7 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Jan 22)
2. Card Subject To Change
Roman Reigns got some much-needed egg on his face last week when Adam Pearce pulled a fast one and revealed that KO would replace him at the Rumble. Instead of moving on from that, WWE smartly booked Roman and Paul Heyman to outthink SmackDown's chief authority figure on Friday night.
Revenge is sweet.
Pearce went into the main event thinking he'd be facing Heyman, not Roman. That was their cruel retribution, and it rocked when Adam's eyes visibly conveyed his annoyance. Good. Authority figures, heel or babyface, shouldn't like having their power usurped.
Spotted a trend yet? WWE's best storytelling in 2021 so far has been simple and straightforward. This was that, and it had the added advantage of featuring some big-time stars. They managed to save the actual spectacle of a match too - Elimination Chamber for Roman vs. Pearce proper, maybe?