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Welcome to this week's edition of best and worst of SmackDown. There are only a little over two weeks left until WrestleMania 38 and a lot happened, although some would argue that more should have taken place this episode.
Either way, the main feuds were highlighted upon and there was a good level of storyline progression in what felt like an eventful episode. Minus a weak ending, it was a good show overall, and there are now only two episodes of SmackDown left until The Show of Shows.
Here were the ups and downs of the blue brand as the road to WrestleMania winds down:
#3. Best: Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns on SmackDown this week
This week's episode of SmackDown opened with Roman Reigns talking trash about his WrestleMania opponent Brock Lesnar. They were set to have their first face-to-face meeting since the MSG fiasco where Reigns bloodied and brutalized The Beast Incarnate.
This week, Paul Heyman informed Reigns that due to various issues, Lesnar's private jet never took off from Saskatchewan, much to the delight of The Tribal Chief who assumed he wouldn't be there. However, only a minute later, he got different information that said that Lesnar had landed.
It was an interesting bit of subtle character work as Roman Reigns displayed fear towards Brock Lesnar for the first time. Despite being on "God Mode", he and his crew fled the scene the moment Lesnar was set to arrive, and it led to the latter hilariously using a forklift to try to injure/kill The Bloodline.
They managed to run away in another pick-up truck, but not before Lesnar had ripped open one door of it.
It exposed a major flaw in Reigns' character, displaying a more vulnerable, cowardly side. He had been "exposed" on a few occasions, like his recent feud with Seth Rollins where he couldn't get one over his former Shield brother. That's what makes him such a great heel, and Brock Lesnar as a solo babyface is working out well.
#2. Worst: An epic match interrupted by another meaningless tag team
This week on SmackDown, two RAW Superstars, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan, faced Sasha Banks and Naomi. As you know, both teams are scheduled to compete for the WWE Women's Tag Team titles at WrestleMania.
The two teams would proceed to have an epic match that was unfortunately cut short by the interference of Natalya and Shayna Baszler - another meaningless tag team that was randomly put together.
It was unfortunate because the two veterans are in a spot where they were simply thrown together to get on the WrestleMania card.
#2. Best: Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs look strong ahead of their WrestleMania title match
Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs are set for a big clash at WrestleMania as they look to end the longest reign in the SmackDown Tag Team title history as they face The Usos.
This week, they faced Los Lotharios in a quick but good match that made them look strong without damaging Angel or Humberto too much. The chemistry that Nakamura and Boogs have is great, and it translates well on screen, perhaps because of the real-life dynamic that they have.
It will be interesting to see if Los Lotharios gets added to the match. They aren't needed, but both men deserve a spot and they don't feel like a tag team that was thrown together.
#1. Worst: The SmackDown Women's Title feud
No matter how hard WWE seems to try, the Ronda Rousey-Charlotte Flair feud simply isn't that entertaining. The fact that it's a frontrunner to headline WrestleMania Saturday makes it an even bigger shame because there are matches that deserve it more.
For one, Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair deserves the top billing on WrestleMania Saturday. However, we understand that the match doesn't possess the same level of star power as Rousey vs. Flair, which is why they're unlikely to get that spot.
However, the story being told in the RAW Women's title feud seems more organic and natural, while Rousey vs. Flair seems repetitive. They're just using the story of Ronda Rousey not tapping, and Charlotte Flair tapping to her (something she has done multiple times before - to Sasha Banks and Asuka) and there isn't much being done to build heat to the feud.
Even though Rousey was sent through the table on SmackDown, the feud doesn't seem any more entertaining than when it started.
#1. Best: The Pat McAfee-Austin Theory feud
Pat McAfee was summoned to Vince McMahon's office on SmackDown this week. While we never got to see the interaction between them, McAfee came to the ring and started to cut a good promo before being interrupted by Austin Theory.
He revealed that he was told to apologize to Theory, and he did, but sarcastically. It was a great promo by Pat McAfee and added more interest to a feud that only gets one segment a week.
It's an example of how more can be done with less.
