5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (16 May - Results & Review)
R-Truth knocks it out of the park; women's division saves the show; JC Mateo debuts.
The artist formerly known as Jeff Cobb got off to a rough in-ring start during his first WWE match on this week's SmackDown, and not because his new name makes him sound like a shoe shop. Many will use that as a stick to beat Triple H with, but...JC Mateo isn't anymore or less than Jeff Cobb in terms of appeal. Genuine question: Do critics think he'd automatically become a huge draw with his birth name?
It's splitting hairs.
Maybe that's a bit rich coming from a writer who's ready to moan about some minor issues in this very article, but let's roll with it. There was a lot of good to trumpet from this week's show anyway. A women's three way hit the heights, there was a zippy tag battle that continued a fresh team's ascent on WWE's main roster, the main event between Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax worked out well, and even R-Truth stopped by to quit stand up comedy by getting serious.
Perhaps a lack of top tier star power knackered proceedings just a little. There was no John Cena, Randy Orton or Cody Rhodes to speak of after Backlash, and Roman Reigns has suddenly decided to hit the beach again in between moonlighting on Raw rather than SmackDown. How very dare he, 'Tribal Chief' or not.
Next weekend's Saturday Night's Main Event looks tasty though. R-Truth is stepping up to plug a gap, there's a steel cage war incoming between Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest, and Trips just got through another 3-hour Smackers. He'll be chuffed with that.
Here's all the good and bad.