6 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Oct 1)
More Brock Lesnar/Roman Reigns magic; WWE's Draft brings some big changes; Carmella becomes Sheamus.
Part one is in the books.
WWE's Draft has become an "annual" (or so they say) excuse to phone it in for a few episodes. They know it, fans know it, the workers know it - everyone knows it. The usual format calls for some authority figures to come out on-stage and announce brand changes to cheers or boos. It's a bit tepid, but it gets the job done so long as there's a live crowd to react accordingly.
Stephanie McMahon didn't have that luxury last year.
This week's SmackDown was Draft daft, and understandably so. Being fair, other than some pesky picks that seemed totally unnecessary, WWE did work some big trades into the show. They also deserve credit for making Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel seem like the most interesting Saudi headliner ever.
SmackDown's writers should get a pat on the back for sowing seeds beyond the next supershow elsewhere too, but someone really should've nixed a senseless chapter in one of the brand's hottest feuds. Did Seth Rollins vs. Edge really need borderline comedy? Nah, it didn't.
Here's all the good and the bad from Friday night's latest.