10 Ups & 1 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Sept 4)

Downs...

1. Should We Be Worried About 'Cien'?

Zelina Vega Andrade Almas
WWE.com

It's too early to ring the alarm with regards to Andrade Almas on the main roster, but we should at least be questioning the direction WWE are taking with the former NXT Champion.

Initially held off television aside from a couple of enhancement squashes and the brief Sin Cara feud, he eventually drifted into a programme with Rusev, throughout which him and Zelina Vega served as vehicles for what looked like a Rusev Day split. Now, he's feud-less, but playing a similar role in the Daniel Bryan/Miz saga. Almas isn't a focused athlete, but a guy used to put other things over.

This isn't a moan, a gripe, or even a major complaint, but this writer registering the first sign of concern. Almas and Vega are stars. They're an outstanding double-act whose respective strengths mask their weaknesses, yet here they are, farting around without any real focus.

Was there any need for Almas to eat sh*t twice on this show - first in the opening seg, then again after the main event? We'll remain patient for now, but persisting with these patterns will see the audience lose faith before he ever gets over, and that's a problem.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.