3 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE SmackDown (9 Oct - Results & Review)
1. Smart Use Of The Ladders
Using the ladders to tell a visual story was really smart.
CM Punk and Kevin Owens bickered, then Sami Zayn interrupted them to do some talking of his own, and this was all much better than last week’s promo segment for the men's MITB. That probably has everything to do with the strength of the characters involved. After all, Punk and Owens are better supporting cast members for Sami than Je'Von, Penta or Trick.
Punk and Owens went eye to eye atop ladders, but Sami was on a shorter ladder and used that to frame the so-called conspiracy everyone has against him. Great idea. No, really. That's not sarcasm. This was a really nifty idea that told the tale of a reigning WWE Champion who still struggles to get respect from the office, his peers and the fans.
Zayn calling out that neither Punk or Owens will win MITB and cash in because they’re too busy arguing with each other was another strong statement, and it shows how useful Sami can be even when he's helping others tell their stories. This is something Zayn does when he's around Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae too. He always makes sure to give back and elevate others rather than hogging the spotlight.
Above all else, the image of Sami hoisting the WWE Title high above his head yet still looking up at prospective challengers worked. Punk and Owens will presumably cost one another in New Orleans at Money In The Bank, but a Triple Threat for the gold isn't out of the question afterwards, and it could be some laugh.
What did you think of this week's WWE SmackDown? For more wrestling, check out 7 Behind The Scenes ECW Stories That’ll Shock You and 8 Amazing Wrestlers That Flopped In WCW!