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This week on SmackDown Live, the blue brand went full steam ahead into the build for WWE Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, and unlike Raw, SmackDown Live was fully invested in making each of the narratives they presented on Tuesday night have some sort of significance moving forward.
Moreover, this was a fun episode that managed to be significant and entertaining at the same time, and it is the minor details that the blue brand gets right every week which makes the broadcast standout from WWE's weekly programming.
From future World Champions stealing the show, to an unexpected return that kicked off the show in style, SmackDown Live succeeded on every level this week, and this is a hot streak the blue brand must keep running for a long time.
#1 King Booker and The New Day bring back memories
SmackDown Live kicked off this week with the new SmackDown Live Tag Team champions The New Day - Kofi, Big E and Xavier hosting a celebration for the sole reason of becoming five time World Tag Team champions.
If you have been following The New Day's backstage interviews over the last few months you would come to the realisation that this celebration was coming as Big E wouldn't stop hilariously reiterating his five count NXT gimmick.
And The New Day's celebration had everything from dancing, to an abundance of pancakes, and it had one more thing - a surprise return from none other than King Booker T!
Booker T returned to SmackDown Live this week to anoint members of The New Day into the five time royalty club, and it was hilarious. There were spin-a-rooni's from everyone in the ring, and Booker went old school on The New Day, it is a sight to remember, and it reminds fans that SmackDown Live thrives when focusing on these smaller more fun moments.
#2 A tag team system that makes sense
The SmackDown Live tag team scene is thriving at the moment, and most would say that is the case because of all the talent the division has, but all the talent in the world means nothing if the booking is not on the same elite level.
And the booking of the tag team division on the blue brand is why the SmackDown Live tag team title picture is always fresh and rotating.
This week the blue brand's creative team did it once again as they organised a tournament to determine the new number one contenders for the tag team titles. The tournament consisted of six teams, of which three are put in two separate triple threat matches, and the winner of each match would face each other in the finals.
Fans may complain that this is basically the same system WWE used last time, but if it ain't broke then don't fix it. Moreover, it makes sense and allows each tag team to be featured on the blue brand every week.
#3 Hardy and Orton inside Hell in a Cell
At Hell in a Cell, we will finally see Jeff Hardy inside a Hell in a Cell match for the first time in his legendary career, why this has not happened sooner, only WWE knows, but the fact that it is happening is more reason to be excited about the actual pay-per-view.
This match came about when Jeff Hardy came down to the ring this week on SmackDown Live and cut a promo on how he feels like the Jeff Hardy of old once again, as he hit a huge Swanton Bomb on Randy Orton last week on the blue brand.
Hardy was soon interrupted by Orton, who said that he would erase this version of Jeff Hardy that everyone in the WWE Universe loves to appreciate, and Hardy then challenged Orton to a Hell in a Cell match which left The Viper stunned.
While most 'critics' would complain that WWE has not done nearly enough to make this heated feud hot enough to warrant a Hell in a Cell match, it doesn't matter. As Hardy vs Orton is more than a rivalry, it is two veterans showing fans that they can still entertain at this level in their careers.
#4 Andrade "Cien" Almas' is the future
Andrade "Cien" Almas is the future of WWE, and yeah while you might be tired of hearing that statement every single week on this series, it is the truth. Almas has the look, the in-ring ability, and the perfect manager in Zelina Vega to be WWE Champion very soon.
And this week on SmackDown Live, Vega was looking to take Almas to that next level by pitting him against the former World Champion in Daniel Bryan. Almas vs Bryan is a dream match come to fruition as both these men are two of the best wrestlers in the world today.
Almas really shone in this match, as every move from the former NXT Champion was crisp and lethal. Moreover, it is good to see that WWE didn't limit his move-set as a heel, because the highflying offense from Almas really makes him more exciting to watch.
While it would have been better if WWE gave him a huge win over Bryan in all the commotion that was caused by The Miz and Maryse, this match did highlight Almas, and it was a job well done.
#5 The Miz and Maryse drive the narrative forward
The rivalry between The Miz and Daniel Bryan came to a boiling point this week on SmackDown Live when WWE had "the A-lister" assault Bryan in his match with Almas. Before Bryan's exceptional match with Almas was even realised, Brie Bella and Bryan cut a promo on Miz and Maryse's segment last week, about how they despise them for their sarcastic words and cheating mannerisms.
And to be honest this promo did nothing to make this feud feel anymore heated than it is right now, and while most of you might not like this, the truth is that Daniel Bryan has not felt like the white-hot phenomenon we saw back in his prime in 2013/2014.
This version of Daniel Bryan feels uninterested in the narrative playing out, or it could be WWE's fault of giving him weak material to work with. But the fact of the matter is - the person driving this feud forward is The Miz, and this week the man did just that.
Miz laid out a hellacious beating on his arch nemesis, while Maryse beat the crap out of Brie. Miz and Maryse's heel work really helped this feud stand out this week, and hopefully next week Bryan shows more fire.
#6 Samoa Joe does it again
SmackDown Live might be an exceptional wrestling show in the ranks of WWE, but one flaw that the show does have is that the babyfaces are not that compelling, and the reason for that would be the incredible depth of heels the brand boasts of.
From The Miz to Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura, SmackDown's heel roster is really better than the babyface portion, but one star that might be the best heel on the roster is Samoa Joe.
Joe is the best promo artist on the blue brand, and is a freaking tank in the ring, which is why his feud with AJ Styles is currently one of the best World Title feuds in the company.
Styles came down to the ring this week to threaten Joe to leave his family out of their WWE Title feud, and the chances of Joe actually paying attention to Styles' words is slimmer than you might think.
Joe then popped up on the titan-tron to play mind games with Styles by calling his wife in front of the man. Joe's character motivations are smart booking by WWE, as Joe knows that the only way to take the WWE Title from Styles is to get in his mind, and put him off his game. Great booking and great work from a great heel.
#7 Carmella proves that she is a former World Champion
Carmella is often regarded as a diva wrestling in a women's evolution era, and when she finally lost the Women's Title at SummerSlam, many felt that the SmackDown Live Women's Title picture could finally have a resurgence with Charlotte at the helm.
And while Charlotte is proving to be a competent champion at the moment, the former Women's Champion Carmella showed on SmackDown this week why she should be Women's Champion once again.
And all of that is due to improvement in the ring, and development on the mic. Carmella really put on one of her best, if not the best in-ring performance of her entire career in the Women's Title match against Charlotte this week on the blue brand.
From diving outside the ring with a beautiful suicide dive, to selling her opponent's offense like a true master, Carmella was money this week, and WWE should give her more chances like this to show she can improve.
#8 Becky Lynch intensifies this programme
Becky Lynch is not a heel, and now it is certain that WWE probably understands this notion, as Lynch looked like the biggest babyface last night on SmackDown Live.
After Charlotte and Carmella's great match came to an end, Becky runs down to the ring to beat the crap out of her former best friend. Becky then took the Women's Title and screamed into Charlotte's face that at Hell in a Cell she is taking her title back, this entire feud might be the best title feud on the main roster.
Becky's pursuit of the Women's Title feels so believable, and what makes her more understandable is that her actions actually make sense, as opposed to most of the things that happen in the WWE. This match should really take place inside Hell in a Cell, as the heat that this programme generates is incredible.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
