10 Ways To Make WWE SmackDown Important On USA Network

3. Title Matches

It feels like it has been forever since a title match occurred on SmackDown. In fact, no belt has changed hands on SmackDown since Alberto Del Rio beat Big Show for the World Heavyweight Championship in January 2013. As a result of this reluctance for WWE to switch champions on a pre-taped show, any championship matches that are booked for SmackDown tend to be almost completely free of suspense as there's no chance of a title change. Once upon a time, it was perhaps a sensible strategy to never switch titles on a pre-taped show. However, the pre-recorded nature of NXT means that title changes on such programmes are now not uncommon. The impact of these title changes is only lost on the relatively small group of fans who read spoilers in advance of the shows' airdates. A title change on SmackDown would not lose much in the way of surprise for the wider wrestling fanbase, but it would help to put over the unpredictability of the show. There would be few better statements of intent when SmackDown moves to the USA Network than an early title change. There's no reason that the tag titles or the midcard belts cannot change hands on SmackDown and it would certainly give meaning to a show that is often desperately light on notable events.