6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (May 13)
Ronda Rousey's open challenge clicks; WWE announce unifications; Sami Zayn joins The Bloodline?!
The issue with rigidly scheduled themed pay-per-views is nothing new in WWE circles, but this is really taking the p*ss. Hell In A Cell happens three weeks from this coming Sunday, and the company doesn't have anything lined up for SmackDown's top champions at all.
Roman Reigns looks likely to take a wee sabbatical and sit the pay-per-view out completely, Ronda Rousey's future opponents on the women's side are unclear and both Raw and SmackDown's tag belts are about to be unified. Although next week's title unification bout will probably end with a screwy finish that necessitates a Cell rematch come early-June, creative aren't leaving themselves a lot of breathing room for TV build here.
For all that PPV panic, this week's SmackDown was still a winner.
It's hard to argue with a two-hour show that features hot matches, star-enhancing performances, title match announcements and more. Negatives included a feud totally overstaying its welcome and unnecessary spotlight on niggling concerns in the women's division, but Friday night's show got most things right.
Here's all the good and the bad from it.