USA Network Upset With Stacked WWE SmackDown Roster?

Is WWE Raw and NXT's network home suffering from a bit of SmackDown roster envy?

by Andy H Murray
WWE SmackDown
WWE.com

Grass is green, water is wet, and one of WWE's broadcasting partners is reportedly upset with the promotion.

Per Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast, NBCUniversal and USA Network officials have taken umbrage against SmackDown's roster being so stacked at the moment. This follows the big returns of Becky Lynch and Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2021 last weekend, with both now positioned on the blue brand's roster.

USA Network currently broadcasts Raw on Mondays and NXT on Tuesdays, while SmackDown is hosted on FOX every Friday. The perception that SmackDown is WWE's prestige brand existed long before SummerSlam. This has only been strengthened by the new roster additions, with Lesnar and Lynch adding to a talent pool that already included Roman Reigns, Sasha Banks, and many more.

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WWE has hinted that both Becky and Brock will be on tonight's episode of SmackDown, which is shaping up to be a big show.

It's possible that the promotion could address its roster imbalance in the upcoming Draft. This is currently set to go down in early October, though WWE is yet to officially confirm a date.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.