8 Ups & 1 Down From WWE SmackDown (Dec 16)
John Cena gets a call; 'Uncle Howdy' debuts live; WWE puts on another IC Title classic.
Stupid sexy Sami.
Mr. Zayn trimmed his beard and dressed up for the occasion on the latest episode of SmackDown, but it did seem for a second there like he'd be beaten and thrown out of The Bloodline. Credit where it's due: WWE's writers took fans on a journey this past Friday night, and the fact they did so with ease is very encouraging.
Of course, John Cena's return to your telly boxes was the biggest story here. "Cena Claus" (as he called himself) gave fans who have followed his career a nifty little Xmas gift - he'll actually work a match on the 30 December SmackDown, and it's a biggie. Typically, JC's promo was as slick as they come.
One quick glance at those numbers next to 'Ups' and 'Downs' reveals that this was a fun two hour ride. WWE pre-taped next week's show in the Allstate Arena too, and they did pack Friday full of some padding, but it wasn't bad padding. In fact, almost everything advanced either a story or character, and that's why the 'Ups' count is so high.
Only one solitary negative stopped from this from being a clean sweep for Smackers. Here's all the good and a little bit of bad from the bumper Christmas tapings.