12 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Mar 5)

by Andy H Murray

1. Joe! Joe! Joe! Joe!

Samoa Joe US Title
WWE.com

Samoa Joe scored the victory and a long-overdue main roster championship victory by proving himself the smartest man in the bout.

Rey Mysterio looked to have it won with a splash. This wasn't the case, though: Joe interrupted, breaking the pinfall, hitting a senton, then slamming his opponent down with a one-armed Uranage to score his biggest victory since WWE called him up to their main roster in 2017.

Strapping him is a great move. While Truth's open challenges had potential, the man is an undercard comedy act. Yes, he's entertaining, and yes, he's one of your writer's low-key favourites, but the United States Championship deserves Joe as much as Joe deserves it. It needs prestige, and 'The Destroyer' can absolutely bring that.

Joe may never be WWE Champion or even a true main-eventer, but that's okay. Not everybody gets to be 'The Guy.' He's better suited as a brutish upper-midcard bully, and while this belt has languished lately, we wish him a long, prosperous reign with SmackDown's secondary championship.

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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.