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We all knew that it was high time for an invasion from RAW on SmackDown Live. After all, the red brand had cowered while the blue brand had poked the hornet's nest time and time again with multiple invasions.
What better city to carry out an invasion in, than Charlotte, North Carolina? After all, Charlotte has been one of the greatest wrestling cities in the world and the home of the 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair and his daughter, Charlotte Flair (more on that later).
The Spectrum Center witnessed one of the best episodes of SmackDown Live in recent memory. It was difficult to even pick a 'worst' through the entire duration of the said show.
However, here is our analysis of the 'Best and Worst' from this week's episode.
#1 Best: The final ten minutes
Somewhere, deep down we all knew that an invasion was imminent. However, when it happened, it was a sight to behold and remember. RAW did not attack all at once, but in various phases.
As they emerged from the crowd in clumps and clustered, they lay waste to the SmackDown Live locker room.
And then came the heavy artillery. Just when it looked like SmackDown Live had mounted a fight, Braun Strowman would lay waste to the entire blue brand. The fans were ravenous as they saw one of the best segments from this year play out in front of them.
In some ways, holding out for this long was worth it, when it came to RAW's retaliation. It just made the segment feel more personal and vicious.
Kudos to WWE for one of the most memorable, entertaining and engrossing segments in recent memory.
#1 Worst: The first two minutes
The first few minutes of this week's SmackDown Live did not represent how the rest of the show would play out, over the next few hours. The best way to describe Shane McMahon rallying his troops would be 'goofy' and 'comical'.
For a show that was as full of emotion as this one was, the opening was a bit of a dampener.
Not even the content that the talent spewed out, but instead the way it was shot, and how the segment actually played out. It just seemed like it belonged to a bygone era of sports entertainment.
#2 Best: Father-daughter reunion
Many have felt that Charlotte Flair bagging the top prize in brand blue was long overdue, considering that she had arrived on SmackDown Live a long time ago. What better city to win her title in, than Charlotte, North Carolina, her hometown?
What made the event even more special is when hometown legend Ric Flair, Charlotte Flair's father, stepped in to celebrate his daughter's crowning moment with her. There was a look of sheer joy on the faces of both father and daughter as they embraced up the ramp.
Great matches are always a sight to cherish, and Natalya and Charlotte had a fantastic match. However, these heartwarming moments are the memories that fans carry with them through life, and WWE just gave us an enduring one.
#2 Worst: Key players missing
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will not be a part of Survivor Series, and that is a crying shame. Neither will Jinder Mahal, who was the most important man on SmackDown Live, until only a week ago. The same holds true for Rusev, who's been one of the most entertaining men on the show.
We know that it is impossible to fit everyone into every bill at all times, but we would have liked to see these top-level players maybe in a showcase match. It is a shame to see that they could not even make Sunday's card!
#3 Best: A babyface champion
After the pre-taped segment we mentioned at the top of this week's program, SmackDown Live opened with Daniel Bryan playing the advocate for AJ Styles.
The crowd was hyped as two of the biggest babyfaces in modern wrestling came to the ring, and showered their appreciation on the Phenomenal One and the SmackDown Live GM.
It is just cool to see the crowd back and support a champion like AJ Styles, as opposed to the silence that they greeted Jinder Mahal with, every single week. Sometimes babyface champions are the way to go, WWE!
As for Daniel Bryan, he remains the most popular babyface in the company despite the fact that he's not an active wrestler anymore. It's just a testament to how great a role he played, when he was competing in the squared circle.
#4 Best: New match at Survivor Series
WWE has kept Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair apart from one another thus far, and that's not an easy feat to accomplish, considering that the roster of women is not a stacked one. They will face one another for the first time in the main roster at Survivor Series 2017.
Alexa Bliss has dominated the championship picture on both RAW and SmackDown Live ever since she came to the main roster, while Charlotte Flair carried RAW on her back, all of last year. She is also acknowledged as the biggest star on SmackDown Live, right now.
This is a champion vs. champion match for the ages, and one with a clear heel and babyface. Unfortunately, Natalya vs. Alexa Bliss did not have quite the same ring to it.
This was one of the better episodes of SmackDown Live in recent memory. We leave you with a picture of the brand new Women's Champion. Not as one would like to remember her, unfortunately.
