It's almost as if Vince legit got mad that Smackdown was by far the better show than Raw for like the first 9-12 months after the brand split. He shut that shyt down by destroying the Smackdown roster after WM 33. As a result Smackdown is still a solid show, but nowhere near as hot as it once was. Hopefully they do a better job of balancing the star power this go round.
Think about the people Smackdown lost.... Undertaker, Cena, Miz/Maryse, Alexa Bliss, Bray Wyatt
Now compare that to who Raw lost... Kevin Owens, Charlotte, and New Day
Although Owens, Charlotte, and New Day are great, it's clear Vince wanted to stack the star power on Raw.