after him and Rico part ways.

 

Grade – C+

 

Chavo Guerrero – I didn’t mind Chavo winning the CW title off of Mysterio. I even thought it would be a good thing, especially if they threw some life into the otherwise terrible world of the cruisers. But instead we have been given a shoe in for “worst feud of the year” in Chavo/Jacqueline. Unfortunately they are going to have to put a lot of work in for Chavo to recover from a loss that is that devastating, and trust me…….it is THAT devastating.

 

Grade – D

 

The Basham Brothers – Now, I know that these guys aren’t as vanilla as they are making them and let me point that out first. On the other hand though, how the hell are you going to build up an incoming team when there are no teams of value for them to beat? I know a lot of people are going to say, they should have started a feud with them and the TWGTT before they split them up. Face it, TWGTT was losing steam too as they weren’t really booked strong since they first split with Angle. Too bad as the Basham had potential and they were also given a mediocre tag title run that no one will remember either.

 

Grade –D-

 

Eddie Guerrero – Now this one was easy. Eddie has had a career year winning his first World title in the WWE Title. He defeated Brock at No Way Out to win the WWE title and has had numerous successful WWE Title defenses. He has done a wonderful job getting over with the fans and keeping that emotion going. His successful title defense against Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania put him in the record books as not many guys have successfully defended a World title at Wrestlemania, and there has only been three guys EVER to do so before him (Triple H at Wrestlemania’s 2000 and XIX, Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania’s II and III, and Diesel at Wrestlemania XII), so it’s definitely a big deal for Guerrero.

 

Grade – A+

 

 

Hardcore Holly – Geeze, what a waste of time. Holly has been nothing more than an overrated, over pushed hack for some time now. The only time, and I do mean only time he was EVER entertaining was when him and Crash were a team four years ago. Besides that he has been nothing to really even care about. His notables are punking a Tough Enough trainee and having his ass handed to him courtesy of Brock “I have to go to Australia to fight this idiot” Lesner. If other wrestlers don’t look at him as serious talent…..no one else will

 

Grade – F

 

Jacqueline – What a woman getting rated? Yeah, I know I didn’t put any other women in the RAW roster grades but since she is the CW Champion I guess I kind of have to. I actually forgot she still worked for the WWE until she won the title. I thought she was only regulated to do refereeing, but I guess I was wrong again.

 

Grade – F

 

Jamie Noble – This one really hurts……no, it really does. I actually am VERY big on Noble as I think he could be one of the best CW’s in the world if they would just give him a chance. They gave him the goofy redneck gimmick, but it seems as if that has been discontinued. Let’s face it, he’s a CW…..they have nothing for him.

 

Grade – D+

 

John Cena – Here is another bright spot for the SD roster, as he is over HUGE. He is lacking in the in ring department, but we all know how highly regarded that is in the WWE (yes. sarcasm). He is definitely a future main eventer as well, and as long as he improves his in ring game, I approve. Also as a side note, he’s like a hundred times better as a heel.

 

Grade – A-

 

John Bradshaw Layfield – UGH. This goof is getting a WWE Title shot against one of my favorite champions of all time in Eddie Guerrero. Yes, in case you don’t know there IS something wrong with that. He hasn’t done anything of value in the company in over 2 years, and that’s even stretching it. He doesn’t deserve his place in the Main Event at Judgment Day as he has hardly even been competing in the ring. This is one of the dumbest moves by the WWE EVER. Of course though, they will find that out when the final PPV buy rates are released.’

 

Grade – F

 

 

Johnny Stamboli – Well, he’s part of the F.B.I. also known as the most ineffective stable in wrestling today. He hardly gets used unless it’s on Velocity or unless it’s to job to the Undertaker.

 

Grade –F

 

Kurt Angle – He started the year off well, but he’s been repeatedly plagued by injuries. He is planning on making his return around Summerslam and he probably will wrestle the title away from Eddie then. I give him props for “doing the right thing” at Wrestlemania and giving Eddie the duke. He is always one of the better roster people, regardless of how overrated he is on the net.

