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There's a lot to like about SmackDown Live every week. It is just a more fast-paced show with a keen emphasis on sports entertainment. Two hours of action can be easier to endure than three hours are. And the world champion does show up every week!
But that does not mean it is a perfect show. There were a few things about SmackDown this week, that I felt worth categorizing in the 'Worst' section. Of course, feel free to challenge my opinion and counter it with your own, in the comments section right below.
Both RAW and SmackDown Live this week have been 'feel good' shows. And that is the reason I will call both of them good.
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Let me list out what I found good and bad, this week.
#1 Best: A show-stealing match
If you have watched Andrade in NXT, you know that he is capable of putting on great matches at will. When he has a dance partner that can match him at every step, he is unstoppable. This time, his opponent was a man that he grew up idolising as a young man. I have a feeling many of us did so too.
I go back and watch Rey Mysterio matches from WCW, from time to time on the WWE Network. And I must say that Mysterio is just as athletic as he was during the Monday Night Wars. In some ways, he may even be a smarter wrestler now where his moves mean a lot more.
Of course, he put over Andrade this week. Zelina Vega was excellent as well, and her expressions made the match work.
I can see them work every day and then some.
#1 Worst: The baffling name change
Yes, Andrade 'Cien' Almas did pick up the biggest win of his career this week. But in doing so, he also lost a significant part of his name. He joins the ranks of Alexander Rusev and Elias Samson, as men who've had their names shortened for no apparent reason. Thankfully, Apollo Crews has got his last name back once again.
I don't know if just calling Andrade 'Cien' Almas 'Andrade' makes his name any easier to recall for the WWE Universe. Many of us know him from NXT and nobody had any problems with his name back in developmental. It is absolutely strange to assume that he will be a bigger household name if his name were to be shortened.
But then Vince McMahon is a billionaire. I am certainly not.
He probably knows better.
#2 Best: Samoa Joe beats down Mustafa Ali
Mustafa Ali has faced some of the best WWE superstars in the world when he competed in 205 Live. But he has never faced anyone like Samoa Joe in the past. The idea was to build Joe up as a monster ahead of the WWE Royal Rumble and WWE achieved that and some more!
Ali has had a variety of matches on the main roster but it does seem like his first feud will be against Samoa Joe. I think this is a great pairing because Ali has only worked Cruiserweights or smaller WWE superstars like Daniel Bryan prior to this and this presents a unique opportunity for him. Joe could benefit from ripping apart Mustafa Ali into small pieces as well.
Isn't everything Samoa Joe does very believable indeed? I certainly think so.
#2 Worst: Cancelled match?
I mentioned how SmackDown Live is an easier show to watch because it is an hour short. Because of the same reason, sometimes a lot of planned segments do not make it to the show. Sonya Deville and Carmella set social media on fire with their Twitter war but sadly, did not get a chance to play out their feud in the ring.
I know that this isn't the biggest loss in the world, from a viewer's perspective. But this was a heavily promoted match from SmackDown Live, as I mentioned in my 'Preview' last night. It was a shame to see these two women miss out on such a big opportunity.
Especially because they took the time to build their feud on Twitter. How many superstars do that for a TV match?
#3 Best: Happy birthday Shane McMahon
I haven't been the biggest fan of the skits between The Miz and Shane McMahon before this week's episode. They had the main event spot and I honestly thought to myself that it will be a dud.
It surprisingly turned out to be much better than I expected it to be. I actually care about the team after this week's show.
Also, I love The Miz as a babyface. The crowd has come to respect the man and everything he has done in the ring. It's so great to see how far he has come and how much the crowd loves him.
But the icing on the cake, no pun intended, has to be the Coast to Coast on the cake. I interviewed Sheamus a few hours ago and I find it hilarious that he's caked, no pun intended again, in Shane McMahon's boot print.
#3 Worst: The IIconics
There was a lot that was wrong with the opening segment. Even though the WWE Universe was hot for Becky Lynch, it was strange to see her competing in a t-shirt and jeans, and she felt a little restrained in her movement.
But when the IIconics came into the picture, I feel that the segment reached its lowest. The two of them were fed lines that did not connect with the crowd at all, really. And this could be attributed both to the delivery and the scripting.
Maybe a longer stint in NXT would have solved the problem for the twosome. I just thought this week, they disappointed.
Maybe they just need more screen time and more opportunities to gain confidence and own the screen like the legends that they were down in NXT.
#4 Best/worst: The Attitude Era segment
Did you guys watch the Alexa Bliss segment on RAW? I feel like WWE is pushing the boundaries on what is acceptable entertainment almost every single week. And as a result, we're getting a lot of segments that are a throwback to the Attitude Era. Jimmy Uso was invited to Mandy Rose's hotel room, this week.
I just feel that because we know that WWE won't go all the way with them, these segments continuously fall flat. We all know that they will end up being PG segments. And therefore, there do little to build audience interest in the feuds at hand.
At the same time, I'm glad that Mandy Rose has a defined role in WWE. With her looks and talent, the sky could be the limit for her.
Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought about this week's SmackDown Live episode.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
