6 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Jun 12)

1. Momentum, Built

That a Daniel Bryan match was the best thing on SmackDown shouldn't be a surprise. The former WWE Champion has been in strong form since transitioning from authority figure to full-time wrestler, and while there's a strong argument that he's already being undermined by the higher powers, at least the company are putting him to work between the ropes.

Though a level or two below Bryan's usual TV banger, the Shelton Benjamin match was a success. Daniel was his usual fiery self, pulling the crowd into his struggle throughout a hard-fought 10-minutes largely controlled by Benjamin. Shelton, meanwhile, is perfect in his role as SmackDown's heel jobber to the stars. No longer the prodigious athlete of old, he's the archetypal "solid veteran hand" who'll never be pushed again, but always does what's asked of him.

Shelton was never going to win, but came close with a Suplerplex towards the end. Unfortunately, Bryan countered his attempted Pay Dirt into the Yes Lock. Another exchange of holds followed, before Daniel finally trapped Benjamin in a kneebar, forcing the tap-out.

A tough, gritty performance from Bryan ahead of his showdown with Big Cass. His next challenge will be to drag a good match out of the lumbering seven-footer, after which he'll hopefully transition into something more fulfilling.