11 Ups & 6 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Jul 2)

2. Ali Chases Glory

Well, this was rather tremendous.

Recent weeks have seen Ali portrayed as 'Make a Difference' Fatu reborn by curing alcoholics' addictions and bringing fighting partners back together in a short series of repackaging vignettes. It was decent stuff, but last night's promo was a big step forward.

Ali came off strong and assertive. He claimed that while everyone else was chasing the WWE Championship for "money, power, fame," he wanted to "bring change to millions of minds that have been forced to believe a lie." That lie, he claimed, was that their name, background, and heritage defined them. He wants to smash that perception in two, and when he's announced as WWE Champion, he's going to change everyone's mind.

Ali's delivery, the written content, and the gritty presentation were all on point. He feels fresh, new, and exciting. Props to the man and his undeniable charisma.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. 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.