5 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Oct 17)

2. A(nother) Handful Of Tights

Bobby Roode Dolph Ziggler
WWE.com

The Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler feud should have ended at Hell In A Cell, but here we are. Ten days removed from SmackDown's last pay-per-view, and the brand's least interesting storyline is still rumbling onward, with 'The Show-Off' scoring an equalising roll-up victory against 'The Glorious One' in just over four minutes.

Ziggler had the impetus to attack his opponent before the bell, but the match wasn't long enough to develop into anything exciting. Regardless, their lame HIAC clash suggests it wouldn't have been much better even if the runtime was tripled. These two lack chemistry, but that isn't even their biggest issue - not by a longshot.

Roode stole his HIAC victory with a handful of tights, and Dolph did the same last night, making this 50/50 booking to the point of self-parody. Nobody ever gets over this way, yet WWE persist with it regardless, and in doing it with Roode, they're undermining a potential main eventer. The feud will probably persist all the way to Survivor Series now, meaning we're doomed to four more weeks of dull, lifeless promos and matches.

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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.