8 Ups & 5 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (10 Sept)
Downs...
5. Deadman Talking
What a crushing multi-pronged disappointment this was to kick off what had all the potential of being one of the most historic episodes of the show in its clunky 20-year history.
After laying the legacy of WWE's relationship with Madison Square Garden before and during the event, the company trotted The Undertaker out to...do the same and then simply f*ck off. The mere spectacle of him walking slowly to the ring is undeniably enough to pop the crowd, but why wouldn't the company and the competitor himself want something a little bit more for the night?
Stone Cold Steve Austin's captivating involvement on Raw provided the template. Bray Wyatt provided a tease. Undertaker himself - via his unbelievably entertaining Graveyard Dogs pairing with Roman Reigns earlier this year - provided a reminder of what he was still capable of between the ropes.
This episode only provided another excuse for (more literally, in this case), burying Sami Zayn. And that knackered the next segment too...