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Maybe I was up too late last night interviewing Rusev (will be uploaded later during the day on Sportskeeda), but I thought this was quite a throwaway episode of SmackDown Live. There was nothing particularly wrong with it. But I did not think that there was anything great about it either. It was just another episode!
That does not mean that I cannot identify the best and worst of this episode. I thought that the show did pick up from the middle onwards. In fact, I daresay that the second half of the show was significantly better than the first half.
Did it get me excited for the craziness of the Royal Rumble? The Royal Rumble is my favourite pay-per-view of the year and it did not need to make me any more excited than I am.
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I'd like to know your thoughts on this week's show as well, so please leave a comment.
#1 Best: A showcase of innovative moves
You cannot replicate the excitement that was last week's match. Andrade and Rey Mysterio proved to us then that they could steal the show if given the chance. WWE did give them a chance and the two men stole the show for the second successive week. Only, this time we expected it to be great.
But the array of moves that the two men showed us that they possess in droves was exceptional. They did things that superstars on 205 Live cannot do with the same kind of conviction. It is great to see how much of a thrill it is to watch Mysterio in action, after all of these years.
I am sure that there are more battles that these two warriors will be part of. I cannot wait to see them.
Maybe this could be a US Title match in the future?
#1 Worst: Banning Zelina Vega from ringside
I know that this will be an unpopular opinion for many. But I'm 32 years old, which means that I discovered wrestling at a time when managers were an important part of the business. I think Zelina Vega is as good a manager as anyone. Her expressions sold that match that transpired on last week's show.
By banning Zelina Vega from ringside, WWE cut out an important element that could have made the 2-out-of-3 falls match feel special. Zelina Vega is unique in the sense that she's not merely eye candy like so many other managers are. She is a wrestler and also gets physically involved in the match.
I would have personally had her try to interfere again. Only this time, the smart and experienced veteran Rey Mysterio would know a counter for her interference.
But, if you feel differently let me know about it.
#2 Best: Every man for himself
So Andrade and Mysterio were putting on a real clinic. It was in the final moments of what had been an extraordinary match between two extraordinary superstars that Samoa Joe invaded the ring. Nobody saw it coming but it was a great way to build the Royal Rumble match, in my opinion.
I love the fact that Samoa Joe is being given a push as a singles superstar. His stock has suffered ever since his series of losses to AJ Styles when he could not get the job done at all. As monstrous as the man is, he's never really been booked as a monster.
But it was the arrival of Randy Orton who RKOed Samoa Joe out of nowhere that really made this segment special and got us pumped up for the Royal Rumble. A heel was attacking a heel because it is every man for himself at the Rumble!
#2 Worst: No US Title match build
I was on a teleconference with Rusev a few hours ago where he was asked which match should potentially main event the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event. Without thinking twice, Rusev said that it should be the United States Championship match. Sadly, the reality is different from his dream.
Rusev and Nakamura weren't even on the show this week, after the personal angle with Lana. Moreover, Rusev and Nakamura will battle it out for the title on the Kickoff show at the Royal Rumble. It is truly no wonder why this title is not as prestigious as it used to be.
It would have made sense to work an angle between Rusev and Nakamura on this week's show to build some heat for their match ahead of the Royal Rumble. I guess it is what it is.
#3 Best: The Mustafa Ali vignette
There are millions of fans in the WWE Universe. Unfortunately, not all of them watch 205 Live on a weekly basis. Therefore, WWE needed to do something to familiarise them with the gentleman who's come from the 205 Live roster to SmackDown Live. The video package we saw was a great way to achieve the same, I felt.
I don't know how many of you watch NXT on a regular basis. But NXT did much the same with Roderick Strong, who was just a white meat babyface once upon a time, giving the audience an insight into who the man really is. The audience got behind Strong and now he's an important part of the Undisputed ERA.
Even the Mustafa Ali video package seems to have worked, to an extent. Mick Foley put over Ali after seeing it.
We would love to hear more stories about our favourite superstars, WWE!
#3 Worst: Daniel Bryan's new persona
There is a fundamental flaw in Daniel Bryan's character, in my opinion. Bryan is a champion for the environment and the audience does not want to hear him preach. Therefore, he gets booed by the crowd. But how has AJ Styles been an enemy of the environment for all the accusations that come his way?
Bryan's character keeps spouting nonsense about how the WWE Universe is fickle and how they do not care for the planet. WWE should have done something in this regard to showcase Styles as somebody who does not care for what Daniel Bryan has to say.
We have seen way too many matches between AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan already. Granted, the two men always steal the show but for them to have the WWE Universe invested, I thought the feud needed a fresher storyline.
I feel like changing the channel every time Daniel Bryan comes on in his new gimmick, and that's not what a heel is supposed to be doing.
#4 Best/worst: Naomi vs. Rose
So, let me tell you what I liked about this match first. I liked the fact that it had a story. I liked the fact that it had been built up for weeks, making the audience care. Both women are one step away from main event status and I thought this was necessary.
But when the actual match happened, I found it ordinary. Even the spot with Deville's interference at the end seemed a little sloppy. It made me realise why neither of these women is in the red-hot title picture on SmackDown Live yet.
All said and done, I'm sure that the Royal Rumble will be a great pay-per-view. Even if it isn't, it always gets people talking about WrestleMania and the road to it.
Also, what do you think of how excited Corey Graves gets every time Mandy Rose comes to the ring?
Vince Russo answers who killed WCW HERE
