5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (April 12 - Results & Review)

1. Cody Rhodes Needed Something Hotter?

Cody Rhodes
WWE.com

This might not be a popular point.

Cody Rhodes is really good at cutting babyface hero promos, but his opening speech on Smackers was paint by numbers. WWE clearly believes cooling things off a bit post-WrestleMania drama is the way to go, but this writer fundamentally disagrees with that. If anything, this would've been the perfect time for Cody's next rival to strike.

Something more dramatic than, 'I'm facing the winner of two Triple Threats and a singles match' would've been preferable. Friday night was Rhodes' chance to hammer home his position as the new face of SmackDown, but he's cut promos almost exactly like this one before (sans title, of course), and recently.

It was all slightly disappointing, if only 'cause something bigger was expected from his first showing on the blue brand since winning the title from Roman Reigns. Cooling everyone off post-'Mania is understandable in a way, but it's also why the traditional lull happens from mid-April until SummerSlam.

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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.