6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (July 17)
Solid, simple and one million times better than karaoke.
Critics can say what they want about 'King' Corbin, but he's a fine gateway heel to better things for SmackDown newcomer Matt Riddle.
This week, Corbin ambushed the former NXT man from behind following Riddle's well-worked attempt to prize the Intercontinental Title away from brand veteran AJ Styles. The story, from straightforward start to logical finish, was well-told, and WWE smartly also deployed Daniel Bryan in some pre-recorded promos to give his opinion - they added to that by repeatedly asked talent to pick a winner, giving the match that big-time feel.
Spoiler alert: SmackDown was a good show. It was far better than last week's karaoke-inspired nonsense, and every segment was given the right amount of respect by Bruce Prichard's pen. Nobody will weep if Naomi never sings Dusty Rhodes' theme, or Dana Brooke is booked like a desperate actress looking for attention ever again, put it that way.
Here are all the 'Ups' and 'Downs' from a refreshing go home edition before Sunday's Extreme Rules pay-per-view. Minor inconsistencies aside, this was a sign that SmackDown might just be alright heading into SummerSlam...