7 Ups & 1 Down From WWE SmackDown (Aug 19)

3. Shayna Baszler’s Smarts

Shayna Baszler Liv Morgan
WWE.com

Triple H has done a bang up job of bringing Shayna Baszler back from the brink.

She was so lost under Vince's regime that a killer segment like the one she enjoyed on SmackDown would've seemed impossible. Liv Morgan beat Shotzi in a short match, then Shayna rolled out to tease breaking the champ's arm before Clash At The Castle. Then, something really cool happened.

Baszler paused, smiled and told Liv she'd spare her then shatter that same limb in Cardiff. The only gripe anybody can have with this one is that WWE should've given Shayna a mic (so the live crowd could hear her), but that's nowhere near enough for a 'Down'.

Shayna taking Morgan by surprise and then toying with her was heel 101, and it's the kind of edge Baszler's character solely lacked when she was nonsensically playing bodyguard for Sonya Deville or sharing screen time with others in random-assed tag-teams.

Advertisement
Contributor

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.