3 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (17 July - Results & Review)
3. Glad Finn Won, But…That Was Boring!
Finn Bálor vs. Talla Tonga was a standard smaller guy swimming upstream against bigger guy match. There was nothing especially wrong with the way it was worked from a technical standpoint, but 90% of it was lifeless due to Talla’s sloooooooooow beatdown style. He's quickly turning into Shanky, and that isn't something anyone internally would like to admit. How long before this dude is working comedy spots? Answers on a postcard.
Listen, it’s good that Finn won to continue building some momentum for him on the blue side, but this just wasn’t close to Bálor vs. Tama last week. Creative should move Bálor on from this quickly now he’s beaten both guys. Also, where does this leave Tama and Talla? They left Solo Sikoa's side in The MFTs faction, and they don't appear to have anything worthwhile going on post-Finn.
WWE better not have Shinsuke Nakamura resurface as Finn's tag partner for a tag-team match or 2-3. There's no need to continue this mini-feud beyond Friday's episode. At best, Tama and Talla will get a move to Raw and go after tag gold there. They clearly need something other than what SmackDown's roster has to offer them. Opportunities will be seriously limited due to a lack of focus in the tag ranks, put it that way.
It doesn't sit right to call any Bálor match boring, but you've got to call what you see. This is just one fan's opinion anyway. Perhaps others out there feel differently and thought this made the Irishman look like a million bucks. One man's trash, and all that.