7 Ups & 4 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Oct 23)

by Andy H Murray

1. Becky & Charlotte's Welcome Break From The Norm

Given the nature of last night's show, it was great to see WWE take a different approach with the Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair storyline, even if their Performance Center angle added little in the way of progression.

'The Queen' was found delivering a rousing rah-rah speech to a gathered throng of NXT hopefuls. This went on for a short while, and was broken by Lynch's inevitable interruption, with the SmackDown Women's Champion countering her challenger's positive approach. After telling the trainees (whose number included Mia Yim, Deonna Purrazzo, and Bianca Belair) that any friends made along the way would only stab them in the back, Becky leapt into a brawl, but she was dragged away from Charlotte before any significant damage could be done.

The company rarely do segments like this, where the action is pulled out of the arena and into an alternative setting. WWE even publicised it ahead of time, noting that they were "investigating" the fracas earlier in the week, before delivering it last night.

Charlotte followed up with a textbook promo. She said nothing unexpected, but it was an effective cap on the PC fracas. Kudos to the company: the whole package felt fresh and exciting, unlike much on the show.

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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.