5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (May 5)

2. The Crowd

WWE Crowd Puerto Rico
WWE.com

Right, time to shower Puerto Rico with praise.

They were red hot for everything on Friday night, and they kept the energy up where other crowds would've sagged. There's an argument to be made for WWE shaking up the product by playing before more markets they don't visit often, especially with TV. Even the reworked SmackDown aisle way added to the presentation.

SmackDown looked vibrant, alive and altogether dazzling compared to the samey big-tron setups you're accustomed to. In the stands, people cheered, booed and made noise for everyone who strolled through the curtain. That makes one heck of a difference when you're watching back home.

An opening segment involving the LWO and Judgment Day was precisely what San Juan needed to get onboard. Plus, Dominik Mysterio hit a cheap shot on Rey right at the end of the skit, and that got some real heat.

Great crowd, and smart formatting.

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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.