7 Ups & 8 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (May 7)

by Andy H Murray

1. Ticking Every Box

Sami Zayn Kofi Kingston AJ Styles
WWE.com

AJ Styles vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Sami Zayn worked on a number of different levels:-

1. From a workrate perspective, this was strong. Three of the best wrestlers in the company were given the freedom to craft something memorable without having to break their backs. A smart layout gave everyone ample opportunities to shine, and all three men got over, including Zayn, the eventual pin-eater.

2. Kofi's ongoing storyline with Kevin Owens was continued when KO attacked Xavier Woods are ringside, distracting the WWE Champion long enough for Zayn to almost steal the win.

3. The right guy won. Kingston shouldn't be losing the belt at this stage. He was never in any real danger here, but successful near-falls made it seem like he was on the brink.

4. WWE have successfully presented Kofi as a credible challenger without sacrificing bouts that could be used to hype pay-per-views later down the line. This is a big one. The promotion was big matches far too often, and while they could have built a B-level show around the Bryan rematch, getting it out of the way on Raw frees the New Day man up for fresher opportunities.

A successful match across the board, then. Let's see if it has any impact on ratings.

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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.