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

5. Kofi Steps Up

One week removed from their shock SmackDown Tag Team Title loss to The Bar (via Big Show assist), The New Day hit the ring at the top of last night's show, announcing that they'll attempt to regain the gold at Crown Jewel. Bad jokes followed. Sheamus and Cesaro "lowered the bar," Show is now their "bartender," and the seven-footer "flips more than a flapjack." Still, at least Kofi Kingston was fired up: he demanded one of his foes meet him for a fight, and they obliged.

Kingston vs. Show didn't last long. Though Kofi attacked early, he was soon thwarted by 'The World's Largest Athlete,' who tossed him around the ring, hit three Chokeslams in a row, and provoked a mass brawl, prompting a quick DQ finish.

Though the conclusion doesn't make much sense (none of the interfering parties attacked the competitors themselves, so why the stoppage?), these angles met for an effective opening set piece, and a solid way to further the programme without dedicating too much airtime. Their Crown Jewel encounter should be absolutely tremendous, and Show, at 46 years old, has somehow found himself in a complimentary role again. That's almost an Up in itself.