Best and worst of WWE SmackDown- NXT invasions continue, Corbin barks like a dog

By Riju Dasgupta
Modified Nov 09, 2019 12:49 IST
King Corbin barked like a dog on SmackDown this week
King Corbin barked like a dog on SmackDown this week

I realize that taped shows from the United Kingdom are very good. But even by those standards, I thought that this was an especially bad episode of SmackDown.

There were a few pleasant surprises through the course of the broadcast that I liked. But overall, it just seemed like not a lot of effort was put into the show at all.

Once again, I'm not going to fault the performers who risk life and limb for our entertainment. But when AEW and NXT put on incredible shows every single week, why is the Blue Brand so very far behind?

You are free to chime in and let me know if you agreed or disagreed with my assessment of this show, ladies and gentlemen of the internet.

#1 Best: The NXT invasions continue to take place

I have to commend WWE on the Survivor Series build thus far. Even though we know that Superstars from other brands can come to SmackDown, when Imperium and Shayna Baszler made their appearances, they were really cool moments.

I really liked the fact that Bayley has been on the receiving end of beatdowns from Shayna Baszler for two weeks now. The very same Bayley who was boasting on commentary was decimated by the Queen of Spades, who had a very intimidating staredown with Becky Lynch as well on RAW.

While Adam Cole may not seem as intimidating as the Champions on RAW and SmackDown in The Fiend and Brock Lesnar, Shayna Baszler may just be a lot more fearsome than Becky Lynch and Bayley are. The women's match at Survivor Series should be a match to watch out for because it is absolutely impossible to call. And a new star in Shayna Baszler may just be born at the said event, leading to a long-term feud featuring Horsewomen against Horsewomen from two different worlds.

#1 Worst: Corbin barks like a dog

On AEW Dynamite this past week, Cody Rhodes cut the best promo of his career that many have dubbed the best wrestling moment of the year. It sent goosebumps down our spine with just how exceptionally good it was, receiving praise from fans worldwide.

SmackDown had Baron Corbin come out to make dog noises to make fun of The Big Dog. He also referred to the nether regions of Roman Reigns repeatedly, to a point that it made me uncomfortable.

In a lot of ways, this was a lot more embarrassing than the Lashley and Lana storyline by a long shot. It may even be the worst promo that I have seen all year long and it wasn't Corbin's fault at all, but that of an inept creative team.

And to think that Cody Rhodes' promo was scripted entirely by him with no writers involved at all.

#2 Best: The Fiend vs. Daniel Bryan

I'm just glad that matches between Seth Rollins and The Fiend are over and done for good. And I can certainly get behind a feud between The Fiend and Daniel Bryan, for various reasons. They certainly have a readymade history to explore and also have great chemistry when they work against one another in the ring.

I thought that Sami Zayn played his part brilliantly too, throwing us off the scent in such a manner that we were distracted and nobody saw the attack from The Fiend coming at all. Daniel Bryan goes into this feud as the underdog and in many ways, this is a more exciting version of Brock Lesnar vs. Rey Mysterio, certain to elevate the WWE Universal Championship.

Maybe The Fiend will explain the reason for the attack on the Firefly Fun House very soon indeed. This should be a feud for the ages.

#2 Worst: Tyson Fury

There is a reason why every WWE Superstar passes through the NXT system. There is a developmental system in place because even though pro wrestling is 'scripted', there is a certain level of professionalism that is required from every single performer.

It's great to see someone like Tyson Fury, a mainstream Superstar, try his hand at WWE, but he is far from good at pro wrestling. His promo this week fell flat and the way that he patched up with Braun Strowman after their clash at Crown Jewel just seemed 'fake' for lack of a better word in this case.

The confrontation with the B-Team that followed was absolutely awful and while Dallas and Axel tried to save the day with a few funny comments, the damage had been done. Unless you are AJ Styles or Sting, you need a stint in NXT to prove your worth for sure.

#3 Best/Worst: Brand new tag team Champions

The New Day is always entertaining whether it's in a match or as a part of a segment and that is probably why Vince McMahon chose to go with them as SmackDown Tag Team Champions again. I just thought that The Revival never really had a chance to showcase their wares as Champions.

The New Day is the safe option of course, but with The Revival holding the Championships and probably putting on classic matches with every team that would be thrown in front of them, things could have gotten very interesting indeed. But I won't hate on The New Day, who are nothing, if not exceptionally gifted.

In any case, vote for your favorite matches right here, ladies and gentlemen. Please leave a comment and let us know what you thought of each match too.

This show was not good at all. Maybe a Goddess is needed to make SmackDown exciting again.

What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.