4 Ups & 6 Downs From WWE SmackDown (April 22)

3. The Contract Signing

Ronda Rousey Charlotte Flair
WWE.com

Yours truly has gone on record to say that WWE should lean on physicality between Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair. He's even praised the writers for going down the 'I Quit' match route with both women. However, this week's SmackDown was a giant leap backwards for the pair.

Both Charlotte and Ronda come across like children when they're bickering back and forth. Their banter is standard, "Did so/did not" stuff, and it was so awful that even Rousey pelting Flair with a kendo stick couldn't save the day. Finally, there's a glaring issue with the characterisation.

Ronda attacking Drew Gulak for literally no reason isn't exactly babyface behaviour. Why should fans cheer her as the hero of the piece if she's just doing the same sh*t as Charlotte? This wasn't a good segment at all, and it's a worrying sign if Rousey is going to lead the division post-Backlash.

Bratty teenage Ronda = bad TV.

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.