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Last night's episode of RAW was dubbed one of the weakest shows in the red brand's rather illustrious history. SmackDown Live knew that the whole world was watching. They had a chance to erase the memory of the whitewash at Survivor Series. They had a chance to prove that on a weekly basis, they were the superior brand.
In my estimation, they put on a pretty entertaining show overall. I thought that it was a much easier watch than RAW was, overall. And yet, there were some aspects of the show that did not connect with me.
So what did WWE do right and wrong on this week's episode? Feel free to share your own 'best and worst' in the comments section below.
Now that the prelude is done, let me launch straight into my 'best and worst' list...
#1 Best: Becky Lynch's return
It always makes such a big difference when you start a show with someone the audience is into and rooting for. Compare it to the sea of boos that always greets Corbin. Somehow the opening moments set the tone for the rest of the show. And now, this brings us to how SmackDown Live began this week.
Paige came to the ring and announced the return of arguably SmackDown Live's most popular star and her former PCB teammate- Becky Lynch. The crowd was absolutely hot for her. They were into her war of words with Charlotte Flair as well.
The whole segment was a hit because WWE started proceedings with something the audience cared so deeply for. They don't necessarily care about the heel alliance of Corbin, McIntyre and Lashley.
Leave a comment if you disagree with me.
#1 Worst: The Miz losing way too many matches
Not long ago, The Miz was being touted as a future WWE Champion. Last week, he lost to an enhancement talent. This week, he lost to Kofi Kingston. I mean no disrespect to Kingston who's one of the all time greats, but in my opinion has just been portrayed as a Tag Team superstar, at best in his most recent run.
The Miz makes any program that he's part of, 'must see'. I think that he should be protected to a certain degree on television. It certainly speaks of his calibre that he's able to bounce back from defeat and still climb the ranks.
For the life of me, I just cannot understand his storyline with Shane McMahon. Why is he trying to form a Tag Team with the boss?
The Miz deserves better.
#2 Best: The Usos vs. The Bar
Let's get real for a minute, ladies and gentlemen. Whatever you may think about the rest of the roster, SmackDown Live has a far superior Tag Team Division as compared to RAW. Is it any wonder that the Tag Teams were the only units that picked up a win at Survivor Series, albeit in the Kickoff show in a match that did not count?
The Usos and The Bar tore it up on SmackDown Live, this week. They proved why they're two of the best tag teams on the planet, in WWE or anywhere else in the world. The Usos picked up a win and have probably earned themselves a title shot now.
I would have loved to see these two teams compete in a TLC match, because of how good the contest would be. Maybe somewhere down the line, these two teams could have a gimmick match.
#2 Worst: Splitting Big Show and The Bar already
Didn't The Big Show and The Bar only come together a few weeks ago? From the looks of it, they won't be a team any more, going forward. The team split after the events of the strange match last week.
The two teams had quite a heated confrontation backstage. The Big Show would knock Cesaro out and embark on his own solo saga, at least from the looks of it. I am still confused why the Team would come together only to break up only a few days later.
Thankfully, I've been a fan of WWE for many years and I have learned to stop questioning the logic of many of their decisions. I can't necessarily say that I like how sudden this pairing was and how much weirder this sudden split was, all said and done.
#3 Best: Jeff Hardy vs. Samoa Joe
At the outset, congratulations are in order for Jeff Hardy. Hardy is a man who's been through the lowest of lows and come out on top, for the sake of our entertainment. He's a man who's put life and limb on the line, time after time. 20 years in the industry is really no joke.
I loved the little tribute from WWE to Hardy, this week. I loved how Samoa Joe interrupted proceedings with a scathing promo, that hit very close to home. Joe reminded us of the dark road that Hardy had taken to reach the top of the mountain.
I can't wait for a feud between both men. They can put on great matches and I'm sure it will get quite personal.
I thought this setup was great.
#3 Worst: Still no US title match
A title is not made by who holds it, really. It is made by how he/she elevates it. We saw how The Miz became one of the best Intercontinental Champions of the modern era, during his previous reign. We saw how John Cena elevated the US Title with the US Open Challenge.
Somehow, Nakamura's reign as US Champion has been a dud, at least in my opinion. His match at Starrcade ended before it even got underway. He even suffered a loss at the hands of Seth Rollins at Survivor Series.
Even a win this week on SmackDown Live would have elevated the title far more than what transpired. Nakamura would not let the match get under way and attacked Rusev on the outside, ending the match prematurely.
The prestigious United States Championship deserves better.
#4 Best/worst: The Mysterio & Orton saga continues
Last week, we saw Randy Orton rip off Rey Mysterio's mask. This week, he carried the mask to the ring, to brag about what he'd done on last week's show. Of course, Rey Mysterio would hear none of it and rushed to the ring. A battle exploded between the two men.
Randy Orton once again got the best of Rey Mysterio. I love the build thus far. Maybe Mysterio standing tall this week, would have ideally been the way to go about things.
That said, I'm very interested in the eventual payoff to this feud, whenever it happens. It's amazing how Orton has tapped into the dark side of his persona and unleashed his sadistic side.
Why was he ever a babyface, to begin with?
#4 Best/worst: Asuka getting added to the TLC match
I was game for yet another Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch match, honestly. Especially after the great match they had at Evolution. I need not need an additional person added to the contest. Even if it were Asuka, to be quite honest.
But that said, I'm glad that Asuka is finally getting her due. She's been left on the back burner for far too long. It did seem for a while that Sonya Deville was going to be added to this match, and while that would have been interesting, Asuka was the right choice.
So will Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Asuka tear it up at TLC? I have a good feeling about this match, even if it isn't one on one, like I personally wanted it to be.
But it is what it is...
