6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Feb 5)
2. A ’Stunning’ Feud Continues
This 'Up' won't suit everybody.
Kevin Owens blasted Roman Reigns with a Stunner out of nowhere as SmackDown went off the air. It was so late in the day that BT Sport's broadcast in the UK almost missed it entirely. Still, it happened, and it's pretty much all WWE are talking about coming out of Friday's show.
They're keen to continue this KO vs. 'Tribal Chief' feud for as long as possible. That's an unfortunate byproduct of having two more pay-per-views to fill before they even get to Tampa for 'Mania. The thought of Reigns skipping two supershows is a nightmarish one for this company, and maybe rightly so when it's the most-watched period of the year.
The good news is that their 'Last Man Standing' match at the Rumble didn't feel like a definitive conclusion to the rivalry. Roman needed help to beat Owens, so it's fine for them to proceed with another showdown and work more of the same awesomeness they have over the past few months.