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WWE officially began a new chapter in its illustrious history with Friday Night SmackDown. Debuting live on FOX, the show was rumored to be a WrestleMania caliber event and certainly lived up to the lofty expectations. Complete with wrestling's top Superstars, a blue carpet kickoff, and celebrities galore, WWE once again defined the term sports entertainment.
Complete with analysis, match by match breakdown, and NFL style interviews, Friday Night SmackDown did its best to present itself as a legitimate sport and succeeded in that effort. Having Tyson Fury and Cain Velasquez involved certainly helped with that, as well.
Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Seth Rollins and even Rambling Rabbit showed up to celebrate WWE's latest chapter. There was a Lumber Jack Match and a Ladder Match. One WWE legend made his exit from the company and a new WWE Champion was crowned.
Join us as we offer analysis for the very first Friday Night SmackDown on FOX with a very special edition of The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly.
The Good - A Legitimate ratings draw as WWE Champion
Brock Lesnar did what he is always expected to do. Lesnar dominated Kofi Kingston, ending his six month WWE Championship reign in mere seconds. To his credit, Kingston went right after 'The Beast,' showing absolutely no fear. The display of courage ultimately cost Kingston, however, as Lesnar hit him with a devastating F-5 to become WWE Champion in record setting fashion. Sometimes being brave doesn't pay.
Kingston's meteoric rise to success aside, the move makes sense for WWE. This is the FOX era and the new world of wrestling demands cold hard numbers. Sometimes that means putting heart second.
Facing stiff competition from AEW and more demand than ever from corporate sponsors, WWE must produce ratings immediately and consistently. There is no better way to do that than with Brock Lesnar as WWE Champion. Some wrestling fans may not like the idea of another championship run for 'The Beast,' but Lesnar is well known in the sports world and an instant ratings boost.
The new WWE Champion already has a new big name challenger in Cain Velasquez. The Mexican, who defeated Lesnar to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship, made his WWE debut tonight alongside the injured Rey Mysterio. Velasquez took Lesnar down almost immediately and subjected him to a barrage of devastating lefts and rights. The two fight stars engaged in an intense stare down to end the show. The blockbuster feud promises high ratings, as viewers will tune in to see how this all plays out.
ALSO READ: 5 Things You Should Know About Kofi Kingston
The Good - Vince McMahon opens the show
Friday Night SmackDown began its new era with a familiar face. Accompanied by pyrotechnics and a laser light show that would put Tron to shame, Vince McMahon officially knocked down history's door.
The WWE CEO is synonymous with professional wrestling. He is the man behind WWE's success and for better or worse, wrestling as fans know it in 2019. His well deserved opening appearance (alongside daughter Stephanie) was indeed apropos, as the artist entered his masterpiece.
As "No Chance in Hell" played to an entire arena of faithful WWE fans, a thin grandfatherly figure appeared. To resounding cheers, the most influential man in wrestling history soaked in all the adulation. This was all his and everyone knew it.
Stephanie McMahon was the first to speak, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to history, welcome to FOX!"
Then the most recognizable voice in sports entertainment history chimed in, "And welcome to Friday Night SmackDown."
The cameras then panned to the show's official introduction video, a package that was so slickly produced that it would invoke George Lucas' envy.
AC/DC's metal-driven performance provided the background for SmackDown's Superstars of the present and the future. Brian Johnson screamed, "Are you ready for a good time?"
Wrestling fans were indeed ready for a good time and WWE happily obliged.
ALSO READ: 4 Things You Didn't Know About Vince McMahon
The Good - An opening segment that may never be topped
Occasionally something can be so great, so iconic, and so groundbreaking that fans instinctively know they are in the midst of professional wrestling history. SmackDown's opening segment was just that and may never be bested.
The show made a clear statement, as its most important Superstar made her way to the ring first, before all others. Becky Lynch will go down in history as the first wrestler to appear on Friday Night SmackDown.
She addressed Los Angeles and the millions watching at home,
"This show is in my blood. This is where I shattered glass ceilings. This is where you used your voices to raise me up."
Then King Corbin's music hit and the audience reacted appropriately, with venom. Corbin made his way to the ring in full royal getup. He took exception to Lynch opening the show and calling herself 'The Man.' As WWE's newest king, he demanded loyalty from her and from the 'unworthy' WWE Universe. None of that would matter seconds later, as The Rock's music would hit, causing Los Angeles to lose its collective mind, providing one of the biggest pops in wrestling history.
In a powerfully emotional moment, the man who originally coined the term SmackDown began one of his famous catch phrases, "The Rock has finally come back..." Then he paused, visibly overwhelmed. He gazed at the crowd. His eyes darted around the ring, taking in the moment before he finished, "Home."
Then the fun began. The Rock was quick to turn his attention to King Corbin. He called Corbin a "Broke ass Burger King," and compared him to a "35 year old virgin hanging out at Comic Con." The Hollywood mega star even gave Corbin a new nickname, "STD."
The segment ended with both The Rock and Lynch teaming up against Corbin, who endured a People's Elbow and all the humiliation to go with it.
The Bad - FOX may have turned WWE into The Muppets
WWE is trying to enter the world of legitimate sport and Friday Night SmackDown's spectacular premiere certainly succeeded in that endeavor. With statistics, pre-match analysis, and the appearance of professional fighters Tyson Fury and Cain Velasquez, this was evident.
News of the transition must have been lost on the Counting to SmackDown pre-show. Unfortunately, WWE's newest era began embarrassingly. Instead of asserting themselves as capable mainstream sports entertainment, WWE fell into every single preconceived notion the mainstream has about professional wrestling.
The very beginnings of Friday Night SmackDown's pre-show looked more like a comedic character-driven episode of The Muppets than professional sports. NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan asked Becky Lynch to talk to 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin about his habit of breaking through glass, as it was costing FOX too much money. Braun Strowman, who should be promoted as one of SmackDown's most talented Superstars, was instead reduced to lifting weights with the NFL on FOX robot.
Most concerning for wrestling fans; however, was FOX's treatment of The Fiend. WWE has gone through great lengths to protect Bray Wyatt's enigmatic character. Instead of following suit, FOX allowed The Fiend to appear on Counting to SmackDown, as nothing more than a glorified Halloween prop. This was an obvious departure from the way The Fiend has been portrayed on WWE television and runs the serious risk of turning him ordinary. If The Fiend becomes mundane, FOX runs the risk of derailing one of the most promising runs in wrestling today.
The Ugly - Erin Andrews' 'posse' remark
Erin Andrews is a spectacular reporter when her job includes covering a sport she knows. A regular staple on FOX's NFL Sunday broadcast, Andrews is a recognizable mainstream talent, but she stumbled severely on Friday Night SmackDown.
When interviewing The New Day backstage, Andrews admitted, "I know who you aren't." Her body language indicated that she was uncomfortable, as she leaned away from the raucous trio.
Like a deer in headlights, Andrews gazed at what was likely a teleprompter and then acted as if it was a surprise that Kingston was in the underdog role against Brock Lesnar. Kingston kindly informed her that he has been in the underdog role his entire WWE career.
Then Andrews referred to The New Day, as Kingston's "posse." The New Day told Andrews that they have been called many things before, but never "posse."
The word caused a lot of trouble for NBA Hall of Famer Phil Jackson. In 2016, Jackson landed in hot water when he referred to Lebron James and his business manager, as a posse. James took exception to the word and believed it to be racially coded. Jackson claimed ignorance and has since apologized.
The incident was widely talked about in the mainstream sports world, from which Andrews derives. She should know better.
