10 WWE Superstars who are/were the Heart and Soul of WWE Smackdown
After a journey of more than 19 years, several airing day changes and almost half a dozen channel switches, Vince McMahon's younger child, Smackdown Live, finally reached a historic milestone when its 1000th episode aired this past Tuesday. While it initially started as an alternative to Monday Night Raw, the show eventually developed its own legacy in the subsequent years and even became a better show than Raw at various point of times.
Just like Raw, which has had the likes of Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and John Cena over years as its heart and soul, Smackdown has also relied on a number of world-class performers for not only maintaining the legacy of the show but also increasing its value and prestige. These superstars not only made their name on Smackdown but permanently became associated with WWE's so-called B-Show. Here are 10 such superstars who were, or are, the Heart and Soul of WWE Smackdown.
Special Mentions: Paul Heyman, Brock Lesnar, Teddy Long, The Big Show and Chris Benoit
Becky Lynch
It won't be fair to not call Becky Lynch the single greatest female superstar on Smackdown following the 2016 Brand Extension. Yes, the division had Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss at various times as the top dogs, but Becky has been the only one who is synonymous with the blue brand. Not only was she the first female draftee to the Blue Brand, but she also became the inaugural Smackdown Women's Champion the same year.
Even when she was neither holding the title nor fighting for it, she remained the most over female superstar on the Smackdown roster. If that all wasn't enough, her recent character transformation, her 'so-called' heel turn and her subsequent title victory over Charlotte have solidified her place the alpha female on the blue brand.
Despite her heel tactics, people are now cheering for her more than they ever had, and, if this continues in the future as well, Becky would certainly become the greatest female and the greatest champion in Smackdown history.