"It was very real" - Veteran highlights a major change in Kayla Braxton during Paul Heyman segment (Exclusive)

This week's SmackDown opened with an absorbing interview featuring Paul Heyman and Kayla Braxton.

The backstage segment has received plaudits online and was one of the main topics on the latest episode of Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk.

Legendary wrestling journalist Bill Apter was particularly impressed by the tone of the entire angle as Paul Heyman wasn't joking around with Kayla Braxton like he normally would.

Bill Apter highlighted that Braxton maintained a serious demeanor throughout the segment, which came across as a realistic sports presentation on the blue brand.

"And what Dutch was saying about Paul Heyman, we both have known Paul Heyman since he was a little kid practically. And the video that they did, the perspective of his career was very, very well produced. Usually, he jokes around and does shtick with Kayla Braxton, but tonight you could see that there was a different tone to even the way she presented herself with him. It was very real sports to me tonight," stated the 76-year-old veteran.

Very, very believable: Dutch Mantell praises Paul Heyman's SmackDown segment

Dutch Mantell also chimed in and said the SmackDown opener hit all the right notes.

Mantell felt that Roman Reigns' Universal title clash against Brock Lesnar was the only meaningful match on the Day 1 card.

Paul Heyman's intense segment added much-needed substance to the ongoing storyline, and Mantell liked the various angles that Heyman covered in his promo.

"Very, very believable. Yes, because when he is talking, and I had kind of forgotten what he said last week, he says I'm not protecting Brock Lesnar; I'm protecting Roman Reigns from Brock Lesnar. It's very, very; I mean that hit right at the core of it. And, the interview and I like the way Paul put his career in perspective, you know at this stage in his career, he didn't see himself going back to NXT to pick up an outstanding talent, not at this age. But they really promoted Day 1, and I think at Day 1, that's really the only match on the card that means anything," Mantell explained.

Roman Reigns firing Paul Heyman is just one of the many twists WWE has in store for the top SmackDown feud, as the company reportedly even has a big finish planned for the pay-per-view match.

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Who do you see walking out of Day 1 with the Universal Championship? You can also share your reviews of Paul Heyman's segment in the comments section below.

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