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Clash of Champions this weekend won't be the biggest pay-per-view that WWE has done this year, by a long shot.
However, many plot lines are coming to a head at Clash of Champions 2017, and the pay-per-view should have long-term implications, on the blue brand, as we move forward. This episode of SmackDown Live achieved in what it set out to do.
What did it achieve in doing, exactly? The go-home episode of SmackDown Live left us with more questions than answers. Interesting questions that should be answered at the pay-per-view. Storylines that should resolve themselves on the grand stage.
Therefore, before we begin with our analysis of SmackDown Live, from the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, let us just say that it was a thumbs up show overall.
#1 Best: Calling the bluff
This segment almost made it to our worst section. This is when The Singh Brothers came out and tried to convince AJ Styles that they were on his side, following the beat down from the Modern Day Maharaja. It is difficult for us at Sportskeeda Wrestling to believe, considering we saw the three men side by side in their home nation of India.
We loved it when AJ Styles called them on their bluff, and said that the fact that they were aligned with the Modern Day Maharaja was all over social media. He then beat both of them down, and effectively escaped their trap.
Styles seems far more comfortable on the microphone, as compared to last year. The fact that he 'hugged it out' with the Singh Brothers was quite hilarious in itself.
Let's hope that both men can recreate their chemistry from the UK, in this big match.
#1 Worst: Same angle as RAW
We had thought that the whole purpose of the brand split was to differentiate one brand from another. Unfortunately, the events of one brand simply seem to mirror themselves in the other, very regularly.
Much like the whole women's locker room emerged to take Absolution out on RAW, the women of SmackDown Live united to take out the Riott Squad. This is just an example of not thinking out of the box, and not trying hard enough, creatively.
The worst thing WWE can do at this point is repeat the same storyline across two shows, aired in the same week. Another angle we did not care about was the return of Naomi, who was gone in the blink of an eye.
Had she come back after a longer break, the pop for her would have been significantly much louder!
#2 Best: A piercing wail
This week, The Bludgeon Brothers bludgeoned yet another duo of enhancement talents (Colin Delaney of WWE ECW fame and Joe Monroe). We like the fact that they look absolutely unbeatable. We like the fact that they've been heavily protected thus far.
So, how did a squash match make it to our 'Best' list? It was the scream from one of the enhancement talents that punctuated the brutal beatdown. The announcers played off the scream brilliantly, and made it a squash match that will stick out from the others.
Breezango is next for the Bludgeon Brothers. We really cannot see Luke Harper and Erick Rowan losing at the pay-per-view, just yet!
#2 Worst: Production fails
During the 'Yep Movement' segment where Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were in the ring, Daniel Bryan emerged from the back. Long before his music did, unfortunately. It was almost awkward to see him wait for his music to hit, so that he could initiate the 'yes' chants.
There was yet another production botch, where we saw a glimpse of the arena but there was an awkward pause before anything of note took place. WWE rarely gets their production messed up, so this was quite an anomaly.
Speaking of which, can we also mention the fist bump fail between Orton and Nakamura? That was almost hilarious to behold, on live television.
#3 Best: Welcome win
Remember when Rusev seemed near indestructible? It was so long in the past, that we won't blame you if you honestly, do not! However, he has reinvented himself as a comedy character quite effectively. It was heartening to see him pick up a big win.
The same holds true for Aiden English, who has also reinvented himself following the dissolution of The Vaudevillains. The two men make an entertaining duo, and pinning the tag team champions can help them ascend the ladder.
We don't know what Rusev Day means yet, but we're confident that it must be a glorious day. We'd really like to see them hold the tag team championships, someday!
#3 Worst: Two DQ match finishes
Two matches this week on SmackDown Live, one after the other, ended in DQs. The first was a match between Charlotte Flair and Ruby Riott, that Natalya interfered in. The second was a contest between Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin, which had a glorious interruption from Bobby Roode.
Nobody enjoys a DQ finish and so we have slotted these segments as 'worst'. Let's hope that Charlotte vs Natalya (Lumberjack Match) and the Triple Threat match between Bobby Roode, Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler deliver at Clash of Champions, this weekend.
#4 Best: Two referees
WWE has been teasing tensions between Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan for a long time now. The tension transitioned wonderfully into a match at Clash of Champions. Where there will be not one, but two referees. This is quite simply, the best angle in the show.
Something is definitely going to go down at Clash of Champions, and we cannot wait to find out what it is. We wonder who will go heel, McMahon or Bryan? We wonder if Bryan will align himself with Zayn and Owens at the pay-per-view too.
Join us live this weekend for live coverage of Clash of Champions. Also let us know in the comments below, what you thought of this week's show.
We end this week's list with this incredible visual from the show!
