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WWE SmackDown kicked a** tonight. These are not the words of this humble reviewer (although he shares the same sentiment), but of Dutch Mantell in the Sportskeeda chat.
Yes, a man who has been a part of the pro wrestling business for fifty years thought that WWE SmackDown at MSG was awesome. The two 'worsts' mentioned in the article are important, but let that not detract from the fact that this was a great show. It also goes to show that when WWE tries, they can pull off milestone events!
What did you think of WWE SmackDown at Madison Square Garden this week? Do you think it was the best show of the week when you compare it to NXT, RAW, IMPACT Wrestling, Dynamite and Rampage? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
#3 Best/Worst: Was the final WWE SmackDown segment a spoiler?
Special thanks to Sportskeeda's own Nick Lombardi who was on-ground at WWE SmackDown and kept sending us a LOT of great stuff through the course of the show. One of the highlights of the program was the return of The Demon King. Finn Balor's iconic avatar closed out a great show.
Okay, make no mistake about it. This was one of the highlights of WWE SmackDown and it is absolutely great to see this avatar return again. But then again, consider the facts as presented here. We know that Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns is happening at some point down the line, so is that a spoiler that The Demon King will be beaten?
Also, as good as the moment was, Michael Cole did not seem surprised at all to see The Demon King. It was almost like he'd read Sportskeeda Wrestling and checked out the rumor that broke regarding his return a few hours ago. McAfee, on the other hand, had an enthusiasm which was infectious.
#2 Best: Two veterans tear it up on WWE SmackDown in an incredible match
The WWE SmackDown match between Edge and Seth Rollins may have been even better than their SummerSlam clash. Yes, the wrestling was great, but the expressions on the faces of both men made the match.
There's likely to be a rubber match between these two veterans at some point down the line. Yes, the hospitalization angle is overdone in wrestling but the way that it was done just added a somber touch to WWE SmackDown!
#2 Worst: The unfortunate fall of the Intercontinental Championship
Sure, the multi-man tag team match on WWE SmackDown was just a device to bring in NBA star Trae Young to pop a rating. Did the match have to include the Intercontinental Champion though, who was made to look like a nobody?
The RAW crowd was upset at Jeff Hardy being used in the 24/7 Championship segment, but this is just as bad. It's weird to tell one of your Champions that there are no plans for him in this manner.
#1 Best: The first few WWE SmackDown moments
WWE SmackDown had a red-hot start this week thanks to Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Paul Heyman. The setup at SummerSlam was great, but nobody would have predicted that the aftermath would be this good!
When Brock Lesnar speaks, he makes sure that the little he says is absolutely impactful. The crowd at WWE SmackDown hung onto every word, and Paul Heyman deserves special credit for telling a great story with his amazing expressions. Also, how good is his chemistry with Kayla Braxton in backstage segments?
#1 Worst: Still no women's matches
Sure, the WWE SmackDown women's roster was booked in a contract signing segment and also a backstage skit with Paul Heyman, but nothing else. It doesn't exactly spell confidence when one of the biggest shows of the year has no women's matches at all.
That said, there was definitely a lot more 'good' than 'bad' on WWE SmackDown this week. Why do you think RAW cannot put on shows of this caliber when SmackDown can?
