3 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Jan 29)

2. What Could’ve Been

Sami Zayn Cesaro
WWE.com

Twitter started blowing up when Daniel Bryan challenged old rival AJ Styles to another bout during the opening segment of SmackDown. People licked their lips in anticipation for what would surely, if nothing else, be one hell of a wrestling match. Talent like AJ and Dan couldn't fail.

Unless they weren't the focus of their own match.

Sami Zayn's conspiracy theorist character is great. It really is, but this was not the time for him to repeatedly steal the spotlight at ringside. WWE framed Styles vs. Bryan as a surprise dream match, then used it as set up for other things. Zayn, Cesaro and Big E were shown a little too much bell-to-bell.

Yes, it's free TV and story is king, but this show could've done with a seriously hot match. Instead, WWE's cameras obsessed over Zayn's antics. There were too many cutaways, and that hurt a showdown that had been hyped as huge.

Advertisement
Contributor

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.