10 Things That Have Contributed To WWE SmackDown Live's Fall From Grace
2. The Superstar Shake-Up
Similar to the original Brand Extension, WWE thought it was wise to significantly alter the landscapes of Raw and SmackDown Live after WrestleMania by bringing back the Draft, or as it was referred to this time around, the Superstar Shake-up. In theory, it was a nice way to give fans fresh feuds (and perhaps boost ratings a bit), but the execution was abysmal at best.
Everything about the Shake-up was horribly handled. Superstars literally showed up on the opposite show with no explanation as to why they were "drafted" and how. To make matters worse, most of the picks that were made weren't necessary. Now that we're four months removed from the Shake-up, it's safe to say that it more harm than good, especially for SmackDown.
The Miz appeared to be primed for a main event run coming out of 'Mania, but that was scrapped once he was sent packing to Raw. His replacement? Jinder Mahal. To his credit, Kevin Owens has been entertaining in the upper-midcard on SmackDown, but he isn't as prominently featured as he was on Raw.
Charlotte Flair and Sami Zayn have been treading water, the reboot of The Shining Stars flopped, and Lana has yet to win a singles match. Other than Mahal, only The New Day have benefited from the move to Tuesday nights. No one else has, and that's a pretty poor ratio.