10 Ways WWE SmackDown Has Declined In 2017
1. The Jinder Mahal Situation
The idea that Jinder Mahal could possibly hold the WWE Championship was unthinkable a few weeks ago, but here we are. ‘The Maharaja’ has claimed SmackDown’s top prize, and with The Singh Brothers by his side, the blue brand now belongs to him.
The backlash has been swift, and while often over-exaggerated, it’s not entirely unjustified. Jinder’s push comes as a result of WWE’s attempts to take advantage of the untapped Indian market, but domestic business is suffering as a result. TV ratings have declined steadily since Mahal become number one contender, and Backlash’s ticket sales reportedly stalled as soon as he was announced as a headliner.
WWE’s changing revenue streams means these concerns aren’t as pertinent as they would have been a few years ago, but they’re not encouraging. Jinder’s push isn’t connecting with American audiences, and while it presents plenty of new booking options at the top of the card, many fans won’t give him the luxury of a second chance.
In the space of four months, the WWE Championship has gone from one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all-time in AJ Styles, to a career-long enhancement talent in Jinder Mahal. It’s a huge fall, no matter how it’s presented, and the early signs suggest this experiment will end in predictable failure.