5 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (10 July - Results & Review)

1. Lining Up A SummerSlam Main Event

CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes for the WWE Title is now official for SummerSlam next month.

SmackDown opened with a nice tense staredown between these guys. The way they went from friendly to intense was excellent, and the parallels between the last time they were standing inside the ring and this were clear for all to see - this time, Punk had the black eye, but he also has the title. Their confrontation was exactly what it needed to be.

Also, this guy appreciates Cody being all business. Arguably, he could’ve ditched the smiling entrance, high fives and signing some merch before entering the ring, but that’s maybe true to his babyface character for now. "For now" is the important bit to note there. It'd be a blockbuster moment if he went full on heel before SummerSlam. Or, perhaps it'll be Punk who leans towards those rougher edges. Or both. Someone has to, otherwise this will be one of those 'let's just go out there and have a jolly good match, fellow face' matches.

No thanks.

There's enough aggro to explore here without going overboard. Cody can cling to the thought that Punk is a more corporate version of his old self, and point out that he just so happened to be waiting by the phone for Nick Aldis to call. Meanwhile, if CM's the one leaning heelish, then he can rub his success in the face of Rhodes and wonder if the poster boy should just step aside entirely to let him rule SmackDown.

Whatever road they choose, they're off to a fantastic start.

What did you think of this week's WWE SmackDown? For more like this, check out 12 Things We Learned From Dark Side Of The Ring: TNA (Parts 1 & 2) and 10 Wrestling Jobbers So BIZARRE They Feel Made Up!