7 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Aug 14)

5. Setting The Table

Charlotte Flair Becky Lynch
WWE.com

Repetitive show-opening promos are a company-wide problem, but a more appropriate microcosm of SmackDown as a whole you will not find.

These things are usually written and performed well, and whether they're used to set up a match for later in the evening, further a feud, or a combination of both, they rarely come off poorly. Still, they're as repetitive as it gets. You're usually okay to skip them safe in the knowledge that you haven't missed anything important, as each key moment will be repeated several times throughout the rest of the evening anyway.

Last night's opener fit this description to a tee. Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Carmella bantered back and forth ahead of their SummerSlam Triple Threat. The champion's goal was wedging a knife between her challengers, while Charlotte wanted to prove her loyalty to Becky. This led to Paige booking the babyface duo against her former Absolution allies Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville, making this an effective piece-mover.

A little variety would be nice, but c'est la vie...

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.