 

Grade – B+

 

Mark Jindrak – Luger V2.0. Yeaaaaaaaah!!!! Seriously though he’s way too vanilla. The WWE knows it, we know it, and he knows it. They decided to give him Teddy Long as his manager and a recycled gimmick to take him to the next level. Too bad the next level is down……way down.

 

Grade – F

 

Nunzio – Another product of “you wouldn’t scare me in a bar, so you don’t get pushed” going on here. Too bad, as he can really work if given the chance. The only thing I can see him doing in the future is jobbing for the Undertaker.

 

Grade –F

 

Orlando Jordan – I actually saw him fight at a house show in Pittsburgh this year and that is honestly the only time I remember a match of his. It wasn’t bad, and they gave it time. The potential could be there if he is properly trained to work, but I doubt it.

 

Grade –F

 

Paul London – The fact that this guy is NOTHING more than a jobber on SD, and time fodder on Velocity is one of the biggest travesties in the business today. London could out work their ENTIRE roster except for a handful of guys, but he will never get a chance. Hopefully he makes tons of money and will be able to work on the Indy circuit again(also if you never seen London outside of the WWE, you owe it to yourself to pick up some tapes with him).

 

Grade –F

 

Rene Dupree – Good in the ring? No. Good promos? No. But I’ll be damned if that dance isn’t the most entertaining thing ever!!! Seriously though the WWE seems huge on this kid, but he is nothing more than French Vanilla OVW guy #3299876. You never know, his upcoming Cena feud should give us a better feel of where he stands in the ring.

 

Grade – C

 

Rey Mysterio Jr – They have nothing for him? WHAT? WHY? WHO? The WWE NEEDS to wake up and realize what they are missing out on here. They should have Eddie feuding with Rey over the WWE title, PERIOD. Now I know what your thinking, as you don’t think that Rey is a believable feud for Eddie. But that’s the beauty of it all, it doesn’t have to be. You could just light the crowd on fire with the matches that these two could put on. Also, it has summer feud written all over it.

 

Grade – C

 

Rico – Although I complained about the team of him and Haas, I would honestly have to say though, that pairing up him and Haas is great for Rico though. He is higher up on the card than he’s been with the new “Adrian Street” gimmick and he seems to be catching on with the crowds. His gimmick though is either hit or miss though…..

 

Grade – B-

 

Rikishi – Should he even have a job? I know he’s a lifer, but that shouldn’t change the fact that he really doesn’t deserve to be near a ring these days. He just doesn’t have it anymore, and to be honest……what he had…….wasn’t really that special.

 

Grade –F

 

Rob Van Dam – Well, I enjoyed him more on RAW but that is water under the bridge. His match with Orton at Armageddon was seriously the only match on the PPV worth watching again, and he’s always one of the most over members of the roster. I will be curious to see if they let him anywhere near Eddie or the WWE title though mostly unlikely that will happen.

 

Grade – B-

 

Sakoda – They might as well release him now, as he no longer serves a purpose. He was suppost to be the muscle in Tajiri’s “Yakuza” group, but after they abandoned that idea he fell by the wayside with it. Tajiri is now on RAW, Akio is barely on any TV, and Sakoda is on less than both of them. Plus….if you’ve ever seen him elsewhere(UPW for example)he sucks.

 

Grade – F

 

 

Scotty 2 Hottie – To sum it up quickly. He should be with Brian Christopher right now……..NOT IN THE WWE.

 

Grade – F

 

Shannon Moore – Well, he had promise as an MF’er…..and now that’s gone. Too bad as Shannon could be a good addition to the CW division…..assuming that they had one.

 

Grade – F

 

Spike Dudley – Just as stale as his brothers and twice the jobber.

 

Grade – F

 

Undertaker – Had one of the worst matches in Mania history against Kane at Wrestlemania XX. He totally swerved everyone with the shitty new gimmick……that’s suppost to be the old gimmick……and he still takes up too much air time, and won’t put anyone over.

