WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Predicting The Quality Of All 6 Matches

6. The Usos Vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin - 2 Out Of 3 Falls SmackDown Tag Team Title Match

It's not altogether difficult to gauge the quality of Sunday's SmackDown Tag Team Title clash; the teams have wrestled three good-to-very good telvised tag bouts throughout the winter months in addition to several more singles and multi-man affairs.

The Usos, in particular, are master craftsmen of the doubles art. The hot tag spot all too often looks contrived, with flailing lariat attempts thrown into the air only to miss. Not in the hands of Jimmy and Jey; they frantically duck underneath their opponents with a sense of do-or-die urgency, refusing to just stroll through to the next spot. They do so much to sell the combined threat of their opponents. And with a sound psychological rationale; Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, thrown together, attracted 'American Beta' accusations. In the heel role, they have elevated that act's suplex-throwing schtick with a palpable menace. Gable especially transmits legitimate danger; the added oomph to his Chaos Theory spot re-contextualises it from wonderful babyface hope spot to wince-inducing babyface killer.

The 2 Out Of 3 Falls stipulation is often rendered as contrived as the idea to simply replace Jason Jordan with another amateur-leaning African American - but the Usos have already drawn on their immense creativity to maintain interest in their second consecutive prolonged programme.

Provided the layout does not burden the psychology, this should be a killer match - especially since the Usos have something to prove on the Big 4 stage proper.

Anticipated Star Rating: ****