3 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE SmackDown: Merry Christmas (Dec 23)

Downs...

5. This Gimmick Has Got To Go

Sorry, but the 'Miracle On 34th Street Fight' idea is an annual nuisance.

This year, Imperium members Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci flopped around like fish for Braun Strowman and Ricochet. WWE did acknowledge that the strait-laced pair hated working this sort of bout, but then they doubled down on poor comedy that was frankly rubbish.

That ballerina coming out of the box spot was garbage, and so was New Day dressing up as tin soldiers for...reasons. Who the hell booked this nonsense?! Also, does anyone have any desire to hear Michael Cole spew lines like, "Here's when Giovanni Vinci got a lump of coal for Christmas" when Braun punched him?

Same goes for shouting, "...and Ludwig Kaiser is on the naughty list as well".

Honestly, everyone understands that is just supposed to be festive fun, but the gig is up. 'Miracle On 34th' is boring in 2022, and it'll be the same in 2023. Worse, it did nothing to sell an upcoming battle between Strowman and GUNTHER (who wasn't there).