'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Did I like aspects of SmackDown Live? Yes, I did. Did I dislike other things about SmackDown Live as well, with regard to what happened during the show? Yes, I did.
This was one of the most uneventful shows of SmackDown Live that I remember seeing for quite some time now. You could have switched over to another channel and resumed watching next week's show because nothing of note happened this week.
But would I go on to say that this was a complete waste of my time? I'm not implying that at all because it was a fun show.
Of course, I know that a lot of you think differently and so I invite you to leave a comment, good or bad, in the section below.
Trending
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
#1 Best: Big E returns
The New Day seemed incomplete without Big E in the mix, didn't it? I loved the thunderous pop that accompanied Big E's return when he came out both for the promo segment and then got the hot tag during the main event match. Big E is one of the most popular athletes in the world right now and may even be more popular than Kofi Kingston.
There's also the matter of who attacked him backstage which should be the main storyline leading up to SummerSlam and beyond. Many are speculating that it was Big E himself who orchestrated the attack, meaning that he will turn heel and go after Kofi Kingston's WWE Championship after the Dolph Ziggler storyline eventually concludes. It will also mean the end of the New Day.
Or maybe I'm overthinking this and The New Day will remain a cohesive unit, bolstered by the return of Big E into the mix once again. Which scenario would you guys prefer?
See WWE Smackdown Results, Highlights of event, & more on WWE Smackdown Results page
#1 Worst: Way too much Shane McMahon
The Shane McMahon vs. The Miz rivalry was fun back when we were heading into WrestleMania. Can you believe that months since then, the same feud is going on?
Also, do we really need Shane McMahon on both RAW and SmackDown Live, because he's probably the dullest thing about both shows?! I can understand the argument that he is a proven rating draw, but every time he steps out, he takes up a spot from someone else in the roster, in my opinion.
Did we need this feud when we could have built a feud between the Kabuki Warriors and The IIconics leading up into WWE Stomping Grounds? Did we really need to revive the Shane McMahon vs. Miz feud when it's so far beyond its expiry date already?
These are questions that WWE will have to answer to combat its recent dip in TV viewership.
#2 Best: Carmella vs. Sonya Deville
I suppose Vince McMahon brought in Alexa Bliss from RAW to compete in the SmackDown Women's Division because he did not really believe that the women of SmackDown are ratings draws on their own merit. I don't know how far that is the case, but Carmella and Sonya Deville had a pretty solid match this week.
Sonya Deville looks like a legit tough chick and while she's overshadowed by Mandy Rose on most occasions, I thought that she held her own against Carmella on this week's show. Carmella may be one of the more underrated workers in the division. The suicide dive to the outside was quite cool.
It's a shame that Ember Moon is sitting on the sidelines but I suppose she's biding her time for a return. And she can certainly make a return if Shane McMahon stops taking up TV time.
#2 Worst: Drew McIntyre's role as Shane McMahon's sidekick
Many in the WWE Universe believe that Drew McIntyre is the future. One look at him and it's not hard to see why this is the case. Drew McIntyre has the size, the in-ring skills and also the promo skills that it takes to be a top guy.
Unfortunately, the very fact that he is saddled with Shane McMahon can prove to be a detriment with regard to him branching out as a star. Now he's little more than hired muscle and someone in his position should ideally be challenging Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship. Now McIntyre just goes with Shane McMahon wherever 'The Best in the World' goes every single week.
The fact that Shane McMahon segments are so dull can also prove to be a major reason that McIntyre does not get over. Nobody likes Superstars appearing twice a week on their television screens.
#3 Best: R-Truth shines again
I received a tremendous amount of heat for saying that I did not enjoy the elevator segment with R-Truth from RAW. I'm guessing that all you guys enjoy the title a great deal.
Thankfully, I suppose we'll be on the same page with regard to what happened on SmackDown Live, this week. I thought that R-Truth getting locked and Jinder Mahal pretending to be Carmella was actually very funny indeed.
Jinder Mahal used to be the WWE Champion once upon a time, but will always be known as little more than a failed experiment because WWE's plans in India did not pan out the way that they'd assumed it would. But it's great to see him excelling in a comedy role and working with a genuinely nice guy like R-Truth.
The Modern Day Maharaja was always better outside the ring, as opposed to matches anyway!
#3 Worst: Getting jobbers to fill up a spot
Through the course of this article, I've mentioned several times that there are Superstars in the back who're not getting the opportunities that they deserve. A team like The Colons or even AoP could have benefited from the spot that was reserved for AJ Kirsh and Dave Dutra this week.
The fact of the matter is that a victory over enhancement talent does not benefit anyone at all. The audience already knows the outcome before the bell even rings and someone deserving gets robbed of an opportunity to compete.
Even having The Ascension come out to take part in the match would have been better than what we were eventually served, this week. WWE should be about characters and jobbers really have no character to speak of.
Not every single jobber that competes for WWE will eventually turn out to be James Ellsworth.
#4 Best/worst: Chad Gable's new gimmick
As you may have gauged from this article already, I'm always glad when WWE Superstars get screen time. I'm just not sure that I like Chad Gable's new avatar is all I'm saying. This is because it just seemed way too geeky for me.
I know that he joined 205 Live this week, which makes me wonder if he'll be on both brands. Whatever the case may be, I liked Gable a lot more when he was in American Alpha when he was allowed to be himself...a fantastic athlete and a former Olympian. But whatever gets this highly talented individual on TV need not be a bad thing.
Also, what do you guys think of Alexa Bliss being on both shows? Do you guys think that she's also becoming like Shane McMahon, where she's getting too much exposure?
One look at this picture and I'd have to say, I'm okay.
