4 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (20 Dec - Results & Review)

Downs...

3. WWE Go Too Deep In The Weeds

What kind of pro wrestling fan are you? If you're the type who doesn't mind Tony Khan-esque claims that everyone should 'do their homework' on rivalries and matches that happened outside the confines of the product you're watching, then you might've loved Alex Shelley vs. Johnny Gargano on SmackDown. However, if you're the kind who'd rather not Google what happened on Cleveland All Pro Wrestling cards in 2005/2006/2007, then...

...you might've been scratching your head wondering why you should care about the match at all.

Michael Cole and Corey Graves tried their able best to add context to the bout in question by going hard on the independent wrestling chat. Sadly, that sort of thing just isn't as interesting to WWE's core audience as some might like to believe. AEW has found that out to their detriment in recent years. On Friday, Shelley vs. Gargano passed by without much energy from a bored live crowd. Eek!

Honestly, this was all a little too AEW Collision for SmackDown. The fact that Gargano and Shelley came up in the biz together and that's why the Motor City Machine Guns are shocked he went rogue to snatch their tag belts? Fine. Hammer home that point all you like, but there's no need to start talking about matches these guys had in a parking lot 15-20 years ago. That means nothing to most fans watching.

Another follow up scrap pitting DIY vs. MCMG should be ace, but this indy-riffic tale WWE are trying on is tenuous to those who want storytelling to happen in front of their eyes.