5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Dec 17)

1. Still Not Digging It

Toni Storm Sasha Banks
WWE.com

Hmm.

Whilst it was nice to see WWE open SmackDown with a match, that's where the positivity ended. They didn't even bother to give Toni Storm (who, y'know, is the main challenger for Charlotte Flair's SmackDown Women's Title) an entrance, but expected fans to greet her like a big star after a fluke victory.

The Storm/Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte/Shotzi tag went three segments. Long doesn't always equal good though - there were some rough moments in here. Practically everything Shotzi did looked sloppy and uncoordinated, and Toni had some awkward spots herself. Both women badly need some actual character development too.

No, "2 Pies Toni" doesn't count.

Perhaps the most egregious aspect of the whole story is that Storm, despite winning this tag, doesn't come across as a true threat to Flair's belt. Her surprised celebration with Banks even told the tale of someone who couldn't quite believe she'd beaten Charlotte.

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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.