6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Nov 11)
WWE books multiple returns; SmackDown sets up WarGames; Bray Wyatt's first feud?
The best wrestling returns lead to impactful moments that resonate. They're not thrown away for a one-off match that same night, but instead let fans anticipate what's coming next. In that respect, Triple H bringing Sheamus back on this week's SmackDown was excellently-handled.
Sheamus' Brawling Brutes buddies Ridge Holland and Butch looked like kids on Christmas morning as their fearless leader led them into battle against top faction The Bloodline. This was pro wrestling drama at its best, but it wasn't the only comeback WWE had in mind for this past Friday's show.
Sarah Logan returned and steered her Viking Raiders into war too. This, hopefully, will lead to a continuation of Erik and Ivar's dominance before one of them went down with an injury that halted their momentum completely.
Elsewhere, Bray Wyatt might've just found his second run's first rival, Ronda Rousey got a new challenger for Survivor Series and WWE started the 'SmackDown World Cup' opening round. Not everything clicked, and yet SmackDown was a fun two hours that expertly delivered some 'better late than never' build for Survivors.
Here's all the good and bad.