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

3. Alignment Bingo

Shane McMahon Kevin Owens
WWE.com

While Kevin Owens performed well in the opening segment (and his face turn felt real by the end of the night), the way WWE randomly decided that he was a good guy during the KO Show was jarring.

Suddenly, with no build, Owens was talking like a face, trading barbs with Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre. His refusal to read from 'The Beast in the World's' pre-pared script was endearing, as was him constantly standing up to the most reviled heel in the company, and while this may have come off stronger if his apparent turn had already been established, it didn't work in this context.

Coin-flip changes like this never come off well. KO will make it work, because he's brilliant, and the course will right itself, but the transitions need to be smoother.

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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.