7 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Nov 27)

WWE got back to (excellent) blue brand business on the latest SmackDown.

Article lead image
WWE.com

Someone please tell Daniel Bryan not to do that again.

The crazy b*astard took a brainbuster on the ring apron during his fun match with Sami Zayn on the latest SmackDown, and it was pretty damn scary. This is a dude who has nothing to prove, and yet here he is almost landing head first on the hardest part of the ring. That, ladies and gents, is a man who both laughs in the face of danger and loves pro wrestling.

SmackDown's writers must love it too, because they were able to cut off the Survivor Series shackles and start moving their way towards TLC on 20 December. That, despite being exactly the kind of pay-per-view that'll encourage forced booking, feels like a blessing after the "brand warfare" yawns throughout November.

It's not that Survivors was bad (it certainly wasn't) - it's that Raw vs. SmackDown is a knackered concept that could do with a rest. Cheerfully, WWE are past that now, and they're already setting up some tasty-looking feuds that'll cleanse the palate on Friday nights.

New Intercontinental Title contenders, a fresh challenge for Roman Reigns and some other solid decisions made this week's SmackDown far better than last Friday's mixed, restricted effort.

Here are all the 'Ups' and 'Downs'...

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.