6 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE SmackDown (10 April - Results & Review)
Pat McAfee's gimmick ensures Women's Title feud ISN'T the worst thing about SmackDown this week.
Someone replace Drew McIntyre behind bars with WWE's creative team.
The writers have been taking a fair amount of flak recently, and Pat McAfee's alliance with Randy Orton on last week's episode of SmackDown sure didn't help ease any worries heading into WrestleMania 42. Being fair, it looks like TKO execs have piped up and flexed their influence heading into the biggest PLE of the entire year, so this isn't all on Triple H or his band of weary agents.
Reports earlier in the week suggested that WWE would course correct on Friday's show, but that didn't really happen. If anything, the company doubled down on McAfee's 'shoot from the hip' presentation, and it just isn't working. Nothing about the storyline feels believable or particularly exciting, and now Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton will be forced to try pick up the pieces in-ring next weekend.
You might notice there are more 'Ups' than 'Downs' in this article though. This fan likes to take each match/segment/promo as it comes and rate the strength of the performance. That seems fair, but it's obviously challenging to overlook some of the WCW-esque creative that's wrecking things all over the shop.
On the plus side, Royce Keys looked good during his singles debut, Danhausen and Kit Wilson kept the laughs coming, McIntyre went ballistic on Fatu in a chunky beatdown skit, and Jade Cargill benefitted hugely from sharing ring time with the ever-dependable IYO SKY.
Her feud with Rhea Ripley is still a real chore, but you've gotta take wins where you can get them. Lord knows that Women's Title rivalry sorely needs some positivity heading into 'Mania.
Here's all the good and bad from SmackDown!