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WWE SmackDown was a pretty good show from top to bottom even though Roman Reigns wasn't around this week. Nothing during the show dragged on, most things had a sense of purpose, and even though some of the matches felt like we'd seen them before, they delivered.
Of course, you could have a completely different viewpoint when it comes to WWE SmackDown, and hence, we invite you to weigh in, in the comments. Feel free to praise any aspect of the show, even if it goes against our assessment and/or just rant away in the space below.
So, this is how we felt about this week's WWE SmackDown episode...
Note: There really isn't anything to mention about Edge's final segment with Jimmy Uso, which was great, but nothing extraordinary. Hence, we have left it out from this assessment.
#3 Best/Worst: WWE SmackDown star headed for a face turn?
The whole 'bad luck' arc that WWE SmackDown star Baron Corbin's life seems to have taken is the most interesting thing to have happened to him in quite some time. In fact, the segment with Rick Boogs backstage, where he cracked one bad pun after another, seemed to paint Corbin in a very different light. In this scenario, Boogs came across as the heel and Corbin, the babyface.
Anyone who watches The Walking Dead can draw parallels between King Corbin and King Ezekiel as two kings who lost their crowns, who had it all only to lose it all. This is great storytelling.
The question, of course, is whether people will offer sympathy to WWE SmackDown star, Corbin! He played a heel with so much conviction for so very long that the audience may not entirely buy this storyline at all. We have to wait and see what happens.
#2 Best: Otis finds his footing as a vicious monster heel
Otis used to be WWE SmackDown's lovable, goofy babyface with Heavy Machinery. Those days are long behind him but thankfully, the company seems invested in a new persona. What happened this week was absolutely awesome.
Obviously, the Lars Sullivan experiment on WWE SmackDown did not work out for reasons beyond the company's control. Maybe Otis can take up this position, and considering how he worked this week, excel in this particular role. He absolutely killed it!
#2 Worst: Zelina Vega returns to WWE SmackDown and loses her match
It's baffling why Sonya Deville isn't giving a slot to WWE SmackDown Superstar, Liv Morgan because nothing has been explained in this regard. Let's hope that justification will be provided in the coming weeks and it will be satisfying for the fans.
Of course, it's great to see Zelina Vega return. However, does it make sense to bring her back only to lose? Yes, Morgan needed to win to secure her spot, but this match could have certainly happened a week after Zelina Vega's WWE return.
#1 Best: Two WWE SmackDown stars go to war
Once you've heard what we have to say about WWE SmackDown, be sure to log in to our YouTube channel and catch the legendary Dutch Mantell in conversation with Rick and Jeremy on Smack Talk. Subscribe to the channel because we have a whole bunch of interviews dropping this week.
Man, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn tore the house down on WWE SmackDown, did they not? Even though it's probably the millionth time we've seen them go at it, they are just incapable of having a bad match. Kevin Owens went into beast mode at the end, bringing back the aggression we haven't seen for a while.
#1 Worst: Michael Cole
Pat McAfee brings an intensity to the WWE SmackDown broadcast that is absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, he is let down by Michael Cole who refuses to step out of his comfort zone, calling the action in a monotonous, robotic fashion.
One of the reasons why shows like WWE SmackDown and RAW at times feel dull is because of the dullness of the commentary. Jim Ross, despite his many botches, infuses a degree of passion into the action that adds a certain flavor to the proceedings. Let's hope Michael Cole can match McAfee's intensity someday.
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