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This week's episode of Smackdown Live was a show that didn't truly live up to previous instalments of the blue brand broadcasts, and that comes down to some of the segments on the show.
As the rap battle between The Usos, The Bar and The New Day just did not click at all, Shane McMahon showcasing his terrible in-ring skills was a bore, and there just wasn't enough stakes to get you excited for the TLC 2018 pay-per-view.
But once again Smackdown Live did do enough to keep fans entertained throughout the show, so let us go through what made Smackdown a fulfilling episode this week.
#1 Short and sweet
The rise of Randy Orton as a heel on Smackdown Live has been one of the best narratives on the show this year, as no one knows who Orton will target next. And after destroying Jeff Hardy for months on end, Orton turned his sights on longtime rival, Rey Mysterio. 4
This week on Smackdown Live, Orton and Rey Mysterio had one last opportunity to build up their chairs match at TLC 2018, and while Orton's promo was fairly generic, the beatdown from Mysterio afterwards showed fans that these chairs match could be a classic at the event.
Chairs matches are one of the most unnecessary match types in wrestling, but if done right they could add a great gem to WWE's hardcore library. And it seems as if Orton and Rey can deliver that at TLC 2018.
#2 Rusev builds some momentum
Rusev has not had the best year in terms of getting a push that actually led to championship gold or a place among Smackdown Live's elite, but it seems like Rusev's rocky year could end with championship gold, as he got a vital win over Shinsuke Nakamura in a tag team match this week on Smackdown Live.
While it is known that whoever gets the upper hand in a programme in the go home show will lose at the pay-per-view, well in Rusev's case it seems like he could be in for a huge win at the event. As WWE has built him up as a man that understands the value of the US Title, and if we're honest, Nakamura has been wasted as US Champion. Hopefully, this win for Rusev could mean the big man is finally getting a title run.
#3 Asuka rebuilt?
Asuka losing to Charlotte Flair at Wrestlemania 34 was probably the biggest shocker of the year, as Asuka was built up like no other superstar in WWE, as a ruthless killer. Asuka thrived, but ever since Flair broke the streak, Asuka was never the same.
But this week on Smackdown Live, Asuka took on Charlotte in a huge rematch in the main event of the night, and while Charlotte got disqualified for using a kendo stick on Asuka, it was Asuka who had the last laugh by destroying both Charlotte and Becky Lynch who was at ringside for the match.
Asuka looked like her NXT self here, beating the stuffing out of her opponents. This programme is probably the best-built programme on the TLC card, and Asuka should be the one who walks away as the champion in this match, as she truly has a chance to rebuild her self now.
#4 A strong main event
The main event of Smackdown Live this week was Charlotte vs Asuka and while Monday Night RAW brought out the TLC match to help their ratings, in the end, it did not succeed, as RAW's ratings hit another all-time low.
Smackdown Live, on the other hand, was not that desperate, as giving away your main attraction just days before the event is just baffling and the blue brand writers understood that.
While Asuka and Charlotte are going to face each other at TLC, their match on the blue brand this week was built up from many previous episodes. Moreover, this was a great match that ended perfectly and concluded the go home show of Smackdown Live in a perfect manner. Great writing, great wrestling and a great outcome.
#5 Planning for the future
WWE has been really off this year, with regards to building up talent and making plans for the future of the company, as stars such as Braun Strowman, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe have suffered under WWE's terrible booking.
But on Smackdown Live this week, it seems like WWE is changing that, as Mustafa Ali got a chance to take on WWE Champion Daniel Bryan. Bryan eventually won, but that didn't matter at the end of the day, as this highlighted Ali really well, and showed that he could be a major player moving forward if WWE takes him seriously.
