6 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Sept 11)
4. Finally, Almas Wins
Last week, this column posed the question of whether or not we need to be worried about Andrade 'Cien' Almas and his main roster fortunes. The answer, at the moment, is "probably not."
The former NXT Champion scored an overdue victory last night, putting the revived R-Truth away in under three minutes. It was everything it needed to be. Truth was granted a few moments of control (so as not to be buried), but he was ultimately there to lose, and ended up doing so via roll-up after absorbing some of his more revered opponent's biggest hits.
The conclusion saw Zelina Vega get a little too involved for Carmella's liking. Truth got himself distracted by his new mixed tag partner pulling Vega away, and Almas scored the roll-up, presenting him as a slimy opportunist.
Protecting Truth was a wise move, as his endearing value as an entertainer has been pushed to the forefront in recent weeks. Almas got the rub without diminishing his opponent. With any luck, he'll be slotted into a more meaningful programme after Hell In A Cell, perhaps with one of the brand's pre-eminent babyfaces.