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Apologies if there's been a delay in reviewing WWE SmackDown this week. This reviewer was blinded by the brightness of Seth Rollins' jacket, leaving him temporarily befuddled.
Jokes aside, it was a fun WWE SmackDown. It's difficult to believe that the same company can book a show that can breeze by so easily on Fridays when Monday Nights are so very weak.
WWE SmackDown was not a perfect affair from start to finish. There were two instances during the night that did not quite resonate with us. They shall be highlighted in this very review.
As always, your opinions are welcome. Be sure to list them in the comments below.
#1 Best: Sami Zayn was the star of WWE SmackDown, despite Logan Paul's appearance
It's amazing how committed Sami Zayn is to his character. One where he portrays himself as a man who has lost his marbles, believing in conspiracy theories. So much so that he stole the show on WWE SmackDown, despite the presence of global sensation Logan Paul. The inclusion of zebras in the documentary was absolutely hilarious.
There's always going to be a part of the WWE SmackDown audience that will be against the inclusion of a megastar like Logan Paul into a feud with full-time roster performers. But as we've seen with Bad Bunny, WWE is garnering new eyeballs by bringing in internationally renowned names, who are fans of the product.
If you look at the tweet linked above from Denise Salcedo, you'll see why WWE may have been tempted to bring Logan Paul in. To be fair, he more than did his part, in this segment.
And that Stunner from Kevin Owens was perfectly timed and absolutely awesome. This was a very entertaining segment.
#1 Worst: Shayna Baszler gets pinned by WWE SmackDown Superstar, Natalya
One has to wonder if the WWE SmackDown creative team and Shayna Baszler are currently at odds. No offense to Natalya, but how does Baszler go from the most dominantly booked performer on the roster to someone who gets pinned in absolutely no time?
It was also a disservice to the women on WWE SmackDown and RAW to see them used in the manner that they were, to build them up for WrestleMania. It's very easy to build towards a multi-woman match with no storyline. However, we'd assumed that WWE was trying its best to get away from all that.
At times, it seems like only splitting up Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax will allow them to return to their former glory. This is especially true for The Queen Of Spades whose stock has dipped significantly.
WWE makes such a big deal of RAW and WWE SmackDown only clashing during Survivor Series every year and yet, had teams from one brand appear from another in the build to WrestleMania!
#2 Best: Daniel Bryan steals the show in the WWE SmackDown main event
The WWE SmackDown main event between Jey Uso and Daniel Bryan was awesome. But what happened after the match deserves a special mention, where the 'Yes Man' just snapped!
This was just the moment he needed to prove that he belongs in the conversation with the two other performers.
And one has to make mention of just how good Edge was behind the commentary desk. The Rated-R Superstar is just a natural when it comes to emoting his feelings as a passionate heel.
He was in a different league compared to the rest of the WWE SmackDown desk, adding a fantastic flavor to the main event match.
Daniel Bryan is clearly a step below Roman Reigns and Edge when it comes to fan perception of where performers belong in the WWE SmackDown hierarchy. A performance of this nature has solidified his claim as a top-tier performer.
It remains to be seen if this means he walks out of WrestleMania with the WWE Universal Championship or not.
#2 Worst: Can WWE SmackDown Superstar Apollo Crews just drop the accent?
The WWE SmackDown audience has already heard Apollo Crews speak without a thick Nigerian accent and hence, it makes no sense for him to adopt one, even with his new gimmick.
He can embrace his culture, his roots, and his tradition without the accent, which seems extremely contrived. It would have been one thing to make Crews debut with that accent, but so far into his run, it's just off-putting.
Also, sure, WWE is all about entertainment, but a Nigerian Drum Fight, much like a Punjabi Prison Match, may be pushing it a tad too far.
Instead of Braun Strowman and Shane McMahon, Apollo Crews and Big E could have fought inside a steel cage and stolen the show!
Yes, it's premature to dismiss a match before it has even happened, but any long-time WWE SmackDown watcher knows the drill by now.
If you watched WWE SmackDown this week, what do you think a Nigerian drum fight is? News team member Nithin Joseph feels it'll be a 'battle of the bands'.
#3 Best/Worst: WWE SmackDown goes overboard with the swinging
WWE SmackDown also had a segment between Seth Rollins and Cesaro, which served its purpose. But then again, it wasn't the most exciting segment, especially because of how much insistence there was on the word 'swing'! It's hard to describe it if you haven't seen it.
It's unlikely that anyone watching this WWE SmackDown segment will become more excited about the upcoming match between Seth Rollins and Cesaro. That said, both of these performers have impressive resumes, and the idea of a potential clash between these two men must have made many a wrestling fan excited.
Let's not make this clash only about the swinging, WWE! Can we just make it about two world-class performers who'll steal the show with their presence and their athleticism?
Maybe we're nitpicking, so if you disagree, please drop a comment.
It's almost WrestleMania week and Drew McIntyre graced Sportskeeda with an exclusive interview to hype up the event. If you have a few minutes, do take the time to it out.
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