6 Big takeaways from WWE SmackDown (October 7, 2022)

This week's incredible episode of WWE SmackDown was broadcast live from the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was a dynamic go-home show for the Extreme Rules event in Philadelphia on Saturday.

The WWE Universe had been anxiously awaiting the Season Premiere of the blue brand. They displayed that with their thunderous responses to the program all night long. With everything swirling around in the storylines, fans were understandably eager. They did not leave disappointed, as the current hot streak that the promotion is on continued this week.

While the show wasn't a flash of blue lightning throughout the two hours, any blips on the radar were barely noticeable. The pacing of WWE programming has been so much better lately that they seem to be driving right past any potholes.

While there was so much good to talk about on this week's edition of the program, here's a closer look at five big things that stood out regarding the Season Premiere of WWE SmackDown.

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#6 - The opening segment was 'WWE Theater' at its finest

Triple H opened the show with a fantastic amount of energy. He looked like The Game of old out there, as if he had risen from the ashes after all his health scares and professional peril.

He stood there, tall in the ring and surveying the kingdom to which he now holds the key. He basked in the glow of an audience that grew up watching him climb to the industry's top. (We also got a glimpse of another cleverly-placed QR Code from The White Rabbit. But more on that later.)

Triple H will get a chance to be a juvenile delinquent again (at least for a while) on Monday night when D-Generation-X reunites for their 25th Anniversary Celebration. However, he got to be in the spotlight for himself on Friday night, and he received a lot of love. Considering all that he's done lately, it was a well-deserved moment.

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#5 - It didn't take long for The Tribal Chief to make his presence felt

Roman Reigns walked out just as the opening segment ended, keeping the train moving. After being quickly acknowledged, The Head of the Table was confronted by his Crown Jewel opponent, Logan Paul.

The crowd immediately turned on Paul, who - believe it or not - is supposed to be the babyface in this storyline. Fans in attendance began chanting that he sucked as soon as he hit the ring.

This brought a smile to Reigns' face, who reassured Logan that he, too, had been booed before. But now he is the greatest. Then, Paul Heyman got on the microphone and eviscerated the social media star in his own special way. Big props also had to go to Sami Zayn, who took over the segment and sent The Maverick on his way, as The Bloodline appeared united in the cause of driving him out of WWE.

Once again, The Bloodline story dominates WWE programming, and another wrinkle was added this week. Reigns weighed in on Jey Uso's bad attitude and put Sami Zayn in charge of improving it. The comedy will only ensue from here.

On a side note: Logan Paul may have conquered the world of YouTube, but he's considered an interloper by the WWE Universe. Despite his fame, professional wrestling is still different from any other form of niche entertainment. We got a glimpse of that here.

The fans are a lot smarter than most people think they are. They've seen enough celebrities over the years to know whether or not someone is truly 'real.' They have weighed and measured Logan Paul and have seemingly found him lacking.

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#4 - Stop us if you've heard this before: Karrion Kross looks like he was born to be a massive WWE Superstar

It's almost like beating a dead horse at this point, but the incredible comeback that this performer has made is the stuff books should be written about. A very talented performer who once thought the biggest break of his life was suddenly flushed down the toilet has re-emerged as one of the faces of the future.

Karrion Kross went from being ousted by WWE to returning and letting everyone know that they were all out of time. TICK TOCK.

Win or lose, Kross' battle with Drew McIntyre could be a watershed moment in his climb to the top. This feud has brought out the best in both him and Scarlett. With all due respect to The Scottish Warrior, he should be the one to take the loss at Extreme Rules. Kross' amazing resurrection is 'found money.' WWE must continue to treat him like the main event mega-star that he's destined to become.

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#3 - LA Knight is back! .... YEAH!

By any name, Eli Drake/LA Knight/Max Dupri is a talented entertainer. Shaun Ricker, the man behind all those personas, has long been considered a performer just waiting for the opportunity to shine. Eventually, the weeks became months. Sadly, months have become years.

The West Coast kid in him has emerged now, and LA Knight could very well be the persona that allows him to finally reach his enormous potential. He can still be a star with an incredible ability to communicate on the microphone and great athleticism. As they often say: Better late than never.

Once he finishes off this breakaway from the Models gimmick, he should be positioned as a serious competitor who can still be comedic with his promos. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here, as his ceiling remains sky-high.

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#2 - Sheamus vs. Gunther was the perfect main event to lead into Extreme Rules

Well, there was a lot of scrap iron left around the ring after these two stormy combatants finished the show. Two legitimate heavy hitters gave the fans a good, old-fashioned fight.

The resurgence in Sheamus has been surprisingly fun to watch. Never really the most dynamic performer, he was a multi-time WWE Champion during some dark times with the company. Perhaps, that's why he's never really been given his proper respect.

At the end of the day, Sheamus will be remembered as an important part of the franchise and will most certainly be added to the Hall of Fame eventually. Watching the WWE Universe get behind him against the seemingly unstoppable Gunther has been a breath of fresh air.

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#1 - The White Rabbit will likely arrive at Extreme Rules

During the main event, a cartoon video splashed across the screen, showing The White Rabbit and flashing a message that alluded to tomorrow night. It's now apparent that the speculation was accurate: It will all culminate on Saturday night in Philadelphia.

Soon, all the speculation will be over. We are at the eleventh hour of The Mystery of The White Rabbit. Questions that have been burning through the world of professional wrestling and sports entertainment will finally be answered.

All we can do now is strap on our seat belts and hope it's all worth the ride.