10 Ups & 7 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Feb 19)

3. At Least They Wrestled Well II

Aleister Black Andrade
WWE.com

Your writer didn't like the outcome, but Aleister Black vs. Andrade was a condensed cracker pulsing with the same energy that coursed through the epic TakeOver: New Orleans battle these two wrestled in the very same building 10 months ago.

This, like The Revival vs DIY on Raw, was a micro version of old TakeOver classics. This made it particularly gratifying for those who'd followed the duo through developmental, and while this level of nuance was likely lost on casual fans, many would've been won over by the strength of the action in the end.

The key point here is that Aleister Black actually got to show the stuff that makes him Aleister Black. This wasn't the case on Raw, when he worked a turgid resthold-fest with Elias. Here, the former NXT Champion felt like a strong, distinct personality, and while beating Andrade clean sucks for the loser, it's a decent rub for a guy who needs a certain degree of protection if he's going to prosper on the main roster.

Advertisement
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.