5 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (26 June - Results & Review)

2. Improvement Scores AAA An ‘Up’

Rey Fenix Nathan Frazer
WWE.com

Rey Fenix vs. Nathan Frazer was better than Fenix vs. Axiom previously. No, still not hot on having the AAA Cruiserweight Title around, because this guy personally isn’t a fan of splicing in belts from other companies as a general rule, but only a fool would deny the action bell to bell. Michael Cole and Corey Graves were clearly having a ball on commentary throughout too, which elevated the bout further.

Fans in London had a great time with it all, and it’s clear that Fenix has a point to prove in WWE. This still won’t count for much going forwards, especially for Frazer, but it was a fun ride while it lasted. Also, after a near fall off a Frog Splash from Rey, Cole said: “Thank goodness this match will continue!”. They’re really trying to push AAA content, which is admirable, but it’d be nice to have a storyline and character development for these guys rather than cold title matches.

Is that too negative? It could be too negative for an 'Up'! Honestly, yours truly loved the match, but he just worries for these workers when they don't have any character development to speak of. Once WWE's interest in pushing AAA onto mainline programming fades, what then?

Back to the action for a sec. It's worth gushing with praise for. Fenix was 'on', Nathan was a better fit for him than his Fraxiom partner, and some of the exchanges were borderline breathtaking once the pair got going. If you need some Cruiser giggles, then this has you covered.

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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.