6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (15 Aug - Results & Review)

2. Main Event Delivers PLE Setup

Sami Zayn Solo Sikoa Helluva Kick
WWE

GM Aldis lined up a 6-man tag main event early in the show: Sami Zayn, Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu vs. Solo Sikoa, JC Mateo and Tonga Loa was a functional headliner at best. That’s not meant to be negative - it just is what it is with this sort of match. They tend to follow a formula, but it's a good one and they rarely drop below solid.

Sami pinning Solo after a Helluva Kick at least sets up what they’ll be doing at Clash In Paris, and the live crowd seemed interested in seeing them collide again. Admittedly, Fatu does seem a little lost in the shuffle right now, but he’s explosive enough as a performer to offset creative indifference for a while so he'll be totally fine.

Yep, enjoyed this one, especially once they got to the final few minutes. The strength of this current WWE roster means there’s typically enough going on to make even the low energy parts of matches slide by. Everybody knows their characters so well, and that includes masterful babyface Zayn. The way he fights, claws and scratches from underneath makes even the most average opponents (like Mateo or Loa) look like beasts.

It hasn't been 100% confirmed for the PLE quite yet, but Sami going after Sikoa's United States Title is surely a lock for Clash In Paris. The real argument starts soon. Will WWE put the belt on Zayn just to pop the house in France? Or, do they stick with Solo and maintain his status as a focal point on SmackDown?

Let's find out.

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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.