9 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE SmackDown From 2007

A lot changed in a relatively short space of time for WWE in 2007. The Chris Benoit situation overshadowed everything away from the ring, but the company had to contend with some injuries and suspensions that wrecked creative planning for the World Heavyweight Title too. On top of that, a big pitch for Vince McMahon had to be switched last minute to something less satisfying.

Fans grumbled, but WWE would claim they had to deliver something.

The promotion as a whole was hurtling towards PG certification the following year, but that was still in the distance when '07 kicked off. SmackDown did so with one of the most random episodes imaginable, and a lot of that chaotic feel had to do with disorganisation at the top table - Vince McMahon didn't seem to know who he wanted to lead the blue brand.

Some Draft moves proved scatterbrained too, and they didn't really lead to anything. Again, injuries could be blamed for that, but there was a definite sense of 'what might've been' for SmackDown all year. A few choice debutants also went on to have vastly different experiences under the WWE roof. One of them is still a big force on TV today.

Soap opera angles that were dropped cold, pivoting creative schemes that would've had McMahon tearing his hair out had it not been shaved at WrestleMania 23, and wrestlers who proved they were ultra reliable - SmackDown had a little bit of something for everybody.

Here's everything learned when binging SmackDown's leap from UPN to The CW Network.

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.