O’Shea Jackson Jr. believes WWE SmackDown is currently falling behind WWE RAW, pointing to roster decisions and the impact of WWE’s Netflix era as key factors.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Jackson shared his view that RAW has gained a clear advantage due to its access to top stars and major storylines.

“I feel like SmackDown is fighting for its life. A lot of it is because Netflix gets all the cool toys. Yeah. Like, when I saw when Je’Von and Trick and Oba came over, I was like, ‘Alright, surely, surely they’re going to give them to SmackDown.’ No. Two out of the three go to Raw. And then, you know, they pass off Trick to SmackDown. But it was just like, man.

“And then when you look at it right now, Netflix is doing such a chokehold on, like I say, the cool toys, all the fun stuff. The World Heavyweight Championship used to be the second-place championship, you know, the number two. Cody Rhodes has the title with the company logo, the biggest. And like that’s not number one? It just feels off.”

Jackson referenced rising names like Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams, and Oba Femi as examples of talent he expected to strengthen SmackDown but instead saw featured more prominently on RAW.

He also expressed concern about SmackDown’s women’s division, stating that recent roster cuts have hurt its depth and direction.

“SmackDown needs drastic help. The layoffs, you know, there were a couple that really stung, but you kind of carved out your entire women’s mid-card. There’s just a lot of decisions where I’m thinking like, ‘Alright, a bunch of NXT people are coming, but they all can’t go to RAW.’

“SmackDown needs help. And I feel like once they figure that out a little bit, you know, then they’ll have smooth sailing.”

Jackson suggested that Giulia could be positioned as a key focus moving forward. He pointed to opportunities like Money in the Bank or Elimination Chamber as ways to elevate her status, similar to past momentum-driven pushes.

He also noted WWE’s inconsistent track record when it comes to booking Japanese talent, while praising IYO SKY as an example of how strong presentation can work when handled properly.

Jackson closed by emphasizing the gap between the two brands, especially with Roman Reigns now back in the mix on RAW.

“But yeah, they gotta figure out something juicy for SmackDown because RAW’s taking all the cool stuff. They got Roman now. Roman is back.”

As previously noted, O’Shea Jackson Jr. also revealed details of a direct conversation he had with Paul Levesque regarding what he described as excessive advertising during WWE shows.

O’Shea Jackson Jr. Says WWE SmackDown Is “Fighting For Its Life” Compared To RAW

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