 

Grade – F

 

Well, that’s it. I hope you guys like this because it really sucked to do this one, as SD is such a bad show. But here’s to the future……….

[Guest Anglesault]

The Basham's tag title reign will be remembered.

 

As the reign that destroyed the once great SD! tag title scene.

 

It was funny.

 

Each tag team before they won it was dynamite, so they rip it off Eddie and Chavo, and rather than do something logical, like give it back to WGTT, they give it to the worst, most unover tag team in entire company and watch as they go through their awful act for over three months before finally getting it away from them, WAY too late to save anything.

 

You overrated them.

[Guest Ray]

Chavo Guerrero

 

Grade – D

Chavo was the best cruiserweight champion in ages. He made the belt seem important and treated it like it meant a great deal to him, without overshadowing it like Mysterio did. He's a tremendously talented heel and a very good wrestler. Yet you give him a D? Because of one match?

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Chavo Guerrero

 

Grade – D

Chavo was the best cruiserweight champion in ages. He made the belt seem important and treated it like it meant a great deal to him, without overshadowing it like Mysterio did. He's a tremendously talented heel and a very good wrestler. Yet you give him a D? Because of one match?

NO actually I gave him a D, because he was a mediocre champion after he won the belt. How many great CW title matches can you name from his run? NONE. Also, the CW title always played second fiddle to the Chavo Sr. storyline, and it was NEVER implied that the CW title was made of great importance. I didn't give him a D because of one match, I gave it to him due to a shitty title run.

[humongous2002 0]

Rey Mysterio Jr – They have nothing for him?  WHAT?  WHY?  WHO?  The WWE NEEDS to wake up and realize what they are missing out on here.  They should have Eddie feuding with Rey over the WWE title, PERIOD.  Now I know what your thinking, as you don’t think that Rey is a believable feud for Eddie.  But that’s the beauty of it all, it doesn’t have to be.  You could just light the crowd on fire with the matches that these two could put on.  Also, it has summer feud written all over it.

 

Grade – C

 

I agree with this comment, Rey makes a believable contender for the WWE title against Eddie, if it was Lesnar or Taker then it would be very hard to suspend my disbelief but since Eddie is only 5'7" and Rey is 5'4" then it's not that hard to believe that. Put them both in a cage match and you'll see fireworks.

 

Rob Van Dam – Well, I enjoyed him more on RAW but that is water under the bridge.  His match with Orton at Armageddon was seriously the only match on the PPV worth watching again, and he’s always one of the most over members of the roster.  I will be curious to see if they let him anywhere near Eddie or the WWE title though mostly unlikely that will happen.

 

Grade – B-

 

RVD is ready for the WWE title, anything less than that is beneath him and him winning the US belt doesn't do anything to elevate him or the midcard title. The US/IC title were made for young upstarts and it should be a stepping stone to get them to the next level , just look at Orton doing wonders with the IC title on RAW. Rob needs a world title push, but WWE would rather bring back Shitberg instead of passing the ball to Van Dam.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Rob Van Dam – Well, I enjoyed him more on RAW but that is water under the bridge.  His match with Orton at Armageddon was seriously the only match on the PPV worth watching again, and he’s always one of the most over members of the roster.  I will be curious to see if they let him anywhere near Eddie or the WWE title though mostly unlikely that will happen.

 

Grade – B-

 

RVD is ready for the WWE title, anything less than that is beneath him and him winning the US belt doesn't do anything to elevate him or the midcard title. The US/IC title were made for young upstarts and it should be a stepping stone to get them to the next level , just look at Orton doing wonders with the IC title on RAW. Rob needs a world title push, but WWE would rather bring back Shitberg instead of passing the ball to Van Dam.

RVD is nowhere near ready for a title run. FIrst off he would be worse off than Eddie considering if you win that belt(by the fact that he is facing Bradshaw) you better be able to carry utter shit in the ring. I don't think RVD can do that.......

