10 Times WWE Tried To Rejuvenate SmackDown But Failed

6. Bringing Edge Back To SmackDown

Around the time SmackDown won their second brand vs. brand match against Raw at Bragging Rights, WWE was attempting to stack the show as much as possible. Similar to 2008, they were switching over to SyFy, so they were going to build up the brand to feel meaningful again, or at least for the first few weeks. In addition to the Bragging Rights win and hosting a live special on the show's SyFy debut, the biggest move they made was bringing back Edge. Without any rhyme or reason, Edge had been drafted to Raw in the 2010 WWE draft, where he floundered in feuds with Randy Orton and The Nexus. When SmackDown was set to move to SyFy in the fall, WWE made the decision to bring Edge back into the fold on the blue brand so he can add to the star power atop the roster. And to WWE's credit, it was where he belonged; he worked hard to make SmackDown what it was from 2007 to 2010 and it was where he could shine brightest. He was involved in the World Heavyweight Championship scene up until his untimely retirement the following 2011 when he was forced to hang up his boots for good. Although the brand split continued to exist through the summer, Edge having to retire was the worst possible thing that could have happened to the show. SyFy hasn't done much to bring life to SmackDown, either, and it will finally be leaving the network for USA next year.