6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Jan 20)

1. Too Long And Too Lifeless

Charlotte Flair Sonya Deville
WWE.com

Sorry, but Charlotte Flair's babyface segments will also be a weekly 'Down' unless WWE finds the right heel opponent for her. Sonya Deville is certainly not that woman - she's been booked terribly since her 2020 push (which is a distant memory), so nobody views her as a threat to Flair's belt.

This verbal spat also dragged on and on and on for what seemed like an eternity before Adam Pearce showed up and Sonya used that distraction to cheap shot the champ. In short, there wasn't much payoff for all those TV minutes invested, and Charlotte was typically foolish/arrogant throughout.

Repeat: Flair doesn't work as a baby.

This feud shouldn't make the cut on the Royal Rumble card. It isn't anywhere close to good enough for that sort of platform, and that renders it useless generally. Seeing fans stand around chatting to one another mid-promo from both women isn't the best sign mere weeks into Charlotte's comeback.

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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.