WWE SmackDown flourished in terms of in-ring action in 2017. Stars such as AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, and Kevin Owens put on stellar performances to make the blue brand one of the must-see shows of the year.
The Phenomenal One also had some incredible matches on PPV events that year, bringing out the best in the likes of John Cena and Brock Lesnar. Looking back, SmackDown was truly the brand that AJ Styles built.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the best WWE SmackDown matches of 2017:
John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (WWE Championship No. 1 Contender’s Match – August 1)
A dream match came true as John Cena collided with Shinsuke Nakamura in this excellent SmackDown Live main event. This was a number one contender’s match, with the winner getting a shot at then-WWE Champion Jinder Mahal at SummerSlam.
Cena and Nakamura got 15 minutes and they made the most of it. The superstars exchanged several great sequences. The match would’ve been ranked a little higher on this list if it wasn’t for the scary backdrop botch that almost broke Cena’s neck.
AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens (Triple Threat United States Championship Match – July 25)
Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens were involved in one of the most entertaining storylines of the year in 2016. The pair went their separate ways after KO was drafted with the United States Championship from RAW to SmackDown as part of the 2017 WWE Superstar Shake-up in April.
Jericho would shock everyone by appearing on the blue brand in July. The appearance led to an impromptu triple threat match for the U.S. title between Y2J, KO, and AJ Styles. All three competitors put on a spectacular match filled with athleticism and action.
Styles pulled off the biggest upset of the night when he pinned Jericho to capture KO’s United States Championship.
American Alpha vs. The Usos (SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match – March 21)
American Alpha had some classics in Triple H’s version of NXT. Jason Jordan and Chad Gable moved to the blue brand and immediately entered into the tag team title picture. The pair captured the tag team titles on the December 27 episode of SmackDown Live.
After losing their non-title match to The Usos, the two teams met again for the tag team championship. They put on a fantastic match with some great in-ring storytelling. The closing stretch saw The Uso turn heel and defeat American Alpha to become the new WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose (WWE SmackDown – January 31)
Just three days removed from his Royal Rumble 2017 outing against John Cena, AJ Styles put on another classic against Dean Ambrose in the main event of SmackDown. The pair had a lot of bad blood as The Phenomenal One’s first WWE Championship win had come at the expense of the Lunatic Fringe.
This non-title match on SmackDown saw several great sequences between the two veterans of the squared circle. Styles’ creative offense meshed well with Ambrose’s brawling to create one of the best matches on WWE SmackDown in 2017.
AJ Styles vs. Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena (Triple Threat WWE Championship Match – February 14)
Bray Wyatt captured the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber 2017. The Eater of Worlds was forced to defend his title in a three-way against the following night on WWE SmackDown. Wyatt put his championship on the line against AJ Styles and John Cena.
The trio tore the house down with their action and storytelling. Styles and Cena had some brilliant exchanges during the match. In the end, Wyatt pinned Cena to cement himself as the top star of the blue brand.
Honorable Mentions
- AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton (March 3)
- AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens (August 1)
- Randy Orton vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (September 5)
Also read: Best WWE RAW Matches Of 2017
