WWE SmackDown began in April 1999 with a line coined by The Rock, “Layeth the SmackDown.” The first pilot episode of WWE SmackDown was a huge success, and the show began airing weekly on UPN on August 26, 1999.
SmackDown will air 25 episodes in 2024 alone, with this week’s SmackDown event taking place at Madison Square Garden in the Big Apple, New York.
WWE has already confirmed the participation of their superstars, but the top 5 superstars on this list are definitely the ones to watch on WWE SmackDown.
Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes is currently the Undisputed WWE Champion and has held both the WWE Champion and WWE Universal Champion titles since April 2024. He defeated Reigns to win the title, earning his first WWE World Title. He also served as Executive Vice President of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) from 2019 to 2022 and was a three-time AEW TNT Champion.
LA Nights
Shaun Edward Ricker (ring name LA Knight) began his career on the independent circuit in 2003. Although he lost to The Bloodline, he won by defeating Styles at WrestleMania XL on April 7. He then defeated Bobby Lashley and Santos Escobar in the semifinals of the Undisputed WWE Championship Eliminator Tournament.
Logan Paul
Logan Paul signed with WWE in June 2022 and currently holds the title of WWE United States Champion. On November 4, 2023, he defeated United States Champion Rey Mysterio with brass knuckles to win the title in his first reign. He then made his first appearance on SmackDown on December 1, 2023. He fought Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Champion title, and on May 25, 2024, Logan Paul lost to Rhodes due to interference from ring announcer Ibrahim Al Hajjaj.
Solo Sikoa
Joseph Yokozuna Fatu, ring name Solo Sikoa, is a former NXT North American Champion and the de facto leader of The Bloodline. The Bloodline defeated Randy Orton and Kevin Owens on May 4, 2024. Sikoa then attacked WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Rhodes retaliated by cornering Sikoa on the June 21 episode of SmackDown! He, along with Owens and Orton, defeated Sikoa by disqualification, forcing The Bloodlines to intervene.
Kevin Owens
Kevin Yanick Steen, ring name Kevin Owens, is a Canadian wrestler who signed with WWE in August 2014. He has won nine championship titles including:
1x NXT Championship
1x Universal Championship
2x Intercontinental Championship
3x United States Championship
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship with Sami Zayn
Kevin Owens has also won the 23rd Grand Slam Championship. In more recent events, on April 7, 2024, Owens faced United States Champion Logan Paul at WrestleMania XL, but was unable to take the title from Logan, and on April 19, Owens was attacked by new member of The Bloodline, Tama Tonga. Owens and Orton then competed in a tag team street fight against Sicoa and Tonga, but lost due to interference from Tanga Loa.
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