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This episode of WWE SmackDown was like the one filler track on a music album. You could have skipped the show, jumped straight into WrestleMania 37, and not missed much (maybe apart from knowing who the winner of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was).
While WWE SmackDown wasn't necessarily as bad or painful show as RAW tends to be at times, there was an air of the creative team just phoning it in. They knew that all eyes would be on WrestleMania this weekend, so this was just two hours of unimportant, uninteresting programming.
Of course, if you disagree, please vent or air your views in the comments section below. We would love to hear what you think, even if your views on WWE SmackDown differ from ours.
#1 Best: Jey Uso has his finest WWE SmackDown moment
It's great to see that even though he's no longer in the limelight as he once was, Jey Uso is still a big deal on the WWE SmackDown roster. For him to win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal is a validation of the effort he's put in, recognition for the year he's had, and not a consolation prize as many would believe.
Shinsuke Nakamura was the only other real contender from the WWE SmackDown side of things to win the match.
That said, it's fine that he didn't. It just seems like Jey Uso needs it far more now, as he'll be an integral part of the proceedings going forward.
From hosting rap battles to becoming 'main event Jey Uso', the tag team specialist has come a long way as a singles star. Let's hope that he's booked just as strongly after WrestleMania 37 too. Well, one can hope.
#1 Worst: Why are the two WWE SmackDown authority figures fighting?
Was the segment between the two WWE SmackDown authority figures - Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville - an indication of the storyline we'll see after WrestleMania? If not, the fact that Deville believes the WrestleMania main event should have been one-on-one does nobody any real favors!
We never returned to the segment later in the show as well, and by the time the episode ended, we were confused and puzzled as to the reasoning for the same.
Honestly, a power struggle storyline between two authority figures has been booked several times in WWE history, and it may not be the best way forward after WrestleMania. It's unfair to dismiss a storyline even before it happens, but in this case, we have to make an exception.
Sonya Deville should be tearing it up on WWE SmackDown with the rest of the roster, adding depth to the women's division. She is in her prime and has many good years left in her as a competitor.
#2 Best: Actually investing in a WWE SmackDown tag team unit
The company put in a lot of effort to ensure that the WWE SmackDown team of Natalya and Tamina seemed like a big deal ahead of WrestleMania 37.
The biggest issue with the advertised tag team turmoil match was the lack of effort in the build to the contest. There is no real reason to root for or against any of the teams competing. Until now.
Even though the makeshift team of WWE SmackDown stars Carmella and Billie Kay leaves much to be desired, WWE made Natalya and Tamina Snuka look very dominant. Yes, Nia Jax and Tamina barely had a match, the latter was portrayed as an equal to the Champion. The backstage attack from the team also did much to showcase them as vicious heels.
Whether or not these two WWE SmackDown stars retain their momentum is a different matter altogether. But especially in the case of Natalya, who's been the anchor of the company for many years, this push was long overdue.
#2 Worst: Too much talking on WWE SmackDown. Not enough action at all
This episode of WWE SmackDown basically had a battle royal, a tag team match, and an 'almost' bout between Nia Jax and Tamina across three hours of programming. There was a LOT of talking and while not all of it was bad, not all of it was good either. But let's come to a certain aspect of the show that did rub many the wrong way, this week.
Listen, WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks is absolutely incredible. She has paved the way for the next generation of women in the locker room to follow in her footsteps. But somehow, the evil villain laughter that she does seems extremely contrived and does more of a disservice to her character than any real good.
Edge, Daniel Bryan, and Roman Reigns all cut great promos and so did Bianca Belair. But there was so much talking and so few fists thrown, one has to wonder if wrestling fans tuned out during the course of the broadcast.
#3 Best/worst: No WWE SmackDown Tag Team title change
Honestly, for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships to remain around the waists of Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode isn't necessarily a bad thing at all. They had a great match and they really haven't had the best run as champions, so maybe giving them their big moment was long overdue.
That said, it would have been cool to see the father-son duo of Rey Mysterio and Dominik capture the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Even for Otis and Chad Gable, becoming champions would have really turned the division around.
As we head into WrestleMania 37, we have to acknowledge that this isn't the most exciting card in history. That said, to review WWE SmackDown and preview the upcoming two nights of action, Rick and Sid from Sportskeeda are joined by the legendary Dutch Mantell. Be sure to click on the link above. Join the live chat and share your thoughts with the trio. Be sure to tune in to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the best WrestleMania coverage.
