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Honestly speaking, I don't really know what to think of SmackDown this week at all, because it wasn't a show that I was particularly bored by but it was far from being a good show. The last 30 minutes could have been so very different than what we eventually got, and I don't know if it was a good or a bad thing.
That said, my job this week is to present the 'Best and Worst' of SmackDown, and I think I can separate the good from the bad quite easily. So, let's delve into what clicked on the show for me and what components I felt could have been done differently.
Rest assured that what I say is far from the gospel and is just one dude's opinion, so if you choose to disagree, please feel free to do so in the section below.
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#1 Best: Sheamus and Michael Cole
Yes, Sheamus did face off against an enhancement talent this week and we all knew the outcome of the contest before it even got underway. Usually, I'd just ignore this segment if not for what happened between Sheamus and Michael Cole, that I found interesting.
Sheamus had a moment where he threatened Michael Cole who seems to be overlooking everything that The Celtic Warrior has been doing and only focusing on Jeff Hardy. I think that the build to this match is coming along in a very good way and I really look forward to seeing the eventual confrontation between the two.
I also love Sheamus' brawling style which is so very different from everything else on SmackDown where everyone just wrestles in one typical WWE style, that can get on your nerves if you watch two whole hours of it.
#1 Worst: Triple H's big celebration
How can a segment with Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, Stephanie McMahon, Ric Flair, and Road Dogg, in addition to Triple H miss the mark you ask? Well, you only need to look at this week's edition of SmackDown to find out, I guess.
I would have been okay with this segment had it led to a feud in the best-case scenario or even, been a heart-warming celebration of everything that The Game has accomplished over the last 25 years, with the men and women of NXT telling him exactly what he means to them. But instead, while it started off strong, it went into too much 'inside joke' territory and I really cringed hard when Shawn Michaels mocked Stephanie McMahon.
This was a segment that only the most ardent WWE fans would understand, with all of the references such as the Gobbledy Gooker. The usual fan switching channels or even a hardcore wrestling fan who started watching long after Katie Vick would really have a hard time connecting with and enjoying.
#2 Best: The build to Sasha vs. Bayley
I genuinely thought that Sasha Banks and Bayley had a really good match this week. WWE was faced with a very difficult choice - how do they make Sasha Banks look strong even in defeat and I think that they handled the situation quite brilliantly. Bayley had the referee distracted even though Banks had the match won, and this is leading to a rift in the Boss n' Hug connection.
I would have loved to see Banks win the Money in the Bank contract and cash it in on Bayley but in this way, they have ensured that Banks comes out looking like the babyface and Bayley, the heel. The build to their match is coming along well and the fact of the matter is that we all know that they create more magic when they're working against each other and not with one another.
Also, I would like to see Evans and Sasha Banks have more matches because both of them had a great match that could have gone either way at any point.
#2 Worst: The Lucha House Party's rather strange win
I am always a fan of using everyone in the roster in the best possible manner. I just think that the Lucha House Party just does not have the right gimmick, right now. And the same could be said about Tamina, who seems to be on her way up but really needs a compelling storyline for fans to be invested in her in a bigger way.
I also hate the fact that The Lucha House Party scored a victory over The Miz and I just wonder if there is some kind of backstage reason for The Miz suffering two losses in two weeks. He is just one of those guys who keeps on proving to the world that he is the most entertaining guy in the roster and yet, never gets a chance to shine as he should, a lot like Elias in a sense.
I have nothing against The Lucha House Party but I just think that for them to be perceived as anything but a lower-card team, they need a change in their current gimmick.
#3 Best/Worst: The Women's Tag Team Championship match
Okay, so I love the idea of the titles being featured on SmackDown in such a big way but I have to ask if this was a good match. I just thought that in comparison to the other women's match on the roster, this was a step behind.
However, what I dig is that Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss have a double-team finisher now. It is just a shame that it was not debuted before a crowd because it would have received the loudest pop.
So, all in all, SmackDown was a show that I cannot call boring or a drag to watch for sure, but at the same time, I don't think that it was nearly as much fun as last week's episode was. I am really interested in the Braun Strowman vs. The Fiend storyline and I wouldn't have minded the next chapter in the build to the feud on this week's show but it was not to be.
Speaking of Nikki Cross, do check out her cameo on this interview conducted by Gary Cassidy.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
