3 Ups & 5 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Aug 8)

4. The Writers Take The Lazy Route

John Cena Smug
WWE.com

John Cena has been strong on the microphone lately, but he didn't show his best work last night. SmackDown’s opening segment wasn’t quite ‘The Face Who Runs The Place’ at his absolute worst, but he wasn’t particularly compelling either, running through corny lines of dialogue like a pre-programmed robot.

Cena was inevitably interrupted as he talked about last week’s match with Shinsuke Nakamura. Out came Baron Corbin, and seven days after dumping ‘The Lone Wolf’ through a table on 205 Live, John was happy to trade barbs with his future opponent. Their match was set there and then, and they’ll now face each other at SummerSlam.

WWE needed to deliver a setup for Cena vs. Corbin this week, but they did so in the most unimaginative way possible. Bland, formulaic, and boring, it was the kind of show-opener fans have seen a hundred times before, and the duo’s performances weren’t enjoyable enough to compensate. Huge chunks of the show gave the impression that the writers mailed it in this week, and unfortunately, this was one of the biggest offenders.

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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.