5 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Oct 10)

by Andy H Murray

1. The Ballad Of Kevin & Sami

Sami Zayn Kevin Owens
WWE.com

Sami Zayn's heel turn was the biggest talking point coming out of Hell in a Cell, and the main reason to tune into SmackDown last night. "Why, Sami, why?" was the question on everyone's lips, and the inevitable explanation segment was absolutely tremendous, with both men knocking it out of the park.

KO claimed to have no prior knowledge of Zayn's plans. His "best friend and guardian angel" acted of his own volition. Why? Because "saving his brother" was "the right thing to do."

In a pitch perfect promo, Sami pointed out that playing by the rules and trying to be the nice guy had got him nowhere, while Owens was scoring title wins left, right, and centre. Shane McMahon had promised opportunities on SmackDown, but they hadn't materialised, and the Commissioner was full of lies. He was only out for himself, and while Zayn once thought he hated KO, he only really "despised that he was right."

This segment could've been a disaster. Sami is the company's most natural face, and somebody who has never played heel in a major league organisation, so there was no guarantee he'd come off as strong as he did. Fortunately, the former NXT Champion was entirely believable throughout his passionate speech, further cementing this as WWE's most interesting storyline.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.