2 Ups And 4 Downs From Last Night's WWE Talking Smack (Jan 17)
2. Up - Royal Rumblings
With Smackdown Live's opening segment completely neglecting the upcoming Pay-Per-View in order to begin a steady build to February's Elimination Chamber show, Talking Smack provided an excellent vehicle for talent to shift focus back to the Royal Rumble.
Rumble fever hung in the air for the entire duration of the show, with ample attention paid to the January tradition during Renee and Shane's banter and each individual segment with Jerry Lawler, Baron Corbin and Bray Wyatt.
As well as announcing 'The King' marking his return to the broadcast booth to provide commentary on the Rumble match itself, the show also promoted the Battle Royal inclusion of all three members of the Wyatt Family, and reminded the audience that a Rumble victory would allow a superstar to avoid February's Elimination Chamber en route to the 'Showcase of the Immortals'.
Less than a fortnight away from the Alamo spectacle, it was a welcome reversion from last week's heavy promotion for Wrestlemania 34 in 2018, and became the rightful focal point of every discussion relating to Smackdown Live talent.