4 Ups & 4 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Apr 3)

1. A Solid Main Event

As was previously advertised, SmackDown closed with AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura teaming to face Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin. Like the other bouts on the show, it wasn't any kind of objectively great match, but there was more positive than negative and it fulfilled its narrative purpose.

Nakamura and Styles showed signs of dissolution, but got the job done. There was no way they were going to lose, and the prophecy rang true when AJ tagged in, took both opponents down, then finished Gable with the Phenomenal Forearm. This came following 12 minutes of solid, serviceable action that didn't deliver any highlight reel moments, but didn't necessarily need to either.

Gable and Benjamin have been entirely effective as fall guys for SmackDown's main eventers. It'd be a shame to see them continue as jobbers to the stars for long, but they've done a good job, and should benefit from rubbing shoulders with Nakamura and Styles over the past few weeks. SmackDown's most decorated wrestlers they are not, but they know how to look good in defeat.

The winners, meanwhile, are heading towards a bout that many have already strapped their 'Match Of The Year' tag too. Anything less than excellence will be seen as a disappointment, so fingers crossed they deliver.