WWE SmackDown Flops and Hits: Big E and Finn Balor stun Roman Reigns and The Usos, Big mistake with Kevin Owens (17th September, 2021)

By Shruti Sadbhav

Modified Sep 18, 2021 17:10 GMT

This week's WWE SmackDown was not at its best

#1 Hit/Flop on WWE SmackDown: Rick Boogs goes over, Apollo Crews back into the Intercontinental Championship picture

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This segment is bound to have left WWE SmackDown viewers with mixed feelings. Rick Boogs faced Robert Roode in a singles match. He delivered an impressive performance that showed equal parts of his strength and technique inside the squared circle. Roode, to his credit, did exceptionally well in putting over Boogs throughout their bout.

He looked dominant in the match and did well in working alongside the crowd. He eventually hit the Boogs Cruise to seal his victory on WWE SmackDown. Soon after that, Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs headed to the announcement desk to celebrate with Pat McAfee, but Commander Azeez soon interrupted them, who kicked Boogs off the table.

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Apollo Crews then turned his attention towards Nakamura and attacked the Intercontinental Champion before demanding a title rematch at Extreme Rules. But the Japanese star has hardly faced anyone else, and it seems that Crews is once again back in the Intercontinental Championship picture.

It would have been better if WWE SmackDown used a better narrative to bring him back as Nakamura’s challenger, and probably after the King of the Ring had faced a few more superstars. We have had Crews on the IC Championship scene for a long time, and it will be a difficult, albeit doable, job to keep the fans excited about his title hunt once again.

About the author

Shruti Sadbhav is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. With a triple major in Journalism, English Literature, and Psychology, she has always been drawn to writing. As an avid sports lover, writing about sports was the finest way to combine her passion with her prowess.

Whenever she writes, Shruti puts herself into the shoes of fans to see how she would appreciate an honest account of anything related to something she follows wholeheartedly with engaging and relevant information to cater to the readers' needs.

Shruti has seven years of experience. She previously worked as a content manager at Fox Sports Asia and as an assistant manager and digital marketer at Kickstart FC. Shruti previously worked in multiple roles in Sportskeeda, where she was a WWE features writer, editor, and content manager. She has over 40 million+ reads across all her writer profiles, giving her an immensely diverse audience across WWE and football.

When it comes to pro wrestling, Shruti does not particularly remember the first match she watched. However, she recalls accompanying her brother and getting hooked when she saw The Undertaker – a fascinating wrestler that she, like thousands of others, believed in.
Her views on pro wrestling evolved as she grew older and understood the intricacies of the business. This allows her to appreciate those who dedicate themselves to the craft and, once in a while, it does become what it has always been touted to be – magical. Her favorite wrestler is Finn Balor due to his persistence.

When she is not working as a writer, Shruti loves to read, enjoy a good cup of coffee, and let Manchester City dictate her weekend plans.

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Edited by Kaushik Das