5 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (20 June - Results & Review)
John Cena delivered his own "pipebomb promo" on this week's WWE SmackDown.
Maybe time will be kind to John Cena's own version of CM Punk's "pipebomb promo" from 2011 once this week's episode of SmackDown is in the dust. This writer sure wasn't feeling it in the heat of the moment, and that's why it's the top 'Down' from Friday's show. Surprised? So is the fella penning this piece, because rumblings of Cena ripping on Punk's iconic speech seemed fun...until you watched the entire segment.
There were a few missed opportunities on SmackDown. R-Truth's return crusade is already coming across as wasted effort (when it really doesn't need to be), and WWE outright failed to capitalise on another story doing the rounds which sees Charlotte Flair's ego prove to be a newfound stumbling block for her. Hey, at least Chelsea Green got to show out, and there is something worthwhile simmering away between Charlotte and Alexa Bliss.
Dual semi finals in both the King and Queen Of The Ring tournaments had everyone tuning into Smackers buzzing though. Bliss played a major role in that, so did Asuka, and then there was an inspired babyface vs. babyface battle between Randy Orton and Sami Zayn that you kinda need to see.
It was match of the night.
LA Knight is on the recovery trail, Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa were cooking with their storytelling, and it's fair to say most things WWE booked for SmackDown felt important. That's true even for the stuff this fan didn't personally like.
Here's all the good and bad from the penultimate blue brand stop pre-Night Of Champions.