7 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (July 9)
WWE tease a mega-match; Bayley gets replaced; NXT stars debut on SmackDown.
Last week's SmackDown was a stirring return to form for the blue brand.
Want some more good news? WWE went one step better on the latest episode by delivering fun debuts, another cracker between old rivals and a closing brawl that was both intense and layered with pay-per-view build. The upshot is that SmackDown continues simmering away nicely just in time for screaming live crowds to return.
People are in for a treat with some of these shows. Unlike Raw, which continues to drag its feet every Monday night, SmackDown is ready for those fans. Beyond main event brilliance, there's enough going on in the undercard to make everything seem worthwhile too, and that's a real credit to those putting the Friday night product together.
Bayley won't be around to see some of the coming fun, sadly - she announced a nine month layoff, and that opened the door for Bianca Belair's new challenger. It also leaves space for some fresh faces to make an impact, which isn't exactly a bad thing.
Here are all the 'Ups' and 'Downs' from another solid two hours.