5 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (7 Feb - Results & Review)

2. Cody’s Selling In The Main Event

The best workers remember to sell things consistently rather than picking and choosing. Yes, wrestlers make miraculous recoveries mid-match as adrenaline blocks out pain, but they need to be mindful of putting across injuries. Cody Rhodes did exactly that throughout Friday's episode. He sold an injured elbow all night without going overboard and making it the only thing fans could focus on.

Cody was splitting the spotlight with Rumble winner Jey Uso, after all, and Jacob Fatu is another WWE fancies pushing to the forefront of your attentions. The house show style main event that trio worked alongside Tama Tonga was functional, but it also had a bit of sizzle to it because of the idea that Uso could still choose to challenge Rhodes. He won't, but y'know - it's possible in the context of his storyline.

So, Cody's selling was top guy stuff and Fatu looked like a million bucks. Tama took the fall so Jacob could be protected, but that's fine because it's Tonga role to play Ludwig Kaiser to Fatu's GUNTHER. This was a super fun headliner, but it was made even better by Rhodes' dedication to the old school selling. Gee, who knew that actually selling pain would put sympathy on a top babyface?! Nobody tell AEW's roster!

This match only existed to get Jey and Cody teaming 'one last time', and to facilitate Solo Sikoa's return afterwards, but it was never less than exciting. All the top stars will be begging to work with Jacob soon enough. He has the kind of fire and threat babyfaces love from a counterpart heel.