5 most memorable moments from WWE SmackDown's time on FOX
After nearly five years, WWE SmackDown has left FOX. During this period, the blue brand was the home to countless memorable moments.
From most fans' perspective, the first few months of SmackDown on FOX weren't quite pleasant. From Brock Lesnar squashing Kofi Kingston to the infamous dog food segment, and then the lockdown forcing WWE to host their shows in empty arenas, things were looking bleak at one point.
However, once the summer of 2020 arrived, the Friday Night show started featuring stellar matches and segments on a regular basis. Surprisingly, the Stamford-based promotion has managed to keep its momentum for the better part of the last four years.
That said, let's list down the five most memorable moments from WWE SmackDown's time on FOX.
#5. The top WWE babyfaces assemble to fight The Bloodline/Judgment Day alliance (October 6, 2023)
Even though John Cena is a part-time wrestler now, he treated the fans by becoming a regular for almost two months last year.
During that run, The Cenation Leader did his best to put over multiple rising stars. His alliance with LA Knight and feud with The Bloodline were highlights of the blue brand in the absence of Roman Reigns.
On the October 6, 2023, edition of WWE SmackDown, Cena and The Megastar found themselves grossly outnumbered against the makeshift alliance of The Bloodline (sans Roman Reigns) and The Judgment Day.
However, the heels couldn't relish a heinous beatdown of the two top fan-favorite stars as insanely popular babyfaces from RAW, Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso, came out just in time to even the odds. From the outrageously loud crowd reactions to the perfect display of how stacked WWE's babyface side was, the star-studded brawl became a special memory.
#4. Rey Mysterio punches Dominik after making the fans wait for nearly seven months (March 24, 2023)
Long-term storytelling happens to be one of the strongest suits of the current WWE regime. That became even clearer on the Road to WrestleMania 39.
One of the most captivating rivalries leading up to The Show of Shows in 2023 involved Rey Mysterio and his real-life son Dominik. Their feud began when Dirty Dom chose The Judgment Day over The Master of 619 at Clash at the Castle 2022.
Following his career-changing heel turn, Dominik became one of the top heels in the Stamford-based wrestling promotion. For months, he kept victimizing Rey with help from his Judgment Day allies. However, despite the weekly crowds urging him to give Dom a taste of his own medicine, the legendary luchador couldn't bring himself to attack his own son.
However, Rey's patience reached its breaking point when he saw the chicken tenders-loving heel disrespect his mom/Rey's wife. At that point, the WWE Hall of Famer abandoned all restraint and knocked Dominik down, leading to thunderous ovations from the crowd and viewers worldwide.
#3. Roman Reigns acknowledges Sami Zayn as the 'Honorary Uce' (September 23, 2022)
Sami Zayn's involvement in The Bloodline business in mid-2022 breathed new life into the already-established faction.
As Roman Reigns was settling into his new part-time schedule, it was Zayn who helped maintain the villainous factions' momentum over the summer. From helping The Usos retain their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships to not hesitating before putting himself between a vengeful Drew McIntyre and The Tribal Chief to save the latter, The Great Liberator's loyalty to the group was unmatched.
Despite his efforts, Zayn remained an outsider. That changed on the September 23, 2022, edition of SmackDown, when Roman Reigns officially declared him the 'Honorary Uce.'
The segment was nothing short of an engrossing ride. For a second, The Head of the Table had the fans convinced that he would side with Jey Uso and boot Zayn from The Bloodline for good. But when he finally endorsed the four-time Intercontinental Champion, that made the crowd cheer at the top of their lungs. It was an astounding payoff to an angle that had been budding for months.
#2. Roman Reigns reveals himself as a Paul Heyman Guy (August 28, 2020)
Fans have mixed feelings about WWE's pandemic era. The first few months, with several top stars missing and there being no certainty as to when things would get normal again, had their fair share of misses.
But following Roman Reigns' triumphant return at SummerSlam 2020, a new dose of energy was injected into the weekly programming. While Reigns' surprise attack on Braun Strowman and The Fiend basically confirmed that he would be portraying a heel, it wasn't until the following edition of SmackDown that actually kicked off one of the most impactful WWE runs in decades.
Ahead of his triple threat match against The Fiend and Strowman, then-on-screen authority figure Adam Pearce found out that The Head of the Table was in cahoots with Brock Lesnar's advocate, Paul Heyman.
Given how eagerly fans had been anticipating Reigns' heel turn since 2015, it felt surreal to see him sitting next to the legend who managed two of the top WWE heels of the 2010s. That brief segment instantly became an unforgettable moment.
#1. NXT gets involved in the annual 'Brand Warfare' by invading SmackDown (November 1, 2019)
From 2016 to 2021, Survivor Series featured RAW and SmackDown Superstars facing off against each other for 'brand supremacy'. In 2019, the NXT roster became a part of the cross-brand feud for the first time.
The way that NXT was introduced to the aforementioned program was incredible. It happened on the post-Crown Jewel 2019 edition of SmackDown when almost the entire main roster stars were stuck overseas. This made room for NXT stars to invade the blue brand.
From Keith Lee and Matt Riddle attacking Sami Zayn to Rhea Ripley and Tommaso Ciampa picking up victories, the former Black and Gold brand had a solid showing that night. Additionally, then-NXT Champion Adam Cole put his title on the line in a dream match against Daniel Bryan.
Nearly five years have passed since this special episode aired, and fans still hail it as one of the best nights for SmackDown since the move to FOX.