10 Live Observations From Attending WWE SmackDown Live In Manchester

6. Shayna Baszler Was Over Like Rover

SmackDown Shayna Baszler Bayley
WhatCulture

Upon coming out to cause chaos, NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler received a monster response from the WWE Universe - even if on watching Baszler's surprise SmackDown appearance back on TV for some reason doesn't convey that feel.

The arrival of Baszler to lay waste to SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley was warmly received by the in-attendance crowd, with many hoping that would signal an impending arrival of NXT stars throughout the combined SmackDown and Raw taping.

Likewise, Imperium's arrival received a huge pop, and their presence was a major positive for the watching fans. Unfortunately, though, those expecting this to be followed up with a Tommaso Ciampa, a Matt Riddle, an Undisputed Era, etc, were all left disappointed at the lack of any other NXT names.

To be fair to WWE, it wasn't as if they'd openly promoted that a plethora of NXT stars would be a part of SmackDown... but that didn't stop the paying audience hoping for such a big-time invasion feel to the entire show.

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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.