5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (3 April - Results & Review)

Ups...

5. Matt Cardona’s Arm Costs Him

Admittedly, Aleister Black vs. Matt Cardona looked like it might be sent out there in front of the people to die a slow death, but the opposite happened: This pair gradually got the fans invested in what they were doing, and they deserve credit for that. Al’s Black Mass is a sudden stop that believably ends matches quickly, and Cardona sold the arm Randy Orton injured really well.

Their match wasn't essential by any means, but it did complement the card.

Realistically, doing the honours for dudes like Aleister is exactly why the ex-Zack Ryder was brought back in the first place. He isn't exactly super over as a sympathetic baby, but Cardona's work was strong on Friday night. It might've been his strongest face performance yet, at least since signing another deal. Meanwhile, Black went about his usual business of picking a body part and systematically destroying it.

He and Zelina Vega are a neat double act who deserve better than they've been getting. It's murder that Aleister is still pretty much doing his whole, 'PICK A FIGHT WITH MEEEEE' style character work this deep into his career. Change the record, writing team. Back on the plus side, this pair gelled immediately, and there's enough to Matt's arm injury to merit a second match down the stretch.

'I wasn't 100%. Try beating me now!'. That sort of thing. Black gained precisely nothing from his feud with Damian Priest, so it's cool to see him in settings that play to his strengths. Namely, matches crammed with psychology and cerebral viciousness.