10 Things We Learned From The Post-Backlash WWE SmackDown (May 23)
2. Raw Rebound
With the announcement of a five man match main eventing Raw's Extreme Rules pay-per-view the prior week, Monday Night Raw awkwardly forced Kurt Angle into the old Teddy Long General Manager role of knocking out inconsequential tag and multi-man matches featuring various combinations of the wrestlers to delay the inevitable supercard scrap.
SmackDown Live! went one better, in managing to pair four of the six individuals entered into Money In The Bank against one another on the same night.
As terrific as it was to see AJ Styles team with (or even perform in the same ring as) Shinsuke Nakamura, the entire match felt a lot like something you should be watching as a dark match reward for buying tickets to a live television taping.
The interaction between the dynamic babyfaces and heel foes Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler felt needless and laboured, which is understandable considering the lengthy battles the four engaged in on Sunday and the gruesome ladder match they're preparing to undertake in a few weeks.
WWE is clearly running low on creative energy as the post-WrestleMania lull takes a delayed hold on the entire product, but more wasted valuable output such as the first-time pairing of the New Japan rivals or 'The King of Strong Style' smashing 'KO's face in with the Kinshasa has tempered yet more potential excitement.