7 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (May 19)
Roman Reigns loses control; SmackDown's new blood make waves; WWE sets up title feuds.
There was a freshness about SmackDown this week, but WWE still managed to lean on an older story to help sell Night Of Champions. That's a nice blend, and it's a promising sign that Friday nights will belong to the newbies once everyone jets back from Saudi Arabia next week.
Solo Sikoa, Pretty Deadly, Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn, Santos Escobar, Grayson Waller - all of those workers got to look good during this superset of SmackDown tapings. Plus, Austin Theory got a fresh rival for his United States Title, and Zelina Vega is showing real skills as a plucky underdog babyface.
It wasn't all good though.
'Downs' came in the form of a directionless tag-team alliance that didn't help anybody. Also, WWE just cannot catch a break with the Women's Tag Title scene. That thing's a mess! Questions must be asked about how creative followed up on another newcomer's hot start on the main roster too.
Friday marked a top episode of SmackDown overall, and it matched last week's wrestling-centric approach. Here's all the good and bad from WWE's penultimate stop before NOC goes international.