WWE SmackDown may have been overshadowed by RAW in terms of booking in 2015, but the blue brand managed to churn out several solid outings. Stars like Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan kept the momentum going with their superb work-rate.
While RAW clearly had the edge due to star power and storytelling, SmackDown thrived because of the tremendous work rate of the superstars – though the blue brand would have to wait a full year to regain fan interest.
With that said, let’s take a look at some of the best WWE SmackDown matches of 2015:
Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Tyler Breeze (November 26)
These three men competed to earn a shot against then-Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens. Tyler Breeze was the underdog in this match, and he proved he could be effective when booked properly.
The champion was on commentary for the match. Owens did a great job of putting over all three competitors. In the end, Ambrose came out as the winner. The challenger then had a faceoff with the champion.
Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns vs. Alberto Del Rio & Kevin Owens (WWE SmackDown —November 19)
WWE witnessed a major setback when Seth Rollins injured his knee during a house show match against Kane. The Architect had no choice but to vacate his title. Vince McMahon booked a tournament to crown the new WWE World Heavyweight Championship, with Survivor Series picked to host the final.
Days before the PPV event, four of the tournament participants met in a traditional tag team match on WWE SmackDown. The match featured Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose against Alberto Del Rio and Kevin Owens. Reigns and Ambrose worked like a well-oiled machine against the odd pairing of Del Rio and Owens.
Still, the heels managed to deliver a solid offense due to their incredible work rate. The match ended in typical no-contest fashion, but the finish worked in this case because neither of the four men could be booked to look weak in the lead-up to Survivor Series.
Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kevin Owens (Triple Threat Intercontinental Championship Match — December 22)
Kevin Owens was part of some incredible matches on WWE SmackDown in 2015. One of his better outings came against Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler in an otherwise weak episode of SmackDown in December.
The trio squared off for the Intercontinental Championship. This was a solid match on a show that had been marred with weak humor and overall lackluster booking. The Lunatic Fringe lived on as the champion following a Dirty Deeds on Ziggler.
Daniel Bryan & John Cena vs. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (April 16)
This match would’ve been a PLE main event today. Back in 2015, this was just a regular tag team match on a regular episode of WWE SmackDown. All four men were champions when the met inside the squared circle.
Bryan and Cena were fresh off their wins as Intercontinental and United States Champions, respectively, at WrestleMania 31. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd dominated the tag team division as its champions.
This match only lasted about eight minutes, but it gave fans some great exchanges between Daniel Bryan and Tyson Kidd. Cena and Cesaro also played their part to deliver one of the best matches of WWE SmackDown in 2015.
Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins (WWE SmackDown — September 24)
Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins had the WWE Universe on their with their intense rivalry in 2015. The former Shield brothers put on PPV quality matches on free television. They had a great match on WWE SmackDown in September.
The match came just a week after Rollins infamously retained his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Sting at Night of Champions. The Architect and the Lunatic Fringe put on another barnburner in their storied rivalry for fans to enjoy.
Also read: Best WWE RAW Matches Of 2015
