3 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Jan 14)

A Shield showdown falls short; Sami Zayn shows his value to WWE; SmackDown newbies break records.

Roman Reigns Seth Rollins
WWE.com

WWE has exactly four more hours of SmackDown TV left to convince people that Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins will be something more than one of those lifeless Survivor Series-esque exhibitions. Creative is really struggling with this feud, but it's not the only aspect of the blue brand's product one could say that about.

There's a real malaise afflicting FOX these days.

Last week's show was a little better than Friday's offering, but not by much. This sucks to report, because there was a time when SmackDown felt like it was in a groove. That, largely, was down to Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman being the best double act on wrestling telly. WWE kissed that goodbye recently, and they don't seem to have much else in mind for Roman pre-Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38.

Elsewhere, the tag-team division is dying a slow death, and SmackDown's women will continue killing time until Charlotte Flair's next challenger is confirmed after the Royal Rumble. Not even a legendary comeback could save things on that front this week.

Here are all the 'Ups' and the 'Downs'.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood.