9 Ups & 5 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (1 Nov)
8. Grounded Crew Hand Control To Major Show, Tom
Any WWE show that opens without the gurning face and intolerable voice of Michael Cole is already onto a winner, even if it emerges that part of the aural vacuum is to be replaced by cut-price Jordan Peterson soundalike Aiden English.
That said, the former Vaudevillain's biggest commentary crime is sounding like an alt-right Kermit the Frog. Even that is excusable when paired with Tom Phillips, who was last night's impromptu anchor. The ultra-professional performance he put in with only around four hours' notice seriously makes you question why he's effectively been excised from the announce booth following the premiere shakeup. It's a question Phillips has apparently been asking himself; after the show, he knowingly Tweeted, "I'd like to do that every week, please."
We can only imagine one man, currently pounded and grounded in Riyadh, would object.