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SmackDown Live was a show of two parts, I felt. Everything but the Goldberg segment could be slotted into one part, I felt as it was just your typical SmackDown Live weekly show. But then Goldberg came in and business just happened to pick up again. So, I did not regret watching the show, really.
There was your usual mix of good and bad strewn all throughout. There was a lot about the show that I liked and a lot that I did not particularly care for. I'm going to list all of it here for your reading pleasure.
As always, I invite you to share your thoughts and your opinions in the comments below. Are you guys excited about Super ShowDown at all?
Or do you think it's just going to be yet another glorified WWE Live Event packaged to seem like it's special?
#1 Best: Undertaker and Goldberg face off in the ring
Look, I know that a lot of our younger readers may not really get how special this clash essentially is. Anyone who's been watching pro wrestling for the last twenty years, however, understands the magnitude of this encounter.
In the 90s, wrestling was not about your work rate and how many stars you receive when you step into the squared circle. It was about creating larger than life moments between larger than life characters, using compelling narratives.
The Undertaker and Goldberg are two gentlemen who've had perhaps the two most important streaks in the business of sports entertainment and I personally cannot believe that this aspect did not play into the build. That said, I am really excited to see how these two men tussle it out in the ring considering that the face-off was quite awesome.
#1 Worst: No pyro for Goldberg
One of the things that made Goldberg such a global sensation was his entrance. Ted Turner spared no expense when it came to making Goldberg look like a star, from walking out with an entourage of security guards to the pyro on the ramp.
Goldberg emerged from the pyro breathing smoke and fire every time, looking like a mythical dragon. And because The Undertaker wanted the Goldberg of old, it would have been cool to see Goldberg get pyro during his entrance.
But I suppose WWE believes in cost-cutting measures and does not care for spending way too much when it comes to pyro. I could be speaking for myself alone but I thought that this seriously took away some of the shine from Goldberg and his mystical aura.
This was probably the only thing that I did not care for because WWE actually booked Goldberg's return brilliantly otherwise.
#2 Best: Alexa Bliss returns to the ring again
There has been a lot of speculation about Alexa Bliss' status and her future in sports entertainment. Alarm bells started ringing when she was pulled out of the Money in the Bank ladder match not long ago. It is a well-known fact that she's been facing a barrage of concussion issues and she wasn't doing so well.
But it's great to see that she's back in the ring again. And not just that, she's the Number 1 contender for Bayley's title as well. Congratulations to Alexa Bliss who must have been dying, just sitting on the sidelines.
It is far too often that we see that careers end before they should, owing to injuries sustained in the ring like in the case of Jason Jordan or Paige. I'm just glad that Alexa Bliss is out of the woods, at least for the time being.
#2 Worst: The Wild Card rule
I liked how Alexa Bliss, the performer is back in the ring once again. But there are so many things about her return that I did not particularly care for. For one, she's a RAW Superstar, so why isn't she challenging Becky Lynch instead of going after Bayley's title considering that their first feud was a dud.
Also, I'm not the biggest fan of her gimmick. It's cute to see a coffee addict gimmick I suppose, but the charm wears out in no time at all. And this is not a jab at Alexa Bliss, the Superstar herself, because she's trying her best to make the idea work.
But wasn't she a babyface when she was teaming up with Nikki Cross on RAW? How did she become a heel in a span of twenty-four hours after coming to the other brand without any explanation?
#3 Best: R-Truth as the 24/7 Champion
Who would have thought that at his age, R-Truth would be having the most entertaining run of his entire career? He has made the 24/7 Championship his own and every time he is on screen, things just become very entertaining.
Believe it or not, Elias actually became the 24/7 Champion during a lumberjack match but R-Truth regained the championship in the ensuing melee. He would actually pick up the win under the ring where I'm guessing The Undertaker was as well, considering he would show up shortly after the whole title change.
I don't know if Jinder Mahal and Robert Roode would necessarily like to be slotted into this Championship picture but hey it keeps them on TV at least. It may not necessarily be glorious but hey, it's something.
Kudos to R-Truth for bringing a dose of good humor to our television screens every single week.
#3 Worst: Too much Roman Reigns on my television screen
I'm not one of those guys that blindly hates Roman Reigns for no fault of his own. But one has to admit that there's way too much Roman Reigns on our television screens for what is essentially a feud with Shane McMahon that has no real stakes.
I'd be okay if Roman Reigns were promoting this feud on one of the two shows, but two is overkill if you consider that Superstars like Liv Morgan and Shinsuke Nakamura get no time at all. Plus, Roman vs. Shane is the least exciting match in the card.
I'd have preferred to have seen Roman Reigns in a match at least, maybe mixing it up with someone he hasn't faced yet. This repetitive booking is what makes SmackDown dull.
But now it's just another battle royal where the winner gets nothing at all except bragging rights.
#4 Best/worst: Lars Sullivan speaks
There were aspects of the Lars Sullivan promo that I quite liked and others that I didn't care for. If you remember what Dean Ambrose said, 'scripting everything to the word' has been killing the show. And this was very evident with regard to this promo.
I loved the fact that Lars Sullivan's anger stems from being called a 'freak'. It's a very real emotion and honestly, it is a little surprising that WWE would do something so deep with a character like Lars Sullivan. I think there is immense potential in this gimmick if it is allowed to play out.
But then, WWE just ruined it but over scripting the segment and adding nonsensical nursery rhyme bits. However, Lars Sullivan and Kayla Braxton have incredible chemistry and should work together if WWE allows them.
In closing, here's yet another entry about The Goddess, Alexa Bliss, folks!
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
