5 former AEW stars that appeared on the season premiere of WWE SmackDown
The latest episode of WWE SmackDown was a historic affair, as the blue brand officially returned to the USA Network after a five-year hiatus. The show had the same hype as a major PLE, with stars like Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and Randy Orton making their presence felt.
Several RAW stars, including Gunther, and Damian Priest, were also in attendance to enjoy the festivities on the blue brand. The Friday Night Show was filled with guest appearances from many WWE legends, including William Regal, Booker T, and Michael P.S. Hayes.
Interestingly, the latest SmackDown episode saw the appearances of many notable ex-AEW stars as well.
In this article, let's look at five former AEW stars who were present at the season premiere of WWE SmackDown.
#5. Vickie Guerrero was present on WWE SmackDown this week
One of the many guests to appear on WWE SmackDown was Vickie Guerrero. As a former General Manager, Guerrero does have some notable history with the blue brand.
The owner of the "Excuse Me!" catchphrase has also worked with AEW in the past, as she made sporadic television appearances in the Tony Khan-led company from 2019-23. Working with All Elite Wrestling was a decent experience for Vickie Guerrero, as she got to help stars like Nyla Rose, Andrade El Idolo, and Marina Shafir.
It was a bit surprising that WWE invited the 56-year-old veteran to SmackDown's premiere on the USA Network, as she has been involved in some controversies as of late. Nonetheless, Vickie's appearance worked out well, as she received a decent reaction from the crowd.
#4. Rob Van Dam was one of the highlights of the latest episode of WWE SmackDown
The latest episode of SmackDown marked a rare WWE appearance from Rob Van Dam (RVD). Despite being considerably active on the indie circuit, the 53-year-old has not wrestled a match for the Stamford-based promotion in a very long time.
Interestingly, Van Dam has competed in some exciting matches in All Elite Wrestling in the last 12 months. The former WWE Champion made his AEW debut in August 2023 against Jack Perry. RVD went on to wrestle a few more bouts in the Tony Khan-led company, which included a memorable Hardcore Match against Swerve Strickland.
It was great to see RVD bless the WWE Smackdown season premiere with his presence, as he is amongst the greatest to have ever performed on the blue brand. The crowd clearly loved having the veteran in attendance, which was evident from the huge pop he got.
#3. Former AEW star Jade Cargill appeared in a backstage segment on WWE SmackDown
Before joining WWE in the summer of 2023, Jade Cargill was once one of the best homegrown talents in AEW. Big Money Jade found immense success during her time in All Elite Wrestling, which included a 508-day long run with the TBS Championship.
The 32-year-old star is an integral member of the Smackdown roster and currently holds the WWE Women's Tag Team Title, alongside Bianca Belair. The duo also made their presence felt on the season premiere of the blue brand, where they appeared in a backstage interview with Byron Saxton.
The champions were soon interrupted by Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton. The heel duo poked fun at Cargill and Belair. The Irresistible Force fired some shots at The Storm and The EST, stating that WWE SmackDown was now her kingdom.
#2. Andrade rejoined WWE in January 2024
Andrade was one of the earliest stars who jumped ship from WWE to AEW during its initial years. Despite getting decent success in the Tony Khan-led company, El Idolo could never break into the main event scene in All Elite Wrestling.
After a three-year-long run in the Jacksonville-based promotion, Andrade finally made his return to WWE at Royal Rumble 2024. Since his return, the Mexican star has delivered countless in-ring classics on television.
The former WWE United States Champion is currently a member of the blue brand, where he is embroiled in a heated rivalry with Carmelo Hayes. Last night, El Idolo overcame the threat of Hayes to secure himself a United States Title opportunity.
Andrade will clash against LA Knight in a United States Championship match next week.
#1. Cody Rhodes was heavily involved on SmackDown this week
Cody Rhodes was definitely the biggest ex-AEW star to appear on SmackDown's season premiere. The American Nightmare had a very busy night, as he had to deal with The Bloodline's shenanigans throughout the episode.
The season premiere of the Friday Night Show kicked off with a bang. The opening match saw Cody Rhodes defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Solo Sikoa in a Steel Cage Match. After a hard-hitting contest, The American Nightmare somehow managed to retain his title against The Street Champion.
However, the 39-year-old was immediately jumped by The Bloodline before being rescued by a returning Roman Reigns. The former AEW EVP also appeared in the main event segment, in which he finally agreed to team up with the Original Tribal Chief at WWE Bad Blood.