6 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Sept 1)

2. Solo Sikoa Takes Another Step

Solo Sikoa Paul Heyman AJ Styles
WWE.com

Some parts of SmackDown's main event were slower than expected, but one thing shouldn't be overlooked: Solo Sikoa matched up well with one of the best workers on the planet for the past 20 years, and got the win. It'd be silly to bitch or moan about that outcome.

Solo has quietly been improving all the time, and WWE has done an excellent job protecting him along the way during this Bloodline narrative. Credit must go to AJ Styles too, 'cause he gave Sikoa a ton here without sacrificing the usual spots fans wanted to see from him.

Whilst AJ isn't in the upper-tier challenging for top titles at the moment, he's still very important to creative. The dude is so versatile, and he proved that yet again vs. Solo. This was a massive win for Sikoa, one that should not be glossed over.

The Bloodline's heavy just took another step up the ladder, folks.

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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.