7 Ups & 8 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (11 Oct)
5. Scarred Past
Earlier this week, Chris Jericho cut one of the money promos of the year on AEW Dynamite. Whilst probably few people were particularly listening for it, Paul Heyman followed suit with a magnificent sell of the Brock Lesnar/Cain Velasquez WWE Championship clash.
It's a shame the match will take place at Crown Jewel, tainting what could be one of the biggest results of the year, or at very least a spectacle for the ages. The mention of the scar under Brock's eye where Cain smashed him during their 2010 UFC contest was perfect fodder for the feud too, as was Heyman's insistence that Lesnar was facing a fear he intended to conquer, rather than just a mere opponent.
As noted, Velasquez' rebuttal was hampered by his efforts on the microphone, but Rey Mysterio and some powerful UFC photos did much to enhance the programme even further. Booked well, and these two could theoretically go again at WrestleMania. Then, all this good stuff might be easier to celebrate.