Throughout the first 500 episodes of SmackDown, there have been many moments that have shocked us, made us laugh, brought us all as fans to the edge of our seats and changed the face of WWE forever. From the very first day the name SmackDown came from The Rock’s lips to television sets across the world, SmackDown has been synonymous with greatness.
The Superstars who have entered SmackDown rings are a huge part of that success, and for the first 500 episodes, there are a few Superstars who have separated themselves as being at the top of the SmackDown chain, all while giving SmackDown the characteristics that have made it a mainstay in American culture. I want to take a look at the Superstars that have made SmackDown what it is, so I present to the WWE Universe: Anatomy of SmackDown.
Since it’s always good to start at the beginning, let’s look at the Superstar credited with giving the show its name and its soul – The Rock. The most electrifying man in entertainment put SmackDown on the map, and on the map is where it has stayed. Rock had matches with every top name in WWE during his reign on SmackDown. And much like his WWE Hall of Fame father Rocky Johnson, The Rock can be the Superstar credited with giving SmackDown its soul.
Along with the soul of a show, comes its heart. For the better part of his time with WWE, no other person exemplified this more than Eddie Guerrero. Eddie’s smile, his passion for performing, and his unending love for the WWE Universe made this WWE Hall of Famer the true heartbeat of SmackDown. Eddie will always be loved by anyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting him, seeing him in the ring, or even just laying eyes on a man who turned his personal struggles into solid gold success. And Eddie’s love for WWE is still seen today, as his heart lives on with Raw’s Rey Mysterio – Guerrero’s best friend who embodies everything Eddie lived for.
When you look past the heart and soul, the next place you would have to look is the mind. When a Superstar uses his mind to etch his place in history, not only does he undoubtedly make WWE Hall of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan proud, he distances himself from those around him with the power of thought. Nobody answers this call more than current World Heavyweight Champion, Edge. The Master Manipulator, The Ultimate Opportunist, The Rated-R Superstar. Whatever you may call him, it cannot be denied – Edge has carved out his place using his wits. Cashing in his Money in the Bank to win the gold in 2007, or using his position as General Manager Vickie Guerrero’s husband, Edge’s brain has always been his true brawn, almost always bringing gold to his hands in the process.
Beyond the intangible characteristics, the body is made up of all the bones, muscles and organs that give us our power. And without argument, the Superstar who has stood head and shoulders above the rest in the squared-circle is Undertaker. Standing tall in WWE for nearly two decades, The Phenom has been the true force on SmackDown since its inception. Nobody has ever dared step in his way without knowing that the consequences would be severe, and Undertaker is the Superstar who has time and time again made his foes pay for the errors of their judgment. Whether he’s competing in brutal Last Man Standing Matches, Buried Alive Tag Team Matches, Steel Cage Matches or his incredible series of matches with Batista in 2007, Undertaker has made SmackDown his show. Sure, the addition of WWE Champion Triple H to “team blue” only adds to the power of the brand, but make no mistake about it; Undertaker will always be the most incredible power to ever step foot in a WWE ring.
With power, heart, soul and mind, the only part missing to the anatomy of SmackDown is a voice. While many Superstars would fill this void loud and proud, from John Cena to Mr. Kennedy, there is one person whose words have personified SmackDown – Michael Cole. Whether you like his style or not, Michael Cole gave everything he had for 460 episodes of SmackDown. If you look at the moments that have defined the show during its 500 episodes, Cole’s voice called every big happening. And nothing ever stopped Cole from delivering the stories of the Superstars to the living rooms of the WWE Universe. Not only did Cole carry himself with class and intelligence, he did so while showing the same passion as the men and women performing in the ring.
So there you have my Anatomy of SmackDown – sure there are other pieces to the puzzle, but those to me are the parts that have made Friday Night SmackDown what it is … an integral part of television and WWE history. And each Superstar or Diva on the show has each exhibited the soul, heart, mind, power and voice that have let SmackDown become WWE’s crown jewel.
