Maybe it's just a mental block. Maybe it's the truth. The first ever Smackdown Live with AJ no longer holding the belt after months, felt like a slight step down from the episodes prior.
There were some great elements, there were some others that just did not resonate with us at all. Not that any of it is Cena's fault, really. Just that the air of excitement after a Royal Rumble was missing. Corpus Christi was a good crowd and the show definitely had its moments.
In any case, without further ado, we present the best and worst of Smackdown Live.
#1 Worst: 3 Champions got pinned
In this week's episode, John Cena (WWE Champion), Alexa Bliss (Smackdown Women’s Champion) and Dean Ambrose (Intercontinental Champion) got pinned in their respective matches.
We understand that it’s sometimes necessary from a storytelling perspective, but this just makes WWE’s champions look weak.
Granted, these pin-falls were from legitimate competitors and not say, James Ellsworth (black phase in the history of Smackdown); but making three champions lose on the same night was overkill.
#1 Best: Cena put over Styles
Last week, John Cena incensed many wrestling fans by calling AJ Styles ‘a guy from Atlanta’, and basically making the WWE champ look like an absolute chump. The two men went on to have an absolutely blistering match at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
While Styles has a great match every time he steps through the ropes, Cena’s legendary matches come against world class opponents. The best part is that Cena is well aware of this.
This week, Cena began proceedings by putting over AJ Styles and talking about what a great competitor he is. It is quite obvious that while AJ is just getting settled in WWE, Cena is winding down his schedule.
This was a necessary act from Cena, simply so that Styles can bear the burden of carrying the company like Cena has done over the past decade.
#2 Worst: Lack of tag team depth
Let’s move on to the only champions who did not get pinned on this week's show. American Alpha told Dasha Fuentes that they've been holding onto the Tag Team titles for a month now, and nobody’s stepped up to the plate to challenge them.
They would go to the ring and issue an open challenge, and every team on the roster would come forth. Through this simple act, American Alpha revealed why nobody’s stepped up to the plate yet.
Almost every other team in the division comprises of jobbers.
The Usos seem like the only legitimate threat to American Alpha, but we’ve seen them battle many times before. This would have been the ideal time for Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder to step up, but the two men were nowhere to be seen.
#2 Best: Solid main event
Some may call this an overbooked match, with The Miz and Baron Corbin sitting at commentary. However, we do believe that this match served its purpose well. AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose went to war and gave us a pretty interesting main event.
AJ carried the bulk of the match of course, and Ambrose was extremely sloppy in some parts, especially with some no-sells. However, the eventual outcome was that it was one of the better matches we’ve seen on TV in the recent past.
We do hope that Ambrose picks up his game before the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view because his work has been slightly lacking off late.
#3 Worst: Wrestlemania main event on free TV?
As it stands, Cena and Orton are locked in a contest at the main event of Wrestlemania. A contest that we’ve seen several times, and definitely don't want to see one more time.
We do realise that things can change between now and Wrestlemania, but even in a kayfabe sense, giving away your Wrestlemania main event on free TV pretty much reveals that Cena won’t be walking away victorious from the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.
In any case, this is a pretty big ticket main event for Smackdown and should draw in many viewers heading into the Elimination Chamber in two weeks.
#3 Best: Interesting dynamics
Luke Harper is officially a babyface now. Actually, is he? When he still takes commands from his lord and mentor Bray Wyatt? Their dynamics are really strange, and we never know what the true intentions of the men in question are.
The massive pop that will happen when Harper goes completely babyface would be off the charts. Let’s see how their situation develops.
This show was not perfect, but Alexa Bliss is.
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