Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: What on Earth Is WWE SmackDown Doing with Sami Zayn?

1. The Underused Underdog

The amount of time Sami Zayn has spent sitting on the bench on WWE SmackDown is baffling.

In Zayn, WWE has a natural, compelling babyface who tells great stories in the ring. It has a quick and fluid performer who has thrilled against the likes of Kevin Owens, AJ Styles and Chris Jericho. It has the kind of wrestler that can connect with fans on a deep level.

Credit: WWE.com

Yet he's so low on the SmackDown hierarchy that Aiden English is getting more spotlight.

Zayn didn't appear on Tuesday's SmackDown. The week before that, he briefly popped up backstage to refuse Owens' offer to work for him.

Miami Herald columnist Scott Fishman expressed his confusion about Zayn's absence:

And Zayn is poised to be missing from the upcoming Hell in a Cell pay-per-view card. He's not involved in a feud at the moment. He's not in the mix for a title shot of any kind.

While Tye Dillinger is hovering around the United States Championship picture, English is mixing it up with top talents like Randy Orton and The Hype Bros are getting actual character development, Zayn hasn't had much of anything to work with.

The last time WWE gave Zayn airtime was during his brief rivalry with newcomer Mike Kanellis. 

But that feud didn't develop. WWE has since pushed it aside and seemingly forgotten about it. As a result, Zayn is spinning his wheels, barely showing up on TV.

Zayn hasn't won a televised match since July, per the Internet Wrestling Database.

SummerSlam featured 13 matches. Not one of them involved Zayn.

The move to SmackDown hasn't brought about the change in his booking many hoped. He's still undervalued. He's still treated like some replaceable midcarder.

The gap between Zayn's talent and his position in the company is cavernous. 

The Underdog from the Underground should be challenging for the U.S. title. He should be the test Jinder Mahal has to pass before facing Shinsuke Nakamura again. He should be doing something significant, something that allows him to show off the heart and energy that have endeared him to fans.

Anything less is a waste.

2. The Anti-Asuka

Curt Hawkins has now lost 115 matches in a row. He fell to Apollo Crews on Monday's Raw to extend his dubious record.

It's not surprising that Crews was the one who handed him his latest defeat. Per CageMatch.net, 36 of Hawkins' losses during this streak have involved Crews.

Hawkins' last win actually came against Crews on Nov. 18, 2016. It's now been 306 days and counting since that loss. And Hawkins has 90 defeats to his name in 2017. 

In contrast, Roman Reigns has only 76 total losses from 2014 to today.

WWE is wise to start playing up Hawkins' incompetence. It's added an intriguing element to a jobber's story. And when he finally wins again, it's going to be quite the big deal.

3. Throwback Video of the Week: Bobby Heenan

The wrestling world sadly had to say goodbye to Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. As WWE.com noted, Heenan died over the weekend at age 73.

A number of his greatest WWE moments have since aired on Raw and have popped up on the company's YouTube page. Heenan, though, was killing it long before he signed with Vince McMahon.

In 1978 for example, he delivered quite the entertaining promo for American Wrestling Association:

One can see Heenan show off his quick wit, comic timing and mic skills here. Gene Okerlund was cracking up through much of it. This clip is just one of many reminders how special Heenan was.

4. The Ticket out of Developmental

Angelo Dawkins is closer to making it to the main roster than he ever has been.

Dawkins has been a part of the developmental system since 2012. He has seen Tye Dillinger, Scott Dawson, Emma, The Wyatt Family, Big E, Rusev and others head to the main roster. The Ohio native, meanwhile, hasn't sniffed a call-up to this point.

That's beginning to change thanks to a partnership with Montez Ford.

As half of The Street Profits, Dawkins has been more entertaining than he has at any point at NXT. There's an electricity to this team that's catching on.

The whole presentation, from the music to the attitude, is working for The Street Profits. It's not hard to imagine Ford and Dawkins taking the NXT tag team scene by storm and eventually getting moved up to Raw or SmackDown.

That's not something one could say about Dawkins in the past. He may have just found his bridge to the higher rungs that have long eluded him.

5. The Fearless One on the Dance Floor

Nikki Bella has found a new place to show off her athleticism and presence.

The former Divas champ joined the latest season of Dancing with the Stars and began her run on the show with a bang. She looked most excellent out there, sashaying in a red dress.

Being a part of the popular dance competition is going to be good exposure for both her and WWE in general. 

