7 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Sept 25)

Ups...

7. Short & Sweet

Shinsuke Nakamura Gran Metalik
WWE.com

This one was exactly what it needed to be.

Shinsuke Nakamura got a quick win in just over four minutes, though not before giving Gran Metalik some showcase spots so he wouldn't look like a total jobber. These boys were in a tough place due to the tired one half of a team vs. one half of the other team trope, but they made it work.

Both maximised their minutes, and that should be a vital lesson to any aspiring WWE stars watching. You're not always going to get 10-15 mins on screen in this promotion, so do everything you can to ensure you leave an impression (even a minor one that hints at more).

Naka winning does add a sprinkling of doubt about who's winning that SmackDown Tag-Team Title match at Clash as well. This writer thinks it'd be a mistake, but he can absolutely see Lucha House Party coming away with the straps.

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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.