10 Ups & 7 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Feb 19)

Raw's inconsistencies blight SmackDown on Kofi Kingston's big night.

Kofi Kingston the new day
WWE

It would've taken something monumental for SmackDown to not outdo its big red cousin after a particularly ramshackle episode of Monday Night Raw this week, but while a number of the flagship show's biggest problems did bleed into Team Blue's two hours, SD's superior writing team pulled through with another solid episode.

SmackDown, like Raw, was all over the place, with sublime individual performances nestled alongside bewildering booking decisions, often within the space of the same match. Regardless, it was impossible to come away from this broadcast feeling overly negative.

NXT invaders Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Ricochet, and Aleister Black were back, as WWE threw them up against a fresh set of main roster opponents. Elsewhere, an Elimination Chamber follow-up saw Kofi Kingston, AJ Styles, and Jeff Hardy face Samoa Joe, Randy Orton, and WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, culminating in a new number one contender's coronation. The women's division saw Charlotte Flair spit hot fire and Asuka throw down an open challenge, while The Miz had big news for partner Shane McMahon on the Tag Team Title front.

Not a great show by any stretch of the word, but SmackDown's writers were forced to make lemonade from Raw's lemons. Let's take a look at where they succeeded, and where they fell short...

Advertisement
Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.