PWInsider's Mike Johnson reported that the show snagged over 10 million viewers and noted: "It was, by far, the most watched network broadcast last night." 

6. Life Outside of WWE

It's not WWE or bust. 

There are options for a wrestler beyond the sports entertainment giant. Cody Rhodes is proving that with a highly successful post-WWE run. Juice Robinson (formerly CJ Parker) left NXT for New Japan Pro Wrestling and has elevated his stock in a major way.

The Young Bucks are a prime example of how to flourish outside of the WWE machine.

The tag team spoke with Chuck Carroll for CBS Sports, and Matt Jackson said: "The fact that we're two of the guys at the forefront, steering the ship, and telling the boys there are other options. If you're unhappy then quit and make yourself happy and more valuable. Bet on yourself."

More and more, that's looking like good advice.

The UK independent scene is booming. NJPW is looking to crossover more into the U.S. market. There are alternate routes out there.

That's something underutilized guys like Luke Harper and Kalisto should keep in mind as they sit around in the catering area as Raw or SmackDown unfolds.

7. United States Championship Getting the Spotlight

When The Miz complains about the Intercontinental Championship not getting enough love, he's not blowing smoke. He has a legit gripe.

The IC title simply hasn't been on display as much as the United States Championship.

Not including dark matches, there have been eight IC title defenses in 2017 compared to 16 for the U.S. belt. Five PPVs have hosted a U.S. title match this year. The IC crown has been featured on three of those events so far.

There was no IC title defense at SummerSlam, and the belt got pushed to the pre-show for WrestleMania.

The gold that AJ Styles wears proudly, however, has felt like a de facto world title on SmackDown. Time and again, the U.S. title is defended in the main event and treated like a major deal. The Miz has to be pining for his days on the blue brand.

8. Starrcade Memories

Starrcade is back. Sort of.

WWE is borrowing the name of the former NWA and WCW event. The company announced that it will be bringing back the Starrcade brand for a live event on Nov. 25.

Starrcade was often WCW's best show of the year, a night that featured memorable title matches and vicious grudge matches. From cruiserweight showcases to collisions inside a cage, there is plenty of excellent stuff from that event to take in.

Check out these clips and highlights of some of Starrcade's top matches: 

• Ric Flair vs. Harley Race: 1983 (Steel Cage)
• Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum TA: 1985 (I Quit Steel Cage)
• Sting vs. Vader: 1992
• Eddie Guerrero vs. Shinjiro Otani: 1995
• Chris Benoit vs. Jushin Liger: 1995

The WWE version of Starrcade will feature Zayn vs. Owens and a Triple Threat match for the U.S. title between Styles, Baron Corbin and Rusev. It should be a fun night, but nothing on the card is likely to be nearly as stirring and unsettling as Blanchard and TA's savage classic.

9. Bring on the Factions

NXT has been buzzing of late thanks to a series of ambushes and the rise of a ruthless, predatory faction. Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish— collectively known as The Undisputed Era—have made a habit of storming into the ring and stomping out whoever lies in their path.

In Cole's NXT debut, he and his crew attacked Drew McIntyre. The Undisputed Era has since found new targets. 

The result has seen Cole having an immediate impact on the brand. He has an angle to build on. And he's bringing former Ring of Honor talents Fish and O'Reilly along for the ride.

This is a route WWE should take more often.

NXT's Sanity clan has allowed Killian Dain and Nikki Cross to snag added exposure. Cole's posse is further into the spotlight than they would be as solo acts. 

Meanwhile, on the main roster, WWE hasn't leaned on the power of the faction nearly enough. The Shield broke up in 2014. The Wyatt Family dissolved several times in recent years.

The Miztourage is giving Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas steady airtime, but there's no reason to stop there. Can we get Finn Balor to reunite with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson? Perhaps Luke Harper aligns himself with SmackDown's other outcasts and misfits to jumpstart his career.

10. J.R. on The Brain

When news of Heenan's death emerged, the wrestling world heaped deserving praise on the all-world entertainer. Everyone from Jesse Ventura to Matt Hardy had tremendous things to say about him.

As did Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross. J.R. was among those to call Heenan the greatest:

Ross should know. He's widely considered the best play-by-play announcer in wrestling history. 

But no one, Ross included, was as multifaceted as Heenan. The Brain thrived as a mouthpiece, a court jester and a TV host. 

There will never be another Bobby Heenan.