6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Feb 5)

2. A ’Stunning’ Feud Continues

Roman Reigns Kevin Owens Stunner
WWE.com

This 'Up' won't suit everybody.

Kevin Owens blasted Roman Reigns with a Stunner out of nowhere as SmackDown went off the air. It was so late in the day that BT Sport's broadcast in the UK almost missed it entirely. Still, it happened, and it's pretty much all WWE are talking about coming out of Friday's show.

They're keen to continue this KO vs. 'Tribal Chief' feud for as long as possible. That's an unfortunate byproduct of having two more pay-per-views to fill before they even get to Tampa for 'Mania. The thought of Reigns skipping two supershows is a nightmarish one for this company, and maybe rightly so when it's the most-watched period of the year.

The good news is that their 'Last Man Standing' match at the Rumble didn't feel like a definitive conclusion to the rivalry. Roman needed help to beat Owens, so it's fine for them to proceed with another showdown and work more of the same awesomeness they have over the past few months.

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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.