'%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,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAb/2gAIAQEAAAAAjxf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAECEAAAAF//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAiEAACAQMCBwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBREAIQYTFBUxQXL/2gAIAQEAAT8AvVf3azJPfDNOOS0lO6NkxYcbBT4zgZOdUnB3U0sM6y7SoHGXHsfGv//EABcRAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAiH/2gAIAQIBAT8Acuk//8QAGREAAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQACMXGx/9oACAEDAQE/AJYDer//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Last night's SmackDown was never going to surpass the power of Raw this week, but it felt like it didn't even try. In contrast to recent form, the blue brand put out a decidedly poor showing. It was easily the worst SmackDown of the past few months at least, if not the post WrestleMania 34 landscape in total.
As a go home show to Evolution, it performed even worse. SmackDown actually made me less interested for Evolution on Sunday, not more. While Raw tried, it looked like SmackDown was trying to make the audience not care to see the pay per view. Most of the promotion went to the embarrassing Crown Jewel event, showing where WWE's true priorities lie.
Nevertheless, let's go over SmackDown and see what emerged from this disappointing drag of a show.
Losers: AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan
WWE's idea of progressing with a build toward a true dream match was doing the exact same match that they did last week, with the exact same outcome that came as a result of the exact same shenanigans.
Sorry, but this was boring.
This is where WWE's formulaic programming really drags and can even make the viewing audience less excited for a match of the caliber of AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan.
Raw has been much lambasted over the past few months for repeating the same matches week in and week out, but SmackDown repeated that formulation this time, and it should be criticized for it.
AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan can do a lot more than this. It's time for WWE to actually put effort into feuds like this. That might be a shocking proposition, but there's no other alternative, especially if they want to keep their audience around for when SmackDown jumps to Fox.
Loser: Charlotte Flair
Charlotte Flair is just really terrible when it comes to being a babyface compared to Becky Lynch. The attack at the Performance Center was fine, if underwhelming, but it was Flair's wooden promo in the aftermath that really sealed the deal here. She sounded unconvincing and it would be a big mistake to give the championship back to her on Sunday.
Her speech at the Performance Center to the NXT rookies was pretty wooden too, to be honest. The segment was dragging until Becky Lynch came into the fold.
Ever since the beginning, the biggest criticism of this feud has been that the two women involved in it are misaligned. This segment, which was easily the worst of this feud, truly made those criticisms concrete. Although Becky Lynch put on her usual good performance, Charlotte Flair made few want to see her actually defeat her rival at Evolution.
Losers: Rusev and Aiden English
After a strong first few weeks, this feud seemingly ran out WWE's patience to care for it. Rusev and Aiden English had their match on a random SmackDown, with Rusev winning in short order.
It's possible that the feud could continue, but doing so would only stretch it out beyond whatever welcome it still has. This looked like a definitive end if there ever was one.
That in itself presents some problems because neither Rusev nor Aiden English have many places to go in the aftermath. As a team, they could have at least competed in a tag team division that needs some personnel, but as singles competitors, their options are slim. Rusev will have some matches but lose most of them. English's prospects going forward are even bleaker.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio has looked great since his return and his match with The Miz last night was the highlight of the episode. Both men worked well together, but it was Mysterio who walked away with the victory.
Rey Mysterio continues to build himself up in his return. This match might or might not happen in whatever form the WWE World Cup takes at Crown Jewel, but I have a hunch that Mysterio isn't favored to win it.
We instead await his rivalries to come in the SmackDown men's division. Andrade "Cien" Almas is the name that looms largest.
This is a match that was just a taste of things to come with Rey Mysterio, but it tasted good. I look forward to seeing where he goes once Crown Jewel is over. His presence is a big shot in the arm for the blue brand, especially a blue brand that was lacking in top babyfaces.
Losers: The SmackDown women's division
Not to be outdone by the lackluster Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch segment earlier in the night, WWE reverted back to its tiresome formula and decided that the women's division needed to give us a preview of the battle royal on Sunday. These things happen as they usually do.
A tag team match got interrupted. More women came out. They all went into the ring and had a sloppy brawl.
Asuka was the one standing tall at the end, which means she's not winning on Sunday. Unlike after a similar segment in January, she doesn't have a streak to save her from WWE's boring formula this time around.
Can anyone honestly say that this made them more excited for Evolution?
The battle royal is an afterthought, this segment was an afterthought, and the pay per view itself feels like an afterthought.
It's a shame that a lot of talent continues to be wasted.
