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From Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman and Scott Hall's special appearance on "A Moment of Bliss" to Heavy Machinery's impressive performance in a Gauntlet Match, this week's edition of SmackDown featured several contrasting moments.
The Elimination Chamber Pay-Per-View will take place in a few days, and last night's SmackDown was probably not the most ideal episode to sell fans on the final RAW and SmackDown Pay-Per-View before WrestleMania 36.
Elimination Chamber doesn't feel like an important event, and part of the reason why is that there wasn't enough time to build on this Pay-Per-View after Super ShowDown.
With a few good talking points aside, the absence of several major stars was felt throughout last night's show.
Here are the 5 biggest news stories from this week's episode of WWE SmackDown (March 6, 2020).
#5: Bayley's WrestleMania 36 plans became obscure after she moved past Lacey Evans and Naomi during the episode
In a rematch from last week's episode, the SmackDown Women's Champion, Bayley, tagged with Sasha Banks to face the team of Naomi and Lacey Evans once again.
Banks and Bayley had lost the previous bout, and the fact that Naomi had pinned Bayley on last week's episode told us that this feud was far from over.
However, the rematch only complicated things further. Not only did Sasha and Bayley win in a classic case of 50/50 booking this time around, but it was a backstage bit later that may have put the nail in the coffin.
Sasha and Bayley left the building to celebrate their victory, but before doing that, Bayley explicitly stated that nobody from the past, present or the future could top the duo of Banks and Bayley right now.
This statement could either mean that someone from the past or a relative newcomer is going to feud with Bayley, or Sasha Banks will eventually turn on her best friend to face her for the SmackDown Women's Title at the Grandest Stage of them All.
#4: Fire & Desire picked up a victory to build the Women's Tag Team Division scenario on the Road to WrestleMania 36
Mandy Rose seems to be one of the most relevant stars on SmackDown nowadays.
She has been an integral aspect of a highly popular storyline featuring herself and Otis Dozovic, and at the same time, Rose manages to juggle her duties as a Tag Team partner to Sonya Deville.
Dolph Ziggler - Mandy's current love interest - accompanied Fire & Desire to the ring as both members faced the team of Dana Brooke and Carmella in doubles action. Ziggler's presence reminded everyone of the infamous Valentine's Day segment where The ShowOff was introduced as the primary antagonist against Otis Dozovic's quest for love.
Last night, Ziggler caused a distraction at the end of the match, which allowed Mandy to drop Brooke with a running knee to secure a victory for herself and Sonya on the Road to WrestleMania 36.
While the bout itself wasn't memorable, it looks like WWE may have something set in stone for the Women's Tag Team Division at last.
#3: Bray Wyatt addressed the reason why The Fiend chose to battle John Cena at WrestleMania 36
Perhaps the biggest irony of "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt and John Cena's feud is that The Fiend wouldn't have even existed if Cena hadn't defeated Wyatt at WrestleMania 30 six years ago.
The irony lies in the fact that it took a bad booking decision to create the most complex and fascinating gimmick Pro Wrestling fans have seen in years.
This is because Wyatt's loss against Cena at WrestleMania 30 generally marks the point that led to a downward spiral for the Eater of Worlds.
All the low points eventually culminated into a source of hate that gave birth to The Fiend.
This was highlighted during a Firefly Fun House segment last night, at the end of which, Bray Wyatt summarized life as a circle. It is a circle with a fine balance between the light & the dark, so it doesn't matter if Wyatt forgives Cena for what happened six years ago, because Wyatt's forgiveness is contrasted with The Fiend's malicious intent to harm one of the greatest WWE stars of all time.
#2: Heavy Machinery's Tag Team status was elevated during an impressive showing in a Gauntlet Match
Heavy Machinery (Otis & Tucker) eliminated The New Day, Lucha House Party, The Usos, and the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The Miz & John Morrison during a Tag Team Gauntlet main event.
The Gauntlet Match was scheduled to determine which team would be entering last during this Sunday's Elimination Chamber contest.
Otis & Tucker have been relied upon as a comedy act since their arrival on the main roster. Even an entertaining love triangle storyline featuring Otis has comedic elements in it.
Both men are incredibly talented as a Tag Team, and their stock as competitors just increased when Tucker & Otis battled their way through most of the Gauntlet Match successfully.
Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler eliminated Heavy Machinery to win the Gauntlet Match, but it was apparent that Heavy Machinery proved to be the bigger stars here.
Not only did this match increase Otis & Tucker's credibility as a Tag Team, but it also added to Otis Dozovic's simultaneous rivalry against Dolph Ziggler.
We could very well end up with a Tag Team titles feud between Heavy Machinery and the team of Roode & Ziggler after Elimination Chamber is over.
#1: The nWo had a confrontation with Sami Zayn and his cohorts before Elimination Chamber
With Roman Reigns and Goldberg being absent from last night's programming, WWE killed two birds with one stone by having some integral members of the nWo (Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman, Scott Hall) talk about Goldberg's upcoming match with The Big Dog.
But this segment blended into Sami Zayn and Braun Strowman's feud as well.
Sami and his cohorts - Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro - interrupted the proceedings and stood face-to-face against Nash, Waltman & Hall.
Before Sami's group could retaliate, Braun Strowman came out to slam Zayn, Nakamura & Cesaro a few days before The Monster Among Men faces his opponents in a handicap match this Sunday.
Zayn used Alexa Bliss as a cover to escape, which was also a subtle nod to Strowman and Alexa's past history as a mixed tag team.
The opening exchange of words between Alexa and the members of nWo was awkward and a little forced. Thankfully, Scott Hall cracked a few jokes in between to save the segment.
In a show that didn't feel as newsworthy as it should have been, the New World Order's appearance was a nice way to handle multiple aspects of WWE Programming at the same time.
