10 Things We Learned From WWE SmackDown Live! (May 2)
A Welcome Change.
There'll likely only be one major talking point in the short and long-term assessment of Sunday's Payback pay-per-view, but SmackDown Live! can viably claim ownership of the very best and very worst of the Raw supercard.
Months of expertly paced dissent between WWE Champion Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt has lead to two atrocious matches ill-befitting of the terrific storyline placing 'The Viper' as the destructive force behind a Wyatt Family implosion.
But the blue brand had already moved on from the pitiful conclusion on television, booking Jinder Mahal as Randy's upcoming challenger for May's Backlash pay-per-view a solid fortnight before Bray could get his hands on the champion one final time. The angles ultimately converged, with Mahal and The Singh Brothers running interference alongside Orton's 'absconded' title belt to ensure victory for Wyatt and an end to the farcical tale.
With Payback now thankfully out of the way, Jinder and the rest of the roster can finally focus solely on business at hand. As too could new arrival Chris Jericho, who earned a place in 'The Land of Opportunity' by virtue of his surprising victory over United States Champion Kevin Owens at the vaunted San Jose event.
With dynamic new challengers in all three title programmes, how would the first post-WrestleMania Smackdown-only card shape up, and would a quickfire rematch yield Jericho's predictable demise? Here are 10 things we learned from the May 2nd edition of WWE SmackDown Live!
10. Where The Power Lies
If going blow-for-blow with The Undertaker inside a Cell, being stronger than 95% of your roster for a Survivor Series match and morphing into the wrestling equal of AJ Styles didn't make it clear enough, the opening segment of SmackDown Live! reminded all viewers why Shane McMahon is the toughest person in the world.
Since his sudden six-pack challenge victory propelled him to Number One contender status, Jinder Mahal has been largely untouchable on the main roster. His theft of Randy Orton's WWE Title on last week's show reared its head at the conclusion of the 'House of Horrors' match between 'The Viper' and Bray Wyatt, with 'The Maharaja' flooring the champion to allow 'The Eater of Worlds' to pick up a cheap victory.
Hijacking a company photoshoot to snap him with the 'absconded' strap, Mahal was at his bombastic best until the blue brand commissioner stamped his authority on the Backlash challenger.
Orton wasn't to appear on the evening's broadcast, but Shane stepped in nonetheless, scooping the title back from Jinder with little more than a firm request and a steely glare.
Clearly making up for a lack of Stephanie's b*llockings on Monday Night Raw, it was another senseless McMahon power play that reduced an important main roster member to putty in the boss' hand.