5 Ups & 5 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (July 3)

Ups...

5. Setting The Table

Though not without its flaws, SmackDown's opening segment was mostly effective, and served as a functional table-setter for the night's main event.

It began with Team Hell No and Renee Young. The reunited tandem ran through their past, trumpeting accomplishments like defeating The Shield and graduating from Dr. Shelby's anger management classes, before their differences came into play. The chemistry was almost identical to what it was five years ago. Kane and Bryan still play off each other well, their relationship still feels natural and organic, and this all bodes well for the duo's future.

They were interrupted by The Usos, who put Team Hell No over, but claimed they were more deserving of Tag Title shots. This drew Paige from the back. The main event was set, and if Jimmy and Jey triumphed over Kane and Daniel, they'd be added to the Extreme Rules match.

Segments like this are usually skippable, as WWE will highlight all the key points after the first commercial break anyway, but at least they make sense. Simple, coherent, and practical, it ticked every box it needed to.