2 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Dec 29 - Results & Review)

1. WWE’s Match Selection

WWE Crown Jewel 2023 Logan Paul Rey Mysterio
WWE.com

Onto the matches themselves.

SmackDown had four recaps of various PLE bouts from 2023. John Cena vs. Solo Sikoa and Logan Paul vs. Rey Mysterio from Crown Jewel, The Usos vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn from WrestleMania 39 night one, and Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes from 'Mania 39's blow off.

All of them were good matches, but it would've made more sense for top brass to cherry pick specific TV scraps from the year that lit up SmackDown itself. Instead, WWE went the exact same route as Raw by showcasing various PLE matches in highlight form. It felt like another missed opportunity.

Two-three TV matches that actually happened on Friday nights would've been preferable. Granted, that's nitpicking (most of these 'Downs' are - it was a year end highlight show, after all), but true. WWE's TV output in-ring is fab these days, so there was plenty to dig up and show off here.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.