WWE News: SmackDown Ratings Flop Bodes Well for Christian

In case you missed it, the ratings for last Friday's much ballyhooed episode of SmackDown were bad.  Like, worst ratings of 2011 bad. 

The episode received tremendous attention, and indirect hype, prior to its airing as news broke that internet icon Christian would be dropping the World Championship to Randy Orton just five nights after his historic first time title win.  The quick title turnaround would extinguish a short-lived feel good moment of the year. 

The news, now unofficially known as Spoilergate, led to overwhelming outrage as fans flooded relevant Twitter accounts with hate mail and negative feedback.  There hadn't been this much outrage for something that hadn't yet aired since South Park teased that it would be drawing a cartoon of Muhammad. 

Following the "any press is good press" theory, all the buzz appeared to have been good news for SmackDown.  Orton was drafted to SmackDown to inject some life into the brand, and the big stink in which his World Title win created was the most buzz that surrounded SmackDown in years. 

I myself predicted a sizable rating for the show, as A) fans would be curious to see how the whole thing went down, and B) world title matches on SmackDown are relatively rare and should have built-in intrigue.

The result, however, was the antithesis of the Mick Foley channel changing incident in 1999 that would eventually contribute to the downfall of WCW. 

Amidst all the unprecedented fuss and controversy, the proverbial butts didn't take their seats to watch Christian lose the World Championship as SmackDown's 1.73 overall performance fell below every one of its predecessors in 2011. 

The precipitous decline for SmackDown's rating is not without its share of excuses, all of which will  be honored by WWE officials like a portion of a Vince McMahon check made out to Stu Hart. 

With Orton, who literally grew up under WWE's watch, as champion, he will receive the benefit of the doubt as SmackDown opposed a Lakers NBA playoff game, the NHL playoffs, and even the blockbuster opening of "Thor". 

However, had Christian remained champion, it's hard to believe that Christian, who Vince McMahon has never endorsed as Championship material, would receive the same benefit of the doubt.  The startling rating would have been an easy out for WWE to take the championship off of Christian, citing that "he can't draw as champion" through one week.  

I can't help but think that part of the reason for SmackDown's ratings plunge, given the circumstances, was due to a protest of sorts.  I'm no fanatic, but it was quite difficult to sit and watch an otherwise stellar main event knowing going in that Christian's feel-good moment was to eventually go bad.  Perhaps the fan protest matched the outrage, and SmackDown's ratings took a measurable hit as a result. 

Sure, it's a tough spot going up against postseason play, but the lowest ratings of the year through May are always a cause for concern. 

Maybe the unprecedented outrage, combined with a post-WWE Draft SmackDown once again in the ratings basement, will bode well for Christian.  WWE may be inclined to assess whether or not the bigger picture entails Christian recapturing the world championship down the road, as they would have never considered another Christian world title run had he been champion during the lowest rated show of the year. 

It will be interesting to see how WWE attacks their ratings woes going forward.  One thing, however, is for certain.  Christian fans are feeling mighty vindicated in light of SmackDown's poor ratings. 

Big Nasty is a contributor to FightLife Magazine.  Follow him on Twitter @ThisIsNasty.