Every WWE SmackDown Live Episode Ranked - From Worst To Best
1. 9/11 Tribute - 13/09/01
It was no ordinary episode of SmackDown, and it tops this list for a variety of reasons. This was a 9/11 Tribute show, airing live on Thursday after the Tuesday taping was cancelled for obvious reasons, and from top to bottom it was a show steeped in emotion and passion. Story and tension were abandoned in favour of putting a show on that aimed to entertain, and as such it is difficult to criticise this episode.
The show opened with Lillian Garcia singing the American national anthem as superstars stood in the aisle, some of whom were overcome with emotion and were brought to tears. In this most-macho of industries seeing such vulnerability is still quite jarring. The opening alone probably justifies its top spot.
The show itself saw The Rock beat Shawn Stasiak in three seconds, something that is surely impossible. Kurt Angle defeated Rhyno in the main event, and whilst it was fairly typical of the era in that every match lasted less than five minutes it is difficult to knock the show because of the difficult circumstances in which it took place.
The WWE had a different aim on this night, and they achieved it with aplomb.