Video: A Special Look Back At The 1999 SmackDown Live Pilot

It’s a long time coming. Twenty years ago on Monday, a show called SmackDown Live debuted. Well kind of as the first episode was called a pilot with the regular show not airing until about four months later in its weekly time slot. The show is still going strong two decades later, meaning there is a lot of history throughout the show’s time on the air. But what about that first night?

Here’s to twenty more. Check out the best of the SmackDown Live pilot:

WWE has released a new video looking at the best of the SmackDown Live pilot episode, which aired on April 29, 1999 after being taped on April 27 in New Haven, Connecticut. The show featured the formation of the Corporate Ministry and a main event of Steve Austin and the Rock facing Triple H and the Undertaker. The success of the show led to the creation of the full time series later in the year.

Opinion: My goodness that doesn’t seem like twenty years ago. Maybe twenty years minus a day but not twenty years. It felt like just a live special at the time but to have ti turn into what it became was beyond any realistic expectations. The show has become a part of the WWE landscape and with the impending move to FOX, that prestige is only going to get stronger.

What is your favorite SmackDown Live episode? What are you expecting for the FOX premiere? Let us know in the comments below.

Thomas Hall has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has seen over 50,000 wrestling matches. He has also been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 5,000 full shows covered. You can find his work at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his Amazon author page with 28 wrestling books. His latest book is the the Complete 2000 Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Part 1.

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