6 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (May 15)
1. Styles & Nakamura Outdo Themselves
Whether or not this was the best AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura match so far is up for debate, but it was clearly the best thing on last night's SmackDown, and the blue brand's strongest TV main event in weeks.
Free of all bulls***, the WWE Champion and his bollock-smashing foe were given a generous 17 minutes to work their magic. Sure, it wasn't a "Dream Match," but who expects that on weekly television? The most important thing is that the bouts are getting better, the duo are finding their chemistry, and it's only a matter of time before they explode on pay-per-view.
Though Styles is always tremendous, Nakamura was the biggest highlight here. His heel work gets better every time we see him now. Finally, he is becoming more than a sentient low-blow, with his mannerisms, movements, and gesticulations all falling in line with his new act.
They delivered a great finish, and didn't even hit a single d***-shot. Nakamura went full Eddie Guerrero when the referee was knocked away late on, clutching his groin as if AJ had struck him below the belt, prompting 'The Phenomenal One' to plead with the official. This allowed Nakamura to hit the Exploder and Kinshasa for the victory, thus giving him the right to choose their next stipulation. Here's hoping he goes for low-key rather than elaborate when making his decision.