WWE’s flagship program has been Monday Night Raw for quite a few years now, but SmackDown has provided electrifying entertainment since its inception in 1999. Coined after The Rock’s famous catchphrase about laying the smack-eth-down on his adversaries, SmackDown has been the host of some incredible WWE superstars.

As we approach 25 years of SmackDown, I want to shine a light on the top 10 superstars that have made SmackDown what it is! Here are the best SmackDown superstars of all-time.

HONORABLE MENTION – AJ Styles

Styles typically refers to SmackDown as the “house AJ Styles built.” While AJ Styles arrived on SmackDown about 17 years after SmackDown’s pilot episode, Styles did help in the resurgence of SmackDown Live, the first time the program was broadcast live in 2016. A 2-time WWE Champion during his time, along with the program with Cody Rhodes, lands Styles an honorable mention in a stacked list.

10 – The Rock

How could you have a list of SmackDown’s greatest superstars without the man who came up with the name? He had to be on this list. Honestly, The Rock is a bigger name than most of these superstars, but time in Hollywood after 2003 was the one drawback that had The Rock so low on this list.

9 – Batista

Batista was drafted to SmackDown in 2005 after winning the World Heavyweight Champion and was the ideal superstar to lead the blue brand, while John Cena got the keys to the red brand. Batista’s work with Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, Mr. Kennedy, The Undertaker, and so many more, gave Batista the nod on this list as one of the greatest world champions in SmackDown history.

8 – John Cena

Speaking of, Cena deserves to be on this list. Cena is a part of some iconic moments in SmackDown history. From taking Kurt Angle to the limit in his debut, to his Doctor of Thuganomics raps, to introducing the Spinner belt after WrestleMania 21, Cena was a staple for SmackDown. Even after he got drafted to Raw in 2005, Cena would come back to the blue brand in the PG era and the SmackDown Live era to bring life to the roster.

7 – John “Bradshaw” Layfield

Cena isn’t on this list without this man, JBL. At the time, JBL was the longest reigning world champion in SmackDown history before he lost to John Cena at WrestleMania 21. Layfield was the ideal heel champion, cowering his way to every victory, by hook and crook. Memorable feuds with Cena, Eddie Guerrero, and The Undertaker landed JBL a secure spot on this list.

6 – Rey Mysterio

Spoiler alert: We’re about to see a huge trend on the 2003-2004 SmackDown roster. One of those key figures was Rey Mysterio. One of the most marketable superstars ever, and highly regarded as the best luchador of all-time, Mysterio is a vital part of the blue brand. He worked every part of the card. From the cruiserweight division to the tag team division with Batista and Eddie Guerrero, to the main event of WrestleMania. Mysterio fought and won the custody of his own son Dominik, and not long after was given the reigns in the form of the World Heavyweight Championship, winning it in 2006.

5 – Kurt Angle

When talking about the 2003-2004 SmackDown era, it was led by this man Kurt Angle. Angle is one of the greatest WWE superstars ever, SmackDown or Raw. Angle took his Olympic and collegiate wrestling background, adapted to the entertainment WWE requires, and was a perfect blend. Angle carried this period in feuds with Brock Lesnar and Eddie Guerrero, helped jumpstart the career of John Cena, and so much more.

4 – Eddie Guerrero

It’s really difficult to not put Eddie Guerrero at 1. He’s one of the most beloved superstars, period. Eddie was the embodiment of what SmackDown was all about. Most of these superstars aren’t on this list without Latino Heat. He was a big part of the “SmackDown Six” of wrestlers who could do anything at any spot of the card, but what puts Eddie so high is the underdog run he had in 2004, all the way to beating Brock Lesnar at No Way Out for the WWE Championship. I’d imagine if Eddie Guerrero’s life wasn’t tragically cut short in 2005, he would be undisputed at number one.

3 – Edge

Edge had two big iterations. Edge was a big part of SmackDown’s early stages, and when it looked like he was getting a push, he would get injured. Yet when he came back in 2007, cashing the Money in the Bank briefcase in on The Undertaker to become World Heavyweight Champion, he was off to the races. In my personal opinion, Edge carried that brand as a cocky heel, love angles with Vickie Guerrero, and there was a huge void when Edge dropped the World Heavyweight Championship and left in 2011 due to a career-ending neck injury… or so we thought. Edge came back and still contributed to SmackDown’s show, including programs with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. While he had success on Mondays, Edge will always be considered a blue-brand guy.

2 – Roman Reigns

This is so obvious. Roman’s run from August 2020 alone earns him a spot very high on this list. You can read a full analysis of the legacy of Roman Reigns here on Fans First Sports Network, by yours truly. Roman not only carried SmackDown during a tumultuous period, but he carried the WWE as a whole. He would become the longest reigning world champion in SmackDown history (sorry JBL) and surpassed all others before him… except one.

1 – The Undertaker

SmackDown will always be The Undertaker’s yard. The Undertaker was there from the beginning and for years, he was SmackDown. You would rarely see The Undertaker go to Raw after the brand split, so he was one of the few who stuck to SmackDown as a full-time wrestler. The Undertaker kept his Streak alive, challenged for World Heavyweight Championships, and did whatever WWE needed at the time, including being the punishment for a heel character by SmackDown’s greatest General Manager, Theodore Long. There’s no doubt in my mind where The Undertaker sits at this list, and it’s at the very top.

How do you feel about this list? Do you believe anyone was omitted? Let us know in the comments below.