6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Nov 11)

WWE books multiple returns; SmackDown sets up WarGames; Bray Wyatt's first feud?

by Jamie Kennedy
Brawling Brutes Sheamus Ridge Holland Butch
WWE.com

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.

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Contributor

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.