5 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Feb 9 - Results & Review)

Ups...

5. One Man Power Trip(s)!

Triple H Nick Aldis Adam Pearce
WWE.com

Triple H opened SmackDown with a crystal clear message to The Rock: You don't have the power to make your own matches, and you certainly don't have the stroke to veto anything 'The Game' decides. That neatly justified Rocky's dummy-spitting anger from the WrestleMania 40 press conference.

It was important for WWE to lay this bare too, because it presents a clear picture in terms of who can do what on TV. Triple H is the main man, but he delegates to Adam Pearce on Raw and Nick Aldis on SmackDown. They're a team (a dysfunctional one at times due to bickering between GMs, but a team nonetheless).

Rock isn't part of that despite his position in the board room.

This one promo was a simple way to put a lid on The Rock's powers. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense if he willingly sat back and let Cody Rhodes challenge Roman Reigns, Royal Rumble win or not. Triple H was on Smackers to do some tidying up, and he achieved that goal.

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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.