5 things WWE Got Right On Smackdown Live This Week: 7 August 2018

For weeks wrestling fans have been saying Smackdown Live is the best main roster show WWE has been producing, and it's extremely hard to argue that claim. As this week's episode of Smackdown Live was eventful, exciting and energizing. Furthermore, most of that is due to the fresh matches the show produced, the blockbuster announcements that were made and the main event that is worth a rewatch.

While the show was not as perfect as the previous few instalments, there was little room for mishaps, as the superstars of the blue brand went into this episode with one goal in mind, to entertain, and in the name of kayfabe they did just that. Which now leaves fans eagerly waiting for the next installment of the show next week.

#1 Tensions build between Becky and Charlotte

Charlotte and Becky took on The Iconics in tag team action to kick off the show this week.

Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch are no strangers to one another, as both these talented stars have stood across the ring as enemies and stood in each other's corners as friends, and this week on Smackdown Live these two former Women Champion's chose the latter.

While tag team matches are the single worst booking trope to throw competitors into, this match type worked with the narrative being told from last week, as Lynch has to put aside her animosity agsint Charlotte for stealing her spotlight so they could co-exist as a team.

The tale told in the ring was executed to perfection, as Charlotte tagged herself in when Becky was getting beatdown by Billie Kay and made the former NXT superstar tap out. The aftermath of this match possibly gave the fans a hint of what to come, as Lynch didn't take kindly to Charlotte hogging the spotlight since again. Whether Lynch turns heel or Charlotte backstabs Becky before she considers the idea, WWE has laid out a well-laid booking path to Summerslam.

#2 Rotating midcard matches

A match that was surprisingly good.

R Truth vs Shinsuke Nakamura may not scream blockbuster match to you, but if WWE let these men have a few more minutes, they could've produced a Smackdown classic. But what made this match resonate with the WWE Universe was the fact that it was fresh, it wasn't another rehashed match fans have been seeing for weeks, as Smackdown's midcard doesn't operate like Raw's. As fans see a new match almost every week, and those matches end up delivering.

Moreover, the United States Champion taking on new challenges and not only the wrestlers he is feuding with is essential for the title's growth. While the reason for this match between R Truth and Shinsuke was really hilariously stupid, it was nice seeing a veteran like Truth get some ring time to show that he can still hang with a world-class athlete like Nakamura. And finally, the blue brand's creative team rotating their midcard matches every week will allow Smackdown to stay relevant every single week.

#3 AJ Styles motivations feel realistic

The man answered back at Samoa Joe with words from his soul.

AJ Styles made his way down to the ring this week not to wrestle but to address the cold words dished out by "the Samoan submission specialist." And while AJ Styles might be known for being the best wrestler in the ring and not the sharpest on the mic, this week Styles delivered a promo that felt relatable, personal and most of all realistic. Styles didn't come out and promise to delete Joe or ruin his name with the WWE Universe, but he came out to shed some light on the difficulties of being a wrestler.

Styles said he has to sacrifice being there with his family because he has to be on the road working hard for his family. And for anyone out there who is sacrificing, working non-stop to give their family a better life could relate with Styles words. As he said at Summerslam, he is going to kick Joe's ass because by him being the WWE Champion he is doing the best he can for his loved ones. It's simple; it's relatable its a pomo well written and delivered.

#4 Miz and Daniel Bryan continue to shine

WWE turned things up a notch this week between these two mortal enemies.

Byran Saxton was in the ring getting to talk to the Miz via titan-tron as "the A-lister" was busy on the set of his latest hit show Miz&Mrs, and if Saxton thought that he could get away from Corey Graves insults for a few minutes he didn't know what the Miz had in store for him. After burying Saxton's entire WWE career, Miz went on to inform the WWE Universe that at Summerslam he will give Daniel Bryan what he wants, a singles match between the two rivals. And from there on out Miz went full-savage and started to run down Daniel's career bit by bit.

Which then promoted Daniel Bryan himself to blindside the Miz, and after a small brawl, Miz got the upper hand by whacking Bryan with a glass vase that sent "the yes man" down. While most would feel WWE would be better in holding off this match for Wrestlemania 35, now is actually the perfect time to do this match, as this fued is white hot and Daniel Bryan's contract rumours portray this match as urgent. Therefore, with all the right factors aligned WWE should take advantage.

#5 One of the best TV main events of the year

It can't get any better for the Smackdown Live Tag Team division.

WHAT A FREAKING AWESOME MATCH! Seriously The New Day and The Bar left it all in the ring on this week's episode of Smackdown Live, and for the sake of tag team wrestling, this was a God sent gift to legitimise the division once again. For more than twenty minutes fans witnessed beautiful counters, exhilarating finishers, and an electric pace that has been missing from WWE's TV main events so far this year. And even though The Bar should've been the team to face The Bludgeon Brothers at Summerslam, WWE's reluctance to do a heel vs heel tag team match is understandable.

But this match proves why Smackdown Live is whipping Raw in terms of sheer creativity and utilisation of its roster, as The Bar and The New Day felt like they were literally tearing each other apart for a chance they would never get again in their careers. The desperation, the willpower and the emotion these teams showed on this episode will never be forgotten, as their war felt real and when wrestlers make wrestling feel real you know they are doing their jobs.