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From Otis becoming the luckiest man on the SmackDown roster to Daniel Bryan and The Miz trying to co-exist under The Fiend's rule, this week's SmackDown episode (20th December 2019) featured a lot of contrasting moments.
Around the holiday season, WWE shows tend to decline in the numbers department. In a way, last night's episode was quite a joyful one. Sure, several big stars were missing, but then others like Otis got a chance to shine as characters in general.
With the number of popular wrestlers signed to SmackDown, it should be quite easy to drum up enthusiasm as we head into next year's Road To WrestleMania soon.
Let's hope that the Blue brand utilizes its strengths as 2019 comes to an end in just a few days.
Here are a few interesting observations from this week's edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX (December 20, 2019):
#3: Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt's absence showed us why they are so integral to SmackDown today
Although "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt appeared in the arena just after the episode ended, he didn't make an actual appearance on during the episode itself.
I like how they ended things in a cliffhanger, as King Corbin, Daniel Bryan and The Miz will battle each other to determine the #1 contender for the Universal Championship next week.
On the other hand, Roman Reigns absence could also be felt throughout the episode.
Reigns and Wyatt are two of the most relevant WWE stars today, and in a time of the year like this, you need bigger stars to attract viewers every week.
Also, we don't know if Reigns is finished with Corbin or not. But whatever the case may be, it looks like most individual feuds will result in entertaining spots during next year's Royal Rumble Match.
As for this week's episode though, Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt's physical absence affected the relevant aspects of the show in general.
#2: Lacey Evans has the potential to become the top babyface of the SmackDown Women's Division
Admittedly, a lot of fans - including myself - weren't too high on Lacey Evans and Bayley's feud for the SmackDown Women's Championship when it was first teased.
On top of that, there were concerns as to how far Lacey Evans would go as a babyface. After all, her "Sassy Southern Belle" gimmick looks fairly suited for a heel role at first glance.
But in the recent few shows, Evans has proved that her babyface personality is as equally captivating as her previous role.
Also, anyone who listened to the latest edition of Corey Graves' "After The Bell" podcast would automatically respect Lacey Evans when she talks about her crazy work ethic in the ring, and in life, as well.
In this week's show, one moment that stood out the most was Lacey Evans' daughter getting mad over Sasha Banks beating up her mom.
It was a nice touch that added a lot of steam to this feud, and it also shows how Evans could be the top babyface of the SmackDown Women's Division.
We all know Alexa Bliss will always be up there after her exploits over the years. But as of right now, Lacey Evans is the one being pushed to capture that sweet spot.
#1: WWE made the right move by capitalizing on Otis Dozovic before it was too late
Unlike Rusev, Lashley and Lana's saga over on RAW, people have been positively receptive to Otis and Mandy Rose's plot on SmackDown.
Otis is a lovable lug. You can't help but root for the guy as he aims for a girl way out of his league.
Like I said at the beginning of the article, this week's episode of SmackDown was quite enjoyable, and a huge reason why is because Otis finally made progress in what started as a hopeless quest before.
But in a show with heavy-hitters like Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan, you need mid-carders like Otis to make things appear entertaining in a silly way.
Sure, the man has a long way to go, as evident by the last backstage segment between the two.
WWE capitalized on him before it was too late. Otis got over with the fans in an organic way, and for WWE to take that momentum and let the man run with his primal instincts is a great decision for the time being.
By the way, have you checked out what Mandy Rose's father thinks about Otis Dozovic's quest for love?
Thanks for reading this article, please share it to spread the word. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below, and stay tuned for more!
