{"id":161137,"date":"2026-05-08T08:00:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T12:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=161137"},"modified":"2026-05-08T04:12:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T08:12:03","slug":"why-wwe-smackdown-struggling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2026\/05\/08\/why-wwe-smackdown-struggling\/","title":{"rendered":"Friday Night Ghost Town: Why WWE SmackDown is Struggling & How to Fix It"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is no secret that WWE is struggling with its product right now, especially in its poor decision-making around roster management. Whether it\u2019s the mishandling of talent, recent reports of requested pay cuts, or the shocking <\/span>departures of stars like Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods<\/span><\/a> last week, the creative direction remains deeply questionable, and fans are feeling the impact, especially on WWE SmackDown.<\/span><\/p>\n

Things are a bit rocky overall, but Raw seems to be doing much better lately, thanks to the fresh talent that has quickly caught on with the crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n

To add to the long list of problems plaguing the company, WWE SmackDown<\/a> is dealing with its own issues. And not to sound like Becky Lynch, but it isn\u2019t just the fans who are saying it; the declining ratings clearly reflect this widespread viewer dissatisfaction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, the latest episode of WWE SmackDown drew just 1.153 million viewers, along with a P18-49 rating of 0.25. For context, this 18 to 49 demographic rating measures the size of the core target audience, specifically, viewers between the ages of 18 and 49.<\/span><\/p>\n

To give additional context, WWE SmackDown\u2019s most recent episode was down 9% in total viewership<\/a> from the 1.267 million viewers who tuned in the prior week. It also fell 22% in the 18\u201349 demographic, while year-over-year figures show total viewership down 17% compared to the same time in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE SmackDown kicked off with a bang when it returned to a 3-hour format on January 2, 2026.\u00a0 Fans were treated to an Ambulance Match between Damian Priest and Aleister Black, Giulia defeating Chelsea Green for the Women\u2019s United States Championship, Trick Williams making his first official appearance, and the unexpected but <\/span>thrilling return of Matt Cardona<\/span><\/a>, to name a few highlights.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Within just a few weeks, however, the initial excitement wore off, and fans found themselves looking at their watches and waiting for the episode to end.<\/span><\/p>\n

While we have established that the show is underperforming numerically, we should identify the specific elements driving that underperformance and then outline how WWE can correct it going forward. Ultimately, WWE SmackDown has definitely hit a rut and badly needs to make some changes to get back on track.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stagnant World Title Picture<\/b><\/h2>\n

We\u2019re starting things off with a bold point that might get some pushback, but we have to talk about the “vanilla” world title spot involving Cody Rhodes. Many fans were already dissatisfied with <\/span>Rhodes\u2019 second WWE Title run<\/span><\/a>, dismissing it as “underwhelming” and lacking momentum.<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE seemed to listen to the fans when they finally pulled the trigger on a title change, having <\/span>Drew McIntyre defeat Rhodes<\/span><\/a> on January 9, 2026, in a grueling Three Stages of Hell match. While McIntyre may not have moved the needle significantly in the ratings, the average viewer felt a renewed sense of excitement simply by having a fresh face at the top of the mountain.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A photo of Undisputed WWE Champion Cody on WWE SmackDown. (Photo Credit: WWE)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The boos greeting Rhodes have grown louder since he first won the belt back from John Cena at SummerSlam, and they have only intensified since he reclaimed it from McIntyre on the March 6, 2026, episode of WWE SmackDown. Fans were clearly unhappy with the title change, feeling cheated out of the McIntyre vs. Randy Orton matchup that was advertised until the rug was unceremoniously yanked from beneath them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE can start fixing things by sticking with what worked last week. The episode had a major highlight when Gunther attacked Rhodes, signaling that he\u2019s coming for the WWE Undisputed Championship.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n

For fans who might be skeptical about the \u201cRing General\u201d defeating \u201cThe American Nightmare,\u201d it would actually be the perfect move, offering something fresh for the blue brand while finally providing a payoff for <\/span>Gunther after retiring Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Misuse of Talent and Repetitive Storylines<\/b><\/h2>\n

