5 Ups And 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Mar 21)
Ups...
5. Starting Strongly
The AJ Styles/Shane McMahon feud went through a complete U-turn during last night's show, but it started relatively positively. After meeting with Daniel Bryan backstage, Styles headed to the ring to address Shane. He made no apologies for throwing the Commissioner's head through a car window last week, and after accepting his WrestleMania 33 challenge, AJ promised to put McMahon through a worse beating than the one he'd endured last week.
A simple way to start the show, but an effective one. Styles has been universally excellent on the microphone since turning heel last summer, and has done a good job of carrying this feud thus far. These diatribes keep him feeling genuinely dangerous, as it's clear he has absolutely no remorse for Shane's plight, and build enthusiasm for a match many still see as a gross misuse of one of WWE's most talented wrestlers.
It has been rumoured that AJ will depart SmackDown as part of WWE's forthcoming "major roster changes" after Mania. If he goes too far against Shane, it's not hard to imagine Bryan saying "enough is enough," and firing the former WWE Champion for a second time. For now, Styles will continue dragging this mismatched feud towards something resembling credibility, with segments like this playing a huge role.