5 Ups And 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Jan 14)

By Jamie Kennedy /

3. Neville Gets Final Say On Smackdown

A constant source of irritation for fans is that WWE seem to yo-yo talent with alarming regularity. One week, the watching audience is told that they're the next best thing since sliced bread. The next, it's almost as though they've never existed in the first place. This makes it hard for people to really invest in characters and become involved in their story, which is certainly the case for Neville. What do people know about the Englishman, other than the fact he wears a cape and performs flashy, high-flying moves? More personality needs to be fleshed out, because there isn't a character to speak of. Contrast that with Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens, who often talk about their motivations, and it becomes clear the Newcastle native needs help from the writing team. Thankfully, he was allowed to shine physically on Smackdown. Better yet, he was handed a show-ending moment, bashing Owens with the Red Arrow. This acts as revenge for KO's various attacks on Neville, which at least shows some continuity. More is required, but the move always provokes a response. It's what WWE do to continue developing Neville from this point that matters.