'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Much was promised for the official debut of SmackDown on FOX this week, and in some cases, it did deliver, I thought. But overall, there was just something missing from the whole thing and I must say that more than one thing left me quite disappointed.
I would even go so far as to say that I thought RAW was the better show this week. There was a lot to like about RAW because the Blue Brand just seemed like too much was planned and there wasn't enough time to do everything that was on the card.
Would I go so far as to call it a bad show? I would not because it certainly was a very eventful program, from start to finish.
I'm very curious to learn what's next when SmackDown resumes weekly programming.
#1 Best: The arrival of Cain Velasquez
Cain Velasquez could have been the greatest MMA fighter in history but he's been plagued by injuries along the way to the top. One of the biggest wins of his career came against Brock Lesnar, and this is a readymade storyline that has been brought to SmackDown from the UFC, translating into a great pro wrestling angle between the men. Moreover, Velasquez is a big supporter of Lucha Libre and thus he has been paired with one Rey Mysterio at this time.
Rey Mysterio has reason to want Brock Lesnar's head on a pike after the altercation between himself, his son and The Beast on the season premiere of WWE RAW. I love the fact that he brought backup along because a match between Mysterio vs. Lesnar wouldn't have really been big news per se, I think.
With the arrival of Velasquez, the equation has changed. What a great debut!
#1 Worst: The end of KofiMania
The ascent of Kofi Kingston from the mid-card to the top of the food chain was a spectacular story. All fairytales must come to an end, but they should come to an end in a meaningful manner and not a squash like this was.
The basic problem with the show, which you'll hear repeated several times through the course of this piece is that there was too much planned for too short a time frame overall. And this resulted in everything being rushed and nothing being concluded within the time frame.
It's a funny thing that many people believed that it would be AEW who would struggle with timings on their debut television program. However it was a well-paced show in my opinion, from start to finish.
In any case, I'm sure somewhere Kofi Kingston is fuming at how his reign came to an end.
#2 Best: Tyson Fury v Braun Strowman is teased
One of the issues that always plague combat sports athletes from the 'real world' who want to transition to WWE is the fact that they don't size up to the larger than life Superstars in the company. Not many human beings in the world can size up to Braun Strowman in particular, who truly is a 'Monster Among Men'. But British boxer Tyson Fury is someone who can definitely take the fight to the monster, in the ring because he's a giant of a man.
If you glance at Fury's Twitter, you'll see that he is a big sports entertainment fan. He seems thrilled to be on WWE television and can definitely get a lot of fans to start watching sports entertainment again. Strowman would also benefit from this feud.
This is a match that could even potentially happen at a stage like WrestleMania 36. Let's hope that it does!
#2 Worst: Not utilizing the legends
When you advertise the fact that certain legends are going to appear on your show, fans expect them to do something. Literally anything at all. Just sitting in the crowd and waving to the camera does not count as an appearance, in my books.
Some advertised legends like Sting and Stone Cold did not even show up, and others like Foley and Angle were relegated to this embarrassing position, after what I'm sure was a long flight. Maybe WWE could have brought only one of these legends out and done something of note with the person in the ring.
In many ways, it seemed like way too much was crammed into the show in such a manner that WWE did not know what to do by the end of the show. And this is why I feel so cheated after being promised a massive show!
#3 Best: The latest Firefly Fun House
I'm getting a little sick and tired of the attacks on Seth Rollins from The Fiend, truth be told. It is the same thing week after week, and I definitely think that WWE could do better than book the same thing, again and again.
But what I did love about the show this week was the Firefly Fun House. It was different, it was creative, it was funny, and it was riddled with symbolic meaning as well.
Basically, through the death of Ramblin' Rabbit, WWE wanted to show that Seth Rollins would be torn into two inside the dreaded cell. While Bray Wyatt did not say so through a promo, the message was sent loud and clear through the events that transpired.
I'm guessing that there will be more than one twist and turn when Rollins and The Fiend meet inside Hell in a Cell.
#3 Worst: The Rock's disappointing return
We all have that one uncle who used to think that he was a cool cat back when he was in college. But when he shows up and launches into the stories of things he did, we are forced to groan and suffer in silence.
The Rock is a lot like that uncle, in my opinion, because he is only a shadow of the character back from the Attitude Era. While I cannot say that the crowd in attendance did not like the segment that transpired, I just thought that it felt flat to me, in many ways.
I like the fact that both Becky Lynch and King Corbin got the rub from The Rock during the episode. But honestly, considering everyone has the highest of expectations from anything which involves The Rock, the segment was a true disappointment.
Did you guys feel the same as well?
#4 Best/Worst: The departure of Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens was a fine match, as any ladder match with Shane McMahon was bound to be, honestly. But I can't help but feel that Shane McMahon, who cheats under ordinary circumstances, would not have played by the book for a match with such high stakes, where his job was on the line. Like so many other things in the show, this was a rushed segment.
But I suppose that a clean win for Kevin Owens is not necessarily a bad thing per se. Also, the fact that we won't see Shane McMahon for a while could additionally be a welcome development. McMahon had worn out his welcome and then some, during his most recent run.
Well, we did not see The Goddess on the show at all. And that is never a good thing, is it?
Which is why I will end, as I always do, with Little Miss Bliss.
How did Ric Flair spend $1500 at a pizza place? More details here