[Mecha Mummy 0]

NO actually I gave him a D, because he was a mediocre champion after he won the belt. How many great CW title matches can you name from his run? NONE.

Chavo Guerrero vs. Ultimo Dragon, Velocity.

 

And how exactly is one supposed to have great title matches when given three minutes to wrestle most of the time?

[AndrewTS 0]

NO actually I gave him a D, because he was a mediocre champion after he won the belt.  How many great CW title matches can you name from his run?  NONE.

Chavo Guerrero vs. Ultimo Dragon, Velocity.

 

And how exactly is one supposed to have great title matches when given three minutes to wrestle most of the time?

That's the point. He isn't grading them based on things that are all their fault, but how they were used. Chavo wasn't used well and could barely do anything with what he's been given, hence the low grade.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Hate to be a bother, but technically Ultimo Dragon is still a Smackdown wrestler, he's just on LOA (Leave of Absence). I can predict a D/F because he only wrestles 5:00 velocity matches and slipped in his entrance at WM (cries)

[Mecha Mummy 0]

NO actually I gave him a D, because he was a mediocre champion after he won the belt.  How many great CW title matches can you name from his run?  NONE.

Chavo Guerrero vs. Ultimo Dragon, Velocity.

 

And how exactly is one supposed to have great title matches when given three minutes to wrestle most of the time?

That's the point. He isn't grading them based on things that are all their fault, but how they were used. Chavo wasn't used well and could barely do anything with what he's been given, hence the low grade.

Ah, okay then.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

D+ for Noble?

 

What the flying fuck?

 

Noble is the only good thing on Velocity and was fucking fantabulous against Rey two weeks back. Maybe the best guy in the fed in terms of moveset (and this is coming from a huge Chris Benoit fan).

[Lightning Flik 0]

D+ for Noble?

 

What the flying fuck?

 

Noble is the only good thing on Velocity and was fucking fantabulous against Rey two weeks back. Maybe the best guy in the fed in terms of moveset (and this is coming from a huge Chris Benoit fan).

...how many times must this be said?

 

This is based on his push and how well the WWE books them. Not on the actual individual as well.

[griffinmills 0]

completed grades on the WWE RAW rosters as well grading the talent based on their in ring work, usage (like how frequently they are on the shows), and overall way they are booked

Well the quoted material seems to indicate something different and doesn't mention how each of the three criteria are weighed either.

 

It did seem to me that the grades on Chavo and Noble were a little harsh but I there is always room for "error" when doing an opinion piece of this kind.

 

Neat thread!

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I agree with everything but Big Show. From Royal Rumble until the episode where he flipped his lid, he has been made to look like a credible threat and has had more going for him than he has had in years. Yeah, he's still fat, yeah he can't do dropkicks anymore (though I doubt they're good for you at that frame anyway) and put on what was probably his career highlight at the Rumble, channeling the whole Andre routine by pushing around a dozen guys and throwing people out until he got eliminated at the very end.

 

Show's biggest problem was that he changed sides so much, and that he was made to look like a pussy a lot (jobbed the Jeff Hardy. Hello!) The only real pussy situation Show has been in is jobbing to Stone Cold's steely gaze with the rest of the roster in March.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Usage & booking hurt Knoble (jobbing to Spike???), but his ring work has been wonderful. If you take into account Velocity, he's had 2 fantastic matches (vs. London, vs. Rey). The only reason they dont use him is because of his size. Other than that, he does everything the WWE wants their guys to do - work the mat, not many high/risky spots, good grasp of psychology, can cut a good promo (when he doesn't have to use the uber-redneck accent). It's obvious by watching him work that he's studied a lot of Benoit.

 

The WWE is *so* missing out on not using the cruisers. That'd help them out on SD, plus giving them 1-2 more matches to fill out their PPV's.

[razazteca 0]

How long as Mark Jindrak been using the Lex Luger gimmick? Has Mark done a commercial for Stacker2 yet?