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This week, SmackDown Live came to us from the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. Unlike WWE RAW, it was a very entertaining watch from start to finish. I must say that it was very difficult to identify things that did not work during the show. After all, everything did seem to fly by very quickly.
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Maybe it is the two-hour format that helps. Maybe it's the fact that it's so much faster paced. Whatever the case may be, SmackDown Live invariably turns out to be the better show every single week.
As is customary, here is my 'Best and Worst' breakdown of the show. I invite you to share your thoughts and views in the comments as well.
Do you think, after the FOX deal, SmackDown Live has emerged as the A-show for WWE?
#1 Best: The Tag Team Division
It's easy to forget just how good The New Day is, sometimes. Behind the cereal and the pancakes are three serious competitors who always steal the show when they're given the stage to excel. They had the perfect dance partners in The Bar and The Miz. The six men put on the match of the night, if not the whole week.
Isn't it heartening to see the Tag Team Division on SmackDown Live get so much attention when the RAW Tag Teams have become an absolute joke? While one brand has tag teams indulging in food fights, the other puts on matches of this calibre! This match was so good, it even caught the eye of the RAW locker room.
It was great to finally see Cesaro and Sheamus get their due after the travesty that was Nicholas. I hope to see a full-fledged Bar vs. New Day feud somewhere down the line!
#1 Worst: Third wheel
For fans that actually enjoy good in-ring work, a match between Samoa Joe and Daniel Bryan is always a treat to watch. In fact, I'm sure that it could have been the reason why many wrestling fans had tuned in. Unfortunately, Big Cass added himself to the proceedings. And sometimes, 'more' is not necessarily a better thing!
The main event was a good match, but it wasn't the technical classic many of us were expecting to see. I do hope that the Joe vs. Bryan match does happen on pay-per-view down the line.
#2 Best: Andrade and Zelina
Andrade 'Cien' Almas did not wrestle on TV this week. Instead, he was part of a backstage segment that did wonders in developing his character. He met an old friend in Sin Cara backstage. Suddenly, his manager showed up and said Almas didn't want to be associated with the Luchador.
Most of the conversation that ensued was in Spanish. However, no translation was necessary at all, really. Andrade and Vega pretty much said they were in a different league as compared to Sin Cara.
Will there be a feud between Almas and Sin Cara down the line? We'll have to wait and watch, dearest readers!
#2 Worst: The dance off
There was nothing particularly wrong with the dance-off between Lana and Naomi. However, in an age when women are creating history in the ring with outstanding performances, this just seemed like a nod back to the day of the divas. Of course, this is a personal opinion. If you guys thought this was a good idea, do let me know.
It is especially sad for someone like Naomi whose win at WrestleMania seems pretty pointless. Someone like her should be booked much more strongly than she has been!
#3 Best: Last man standing preview
Nakamura took on Tye Dillinger this week. It was supposed to be a straightforward match. However, Nakamura did well by counting down to ten on several occasions to get us hyped for his Last Man Standing match with AJ Styles at Money in the Bank. Dillinger was merely enhancement talent here, but he played his part well too!
Heel Nakamura is just something else. It is no wonder that the crowd is so much into him!
#3 Worst: Bryan taking the loss
Daniel Bryan is perhaps the most over babyface on SmackDown Live right now. He may even be the most over babyface in WWE. Perhaps in all of wrestling. And yet, WWE chose him to pass out to the Coquina Clutch and be the 'loser' in this week's main event.
Bryan lost to Rusev recently in the Money in the Bank qualifier match and then, took a loss here. He just does not seem to be receiving the push he should ideally be getting right now!
#4 Best/worst: Bryan vs. Cass continues...
So, Daniel Bryan isn't in the Money in the Bank ladder match then. I'm okay with Samoa Joe qualifying, of course. However, this essentially means that Big Cass and Daniel Bryan will be prolonging their feud. This was proved from the beat down that Big Cass delivered after the main event.
I don't know if I want to see this feud. I am glad that Big Cass is out of the doghouse. However, I don't know how excited I will be to see these two men lock horns.
I want to see Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz. I want to see Daniel Bryan vs. Samoa Joe.
I certainly want to see more Mandy Rose.
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