12 Ups & 6 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Jun 25)

1. Non-Title Losses

Nikki Cross Bayley
WWE.com

Non-title losses, like every other WWE trope, are situational. They can work on occasion, provided the champion looks strong in defeat and WWE don't overdo them. Sadly, last night's fell on the equation's opposite side.

Two champions losing on one two-hour show is too much. It began with SmackDown Tag Team Champions Daniel Bryan and Rowan falling to The New Day, with Bryan eating Big E and Xavier Woods' Midnight Hour, before Nikki Cross beat SmackDown Women's title-holder Bayley clean as a whistle later on. Fortunately, Kofi Kingston avoided the same fate by toppling Dolph Ziggler in the main event.

Do these results push their respective stories forwards? Absolutely, but the detrimental effect they're having on the belts is far stronger. Bayley looked like a doofus as she was outfoxed by the unpredictable Cross, and Bryan, a certified wrestling genius, was dealt an almighty blow in his and Rowan's quest to rehabilitate the lowly tag division. Neither was served well on SmackDown.

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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.