7 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (28 Feb - Results & Review)

1. Simple But Effective Build

Yes, it's a bit annoying that WWE squash their own brand separation so frequently, but even that couldn't stop Sami Zayn's segment with Kevin Owens from stealing the top spot in this week's 'Ups & Downs'. A melancholy Sami came out to address what's coming next in his "Unsanctioned" match with Kev at Elimination Chamber, then he called KO to the ring for a heart to heart.

Screw that, said Owens.

He remarked that he was in Toronto as requested, but not for SmackDown. Instead, KO was at the Rogers Centre ahead of the Chamber show instead. Take a bow, sir. That was peak heel trolling, and it made perfect sense rather than putting Zayn and Owens in the same ring on TV before they brawl. The pair couldn't exactly have a tense conversation in person without coming to blows, and WWE fancied avoiding that.

This was as good as fans were gonna get if they were looking for one final nudge towards Chamber. To their credit, both friends-turned-enemies-turned-friends-turned-enemies were intense without getting too over the top. They also, very much like The Rock finally did near the end of the show, got straight to the point rather than going back and forth on duelling mics for 20 minutes.

There was a sweet moment of realism when Kevin nearly choked as he said, "See you tomorrow". Sami didn't reply. He couldn't. He's so overcome with a toxic mix of rage and regret for a beating that hasn't even happened yet to say much of anything when confronted by Owens. Roll on the "Unsanctioned" war.

What did you think of this week's WWE SmackDown? For more wrestling, check out 50 Fascinating Facts About WWE in The 1980s and WWE Elimination Chamber 2025: 7 Things That Must Happen!