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

4. A Hoss Fight Cut Short

Though not quite as exciting as it sounds on paper, Samoa Joe vs. Rusev was an effective Money In The Bank warm-up match that quickly spilled out of the ring and became a brawl, with the heel vs. heel dynamic allowing for shortcuts galore.

The pace did lag in the middle, particularly when Joe chose to grind 'The Bulgarian Brute' down with restholds. Such spots are a fixture of his weekly TV matches. Though the former NXT Champion can still go between the ropes, his athleticism is in steep decline, and there'd be no sense in him going all-out every single week. It might not be all that entertaining to watch, but at least these slowdowns make sense.

Memphis was 100% into Rusev as the match progressed, and he scored the victory in the end. There was a referee bump spot, after which The Miz refused to count Joe's fall, prompting Joe to jump 'The A-Lister.' In came Rusev, who blasted his opponent with the Machka Kick, made the pin, and scored the 1-2-3.

A perfectly solid TV bout made better by the afters, with Rusev hitting Joe with a ladder, Miz downing the Bulgarian with the Skull Crushing Finale, before claiming the briefcase. A sign of things to come? Let's hope so.