SmackDown witnessed many great moments in 2023. The blue brand lived up to its name as the show with consistent storytelling and awesome in-ring action. It also served as the site of numerous historic returns and bittersweet farewells.
From The Bloodline’s implosion to Edge’s final match against one of his closest friends in a WWE ring, Friday Night SmackDown gave fans great memories to cherish. Let’s take a look at the top five moments from the blue brand in 2023:
New General Manager (October 13)
WWE first introduced the concept of general managers two decades ago. Erick Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon took charge of RAW and SmackDown during the Ruthless Aggression Era. Both performers played their roles to perfection and guided the roster through the brand wars.
Triple H revived the concept when he promoted Adam Pearce as RAW GM. The Game took things up a notch by announcing former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis as Pearce’s counterpart on the blue brand. Aldis used his powers to bring Kevin Owens to SmackDown. He also confronted Pearce over Jey Uso’s unannounced appearance on his show.
Speaking of confrontation…
A Flair for Jade (October 13)
Jade Cargill became the first AEW star to jump ship to WWE under the new TKO regime. The longest-reigning AEW TBS Champion made her first WWE appearance at the Fastlane Premium Live Event on October 7.
Her first weekly show appearance came on the October 13 episode of SmackDown. Triple H brought Jade to Nick Aldis’ office to introduce the superstar to the new General Manager. Jade bumped into a certain Queen, popping a huge reaction from the live crowd.
Jey Uso shatters The Bloodline (June 16)
The Bloodline suffered their first major shock when Sami Zayn turned on Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble in January. Jimmy Uso followed in his former friend’s footsteps when by rocking his cousin with a superkick at Night of Champion.
The biggest shock, perhaps, came when the Tribal Chief’s “Right Hand Man”, Main Event Jey Uso, made his decision. The one-half of The Usos kicked the Head of the Table out of his boots to a roaring ovation on the June 16 episode of SmackDown.
RKO out of nowhere (December 1)
Randy Orton made his electric comeback at Survivor Series: WarGames. The Viper helped Team Cody Rhodes pick up the win against The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre. Orton showed up the following week on SmackDown to make a big decision.
The Viper made the blue brand his permanent home but not before he was attacked by The Bloodline. Orton got an unexpected from LA Knight. He put away Jimmy Uso with an RKO. He had one more in store for General Manager Nick Aldis and that came out of nowhere.
The most electrifying return (September 15)
The Rock made an early stop at Pat McAfee’s live podcast before his way to Friday Night SmackDown on September 15. The Great One made a shocking appearance to one of the biggest pops of this year.
Rocky got in a verbal standoff with Austin Theory before putting him away with his signature moves. Pat McAfee brought his own spin by pulling off his own version of the People’s Elbow. It was truly a wild night for the blue that’ll be remembered for years to come.
Honorable Mentions
- Kevin Owens makes the blue brand his home (October 13)
- The Rock reunites with John Cena (September 15)
- Cody Rhodes comes face-to-face with Roman Reigns (October 13)
- LA Knight trade barbs with Logan Paul (June 30)
- CM Punk shows up on SmackDown for the first time in 10 years (December 8)
Also read: 5 Nicest WWE Superstars Ever