Although monotonous storylines and the misuse of talent are challenges Raw faces as well, the problem is far more pronounced on WWE SmackDown. There are a number of stars, both former main-eventers and those who have never been pushed, that the show is currently struggling to utilize effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmelo Hayes serves as a prime example of a talent whose momentum has stalled after a significant push. Despite 15 successful United States Title defenses that showed how much he\u2019d grown in a year, the company undercut his momentum by having Sami Zayn defeat him just to set up a WrestleMania match with Trick Williams.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n

Rather than giving Hayes the spot he deserved on the \u201cGrandest Stage of Them All,\u201d the company sidelined him with a fake injury, and he hasn’t been seen on television since.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking at the women’s roster, one person <\/span>fans feel is really being wasted right now is Chelsea Green<\/span><\/a>. Despite her incredible charisma, fantastic character work, and solid in-ring skills, it feels like the company has demoted her to being little more than a backstage act.<\/span><\/p>\n

The good news is that WWE can fix this problem instantly. They need to bring Carmelo Hayes back to go after Trick Williams, and the belt he feels was ripped apart from him. The two have a long history as friends turned enemies, which provides <\/span>plenty of depth for a high-stakes feud<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

That kind of programming is much better for a star of Williams\u2019 caliber than what the show is currently doing. WWE keeps pairing him with Zayn in repetitive segments, and swapping out Lil Yachty for a silly gingerbread mascot just isn’t doing him any favors.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for Chelsea Green, a great opportunity would be a slow-burn build to her biggest moment in WWE yet: winning the Women\u2019s Money in the Bank match this September. She hasn’t really had a serious push yet, so a win like that would feel earned and genuine instead of just being rushed out of nowhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A photo of WWE SmackDown star Chelsea Green during her time in NXT. (Photo Credit: By Diva Insider, CC BY 3.0,)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Looking at the storylines, WWE doesn’t seem to know when to end on a high note. We’re getting the same repetitive matches every week, like the women\u2019s tag division using the same four teams over and over, or the MFT and Wyatt Sicks feud going on way too long.\u00a0 While the wave of fresh faces should help improve the staleness, creative must recognize when a story has run its course and give fans something new to tune in for.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Three-Hour WWE SmackDown Problem\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

WWE SmackDown moved back to a three-hour format to kick off 2026, and while it initially started with a bang, it simply hasn\u2019t been working lately. The show often feels bloated, with matches that many fans believe should be under ten minutes being stretched well past that time frame.<\/span><\/p>\n

On top of that, running a three-hour program on the USA Network<\/a> means dealing with roughly 50 to 60 minutes of commercials. This has created an unenjoyable experience for weekly viewers, whose frustrations were voiced loud and clear following the <\/span>ad-heavy broadcast of WrestleMania 42.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Beyond the issues fans are feeling, this is also a major challenge for WWE writers who have to pivot their booking between two-hour and three-hour formats constantly. Fortunately, the show is set to return to its traditional two-hour timeframe in late June or early July 2026, which should help tighten the product.<\/span><\/p>\n

The primary solution is for WWE to return to and stick with a two-hour program. While the company may argue that a three-hour show helps feature more talent, they simply aren\u2019t doing a good enough job with that extra time anyway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A
WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Given their current inability to push certain stars, even a five-hour show wouldn’t fix the underlying issue. Moving to a tighter schedule will force writers to make the most impactful decisions for the talent on a weekly basis.<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE SmackDown doesn\u2019t have a star power problem; it has an urgency problem. The blue brand is at its best when it’s helping wrestlers level up and shape their careers. But lately, it has felt more like a holding pattern on a repetitive loop.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SmackDown is definitely in a rut right now, and WWE needs to find a way to fix things quickly to get the fans back on board. The company has proven they are capable of listening to feedback and taking action, so the only real question is if they\u2019re ready to do it again.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is no secret that WWE is struggling with its product right now, especially in its poor decision-making around roster management. Whether it\u2019s the mishandling of talent, recent reports of requested pay cuts, or the shocking departures of stars like Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods last week, the creative direction remains deeply questionable, and fans […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5699,"featured_media":159994,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,2192,4,3],"tags":[7740,571,98,8238,58,106,7988],"class_list":["post-161137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-smackdown","category-wrestling","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-carmelo-hayes","tag-chelsea-green","tag-cody-rhodes","tag-gunther","tag-randy-orton","tag-sami-zayn","tag-trick-williams"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5699"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161137"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161152,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161137\/revisions\/161152"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}