10 Things You Might Have Missed On The WWE SmackDown Live! Superstar Shake-Up (April 17)
A Skill Shake Brings All The Boys To The Yard
After Monday Night Raw kicked off the Superstar Shake-up by throwing midcarders around like Braun Strowman, SmackDown Live! bit back by stockpiling some of the show's best bodies for the blue brand.
Most assumed all the headlines had already been written by Monday Night, in truth. The Miz' return to Tuesdays had folk salivating over the prospect of a renewed rivalry with Daniel Bryan after years of teasing their hatred without a planned payoff.
Elsewhere, resolution was required to a championship conundrum - Jinder Mahal's departure from the place he'd ran and ruined in 2017 resulted in immediate Raw ruckus with the recently returned Jeff Hardy. The 'Charismatic Enigma' was a favourite to bid farewell to the flagship after making nice with his broken and WOKEN brother Matt and new partner Bray Wyatt during the post-WrestleMania edition of the show. His return was even revealed by WWE social media team before he despatched now-solo Shelton Benjamin.
Though commencing Tuesday night with only nine full-time male singles stars thanks to Raw's raid, the 'Land Of Opportunity' lost more in quantity than quality, and actually shored up its ranks with the helpful addition of numerous great hands once flailing on the flagship.
It was a grand statement of intent from the company behind the blue brand, but how? And, asked with trepidation, why?
10. Living His Best Life
Shinsuke Nakamura's instant salvation as a heel continued in earnest this week with yet more eccentric facials, sardonic physicality and dank humour in his verbal delivery.
A show-opening video package twisted and contorted his sensational "no speak Engrish" with jagged movements similar to those in his own entrance, whilst yet another attack on AJ Styles at the end of the show was as much an assault on the senses as it was AJ's sensitive area.
Going low on Styles for the third time in as many weeks, Nakamura grizzled and growled between the ropes as if he was a deranged Jack Nicholson peering through a permanently damaged door in the deathly hallows of a horrific hotel. Sharing a 'Shining'-esque evil within him, he slithered away twice - once into the crowd and once up the ramp to again feign ignorance and indifference for his actions when pushed by roving reporter Renee.
Fans haven't been afforded sight nor sound of his beloved entrance since WrestleMania, and may never again if the company smartly get shot of it before his next high profile clash. It's now too precious for a performer so vile, and would hugely extenuate a babyface turn should one emerge in the future.