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It's a worrying trend but it's a pattern that I've noticed recently. When WWE books a good RAW, SmackDown Live suffers, and when SmackDown Live is a good show, RAW is quite poor in comparison, very often.
This week, SmackDown Live was the clear winner because the show was entertaining, fast-paced and really a lot of fun, overall. There were quite a few things about the show that I enjoyed personally and I would have to say that it was a struggle coming up with 'worsts' to write this list.
But that said, this was far from a perfect show and I'll jot down both sides of the coin in this article. As always, I invite your thoughts, views, and comments in the section below this one.
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Let's get some interesting conversations going before we head to Extreme Rules this weekend.
#1 Best: The Kevin Owens character arc
I love the fact that after deciding that Kevin Owens will be a babyface, going forward, WWE is going all out to ensure that he becomes the next big thing. It shows the kind of faith that Vince McMahon has in Owens, considering that the man does not really feel the stereotype of what a top 'Vince McMahon guy' should traditionally look like.
Kevin Owens started out in the parking lot, brawling with Dolph Ziggler. He would go on to cut a very CM Punk like promo on Shane McMahon, blaming him for hogging up all the screen time when talented performers don't get any screen time at all, something we've been lamenting about in this list.
And then he would return at the end of the night to hit a Stone Cold Stunner to the delight of the crowd. What a great moment!
See WWE Smackdown Results, Highlights of event, & more on WWE Smackdown Results page
#1 Worst: Balor takes a pin
I am glad that Shinsuke Nakamura got a chance to remind us of just how good he is when the bell rings. However, I did have a problem with him pinning Finn Balor, a Champion who has had no momentum at all since he won the title, and who didn't show up on TV for weeks.
There are many other ways to book a feud than to have the Champion get pinned by the challenger. In my opinion, this kills the mystique of the pay-per-view match, seeing the Champion on the mat, eating a pin.
I would personally not have had the two men come to blows until they reached Extreme Rules, because the pull of this exciting clash would have brought many viewers to the dance. Unfortunately, now the drama is all gone, and Balor doesn't seem nearly as strong.
The match, in itself, was fine.
#2 Best: Cesaro is Aleister Black's Extreme Rules opponent
So, Aleister Black has wanted a fight and he put the entire roster on notice. Someone knocked on his door but it wasn't clear who the person was, until this week's SmackDown episode. It turned out to be none other than Cesaro, a man who's been getting a massive singles push.
There could be a variety of reasons why he is the recipient of this massive push. Whatever the case may be, I guess we can all agree that he'll make a fantastic first opponent for Aleister Black following his whole repackaged push. Sure, he did take the main roster by storm as a tag team superstar, but this is a fresh new start for him.
I did state in the 'Best and worst' of RAW that Cesaro's win over No Way Jose was indicative of a push. Let's see just how far he goes this time.
#2 Worst: What is Shelton Benjamin trying to do?
I am a big fan of 'the weird' and 'the bizarre' when there is a point to the same. Bray Wyatt's 'Firefly Fun House' segments are a great example of using the bizarre in a constructive sense. I can see no future for Shelton Benjamin's gimmick because it is just beneath him to do what he's being asked to.
Firstly, why is he being asked about the rest of the SmackDown roster? It really doesn't make any sense because this is not the case with almost anyone else. They are asked about their own programs.
I'm guessing that they want to turn Shelton Benjamin into a GIF so that he gets over with a younger crowd, over the long haul. I'm guessing that a few quality matches where the legendary superstar can showcase his skills will also do the trick in this very regard.
#3 Best: An entertaining main event match
In a lot of ways, I was more excited to see Roman Reigns take on Dolph Ziggler in the main event than I'd have been for a Ziggler vs. Owens clash, per se. And this is because it just felt like a bigger match overall to me.
A lot of us tend to sleep on Roman Reigns as an in-ring competitor because of the hate that comes his way. Not only is Roman Reigns very much at home when the bell rings, but he's also one of those performers who improves with every single outing.
There was also the added drama of all the heels at ringside and Kevin Owens crashing the party with a stunner. Overall, it was a very fun match.
I really wonder what lies next for Roman Reigns once his whole feud with Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre is done and dusted.
#3 Worst: The New Day botch
I'm sure quite a few of you noticed this botch. The New Day's entrance began with their music playing, even before Big E could begin his 'Don't you dare be sour' shtick.
Because it was a very small botch, I thought that its inclusion in this list was indicative of the fact that SmackDown Live was a very good show, with very few errors. Honestly, botches do not bother me per se, but it shows a lack of focus backstage from members of the WWE production crew.
I think we can all agree that WWE NEWS has a very talented roster at this time, but it is the half-heartedness in a lot of their offerings that drags the quality of the show down significantly. Let's just hope that this is not a trend that continues on weekly television.
Maybe Eric Bischoff can whip some people into shape.
#4 Best/Worst: The Nikki vs. Bayley segments
I just think that it's impossible to tell a story in which Alexa Bliss is the central character without the presence of The Goddess. Nikki Cross and Bayley have had some fun back-and-forth segments, but I don't really know if it's been stretched too much. It just seems like the whole story has been told, and now everything is just merely overkill.
Couldn't whatever happened on RAW have happened on SmackDown instead? I mean, after all, it is the SmackDown Women's Championship and not the RAW counterpart. Had we gone into Extreme Rules with the stipulation, I'd have been okay.
That said, I'm glad that WWE is at least attempting to tell a story in this case. They always seem to do so whenever The Goddess is involved in the storyline.
And now I'm off to watch the Goddess' special on the WWE Network, which should be a lot of fun.
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