4 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (June 20)

Carmella gloats, Jinder wins, and Daniel Bryan has a huge decision to make...

Carmella SmackDown
WWE.com

WWE had a lot of ground to cover on last night's SmackDown. Money In The Bank saw Jinder Mahal successfully defend the WWE Championship against Randy Orton, and Baron Corbin leave with the men's briefcase, but neither was the real talking point. Instead, the post-show analysis had been dominated by James Ellsworth, who rose to the top in the first ever women's MITB ladder match, sealing victory for Carmella.

It was a hair-brained booking decision, and one WWE had no choice but to follow-up on. They did just that, with Daniel Bryan taking most of the show to deliver a final decision on Ellsworth's actions, leaving little airtime for other major developments across the evening..

In spite of this tedious angle, last night's SmackDown was actually a rock solid affair, and another step forward for the brand's overall quality. The booking still feels scatterbrained, particularly in the WWE Championship scene, but feuds between The Usos and The New Day, plus AJ Styles and Kevin Owens, were all moved forward last night, and while Orton delivered a tepid mid-show promo, his physical response to his latest loss was suitably vicious.

An uneven episode as usual, and one with plenty of highlights to temper the disappointing lows. Which segments soared, and which saw SmackDown hit rock bottom? Let's take a look...

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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.