Best & Worst of WWE SmackDown: Sami Zayn arrives, other top stars absent, women's division in shambles

Last night's Friday Night SmackDown was a mixed bag, with the blue brand arguably continuing to produce a weaker show compared to Monday Night RAW on Netflix. And while an important addition to the roster may help the show in the long term, his presence tonight likely saved SmackDown from further decline, given the absence of top stars.

SmackDown also featured strong tag team action, but there was no significant storytelling advancement in a stacked division that, despite its strength, is still unable to build feuds and matches that are not just compelling, but make fans deeply care about the direction of the foremost characters. Meanwhile, the women's division remains stagnant too.

In this article, we will discuss the best and worst of last night's SmackDown, and in doing so, shed some light on the overall direction of the brand and how SmackDown may achieve more "bests" than "worsts" in this column going forward.

Best: Sami Zayn arrives on SmackDown

A host of reasons, from stagnation and a crowded main event scene on RAW to SmackDown not only being a fresh setting for the former Intercontinental Champion but also actively needing him, have contributed to Sami Zayn's brand switch from RAW to SmackDown.

He has always been the ultimate utility player in WWE's arsenal. Hopefully, though, Zayn gets out of this run what he deserves, which needs to eventually be either the WWE Championship or the World Heavyweight Championship.

His promo segment with Solo Sikoa to open the show was an entertaining affair, and his alliance with Jimmy Uso will be an interesting throwback to their lovable dynamic. Going forward, he can interact with loads of fresh talent on Friday nights.

Worst: No stars

Whether looking at last night in a bottle or SmackDown in general, the show lacks stars. This is precisely why Sami Zayn's arrival was so important to the show's overall pacing, direction, and structure going forward.

Cody Rhodes, the new WWE Champion, was absent, although last week's attack did make it somewhat sensible for him to be off this week to sell the effects of McIntyre's assault. However, the real reason he was absent may have been his commitments to filming Street Fighter.

Meanwhile, John Cena and Logan Paul were nowhere to be seen either ahead of their Clash in Paris one week from tonight. Given their part-time schedule and mainstream status, it's not that their absence is inexcusable, but with Randy Orton's absence as well as LA Knight's recent move to SmackDown, the overall combination of absences inevitably makes Friday nights an underwhelming affair.

Best: Drew McIntyre is officially eyeing the WWE Championship

Cody Rhodes' absence last night paved the way for Drew McIntyre to go out to the ring and make his intentions known uninterrupted and crystal clear. As one of the best mic workers in the business, McIntyre had the spotlight on him last night, and he laid out the problems he has with The American Nightmare and the ambitions he has with the WWE Championship.

It is unclear whether Drew McIntyre will wrestle Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship at Clash in Paris, but this story, with all its layers, needs to be given time so that it can unravel and unfold with nuance. Rhodes and McIntyre can not just have a Feud of the Year candidate from a storytelling perspective, but also back it all up in the ring in a way very few can, with Cody and Drew two of the very best in-ring performers in the world.

Worst: What's happening with the SmackDown Women's Division?

To clarify, the duo of Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair is one of the most interesting parts of SmackDown, and with them seemingly on a collision course with Chelsea Green's Secret Hervice with the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship on the line. The pairing already seems to be paying off not just in creating fun TV, but also creating compelling tag team feuds and elevating younger talent.

The issue here is the WWE Women's Championship and WWE Women's United States Championship pictures, and that is what is getting hurt with Bliss and Charlotte, two of WWE's most popular and reliable stars, being the Tag Team Champions. Jade Cargill has no character, besides getting into arguments with Tiffany Stratton, where she is not even really saying anything. No one knows if Cargill is still a babyface or a heel.

We have seen more than a lifetime's share of Nia Jax vs. Tiffany Stratton, but until Bianca Belair comes back, the sheer lack of depth in the division makes the entire title picture an ordeal that fans are having to suffer through. Meanwhile, Giulia, the Women's US Champion, is nowhere to be seen, and what makes her look worse is that her recently hired manager, Kiana James, is busier shopping around for new clients: mostly those who won't join her anyway. The entire division is an unfortunate mess.