10 Live Observations From Attending WWE SmackDown Live In Manchester

9. The Vastly Different Reaction To Roman Reigns

SmackDown Roman Reigns
WhatCulture

As somebody who has been to several UK-held WWE events over the years, one of the things that really stood out about being in attendance for this most recent episode of SmackDown was the vastly different reaction to Roman Reigns in comparison to prior years.

For years, UK fans would butt heads with Reigns and boo him out of the building, with that being the time where WWE brass were trying their best to force The Big Dog down fans' throats. With negativity running wild, brother, in those previous Manchester appearances from Roman, this time it was so, so different.

Of course, that initial segment with Baron Corbin was just utterly horrendous, yet fans were a lot more receiving of Roman Reigns for once.

Since his return to action after battling leukaemia, the majority of fans worldwide now have a different view on Reigns, and the Manchester audience followed that trend in cheering on the multiple-time World Champion. And even those who weren't cheering on Roman, at least they weren't raining boos down on Reigns like so many of the times he's visited the UK.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer and Presenter, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund and Eli Roth to Kevin Smith and the Russo Brothers, to Kevin Conroy and Frank Miller, to Bret Hart and Sting, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, and Brian Flynn, to many, many more. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is a long-standing season ticket holder and an FSA Award-winner for his time co-hosting the Fearless in Devotion podcast.