9 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE SmackDown From 2007

9. SmackDown’s First Card Of 2007 Was Random

WWE opened 2007 with a 2 January SmackDown that included some of the most random matches fans would see all year. Seriously, some of them did not fit the 'Beat The Clock' gimmick GM Teddy Long used to frame this episode. It also exposed the paper thin roster for what it was, certainly at the top in the World Heavyweight Title scene.

Long wanted to find a new challenger for Batista at Royal Rumble, so he lined up the following bouts. Check 'em out: Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero, Brian Kendrick vs. Paul London, King Booker vs. Gregory Helms, Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Tatanka (going to a time limit draw, no less!) and Mr. Kennedy vs. Chris Benoit.

Only Kane, Booker and both from the Kennedy vs. Benoit match felt worthy of being involved. Kendrick vs. London and Yang vs. Tatanka stand out as oddities in what was effectively a World Title situation. Who even punched that last one down on format sheets and said, 'Yep, World Title contenders for the Rumble baby'?!

Elsewhere, Ashley beat Jillian in the women’s division. Everything just felt so...cobbled together, which wasn't great considering this was the first show wrestling fans were seeing from '07. Sorry, but some of these bouts shouldn't have happened. Apparently, WWE's writers didn't believe they had better options than Jimmy Wang Yang wrestling fading 90s relic Tatanka to kick off the year.

This didn't do much to make Teddy look like he was doing a bang up job with the blue brand. On paper, Paul London bumping around for Batista would've been awesome. In execution? Not so much. There's no way fans would've accepted that sort of thing come the Rumble.