7 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Aug 14)

3. The Battle Royal's Fun Finish

Asuka SmackDown
WWE.com

Battle Royals are typically skippable.

SmackDown's wasn't, and everyone involved should get a pat on the back for making sure it wasn't all about the winner. The agents in charge of the bout added key spots for women like Bianca Belair, Dana Brooke, the Lacey Evans vs. Naomi mini-feud and even Tamina.

It was good stuff, didn't drag on (eight minutes was the right length) and had an inventive finishing stretch that saw Asuka surfing on a downed Bayley and Sasha Banks at ringside as Shayna Baszler looked on. Michael Cole should get a bonus thumbs up for pointing out that Baszler winning would've been just as challenging for Bayley too.

As it was, Asuka got the win and moves on to wrestle two title matches at SummerSlam against the 'Golden Role Models'. This, unlike that karaoke joke a number of weeks ago, was a great use of the talent WWE's women's division has across all three brands.

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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.